Home/I was reincarnated as a mermaid, but I ended up imprinting the shadowy Grand Duke/ch 7

Chapter 7: Life Never Goes According to Plan (7)

'......'

I was still feeling the tingling sensation in my tail as I struggled to gather my hazy consciousness and come to my senses.

Just as I was about to open my eyes...

"Should we cook it? Or serve it raw?"

"Raw would probably be more familiar."

"Then let's go with half and half."

"Let's do that then."

Wait, cook?

I heard the voices of two men talking in the room.

From their voices, it seemed to be the grand duke and that gray-haired man who had thrown the net over me. At any rate, I was in a state of confusion, unable to even open my eyes because of that horrifying conversation.

Then, the door swung open and a voice, filled with military discipline, rang out.

"I searched for suitable items as you instructed! But I couldn't find anything proper, so as a temporary measure, I've delivered a large-capacity pot! It can hold up to 100 servings, so it should be more than enough!"

"Yes, did you fill it with seawater?"

"Yes! I filled it to the brim as you ordered!"

"Then leave it there and return."

"Yes! Thank you!"

"......"

......What kind of conversation was that?!

Along with the sound of a large iron object being set down on the floor, I heard the one who brought the pot leave the room.

'What? A pot? 100 servings? No way, are they really going to cook me alive?!'

It was certainly possible.

Even in the mermaid village, when teaching young mermaids, they'd say things like, "If you cry, a human will come and gobble you up!"

And having worked at a raw fish restaurant until recently, I knew there were rumors among the humans here that mermaids were some kind of legendary panacea.

'These damn humans!'

Of course, I was human in my past life too, but right now I'm a mermaid, so I'll curse them all I want.

I tensed up, every nerve on high alert.

Before I could even grasp the situation, the grand duke picked me up and plopped me into the pot filled with seawater.

'What the hell?'

Are they seriously going to eat me? Really? For real...?

I trembled, cursing inwardly.

"Ah, should we keep the tail out of the water?"

"Yeah, the wound might sting if it touches the water."

"True, it's seawater after all. And this area's salinity is particularly high."

No, you idiots! Did you forget I'm a mermaid?!

'My scales are drying out right now, so it hurts even more! I'd rather you put me in the water!'

Regret washed over me.

I shouldn't have saved that bastard in the first place. I should have just ignored him and gone my own way. Why did I have to save that pretty-faced bastard and end up suffering like this?

'Why do I have to be captured by that wicked villain and become his meal...!'

I sobbed inwardly.

Then I felt a shadow loom over me in the pot.

Even with my eyes closed, I could feel the grand duke's heavy gaze fixed on me.

He lightly lifted my tail into the air and began muttering to himself.

"Should I cut it here?"

"Huh?!"

"...Or maybe a bit further up."

No! That's not it!

I remained tense and alert, pretending to be unconscious.

Then, whether it was my imagination or not, I heard the grand duke snicker at me.

What a wicked, evil grand duke. I swallowed my rage like mustard with tears.

"If you're going to laugh and agonize over it, just put it in already."

"Was I laughing?"

"Yes, very much so. You seem quite pleased."

"I suppose."

Whoosh. He let go of my tail. My poor tail, which had been dangling pitifully in the air, splashed down into the seawater in the pot.

'...Oh, thank goodness.'

If I'd held on any longer, I might have died of old age.

My dried-out scales finally touched water, and I felt like I could live again.

I strained my ears to eavesdrop on the two men's conversation.

"Anyway, I can't believe the grand duke was actually looking for a mermaid... If word gets out, it'll be quite troublesome."

"Isn't that what you're here to prevent?"

"Could you think about my situation too? I have to work overtime every single day."

Soon, the gray-haired man's complaints continued.

"To think you deployed the entire Blueford naval forces for a whole month just for a search! Do you know that high society and the press are all abuzz with talk of the grand duke's eccentricities?"

He said, in despair, that there was a mountain of work waiting for him when he got back.

"I managed to cut it down to 50 ships, and even that was a nightmare! I nearly died trying to calm the neighboring countries who thought it was a declaration of war, and the central nobles too!"

Are you crazy? You mobilized all those resources just to catch me?

I was shocked and perked up my ears.

"I also delivered the emperor's letter. He said he'll let this incident slide since he received help, but next time it won't be so easy."

"Is that so."

The sound of paper being unfolded was followed by a brief silence.

Soon, the acrid smell of something burning tickled my nose.

'Holy crap. No way... Did he just burn the emperor's letter?!'

Is this country... even okay? It felt like my pupils were shaking even though my eyes were closed.

But the grand duke, who had committed such a shocking act, didn't seem to care one bit about the burnt letter.

"Ah, yes, well. Paper burns well, doesn't it."

The gray-haired man's voice sounded resigned, as if he was used to such things.

In that moment, I made up my mind.

'...I have to escape no matter what.'

First of all, these guys aren't normal. I hadn't expected anything from a villain who leads to a destruction ending in the first place.

From what I'd gathered from their conversation, they were insane enough to mobilize the military just to catch and eat me.

"By the way, it's been quite a while now. She doesn't seem to be waking up?"

"Well, she'll wake up when she wakes up."

"....."

Would you wake up after hearing something like that?

The longer their conversation went on, the more I felt my lifespan shrinking by the second.

I desperately chanted survival prayers in my head, lying limp in the pot and praying they would just leave.

They talked for a long while longer, and finally, when my whole body was going numb, I heard them leave the room.

The moment I heard the click of the door closing completely, I opened my eyes and sat up.

Then I stretched and relieved the stiffness in my back.

"Ugh, I was about to go crazy from staying tensed up like that!"

I opened my eyes wide and looked down to confirm the identity of the container I was in.

"...Holy crap, it really is a pot!!"

[Large capacity, suitable for making fish stew.]

There was even a helpful note attached. How utterly cruel.

"Gah!"

Startled, I dove back into the water.

'Even while eavesdropping, I kept thinking, no way, no way...'

Yes, it was now very clear that they were planning to eat me.

I curled up in the large pot, trembling.

---

'I can't just let myself be eaten like this!'

Carefully grabbing the edge of the pot, I poked my head out and surveyed my surroundings.

The cabin was fairly tidy. It had an antique atmosphere.

'Though I did make it all wet because of me.'

Judging by its worn look, it seemed to be someone's personal room.

Dragging my injured tail, I flopped myself out of the pot.

'Ouch!'

My injured tail really hurt, but I had no choice if I wanted to live.

I could feel the pressure of the bandages wrapped tightly around my tail, but I could still move it, more or less.

'The door is too risky, I'll get caught...'

Right, let's target the window.

Dragging my tail pitifully, I poked my head out through the small window in the room to check for any nearby presence.

'Good, it's about big enough for me to get through. But damn, that's way too many!'

Outside, dozens of naval officers were patrolling around the room, standing guard.

'Ugh... Is it even possible?'

I grimaced at the sheer number.

But it wasn't hopeless. The sea was right there, and I was a mermaid!

The sea, filled with water, was my home ground.

'Can they even imagine their ingredients escaping?'

I chuckled and prepared to summon the waves.

'One, two, three!'

As I gathered my strength in time with the surging waves, a powerful wave leaped over the ship and splashed down on the guards around the room.

"Ugh, what the hell! A sudden wave?!"

"Grab onto something!"

I continued to drench the flustered, busy officers with more waves, and after repeating it several times, their guard formation broke, creating an opening.

'Now!'

Seizing the opportunity, I quickly opened the window and jumped out.

All I had to do was dive into the sea, and I'd be free.

'Sea, wait for me. I'll be there soon!'

Grinning, I rode the wave I'd summoned and leaped toward the railing.

My plan was clearly about to succeed.

"Ouch!"

If it weren't for the net that came pouring down from above!

"I installed a trap so that it activates if you open the window, just in case. Looks like it was the right call."

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