But why was I alone on the life raft? I remembered that I was briefly unconscious after I was attacked, and woke up on the boat, having saved my wounded classmates. Did I forget this part of my memories?I looked at myself, unconscious in the life raft when a figure suddenly streaked through the waves. My eyes widened as a prediction struck me, and just as I expected, I saw the figure with long black hair slowly breaching the surface and swimming to the life raft. Taking my leg, he licked it as he always did to heal my wound, and took off my now-useless scuba suit. He held me in his arms as if I was a child once more, even though I was now an adult.However, I appeared to be still traumatized by my fight against the mutated crab, and struggled against Dicken’s sudden embrace, flailing my limbs and crying loudly in panic. Dicken only held me tighter in response, hesitating for a moment after seeing my reaction and stopped my cries with a kiss while he patted my back in assurance. I
“Who’s there?” I called out to the figure. The figure moved slowly, but its posture was weird, having a bent neck and raised shoulders. It raised his hand and waved at me, as if beckoning me forward.Puzzled, I approached the figure even as it moved, but it was too quick for me to keep up, and disappeared into the mist in a split second.That was when I noticed in shock that the light from the washroom nearby had shown up beside me, and I was standing at the edge of the deck, the pitch-black surface of the sea right beside me. I shook my head, wondering if I was still asleep or if I’d lost my bearings in the mist.That was when I suddenly saw the silhouette of another ship, slowly appearing several meters opposite the Seeker. Could Gary’s ship be docking with ours? I dropped to a crouch by instinct to hide behind the scaffolding and looked out through the gap, immediately realizing that it wasn’t Gary’s ship. It was a familiar ship, however, with the white hull I was used to so
Blazing flames ignited behind the merman, and he looked as if he was surrounded by a raging inferno. It was an especially fearsome sight in the darkness, presenting him as if he was an undying spirit that crawled out of the ocean.From the lower deck, he slowly slithered from the stairs to the deck above, his soaked dark purple hair spread loosely over his body, making him look devilish yet eerie. I noticed that there was a katana sticking into his belly and out of his back, but it didn’t seem to inflict meaningful damage—he still moved steadily and powerfully, and he was flailing his webbed claws at the humans nearby who were fleeing, dicing their bodies into pieces like a skilled butcher and instantly covering the deck with blood.Through it all, his eyes were leveled at Mary without once blinking, his eyes carrying a wild yet repressed emotion at the girl shrinking into herself in a corner.I dare say that the emotion was not hate, but the exact opposite—it was love.Despite my
“Linda! Linda!”I heard several familiar voices yelling my name just then, and opened my eyes while panting. In front of me were my crew mates of the Seeker including Mike and Luna, and while they were helping me to my feet, I realized that I was still aboard the ship. Everything I had experienced just now suddenly seemed to disappear without a trace. I began to wonder—was that just a nightmare? Why would I dream of Mary’s past, then? I just couldn’t wrap my head around that, and it was utterly bizarre.In fact, my mind was still caught in that dream, which left me utterly out of sorts and unable to differentiate between dream and reality. It was only thanks to a hand clapping on my shoulder that my head cleared up slightly. “Why were you lying on the deck, Linda? We all thought that you fell overboard.”“I don’t know either…” I leveled a puzzled look at them, and asked, “Did anything weird happen just now?”“Well, yeah—we just happened to sail into a region where a lot of other
The appearance of that shipwreck became clearer to us even as our ship slowly approached it—it was mostly covered in something black that resembled a thick layer of coal dust, its original shape long since lost.I realized in surprise that it was not the ship I dreamt of, since this once was much larger, and must have been a luxury liner like the Titanic. The tourists who died here were no different from succulent meat for seafaring fugitives. As time went by, whatever the rich folks left in the liner would grow in value, and I realized that it was nigh impossible for my crewmates to give up on the riches right in front of them.I therefore had no choice but to watch as they brought out beers in celebration, while I took the guns off the wall rack and stuff it in their hands. “Don’t celebrate too early, and keep these with you!”“When did you turn into David, Linda?” Luna’s whole face was mocking, but she took the gun nonetheless. “Aren’t you going? Aren’t you always curious about
Dicken spoke softly with his face plastered to mine, and I immediately thought about the Nest by association. I had finally wrapped my head around merfolk procreation—all of them are created by the Nest, and they pick their progeny from viable humans, assimilating them by spreading their Yiki. It is how they expand their race, unlike how humans procreate through mating. It was hard for me to believe that conclusion, but it was the most direct proof of the various miraculous aspects of the merfolk race. For example, their prolonged longevity was already showing in my body. Although I didn’t really find out about that secret through research, it was my good luck because of word of mouth from their leader—a killjoy.Sadly, this discovery couldn’t be written into a thesis for humans. Any secrets about rebirth would inevitably invoke human greediness, and this had to stay my secret. “I think that’s why the Nazis want you, and yet are willing to let you die.”I couldn’t help stroking D
I touched Dicken’s healed wounds, and one wouldn’t notice the needle hole-sized speckles lurking beneath his skin. “Maybe… your power wasn’t affected by the corruption, and if… I’m just saying in theory, is it possible that you could gain the same power after you had been corrupted? I wonder, do you know some of our medical terms, such as vaccine for infections? For example, you might hurt me, but you also keep me away from other corrupted Yiki. Given current circumstances, it might be difficult to corrupt me, but my luck might not hold out… “Perhaps my explanation and theorizing were too complex or outrageous for Dicken to understand, he simply leaned towards me and stopped me from talking with his lips, even biting my tongue punishingly and murmured, “Right now, I’m placing as much of my scent on you as possible, but…”Dicken looked up at me with a warning look then, his long, narrow eyes turning into slits. “You mustn’t be emotional and restrain your reactions. You have to stay a
To alleviate the awkward air between us, I gingerly asked, “Your scent clings on to me just by doing this? How long would it last?” “A few days,” Dicken answered very slowly, seemingly having a hard time to calm himself from the irrepressible emotions he was feeling. Picking up some clothing from a corner, he covered me and took me in his arms, leaning over my shoulder and sniffing like an addict. His nose changed spots continuously even as his hands danced across my chest, like a pervert about to go on an offensive.I couldn’t help grabbing his webbed claws and shifting them aside to look at him, keeping my distance to avoid brushing against him. “Hey, aren’t we going to go crazy from holding back if this goes on?”Dicken’s jaw clenched and he said nothing. He merely touched himself, his fishtail twitching involuntarily while I almost laughed from his grief. Reaching out, I pinched him in the member as payback, shuddering a little over the hot, rock-hard texture—I must admit that
Before I realized what Dicken was going to do, he breathed an exceedingly high-pitched cry as sonorous as thunder. The entire cave shook in its wake as he grasped my hips with both his webbed paws, lifting me high into the air. A school of sea fishes suddenly swam out of nowhere in an instant, their bodies shining as they encircled us like birds. At the same time, the merfolk started dancing in excitement, kicking up splashes as they pivoted gracefully, the scales of their tails reflecting radiance amid the darkness just like stars in the night sky, the robust, burly mermen and the beautiful, devilish mermaids interweaving to form a bright river of stars.I stared at the stunned sight, mesmerized, spreading my arms by reflex as if infected. I wanted to embrace my dear leader who had surprised me endlessly, expectant of the new world he would take me to.That was when I heard a quiet voice beneath me. “Linda…”I looked down into his wide, narrow gaze that seemed to embody that rive
In the previous dimension where I lived, I had already been prepared to live away from the humans with Dicken. I had nothing aside from him, who was always by my side—our connection seemed so unbreakable just then that I believed that to be my fate.However, I still wouldn’t hope that he would keep killing because of me. Looking into his eyes, I pleaded once again, “Could you promise me to spare Baron? Right now, he’s of no threat to you or merfolk. As long as we return to the domain of your race, humans would have nothing to covet—can’t we stay away from those conspiracies? I’ll always be yours, dear leader.”Dicken looked deeply into my eyes as if he was considering my proposal, and remained quiet for a long time before he eventually gathered me in his arms. “I promise, Linda.”“Hey, shouldn’t we be going out now, and don’t you have an announcement to make? Your people are waiting for you.” I exhaled lengthily and patted his back just then.At those words, I suddenly realized t
That being said, it was no different from me letting myself be taken, because my stubbornness and determination only ever made Dicken want to conquer me even more. We had never been equals, be it fifty years ago or now.One might even say that he wanted me more after losing me once. His desire for me was so strong that he would kill Baron, even though he had granted me rebirth as agreed. After all, he wanted to be my one and only, and no merfolk were allowed to share a single iota of my sentiment. Fuck!I bit my lip, tearing it and tasting blood in my mouth just then, but I couldn’t feel the pain at all.He had suddenly let go of my ankles and gathered in his arms once more, and did so gently. His broad webbed paws caressed my back as if to reassure me, and he did not try to take me anymore.That surprised me, and I opened my eyes and saw that he was staring into my eyes. Then, his eyebrows lowered, he licked the blood on my lips lovingly, seemingly not as furious or agitated as
In fact, I was more willing to believe that Dicken was exaggerating, since my grandfather had never been out of line as far as I could recall. However, even as I assured myself, I was searching my memory in fear that my grandfather meant me harm—fortunately, I came up with nothing, since all I remembered about him was of him being a kind elder who had taught me to read and played with my younger self. There was no question that he had acted like an elder, and even if Dicken wants to take his place in my heart, it would be in a completely different role, since there would always be a part that he couldn’t replace.“Stop thinking about him now, Linda. He’s merely carrying out a mission I had assigned him, and the reason he didn’t lay a finger on you was because I had restrained him.”Dicken appeared to become angrier as he observed my expression, and his was unusually deep as if he would get furious soon. It left me uncomfortable—Dicken appeared reluctant for another merfolk to stay in
I suddenly felt a slippery sensation from my waist, and found the mischievous stingray curling into a ball as it hid behind me, seemingly startled by Dicken’s lecherous tongue.“See? You scared it, pervert.” I leaned in, resting the bridge of my nose against his head as I chuckled softly. On the other hand, Dicken pinched the tender flesh on my hip and stroked my back a few times as he watched me lovingly. “I really want to hide you away, Linda…”“Where would you hide me?” I buried my head in his head and sniffed—it was hard to restrain myself with that intoxicating champagne-like scent of his, but I promptly came to my senses as I remembered that fugitive. “Hold on, don’t seduce me or try to divert my attention with sweet words. What’s with that merman who’s saying that he’s going to look for your Yiki?”Dicken patted my head feebly and stayed silent for a while, but eventually admitted, “It’s Baron.”I froze, immediately remembering the furious glare of that merman who had hidd
“Why would you clothe me out of the blue…” I inhaled deeply, and as I pulled away from his kiss after much difficulty, I asked in confusion, “Are you taking me somewhere?”Dicken looked deeply into my eyes as if something astonishing would soon occur. “Yes… I’m going to announce to my subjects that you’re my mate…”With those words, he threw me over his back and swam out of the cavern filled with stone pillars.Gosh, I was flabbergasted. Still, I soon realized that this was pretty much how it should go, since Dicken had yet to announce about us to his subjects in this dimension. However, I felt a little headache when I remembered how the announcement in the last dimension had gone… He was not going to mate with me in front of everyone again, was he?“Your Majesty…”A high-pitched call suddenly rang from ahead, followed by splashes as a purple figure swam towards us. I was stunned when a face floated out of the water—that purple hair, along with those facial features that were sh
My eyes welled with tears and my mind went dizzy, while a scorching jet of water shot into my body. That was when I saw a blue light moving downwards from Dicken’s chest to where we were connected, and as innumerable jolts struck all over my body, my heart clenched in the intensive stimulation.For a few seconds, I was unable to breathe as all consciousness and emotions seemed to fuse together, rushing towards the wall that was blocking my memories…Then, the wall shattered. “Linda… Linda…”The familiar voice could be heard as if from the distant horizon, though it soon became clear and ultimately echoed beside my ears, and there was no doubt that he was beside me.“Dicken?” I opened my eyes and found my dear leader. It was as if I had met him once more after a slumber that lasted centuries, and yet I felt him beside me all along, and the memory of him taking this body was extremely distinct.I was at once confused and mystified as the memories from two different dimensions slow
“Damn it, you crazy animal…” I cried and moaned, my legs that were kicking Dicken’s shoulder caught by him with ease. At the same time, his body continued to press down on me from above like a hill, holding my body firmly down.Dicken’s hoarse voice spoke beside me then. “Don’t move, Linda, or I won’t be able to resist violating you even more violently—you have no idea how delicious you are…”I froze, my breath cut off at his words even as his tongue slithered into my ear and kicked it as if teasing, while his webbed paw groped my breast. A paralyzing sensation that felt electric spread all over my body, slowly easing the bursting pain of being entered. Soon, a familiar yet irresistible exhilaration occupied my senses, and even as I kept gulping, my own spit was welling out the corner of my mouth.Curious, Dicken stared at the edge of my lips and extended his tongue to lick it, as if it were the tastiest raindrops in existence. At the same time, I could feel him entering several inc
“Don’t be scared…”As Dicken inhaled deeply over my nape, his breathing became heavy and choppy. He twitched as he snuggled up against my back, and I could feel his humongous member flapping against my buttocks, along with its scorching heat. How could I not be scared by the prospect of that thing penetrating me?!I clenched my fist and punched at his tail which was darting between my legs, but he easily grabbed my wrist and suddenly turned around, pinning me beneath himself while his tail slithered between my legs and lifted my buttocks. Losing my balance, I fell sprawled over the reef, and as he gripped my hands to keep them behind myself, tears rolled out of the corner of my eye by instinct as lust and fear suddenly erupted. “No, I’m scared, Dicken… No, you’ll hurt me…”Dicken ignored my plea for mercy, however, and kept leaning on me as he gnawed my shoulder, as if to devour me by one tiny bite after another. The tenderness and adoration he’d shown towards me just now was gone,