The Boat

The two of them departed the palace in a carriage, coming to a halt by the lakeside. 

"Master, we have arrived." 

Sebastian glanced at Lu, who was still leaning against the carriage window, gazing outside. He leaned closer and waved his hand before her eyes. "Snap out of it." 

Lu was momentarily startled and turned her head. "What's wrong?" 

"Get out of the carriage." 

Sebastian's words were succinct. After speaking, he stepped onto the small stool and was the first to disembark. 

The dark brocade robe swept through the air in an elegant arc before suddenly retracting as he landed outside the carriage. 

Lu exchanged glances with the young man who had turned to look at her, hesitating for a moment. "Are we getting out now?" 

Isn't this a bit too sudden? She hadn't even had her fill of the carriage ride yet. 

Sitting comfortably while taking in the scenery and the people along the way was simply delightful. 

"We have already arrived." 

Sebastian raised an eyebrow. "You said you wanted to come out and play. Is it merely to sit in the carriage?" 

Lu hesitated. "Of course not." 

Suppressing her breath, she leaped from the carriage. She had intended to say something to Sebastian but halted abruptly upon seeing the shimmering turquoise surface of the lake behind him. Her azure eyes widened as she took in the weeping willows by the shore and the exquisite painted boats gliding across the water. "Is this... the sea?" 

Though beautiful, there seemed to be an overwhelming number of people. 

"So many boats," Lu recalled the blueprints she had seen beneath the sea, her eyes sparkling. "But they're quite different from the ones I've encountered before." 

Sebastian signaled to the waiting coachman to drive the carriage away before turning back to her. "This is a lake, incomparable to the sea. As for those boats drifting on the surface, they are all pleasure boats designed for leisure. You can ride them to enjoy the lake and the scenery, and they are relatively well-equipped." 

"Then... can we also take a ride?" Lu gazed at the lake, excitement bubbling within her. She even felt her fish tail, which had transformed into legs, becoming somewhat dry— 

She longed to immerse herself in the cool water and swish her tail! 

However, she did not overlook the throngs of people crowding the shore; those in the front appeared smug, while those in the back bore anxious expressions. 

Boats, simpler than those anchored in the center of the lake, came and went, yet the line of people waiting seemed endless, with only a few managing to board. 

"There are so many people," the little mermaid blinked. 

She couldn't quite grasp why, despite the multitude waiting to board, each boat could accommodate so few— 

She had seen them conducting transactions on-site. Couldn't they fit a few more people? 

How long would they have to wait! 

Yet, despite the wait, Lu had never experienced the sensation of being jostled among fish or people, so she stood on tiptoe, gazing at the bustling crowd and the numerous painted boats, filled with yearning and anticipation. 

... Actually, waiting in a crowd isn't so bad! 

"With the heavy rains of the past few days, everyone has been cooped up for too long. Now that the sun is finally shining, it's only natural they seek some amusement to pass the time," Sebastian remarked, following Lu's gaze toward the lively lakeside. "A portion of the people waiting here will likely not be able to board today." 

In the capital, young masters were plentiful; even though the painted boats commanded high prices, they could not deter these individuals— 

Yet, it was evident that demand far exceeded supply, making it clear that simply having money would not suffice. 

One had to either patiently wait in line or wield influence. 

Lu immediately felt a sense of urgency, tugging at Sebastian's sleeve. "Then let's hurry over; otherwise, we'll miss our chance!" 

Sebastian glanced at his sleeve but remained firmly planted, unaffected by the little mermaid's tugging. "There's no rush; we'll take our time walking over there."

"Why the rush? It's not every day we get to venture out; we can't return without having enjoyed ourselves!"

Lu furrowed her brows, noticing she couldn't pull him along. Curiously, she turned to ask, "Why aren't you moving?"

However, Sebastian did not respond; instead, he smiled enigmatically and said, "You're tugging at my sleeve."

Upon hearing this, Lu glanced down at the exquisite fabric she was clutching, mistakenly thinking he was disdainful of her, and irritably released her grip, stepping back. "Now can we leave?"

"…What if I say we cannot?" Sebastian pretended to ponder for a moment.

Lu's expression hardened, annoyance flickering across her face. "What do you intend to do then?"

"Nothing much, just that the weather has turned chilly, and my hands are a bit cold," the young man replied with a serious demeanor, his half-closed phoenix eyes betraying a hint of amusement.

Lu paused, momentarily taken aback, and skeptically glanced at him. Tentatively, she reached out to grasp one of Sebastian's hands, only to be startled by the warmth of his touch, nearly losing her grip.

Taking a deep breath, the little mermaid's face darkened. "…Is this what you call cold?"

If this was cold, what would she call her own hands? Ice cubes?

Had this human grown so accustomed to speaking nonsense?

Without missing a beat, Sebastian firmly held her hand in return, his phoenix eyes glimmering with subtle mirth. "Our human body temperature tends to be higher; it's only natural for you to feel warm."

That was indeed true.

After all, humans bathe in water hot enough to cook fish.

Lu reluctantly accepted his explanation but pulled her hand away, further perplexed. "…Then why are you holding on so tightly? My body temperature is lower than yours; holding me will only make you colder."

Yet, Sebastian simply led her in another direction. "We're already late; we should hurry, or we'll barely have time to enjoy the boat before we have to return to the palace."

Lu hurried to keep pace, still adjusting to the unusual warmth of his palm, feeling awkward with every step. To distract herself, she asked, "…Where are we going? Doesn't the direction seem off?"

Fifteen minutes later.

Lu followed Sebastian in a daze, enduring the flattery of a flamboyantly dressed middle-aged woman, as they boarded an exceptionally grand boat that stood out among the many.

"Make sure to attend to this young gentleman well!" the woman sternly instructed the attendants who followed them aboard.

Seated by the window, Lu gazed at the lake's surface, which seemed almost within reach. The mist enveloped her, and her azure eyes reflected the shimmering waves. "I adore this lake~~"

The young man, seated nearby, sipped his tea with a gentle smile. "If you like it, you can come here often in the future."

"You said it yourself; you can't go back on your word!"

Lu withdrew her gaze and glanced through the partially open wooden window at the crowd on the opposite bank, feeling a touch embarrassed. "But doesn't this count as cutting in line?"

After all, this was her first time seeing such a multitude of people since arriving in the human world.

It was, in fact, quite marvelous?

"This boat was specifically prepared for us, so it doesn't count."

Sebastian pointed to two boats not far from the center of the lake and smiled, "Those, like this one, are not open to the public. Only select individuals are allowed aboard, so we needn't jostle with those on the shore."

Privileges always seem to hold sway everywhere.

Lu turned to look in that direction, finally realizing the faint music she had been hearing was emanating from the heart of the lake. Curiously, she asked, "Are there people singing over there?"

Though it couldn't compare to the songs sung by mermaids… why was there music over there while they had none?

After all, they were aboard the same grand boat; it hardly seemed fair!

"Why isn't there anyone singing for us?" The little mermaid thought this and asked outright, frowning. "Is the treatment different?"

What a shame! The previous human had spoken so sweetly, elevating them to such heights, yet they weren't even granted the pleasure of a song!

"…If you desire it, we can arrange for that," Sebastian replied after a moment's pause.

He wasn't particularly keen on letting outsiders disrupt their moment.

But since this little mermaid wished for it, it was certainly not impossible.

As their conversation continued, the boat gradually approached the center of the lake, revealing the vibrant figures dancing aboard the boat from which the music flowed—

"Ah? There are people dancing too~"

Lu was instantly captivated, momentarily unable to spare even a glance for the young man seated across from her, who still wished to say something. After all, she had seen him countless times before, and he would always be there; how could the sight of dancing humans not be more intriguing? This was indeed a rare opportunity.

With her keen vision, Lu easily discerned the graceful movements of the women on the boat, their flowing sleeves and supple forms.

Ah… so this is what human dance looks like.

Sebastian cast a slightly troubled glance at the two boats, lowering his eyes to sip his tea.

The youngest son of the Grand Tutor's family… it seemed he still led a rather leisurely life.

Lu leaned half of her head out of the window, initially enthralled by the sight of the other boat, only to be drawn in by the emerald waters below. Her blue eyes fixated on the shimmering surface, and she could no longer resist the urge to reach out and touch it.

The icy water flowed over her fingertips, sending tiny droplets splashing and creating ripples that spread outward.

The little mermaid then leaned entirely against the low window, plunging her hand into the water, savoring the coolness that seemed to seep into her very soul.

As she immersed herself in the sensation, a remarkably familiar face suddenly emerged from beneath the lake, poking its head up just beneath Lu's outstretched hand. With azure eyes reflecting her image, it appeared quite pleased and opened its mouth as if to speak.

Lu: …!

Please don't come any closer!!