The Extra Prince Sets Out To Conquer The World

-The mermaid’s song echoes.

It’s an old memory.

The mermaid sat before her mother, the queen of the great sea creatures.

“Your foolish older sister couldn’t control her greed and became the disaster of this sea.”

At the voice filled with sorrow and lamentation despite sounding composed, the young mermaid bowed her head.

“I’m sorry, but you must fulfill your sacred duty. Please forgive this inept mother.”

As her mother apologized while ordering her to end the life of her own kin, the young mermaid showed a smile.

“I’ll finally get to see the world as much as I wanted, so don’t be too sad.”

Those words were sincere.

From a young age, the mermaid was curious about the world outside her country and had an interest in the humans sailing across the sea.

Having to kill a family member who committed a foolish act was sad, but she was also excited by her longing for the outside world.

The young mermaid bid farewell to her family and swam out vigorously.

-The melody is pure and clear.

Time flowed steadily and the young mermaid chased after the defiled energy emitted by the kraken.

Along the way, she met many humans, fairies, beastmen, and dwarves.

Among them, some treated her with pure goodwill, while others tried to hunt her with vile greed.

Disappointed by humans, she was still drawn to their sparkling lives, approaching them and getting hurt repeatedly.

During that time, the mermaid met a young couple who were also chasing the kraken.

“A mermaid, first time seeing one. Do you need help?”

The man with a blunt expression asked the injured mermaid, and the mermaid had no choice but to ask for help despite being wary.

The kraken she was chasing had become too strong to face alone.

“But according to legend, mermaids don’t wear any clothes- Ow ow ow!”

“Geor, what are you saying?”

Jaeolin, the wife, smiled while pinching her husband Geor’s cheek.

“Shorry Jaehrin, I wash joking-!”

Despite Geor’s apology, Jaelin seemed to have no intention of letting go of his cheek, repeatedly pinching and stretching his bearded face.

At that sight, the mermaid laughed so amusingly. Then, she became interested in the relationship called a married couple.

The mermaid, who became colleagues with the mage couple, chased the kraken.

-The clear song resonated joyfully.

With the help of the mage couple, the end of the stagnant pursuit was in sight.

The mage couple decided to set a trap the kraken couldn’t escape on an archipelago near a fishing village, and the mermaid was to clean up the surroundings and herd it.

While clearing the nearby sea monsters and collecting the defiled energy scattered by the kraken to purify it, she developed a hobby.

It was secretly hiding near the fishermen’s boats and listening to their songs.

“Hey, rookie! Sing us a song!”

“Yes! Rookie helmsman Agni! I’ll sing a tune!”

The clear and powerful song of the young fisherman had enough charm to captivate her.

The songs of the other fishermen were unique and enjoyable too, but there was only one song that resonated with the mermaid’s heart.

The mermaid who followed the boat and listened to the songs one day tried to stop the boat from going in a direction it shouldn’t.

However, the kraken’s defiled energy made the weather become fickle faster than the mermaid expected.

In the end, the young fisherman fell deep into the sea while saving his colleague.

“Agni-!”

The mermaid who saved the young fisherman from the receding voice was conflicted.

Should she send him back to the boat now, or miraculously take the young fisherman to the port instead of the island?

Amidst such worries, the young fisherman’s singing voice echoed in the mermaid’s heart.

-The song of heartbeats and excitement slowly turns dark.

The mermaid said,

“My heart pounds painfully when I see you. Yet it feels so good. Am I strange?”

At the mermaid’s question, the young fisherman shook his head with a smile.

“If I’m the same, then it must not be strange.”

Saying that, he cooked a simple meal.

The cooking was just grilling fish and cutting bread, cheese, and vegetables brought by the mage couple.

It was a routine repeated for several months already.

Feeling peace in the daily life that seemed like it would never change, she rested her head on his shoulder.

But her capable mage couple friends foretold the end of that happiness.

Even when she hinted it was too fast and they could take it slower, the mage couple only shook their heads apologetically.

She knew.

Her friends had delayed the time as much as possible for her sake. If they delayed any further, they would eventually lose the kraken and have to wander endlessly again.

At the end of it, a farewell was waiting.

Her lover, the young fisherman, held the mermaid’s hands.

“Don’t worry. I’ll just let them know I’m alive and come back. Mother will try to hold onto me, but I won’t be gone for more than a week.”

Then he put a ring made by weaving bits of wire used for nets and fishing hooks on her finger.

“I can only give you this for now, but I’ll buy a better ring from the city. So this is an engagement ring.”

At the young fisherman’s words, the mermaid showed a bright smile.

Mermaids can’t cry anyway.

So smile. Smile so you can say you were happier than anyone.

“Can I look forward to a wedding ring?”

The mermaid uttered words she would regret.

The pure youth smiled as if he couldn’t be happier and made a bold promise.

“Of course! Look forward to it!”

The young fisherman boarded the boat prepared by the mage couple.

Then he shrank to a dot and soon became too distant to see.

“Life without you was so dull. But even after parting with you, my life is so colorful.”

The mermaid sang.

Not a single tear fell, but she sang mournfully that her love had left.

She sang high into the sky and deep into the sea as if vomiting sobs.

As if the world resonated with her song, all paths entering the island through the whirlpools were blocked.

No one could enter, no one could leave the isolated islands, and the mermaid poured resentment on her old kin.

Even with the mage couple’s help, she fought bitterly for six days and nights.

At the end of that fight, the monster containing the sea’s defiled energy fell, and the mage couple who finished their job left.

The mermaid was left alone and sang for purification.

-Thus the song contained loneliness.

The mermaid left alone sang fiercely.

As she handled and purified the defiled energy, the island where her friends and lover had been turned into a land of death where no life could live.

Seeing that, she sang while comforting herself that her choice was right.

-Thus the song contained yearning.

Even after a year passed, even after a decade, the mermaid sang endlessly.

Much time passed without leisure to even look outside the island.

Her lover must have given up by now.

As if the mermaid’s efforts had borne fruit, small life began to sprout on the island filled with memories.

Even if it was just a nameless weed, that trivial grass was hope.

Although it was an island without her beloved or friends, if she could restore this island to its original state, wouldn’t he return like back then?

The mermaid sang with such futile expectations.

-Thus the song contained joy.

-Thus the song contained sorrow.

-Thus the song contained memories.

-Thus the song…

As the mermaid’s song neared its end, the jewel that contained the defiled energy began to emanate only pure and clean energy of the sea.

“Aah… Aaah…”

As all the melodies of the song ended, the appearance of the defiled monster was nowhere to be seen, and a single pitiful mermaid was contained in the tank.

No one present, including myself, could utter a single word of praise or hasty applause for her life-filled song.

It was out of fear that it might be a blasphemy against the song.

The only one composed here was the one who sang the song.

“Farewell, my foolish and lovely sister.”

At Aili’s parting words, the mermaid disappeared, leaving only the jewel of pure energy and turning into foam.

She handed me the retrieved jewel.

The once large jewel had shrunk to a size that could be held in one hand after purification.

But contrary to my expectations, the power contained within it held even more intense mana than when it contained the defiled energy.

“Be sure to use it for good. Can you promise me that?”

At her question, I shook my head.

“Normally, I would have nodded regardless of what I truly thought. But after hearing such a song, I can’t utter a lie. There is only one thing I can promise. I will use it for something absolutely necessary.”

She seemed satisfied with my honest answer and nodded.

“Then that’s enough. I will sing in hopes that what you need is something good.”

“Then I hope that song can be heard anytime.”

It will surely be a beautiful song.

Aili and Agni took turns expressing their gratitude to me and my companions.

Having finished our business in the Whirlpool Archipelago, we boarded the boat we came on again.

What was surprising was that Agni also boarded the boat with us.

“You don’t have to stay here?”

At my question, the old fisherman laughed merrily.

“What would I do staying on the island alone?”

His words made me realize the mermaid was pulling the boat underwater.

This time, they were leaving the island together.

“There’s still a lot needed to set up a home on the island. We need to pick out furniture together. We can’t just eat fish all the time, can we?”

“That’s true.”

The old fisherman would never venture out to sea alone again.

His lover would always be with him.

The old fisherman sang as he rowed.

I faced the sea breeze while listening to the merry and joyful song.

A peaceful day, a peaceful sea, a peaceful island.

The mermaid sat in the wave-hitting valley, endlessly gazing at the sea.

“Darling, sing for me.”

At her request, her old husband held her hand with his wrinkled hand.

Regretting the lost time, fearing the remaining time would slip away, he held on tight.

“Alright, I shall sing.”

The retired fisherman sang, delighted by the warm sunlight.

Thus spring passed and summer came, and on one day, several autumns and just as many winters brushed past the couple.

“This time, you sing.”

At the retired fisherman’s request, his wife readily sang.

Singing for a long time, as the end of the song approached, the wife stroked her husband’s cheek.

“Now it’s your turn.”

“…”

At the lack of response, she embraced her husband.

And then she sang.

Oh dear, now you may return, circling and circling from afar

Row to your yearned land and yearned lover

The wind-borne, sail-swollen boat, tie to your head

When the old ship’s bell rings, I know it’s you

At the sound of the wind on the rock in light slumber

Is it you running barefoot?

Only a pair of dumbfounded seagulls greet me, oh

Will you come stepping on all sorts of pebbles, the wait is endless

When the earnest singing voice is heard

I will whisper the unfinished words in your ear

Half of longing is excitement, the other half is memories

You who returned again, the old ship’s bell sound

How come you’ve only arrived now, only arrived now

…

..

.

“Sleep well. Until the day we meet again, I will wait half in excitement, half in memories.”

The mermaid sang.

Abundantly of happy memories.