Sea Monster Stew Chapter 40

Deep grooves, as if cut by a blade, met her fingertips. With every exhale, her skin parted like a lid opening.

Startled, Biche quickly felt along her other shoulder line with her fingers. Her skin was split open in the same pattern.

“I’ve grown gills.”

She wasn’t as happy as she’d expected. Instead, she just felt hollow.

This easily? And this suddenly, gills just appear? I’ve been enduring life in that pirate den, desperately waiting for this one thing?

“…I have to go home.”

First, she pulled herself together and looked around. It was dark and silent on all sides. Not a ship, not even a fish, was in sight. The ship she had awakened on had already disappeared from view.

“Which way is the Helio Empire?”

 

If she could just figure out the direction, she could swim back to the Helio Empire alone.

It was said that the swimming ability of humanoid sea creatures surpassed that of any marine life. 

 

Of course, Biche didn’t have a fish tail, but swimming all the way to the distant Empire wasn’t impossible in itself.

The problem was different. Figuring out exactly which direction the Empire lay.

And finding the food necessary to survive.

“As for food… there’s seaweed everywhere, so I’ll manage somehow.”

“Manage what?”

 

Someone retorted irritably to her thoughtless muttering. 

 

Biche let out a high-pitched scream and turned towards the sound.

A male-type sea creature was glaring at her with an annoyed expression, his arms crossed.

Biche stared in terror at his shark-like lower body, his torso covered in muscles, and his long, unkempt dark green hair like seaweed.

His large irises were golden, and his black pupils were long, vertical, and sharp, like a shark’s eyeing its prey.

The teeth visible at the corners of his lips were all sharp fangs. 

 

The moment Biche saw his eerie eyes and fangs, she was instantly terrified.

Moreover, he held a golden spear in one hand. Seeing the sharp weapon, Biche flinched involuntarily. 

 

The male sea creature shrugged his shoulders and hid the spear behind his back.

“Is that better? Hello, Arcobicche.”

 

At that moment, a familiar figure revealed itself from behind him. 

 

It was the monster-type sea creature that looked like a small sea lion. 

 

Biche stared blankly at the monster-type sea creature’s green tail, then her eyes widened.

“You…!”

“I told you, didn’t I? Our master is a hero who saves creatures like you.”

The monster-type sea creature puffed out its chubby torso and spoke proudly. 

 

Biche blinked slowly. 

 

It was the very same child she had secretly freed from the stables on the Karabas pirate island.

“I promised you, didn’t I? That I would definitely save you.”

The monster-type sea creature said boldly.

“I’ve been trailing you ever since you got on the resistance ship. The storm was also stirred up by my master.”

“My name is Calante.”

The male sea creature, who introduced himself as “Calante,” bowed his head politely.

“Thank you so much for saving Fui.”

“Oh, no. It was the least I could do…”

 

Biche waved her hands dismissively with an awkward expression. 

 

Calante raised his head with a stern face. He stared intently at Biche’s awkward smile, then suddenly spoke.

“You have human blood mixed in you.”

“Ah, yes.”

Biche glanced at Calante’s stiff face and muttered in a sullen voice.

“Is that a problem…?”

“No. I wasn’t trying to criticize you. It’s just…”

Calante hesitated for a moment, then glanced down at Biche’s two legs.

“…It might be difficult for you to settle in an underwater village looking like that.”

An underwater village. 

 

He was clearly referring to a village where humanoid sea creatures lived together. 

 

Biche shook her head cautiously.

 

“I… I want to return to my homeland, the Helio Empire.”

“Your homeland?”

“Yes. My family will be waiting for me.”

Calante’s expression stiffened subtly. He stared intently at Biche’s scaled feet and let out a sigh.

“…Very well. I will take you to your homeland.”

“R-really?”

“Yes. Follow me. I will guide you to the Helio Empire.”

“Thank you. Thank you so much, Calante.”

“Aren’t you thankful to me?”

Fui frowned as if peeved and thrust his head towards Biche.

“I’m the one who brought my master to you! You should be thankful to me too!”

Biche laughed brightly and stroked Fui’s fluffy head.

“Of course I’m thankful. Thank you for not forgetting me, Fui…”

 

“Biche.”

 

At that moment, a familiar man’s call came from the impossibly high water surface above. 

 

Feeling her entire body stiffen, Biche’s head snapped up. 

 

A faint moonlight was already casting its glow on the now-calm sea surface.

“Biche…”

The man’s voice echoed again from below the water surface. 

 

It was Hildert’s voice, soaked in gloom.

 

‘Did I mishear?’ As Biche blinked her wide eyes and looked up at the water’s surface, a burning pain spread through her chest.

It felt exactly as if someone were gripping and tearing her heart. 

 

A sensation as if her ribs were cracking, accompanied by a *crunch, crunch* sound.

“Ugh…”

As Biche clutched her chest and bent over deeply, Fui began swimming around her restlessly.

“What’s wrong? What happened?”

“My… my heart, just now… felt like it was being crushed…”

Calante swam urgently to Biche’s front. 

 

He let go of his spear as if tossing it aside and carefully cupped Biche’s face with his scaled, webbed hands.

“Your heart? You don’t have some chronic illness, do you?”

He asked as he gently lifted her face. 

 

Biche panted heavily, rubbing the area over her left chest.

The burning pain gradually subsided. 

 

She slowly shook her head and pushed Calante’s hands away.

“I’m okay… It’s calmed down now…”

“Will you be able to swim all the way to the Empire?”

Calante narrowed his eyes skeptically, examining her complexion.

“At your swimming speed, even at full power, it will take at least six days.”

“It’s fine. I can do it…”

He stared at her weak reply for a moment, then stretched out a thick arm. The moment he wrapped his arm around her waist, Biche’s head snapped up.

“I-I’m fine. I said I can swim.”

Even when she pushed desperately against his broad chest with her palms, he didn’t budge. 

 

Instead, he just snorted and tightened his grip around her waist.

“Stay still. I’ll get you to your homeland within two days.”

“Wha…”

 

“Fui. Keep up.”

With that short command, he turned his body northward, letting the current carry them. 

 

Then, moving his great shark-like fin, he shot forward like an arrow. 

 

Fui hurriedly followed behind.

The unbelievable swimming speed made her head spin. 

 

The cold water current slapped her face. The surrounding scenery changed in an instant.

There was no time to even feel the overwhelming joy of being able to go home. 

 

In the end, unable to withstand the fierce water flow, Biche squeezed her eyes shut and buried her face in Calante’s chest.

And quietly fought back the nausea. 

 

‘I-I think I’m getting seasick…’

 

 

* * *

 

 

Three pirate ships were moored in a narrow gorge, lined up in a row. 

 

The sound of waves hitting the hulls was as grim as ever.

Amidst the ominous currents, Kisa scanned the fog enveloping the ships. Even though it had been weeks since their last voyage, their luck had been bad from the start. 

 

Who would have thought they’d be immobilized by fog before even leaving Karabas waters?

After sending Biche away, Kisa had volunteered for any expedition that came his way, ones he wouldn’t have even glanced at before. 

 

These “expeditions” were nothing more than touring the territories under his pirate fleet’s control, collecting protection money, and inspecting the islands’ security.

The usual Hawk wouldn’t have sent Kisa on such trivial expeditions. But this time was different.

“Go out and cool your head a bit before coming back.”

Captain Hawk didn’t empathize with the First Mate’s sorrow over letting his lover go himself. 

 

But he wasn’t so callous as to ignore the First Mate’s heartbreak entirely. So, he permitted Kisa to go on this trivial expedition.

Thanks to Hawk’s consideration, Kisa was able to sort out his feelings aboard the desolate pirate ship. 

 

The dangerous open sea was better than the Karabas main island, teeming with Hildert’s familiars, or the Ire Island, where he had to endure his subordinates’ pestering.