Chapter 12: The Prince And the Little Mermaid (Part 12)
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
After a period of silence, he suddenly curled his lips and repeated softly, “It’s a kiss…”
His grandmother swam towards him and stroked his hair. As if she were telling him a story, she said,
“A kiss isn’t just an action to express love. To a mermaid, it represents a sacred ceremony too. If you have someone you like, you will understand the meaning of a kiss. If a mermaid kisses someone it means that he or she is willing to dedicate him or herself to the other party.”
The little mermaid didn’t look at her and merely gazed at the swaying plants. His voice was deep as he answered, “I know.”
“Everything. Every single strand of your hair, every inch of your skin, every heartbeat you have…” His grandmother sighed softly. “Child, do you have someone you like?”
The young man didn’t answer as he raised his thick eyelashes. He stared at his grandmother with a pair of piercing blue eyes.
His grandmother closed her eyes and shook her head.
“Child, you have to remember this. You shouldn’t give your kiss away so easily unless you’re ready to sacrifice and offer everything that you have.”
An Moer was rather composed as he turned away to gaze at the fish once more.
His grandmother continued to speak slowly,
“Your everything has a different meaning. It means what you possess, including what you care about. That includes your family, friends, and things that you may not have noticed before such as health, voice, even your… life.”
She sighed softly as she continued, “So, you can only offer your kiss only when you’re ready. But this only applies to mermaids. As for humans…”
The little mermaid’s eyelashes shuddered slightly as he gazed intently at the beautiful underwater garden. His pleasant, clear voice sounded calm as though he were merely repeating something trivial.
“As for humans?”
“It’s different for humans.” His grandmother surveyed him quietly. “A human’s love is the most unreliable thing. A kiss isn’t anything sacred to them and they don’t have to bear any responsibility. And that goes for love too. A human’s lifespan is short, yet their love is never steadfast. A human may kiss and love many others in a lifetime.”
The little mermaid smiled softly and his adorable dimples appeared. Softly, he muttered,
“How unfair…”
His grandmother chuckled helplessly as she reeled off, “But humans have souls. Even if they have short lifespans, they can go to heaven after death. However, we can’t. Even though we can live for centuries, we will turn into bubbles and drift aimlessly in the ocean after we die.”
She hesitated before she spoke, “Unless…”
An Moer raised his head, his blue eyes calm. “Unless what?”
“Unless a human is willing to share his or her soul with us.” His grandmother continued gently, “If a mermaid can receive true love from a human, and the human loves the mermaid more than anything else, he or she would give half of his or her soul and happiness to the mermaid. But child, that’s impossible.”
The little mermaid blinked and questioned her, “Why?”
His grandmother smiled and replied softly,
“Because of our tails. My dear child, a human won’t accept a mermaid’s tail. it’s too strange for humans so no human will ever fall in love with a mermaid.”
An Moer blinked his eyes lightly.
His long eyelashes shuddered and at last, he murmured softly as though he were talking to himself.
“Won’t a human fall for a mermaid?”
A low voice and sigh answered his question.
“No, my child. No human will.”
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