TPBP Chapter 62

I swallowed hard as I looked at the box Ekati was holding.

'Wasn’t the Heart supposed to be a blue diamond?'

The Heart that was discovered after the fall of the Tenus Territory was a cursed blue diamond. It had been missing for centuries and was well-known due to the mystery and rumors surrounding it.

'But somehow… it doesn’t seem like that’s what’s in there.'

“Do you know about the Blue Diamond?”

“Hmm, I’ve heard of it.”

Ekati responded to my question with a puzzled look, like she was wondering why I would bring up the Blue Diamond out of nowhere. Her attitude was that of someone completely unrelated to the matter.

‘Of course, it’s possible she’s reacting that way because she doesn’t actually know what’s inside the box…’

If this really is the Compass Piece, then the other fragments might be held by the other Sixth Houses. That was the conclusion I came to.

The first fragment had also been obtained during a scheme to frame Terminus. And the only people capable of framing Terminus, someone that powerful, would have to be on par with her. People like those from the Sixth House or Mahot.

I already knew that much.

“This box has been passed down in our family since the time we were known as the Seventh House.”

“I-I see…”

“One of our duties as a House was to protect it. I don’t know exactly what’s inside, though.”

“…Are you sure it’s okay to give it to me?”

“Yes. A magical seal has been placed on it. Only the head of the House or someone deemed worthy can open it.”

“……”

Wait, what? We just… broke it open by force.

‘Maybe it’s just a different box with a similar design?’

But I couldn’t bring myself to say that out loud in this serious and reverent atmosphere. How could I admit that we just kept hitting it until it shattered, this box that supposedly had some powerful magic on it?

“You think I’m worthy?”

“Yes. My heart tells me so.”

…Sis, that might not be the best basis for judgment.

I couldn’t bring myself to say that either. I had thought she lacked social skills but had at least decent political instincts… and yet here she was, so soft and naive.

Just maybe… she mistook her growing affection for me as gratitude, because I resolved the Pond Poisoning crisis before it escalated and even made an antidote for the darkening.

But either way, it worked in my favor, so I decided to keep quiet.

‘If this really is a piece of the Eternal Compass that points to the end of the sea, then I definitely need it.’

Click.

The box opened before my eyes, and inside was a jet-black shard of stone.

It really was a Compass Piece.

“…What is this…?”

Even Ekati seemed confused, muttering to herself like she was seeing it for the first time. It was understandable, something their family had protected for generations had turned out to be a mysterious rock fragment.

I respectfully reached out my hand.

“Please give it to me.”

If it had been the blue diamond, I wouldn’t have wanted it.

I’m not so young that I’d chase after a gemstone known to bring misfortune just because it’s rare.

But a Compass Piece? That’s a different story.

‘Though I still don’t get why, before the regression, it was believed to be a blue diamond instead of this…’

From my perspective, this piece was more valuable than any cursed gem.

“Yes, I said I’d give it to you.”

Ekati handed me the shard with a strangely serene smile.

She looked like someone who had finally let go of a heavy burden.

While she was closing and storing the box, I quietly took out the pocket watch I had brought in my bag.

I opened it with a click and carefully inserted the shard.

At that moment, the discolored Eternal Compass began to glow again, and the shard seamlessly clicked into place as if it had never been broken in the first place.

‘Amazing.’

As I marveled at how it returned to its original form, my eyes caught something shoved in the corner of the bag.

‘Hmm.’

Then, my gaze drifted back toward the small mermaid child splashing in the lake inside the cave.

‘This lake… it’s not just an ordinary underground lake, is it?’

Otherwise, how could it smell so strongly of the sea?

And a mermaid wouldn’t be living here so comfortably either.

Clutching the compass tightly, I looked up at Ekati.

“Since you’ve given me something so precious, I’ll show you something special too.”

“My dear, that was simply part of the promise we made.”

“But we never explicitly said it had to be the Heart, right?”

That was true. Ekati nodded vaguely, as if accepting my point.

Seeing her like that made me grin mischievously as I pulled something from my hand.

“A conch shell?”

“Just watch.”

I put the end of the conch shell to my lips and blew.

Just like last time, a resonating hum echoed in my head, then flowed through my entire body.

A few seconds later, ripples spread across the lake, and with a great whoosh, a massive figure emerged.

「It’s been a while, hasn’t it?」

“Queen Amphitrite, how have you been?”

Amphitrite looked around the cave as if reminiscing about old memories, then smiled warmly when she spotted me.

「Oh my, human child. Your aura has grown stronger. You must’ve made progress in such a short time.」

Ekati stood completely frozen, eyes wide like I’d never seen before, as she stared at the Mermaid Queen, Amphitrite.

‘Well, sure… Even if you’ve seen mermaids before, how many people get to meet the queen of them all?’

「Did you summon me for this little one?」

Amphitrite smiled gently as she created a small whirlpool for the baby mermaid swimming playfully nearby.

「I was worried some of them had gone missing. Thank you.」

“It’s nothing.”

I replied with a gentle smile, mirroring her tone.

“But… that’s not the only reason I called you here.”

「Then why else? I wonder what you’re thinking with that tiny head of yours.」

“I have a proposal. What do you think about relocating the Mermaid Cradle to this place?”

“…W-wait just a moment!”

Ekati looked absolutely flustered, while Amphitrite simply blinked a few times, calmly.

‘Looks like she already anticipated it.’

Just earlier, Amphitrite had gazed around the cave with a deeply nostalgic expression.

The kind of look someone has when they’re remembering something from a long, long time ago.

Ekati, clearly still not catching on, stammered.

“Wait, the Mermaid Cradle… isn’t that an incredibly sacred place for mermaids?”

“Exactly. That’s why you should be the one to protect it, Lord Ekati.”

The path to this space had been littered with traps and devices. There weren’t even traces of anyone trying to break in.

Just look at all those mermaid tears, if that traitor Evelyn had known about this place, she would’ve stormed in and stolen everything.

The fact that it hadn’t happened meant only two people knew about this location: Ekati and me.

“There are all sorts of mechanisms on the way here. Without knowing exactly where to look, it’s almost impossible to find. And of course, I trust Lord Ekati will keep this a secret.”

And to be honest, there was another reason.

If the Mermaid Cradle were placed here, Ekati would be frequently exposed to the energy of the sea.

As its guardian, she’d come here regularly to check on it.

‘That would slow down the rate at which she’s being consumed by the darkness.’

It was the perfect arrangement.

From the way she brought the child mermaid here to show me, she didn’t seem greedy or like the type to exploit this discovery.

‘If she were the greedy type, she wouldn’t be living like this to begin with.’

“This fortress doesn’t exactly get many visitors, and if Lord Ekati can use her divine authority at will, then protecting the Mermaid Cradle should be no problem at all, right?”

The fact that she had no heirs yet was a bit of an issue…

But Ekati was still young—there was plenty of time.

‘And it seems Amphitrite views this idea positively, too.’

“Hmm, well, if the mermaids are fine with it, I suppose I can do it.”

“Right?”

Just then, Amphitrite tapped me lightly with her finger.

「You’ve done something quite sly, haven’t you?」

“Huh?”

「Check your bag. I’ve left you a little gift.」

Right as she said that, my bag suddenly grew much heavier.

When I looked inside, it was overflowing with the finest grade of Oceanis.

“Queen Amphitrite, thank you…!”

「I don’t mind clever little humans. I hope we meet again.」

She winked playfully and added that she hoped I would continue using what she gave me wisely.

Then, she turned her attention to Ekati.

「Heir of Terminus, I am Amphitrite, Queen of the Mermaids.」

“I… It is an honor to meet the Queen of the Mermaids.”

「Heh heh… It’s been ages since I last met the heir of Terminus. Yes, you resemble the first one quite a bit.」

There was a faint trace of sadness in Amphitrite’s voice as she said that.

“You knew the founding head of our house?”

「Of course. She was a lovely woman who adored mistflowers.」

Mistflowers…

They’re a required part of the Terminus family crest.

I’d never known why that flower, of all things, was the family symbol—until now.

“It seems the Queen of the Mermaids was very close to our first head.”

「…Yes. Before I became this… large, we were close friends.」

‘A mermaid and a human… friends?’

That was never recorded in any history book.

I squinted, stunned.

“I’ve never heard any story like that before.”

Ekati seemed puzzled as well and asked directly.

「I suppose… that’s because the first head and I chose to keep it a secret.」

“……”

「Back then, the human world was quite turbulent.」

‘I don’t really know what she’s referring to…’

Even as I racked my brain for historical context, nothing clear came to mind. I stared at Amphitrite, hoping she’d say more but all I got was a mysterious smile.

「It’s better if I don’t tell you any more. Humans have a tendency to chase the unknown, don’t they?」

No, really, it would be much better if you just told me everything.

But it was clear that Amphitrite had no intention of continuing the conversation, so I kept my mouth shut.

「Once your journey begins, you’ll come to know. And the truths you discover for yourself… those are always the most valuable.」

‘No doubt about it. Amphitrite wants me to reach the end of the sea.’

At first, when I regressed, I was just happy to be back with my family.

But if I wanted to stay with them, I needed to deal with the spy who would eventually appear.

That spy had been the reason Caelum was destroyed.

If someone could bring down Caelum, they had to hold significant power. That’s why I focused on building my strength within the crew.

But… what if Caelum became strong enough that a single spy couldn’t bring it down?

‘To be honest, I’ve never really considered Nereus for the role… since he’s not the ambitious type.’

They say anyone who reaches the end of the sea can gain anything they desire.