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The moment those words were spoken, the atmosphere changed instantly. The swordfish mermaid's attitude shifted completely, and she even began urging the other guests to leave.
In less than a minute, only the mermaid staff remained inside the Mermaid Cafe. They all turned their curious gazes to Madam Shyarly, waiting for her next move.
Shyarly scanned the room. Once she confirmed everything was in order, she raised her pipe, pointed at Hikaru, and introduced him solemnly.
"His name is God Hikaru. He's the deity of the Kingdom of Heaven, the savior of Fish-Man Island, and a great benefactor to our mermaid clan..."
She paused briefly, giving the mermaids time to process what they'd just heard, then continued:
"Your job today is to accompany Hikaru and show him the beauty and uniqueness of Fish-Man Island. If everything goes smoothly, perhaps in the next couple of days, we'll finally be able to leave the deep sea and rise to the skies—where the sun and fresh air await us!"
This was Shyarly's way of helping Hikaru form closer bonds with the mermaids. It was an "ice-breaking" mission designed to deepen their connection quickly.
"What!? We can really go to the surface?"
"Lady Shyarly is always right! All we need to do is follow her lead!"
Mero happily swam up to Hikaru, took hold of his arm, and smiled. "I knew you weren't lying to me. Come with us—let the sisters show you the true charm of mermaids~"
With that, she began pulling him toward the group of mermaids.
Hikaru felt the warmth of her small hand on his arm and thought to himself, Mero's way too enthusiastic... Could it be love at first sight? And she's even a beautiful mermaid!
He couldn't help but smile and said, "Then I'll look forward to it~"
Shyarly then added in a serious tone, "Don't tell anyone else what I said just now. Let's keep it between us."
With that, she waved her hand and prepared to leave. After all, she still had to maintain her dignity as the manager of the cafe.
"Okay~" the mermaids responded cheerfully in unison.
"Lady Shyarly, come with us too! You haven't joined us in so long!" Camie suddenly jumped out from the crowd, grabbing onto Shyarly, refusing to let her go.
Seeing this, Kaylin—who looked a lot like Camie—rallied the other mermaids. Together, they urged Shyarly to come have fun with them.
"You all…"
"Come on, Shyarly. It's okay to take a break every now and then," Hikaru said with a knowing smile. He understood how much pressure she was under.
"You too... Fine, I'll come along. But don't worry about me. The important thing is to do your job well!" Shyarly gave in with a sigh, though she still reminded them of their mission.
"Yay!" The mermaids cheered. At that moment, nothing made them happier than spending time with Madam Shyarly.
After closing the Mermaid Cafe, they headed to Shyarly's private luxury estate.
This was a special place Shyarly had built for the mermaids she had taken in. When they arrived, they saw many young mermaids joyfully swimming and playing.
The moment Hikaru and the others appeared, the young mermaids gathered around them excitedly and eagerly led the way.
The backyard looked like an underwater amusement park. The mermaids led Hikaru into the water, playing freely and joyfully.
Lining up in a row, the mermaids each brought out their sunscreen, waiting patiently. Hikaru chose his favorite among them and let them apply the familiar lotion all over his body.
After being chosen, they happily returned the favor. Hikaru took the opportunity to apply sunscreen for them as well, getting to know their names during the one-on-one moments.
There was Madam Shyarly, of course—the first to accept him.
Then there was Mero, with the flower in her hair and long light blue locks, and Lulis, a petite and cute girl with long, wavy orange hair—both already familiar faces.
Next were Camie and Kaylin, both with long, wavy green hair, and Sera, with her brown ponytail and snail-shaped headphones.
Sora had straight blonde hair and a lake-green fishtail. And of course, there was Ishilly—recognizable with her long black twin ponytails and freckles. She was quite well-known in the world of One Piece…
[These are the only named ones among the pretty mermaids. The rest can only be seen in the pictures below.]
The other mermaids understood his selections. After all, there were so many beautiful ones—it was no surprise that those chosen could easily form a circle around Hikaru.
The rest of the time was spent in joyful play.
Hikaru joined in the fun with the mermaids, their laughter echoing through the estate. He slid down water slides again and again, feeling pure happiness and excitement. Together, they created waves and rode them through the water, soaring through the currents like carefree dolphins.
After playing so many games, their bond grew stronger. The mermaids became bolder, hugging Hikaru playfully, clinging to his arms, and tickling him without restraint. Their laughter filled the air as they teased and joked around, fully enjoying his company.
They were clearly curious about him—and deeply fond of him.
Mero explained that they rarely saw humans. The few who did come to Fish-Man Island were usually pirates, most of whom were driven away by the Sea King's Army before they could even reach the mermaid district.
That's why they didn't reject him—instead, they welcomed him. Most mermaids eventually journey to the surface, where many marry human men and start families. Hikaru, being so exceptional, naturally caught their attention and affection.
Their games ended with a spirited water polo match.
Soft, slippery water balls and the occasional brush of smooth, gentle skin struck Hikaru over and over—sometimes by accident, sometimes not. It left him flustered and nearly overwhelmed with the teasing sensations. In hindsight, meeting Shyarly first had definitely been a wise choice.
After everything, Hikaru felt completely satisfied with Shyarly's arrangement.
In return, he waved his hand and gifted each of his favorite mermaids a Thunder Badge from the Kingdom of God—a divine token for their protection.
They all returned to the manor for a meal, but just as the atmosphere was light and cheerful, the shrill ring of a Den Den Mushi broke the moment.
"Bulu Bulu~ Bulu Bulu~"
Before Shyarly could answer, Camie excitedly rushed over and picked up the call.
"Moshi Moshi~ This is Shark Star, Crown Prince of the Ryugu Kingdom. Is Madam Shyarly there?"
Camie glanced at Shyarly, who nodded in response. Camie turned back to the Den Den Mushi and said, "She's here. How can we help you, Your Highness?"
"It's like this. Our father has asked us to find the God Emperor, Hikaru. We searched all over Fish-Man Island and finally heard from Mermaid Bay that a strange human had entered the Mermaid Cafe. Might Lady Shyarly have seen him?"
God Emperor...?
Hikaru chuckled quietly. He didn't expect the Ryugu Kingdom to act so quickly. It seemed he wouldn't need to visit them first after all.
"What business do you have with Hikaru?" Shyarly asked calmly.
Shark Star quickly picked up on the situation—Hikaru was clearly nearby. But how did someone as important as him know Shyarly so well?
"Father wishes to invite Lord Hikaru to Dragon Palace City as a guest—to enjoy the delicacies of Fish-Man Island."
"Then wait for me outside my private estate. And be gentle," Hikaru replied casually.
Shark Star was stunned for a moment. His guess had been right—the voice was Hikaru's. He responded with utmost respect, "Yes, Lord Hikaru!"
Be gentle... So Lord Hikaru doesn't want to be disturbed yet. Very well, we'll wait as he asked.
Character Notes:
Kaylin: Long, wavy green hair, wears a flower headpiece and two necklaces.
Sera: Wears conch-shaped headphones and has a brown ponytail. She and Mero are very close sisters.
Sora: Wears a lavender-striped hat, has long golden hair, and a lake-green fishtail. (She's the one in the middle holding the pufferfish in the group photo.)
Ishilly: Long, curly black hair tied in twin ponytails, with black-and-white striped scales on her fishtail.
Group Photo Note: All the beautiful mermaids shown in the image are assumed to have been "captured" by the protagonist.