Home/The Only Sunshine in a Toxic Novel/ch31

Episode 31. Triton (1)

Even in the strong current, I flailed my arms and legs.

'I have to live…!'

In that moment, my body lifted into the air.

"Cough! Cough!"

Emerging from the surface, I finally let out the breath I'd been holding.

The water I'd accidentally swallowed left my nose and lungs burning. Panting for a while, I belatedly looked at my rescuer.

"…Did you save me?"

A large, hard shell and thick arms and legs.

Despite its powerful strength cutting through the waves, my rescuer had an endearing appearance — it was none other than a giant sea turtle. It was so large that even with me on its back, there was plenty of room left on its shell.

"Th-thanks to you, I survived. Thank you."

Besides the turtle that saved me, many other turtles were nearby.

"…?"

The turtle didn't move, looking at me as if asking for something.

My hand caught a rough surface. The texture was odd for a shell — and sure enough, a crustacean parasite was attached.

I gently plucked it off, revealing a cluster of tiny legs and a mouth underneath.

The other turtles watching also crept closer to me. It seemed they'd all been bitten at once, as each turtle's shell had a parasite attached.

'So cold.'

The creature's surface was sharp and hard, so my hands were frequently cut. Blood flowed from the cuts and dripped down.

After removing the parasites, I wiped the dripping blood by rubbing the turtle's shell broadly.

"All done."

Feeling refreshed, the turtles circled around me at a fast pace. They were so cute I couldn't help but smile, but my hands were a mess.

My already blue-tipped fingers had nearly lost all function. To warm them, I clenched my fists and breathed into them.

"Sorry, but could you take me to the cave?"

Understanding my words, the giant sea turtle changed direction. Inside the cave, the seawater had risen as expected, surging in.

'The barrier?'

Whether it was because of the rough waves, the sturdy barrier had also disappeared.

"Eep, you're alive…!"

Someone's voice came from behind.

Turning my head, I saw merfolk clinging to the cave rocks to avoid being swept away by the water.

"It's a miracle! We thought for sure the incompetent one was dead."

"Are you alright?!"

No, I wasn't.

I was freezing like crazy. At this rate, I'd die of frostbite.

Reading my mind, the turtle used mana to warm its shell. It was certainly better than before, but nowhere near enough to raise my already plummeting body temperature.

"Excuse me. I-I have a favor to ask…"

I spoke to the merman with a trembling voice.

"Could you t-take me to where Lapin is?"

I think I might actually freeze to death at this rate.

"But with the waves surging in, we can't even get inside ourselves. And this seawater is a threatening substance to merfolk…"

They were trapped themselves.

Then two nearby turtles approached the two merfolk. As if inviting them to ride, the turtles offered their shells. The merfolk, though bewildered, awkwardly climbed on.

Turtles are the best, after all.

"Now, please guide me."

---

'My body has no strength.'

The sharp wind cut through my frozen body as it passed.

I'm freezing to death. I never thought I'd die from the cold, though I'd considered death by overwork.

A few minutes of travel passed, and the area ahead grew noisy.

Struggling to shift my gaze, I saw what appeared to be a massive fountain-like structure.

'Is this the Obum tribe's dwelling?'

In front of it, many merfolk were using mana to block the seawater threatening their home. Thanks to the merfolk in front of me, we seemed to have gotten through.

"Of all times for the waves to surge in."

One of the merfolk muttered.

"If Lophon finds out we brought a human to the dwelling in this situation, he won't let it slide."

"Did you see the human who came with that woman? If we'd left her alone, something bigger than those waves would have hit us."

They were whispering, but I heard everything.

Riding the flowing water, the turtles quickly reached a high tier. Soon, a magnificent building resembling a palace came into view.

The palace, glittering as if studded with blue gems, was the most lavish and beautiful building I'd seen in recent times.

In front of it, a group was just about to enter the palace. Among them, a man with black hair stood tall like a tower.

It was Lapin. Sensing my presence, he turned his head.

"…."

"…Lucy?"

Our eyes met. The merfolk around us also noticed me, unable to hide their surprise.

Meanwhile, the turtles carried me right in front of Lapin.

"Lapin…!"

I collapsed into his arms. Holding me reflexively, his eyes widened at my ice-cold body.

"How did you…"

Instead of asking for an explanation, he quickly scanned me from head to toe, completely drenched. Finally, he quietly stared at my hands.

"What happened?"

Lapin's Adam's apple moved greatly.

"…Well, cough!"

It's a bit hard to explain right now.

Still, I didn't forget to thank the turtles, my life-saving benefactors who had brought me here. Slowly stroking their heads, they made cute sounds.

"What's going on here? I told you to protect the woman, not bring her here!"

"As you can see, the woman was in great danger due to the sea. She would have died if we'd left her…"

"Damn it! Is the wave being blocked properly?"

The merfolk's voices came from beside me. I didn't think that was the most important thing right now.

I noticed Lapin's darkened expression.

Silently reaching out his hand, he poured warm mana into me all at once.

My aching body immediately felt comfortable.

But I'm an incompetent one with no healing ability. My body didn't miraculously recover right away.

"Shouldn't have been dragged away."

I heard a low voice that seemed to pierce the ground and reach my very core.

Lapin's red eyes narrowed like a serpent's. Mana surged from his body like the raging waves. A brilliant white light flashed around him, and a warm wind blew fiercely.

"Wh-what!"

"Aaah!"

Lapin was furious.

'No.'

I wanted to tell him to calm down, but my heavy eyelids covered my eyes.

Forcing them open, I saw Lapin's mana light attack the merfolk. Lapin, stop, stop. My lips wouldn't move. Struggling to move my body, Lapin held me tight and didn't stop his hostility toward the Obum tribe.

'Lapin!'

As if responding to my desperate heart, someone came to stop this chaos.

The firmly closed palace doors opened.

From within emerged the owner of a solid upper body adorned with all kinds of ornaments. Wearing pants that swayed like waves, he approached Lapin and me.

"Chief! Don't get too close! This man's power is immense!"

Chief…? Despite the merman's warning, the man approached Lapin.

"If you move, I'll kill all the merfolk here."

Lapin warned.

"Human. We didn't come to harm you or Lucy. Please withdraw your power."

"You broke the promise first."

"Yes. And right now, the most important thing is to treat Lucy. Isn't that right?"

The man called my name warmly. How did he know me?

"Lucy is an incompetent one. There's a limit to treating her with mana alone. So trust us. If we wait any longer, Lucy will be in real danger."

"…."

At the soothing tone, Lapin's Adam's apple moved greatly, and he reluctantly withdrew his power. As the surroundings calmed, the man approached and spoke to me.

"The sea has hurt you. I never thought you'd come to find me like this."

Find me?

"Lophon. Move Lucy to the palace and treat her. Quickly."

That was my last memory before losing consciousness.

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