Chapter 51: Chapter 52: The Excited Grand Matron of the Merfolk

“Ariel, are you planning to go ashore and drink the potion now?” Aurora asked, swimming just behind the mermaid princess.

“There are still several hours until sunrise; let’s wait a little longer,” Ariel replied with a tinge of sadness in her tone. “I want to take one last look at Father’s palace and my sisters’ garden.”

The mermaid princess knew that once she gained legs, she would likely never have the chance to return to her father, the Grand Matron, or her sisters.

Ahead of her lay a daunting challenge—if she failed to win the prince’s love, the curse would tear apart her heart, leaving her to dissolve into foam upon the sea.

“Alright, farewells are always bittersweet. Take your time to say goodbye to the palace and the garden,” Rhine agreed. “We’ll stay behind you at a distance, watching over you and wishing you well.”

Ariel and her two companions, riding atop a giant anglerfish, swam a while longer.

The Sea King’s palace soon came into view.

When Ariel left, the palace had been alive with festivities, brightly lit with celebration. Now, as she returned, the glow of the ball had faded.

The Sea King’s palace lay like a slumbering beast in the deep blue waters—majestic, opulent, and serene.

“Father and my sisters must already be asleep,” murmured Ariel.

Not wanting to disturb them, she slipped quietly into her sisters’ garden. She intended to pluck a few flowers from the blooming flowerbeds before leaving as silently as she had come.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“My little princess, I’ve found you at last!”

Suddenly, a familiar voice called out from behind her.

Turning, Ariel saw the Grand Matron, adorned with countless pearls and shells, flanked by a large group of mermaid attendants. The elderly mermaid’s expression was one of extreme worry, but it turned to joy upon spotting Ariel.

“Oh my heavens! My beautiful princess. I heard you went to that dreadful coral forest to seek out the hideous sea hag! How could you do such a foolish thing?”

The Grand Matron was frantic. She hurried to Ariel’s side, her eyes scanning the mermaid princess from her elegant tail to her flowing hair, ensuring that her granddaughter had returned unharmed. Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief.

The old mermaid was so worked up that she failed to notice the anglerfish hovering above her, its translucent belly holding two humans.

“Why would you go looking for the Sea Hag? Everyone in the Mermaid Kingdom grows up hearing her wicked tales, knowing how terrifying she is. Seeking her out for a wish never ends well!” ŘἈＮОᛒĚ𝐒

The Grand Matron clasped Ariel’s hand tightly, as if afraid she might run away again.

“You must have seen her, haven’t you? But promise me you didn’t make a deal with her! Such deals always come at an unimaginable cost.”

“Don’t worry, Grandmother,” Ariel reassured her, holding her hand in return. “I’m fine.”

The Grand Matron patted her chest, finally relieved.

“Thank goodness, my little princess. Thank goodness nothing happened to you.”

“Judging by how you look, I’d say you didn’t find the Sea Hag after all. She’s so elusive, never staying in one place for long. And in that labyrinthine coral forest, finding her bony shack is no easy task.”

The Grand Matron concluded that Ariel must have been so frightened by the raging whirlpools, the grotesque coral shapes, and the skeletal remains hanging from the coral trees that she had run straight back home without meeting the Sea Hag.

“Promise me, my little princess, that you’ll never go there again. What wish could you have that your father and I cannot fulfill for you?”

The Grand Matron stroked Ariel’s hair, its silky strands as smooth as flowing water.

“No, Grandmother. I did find the Sea Hag. And I spoke with her at length,” Ariel admitted. “She’s not as terrifying as the stories make her out to be.”

Her words shocked the Grand Matron so much that she nearly shook loose the oyster decorations on her tail.

“Really? My little princess, did she demand a price from you? Did she harm you?”

Ariel smiled.

“There was supposed to be a price, but in the end, I didn’t make a deal with her. A kind human friend helped me instead. He’s a good-hearted magician who granted my wish without asking for anything in return.”

Ariel didn’t elaborate on what her wish was. It was a challenge she would face alone.

“A human friend?” The Grand Matron was stunned.

How could a mermaid possibly befriend a human? In the history of the Mermaid Kingdom, such a thing was unheard of.

“Look, there they are!” Ariel pointed behind her grandmother.

The anglerfish swam closer, its body swaying gently. Inside its transparent belly were two humans: a silver-haired boy and a golden-haired girl.

“You… you must be the humans rumored to have come to the Mermaid Kingdom. A human scholar and his attendant, I believe,” the Grand Matron said, recalling what she’d heard earlier. Her shock was evident.

“You’re the ones who helped Ariel?”

Rhine nodded politely and greeted the Grand Matron of the Sea Kingdom.

“Well, no matter what, since you’ve helped Ariel, you are now my friends and honored guests of the Deep Sea Palace! From now on, as long as you are in these waters, the Mermaid Kingdom welcomes you!” The Grand Matron declared. “This is my word as the Grand Matron, and it will always hold true.”

The mermaid attendants who had followed her began whispering among themselves:

“Isn’t the Grand Matron the one who always said that the worlds of merfolk and humans should remain separate?”

“Yes! Just earlier in the palace, she was against the Sea King summoning these humans.”

“Well, that’s just how she is. You know how much she dotes on the mermaid princesses, especially Princess Ariel. She’s her pride and joy!”

“Exactly. The Grand Matron is usually so stern, but she becomes a completely different person when it comes to Princess Ariel.”

The Grand Matron, full of warmth, invited Rhine and Aurora, “Friends, isn’t this a coincidence? I heard that my son—the King of this sea—was planning to invite you to his palace as guests.

“It’s late now, but when the sun rises and its warm light filters through the sea, illuminating this splendid palace, you must come back.

“I’ll personally escort you!”