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Shyarly carefully examined her feelings and realized that she didn't feel any aversion toward Hikaru, the man destined to be her future husband.
On the contrary, she saw it as an opportunity. In this chaotic era of pirates, having a powerful man to shield her from the storm was a wise choice.
On Fishman Island, no one dared to approach her due to her prestigious status. The fact that she had no romantic experience might even be a plus for Hikaru.
Not only that—at 27 years old, she knew that in three years, she would undergo her natural transformation, gaining human legs instead of her shark tail. If he was willing to wait, it wouldn't be long. If not… well, that would depend on whether Hikaru could accept her as she was.
Under Hikaru's curious gaze, Shyarly shook her head in confusion. The more she thought about it, the more her thoughts spiraled in strange directions.
In truth, the real reason she was considering accepting Hikaru was her unwavering belief—going against fate would only lead to disastrous consequences.
So… she had no choice but to accept it.
She just didn't understand how she ended up entangled with him. Could it really be today? But his size didn't match… could he get bigger or smaller?
A sudden shiver ran through her body. She wasn't sure what she was thinking, but it unsettled her.
"Oi, oi~ What's with the weird expressions? Ignoring me like this—isn't that just cold-hearted?" Hikaru sat across from her, trying to snap her out of her daze.
Shyarly gathered her scattered thoughts and spoke softly, "Sorry… This is the first time my divination has encountered such a problem. The backlash was severe…"
Hikaru narrowed his eyes suspiciously. Something felt off about her.
"You… never mind. Just tell me—according to your divination, what will happen to Fishman Island in the future?"
Shyarly hesitated for a moment but ultimately chose to be honest. Based on what she had seen, she was bound to be with him, which meant she could trust him.
"My divination only revealed fragments of the future. But what I saw was clear—you will rule Fishman Island one day. You will marry me, along with a group of mermaids… and Princess Shirahoshi."
"Oh?" Hikaru grinned. With that, he had confirmed his reason for coming to Fishman Island. "Is that all?"
Shyarly thought for a moment and nodded. "There wasn't much more. The vision was cut off by you… or rather, the future version of you. You're too powerful."
"Is that so? Not bad." Hikaru smirked. "Your divination aligns with my expectations. After all, I came to the Mermaid Café for you and the mermaids here."
Shyarly was momentarily speechless. She rolled her eyes at him, internally cursing: Are you always this blunt?
A feeling of helplessness welled up in her. Mermaids were so stunning that humans developed an almost obsessive infatuation with them.
And now, someone powerful enough to disregard Whitebeard's influence had arrived, openly declaring his intent to claim a large number of mermaids for himself…
The most terrifying part? Hikaru succeeded in her vision of the future.
But it made sense. She had once foreseen the Marineford War and Whitebeard's death. Even if Hikaru hadn't come now, Fishman Island would soon be plunged into chaos after Whitebeard's fall.
When that time came, Hikaru would arrive as a great hero—and he would accomplish his goal.
"Since your divination has shown that you'll become my consort, will you accept your fate… or resist it?" Hikaru leaned forward, pressing his advantage.
Shyarly sighed. Did she even have a choice?
She parted her lips slightly, her cool voice laced with resignation.
"Whether I accept or resist, the outcome will be the same… I'll end up in your arms, looking happy and satisfied. In that case, why fight the inevitable? There's no point in taking a path where life and death are uncertain."
Hikaru smiled, pleased with her answer. With Shyarly by his side, his path forward would be much smoother.
"It's a wise decision," Hikaru said with a smirk. "As long as you listen to me and cooperate in taking control of Fishman Island, I'll reward you generously… and love you well."
Shyarly turned her head away awkwardly, her face flushing at his words. As a child, she had been lively and energetic, but as she grew older, she had developed a calm and dignified demeanor.
With her reputation, no one on Fishman Island had ever dared to tease her like this. But now, hearing Hikaru speak so boldly stirred an unfamiliar and indescribable feeling deep inside her.
"Mrs. Shyarly~" Hikaru leaned in with a mischievous grin, seating himself beside her and lowering his voice.
"I've always been a curious and hardworking man, but I've never had the guidance of a mermaid to properly educate me. As a result, my knowledge of your people is rather… limited."
He paused, then smiled playfully. "I wonder if the noble and elegant Lady Shyarly would be willing to teach me a little about the history of the merfolk?"
"Well… if my husband truly wants to learn, I suppose there's no harm in being his friend and mentor…" Shyarly hesitated but ultimately agreed, even going so far as to change the way she addressed him.
"Thank you, Mrs. Shyarly!!"
Grinning, Hikaru reached out curiously and pressed his hand against her smooth, supple shark tail.
The unique texture under his palm intrigued him. There was still so much he didn't know about mermaids, but he wasn't discouraged. After all, learning was an enjoyable experience in itself.
For the next while, Shyarly made an exception and began educating Hikaru about the mermaid race. He listened attentively, absorbing every detail, gaining a deeper understanding of their history and culture.
…
It was hard to say how much time had passed, but eventually, Shyarly finished explaining the key aspects of mermaid history. Hikaru found himself thoroughly enlightened, realizing just how shallow his previous knowledge had been.
As he glanced at Shyarly's shy smile, an odd thought suddenly popped into his mind:
"What else can you do besides smear saliva all over my face?"
Of course, this was just Hikaru's random imagination.
Please, believe him—Hikaru was merely studying mermaid history! He hadn't done anything inappropriate!
After a brief break, Hikaru leaned back, resting his head on Shyarly's shark tail. She skillfully massaged his temples while they chatted, the atmosphere between them growing warmer and more relaxed.
For the most part, Shyarly spoke while Hikaru listened.
She told him about her past—how her father had abandoned their family, the hardships of her childhood, and her foolish brother Arlong…
Fortunately, she had been gifted with extraordinary foresight, which allowed her to carve out a place for herself on Fishman Island. She never let her painful past define her.
She also spoke about the reason she founded the Mermaid Café—to provide a safe haven for young mermaids who had lost their families or lacked a means of supporting themselves.
To them, the Mermaid Café wasn't just a business—it was a home. Her vision had fostered a deep sense of unity among the mermaids who lived and worked there.