Chapter Four: The Mermaid Princess with Stockholm Syndrome (Part One)

When Wei Wuji returned to the Celeste with the indignant little princess in tow, everyone was left speechless. No one knew whether to call his actions brave, foolish, or simply miraculous.

“She, she, I, we—this is bad, really bad! They won’t let us go now!” The terrified boatswain trailed after Wei Wuji, his words tumbling incoherently from his lips.

“Bring a large basin of water. According to that big fellow, our esteemed guest here will feel unwell if she’s away from the sea for too long, and she’s not yet of age. Ready the sails as well; we need to make haste,” Wei Wuji said, holding the mermaid princess tightly in his arms. He paid no heed to the closeness of their bodies; every secret struggle from the princess was crushed by his iron grip and mountain-like chest. Even her mouth was stuffed with a wad of cloth—a consequence of her attempting to attack him with a barrage of water orbs, using her siren royal bloodline’s magic, before boarding the ship.

“I’m so glad you’re all right! Oh, miss, what have you done to her?” Amango, seeing that Wei Wuji was unharmed, breathed a sigh of relief.

“It’s nothing. She’s an honored guest. With her aboard, we’ll reach Victoria Harbor safely. Listen, little beauty, don’t squirm or try any more water tricks, or you’ll have me to answer to,” Wei Wuji said, giving the princess a firm smack on her soft behind.

Amid her pitiful muffled cries, Fulton directed the crew to prepare a private cabin below deck for their distinguished guest, and, as instructed, placed a large basin of water inside. The sailors hoisted the sails, and just as expected, the fish people and the giant sea bat did not stop them, allowing the Celeste to proceed. However, it wasn’t long before the crew realized the massive sea bat and its escort were following relentlessly, never more than a hundred meters behind. Escape was impossible.

The ship sped across the waves like a racing steed, and as for the fish people in pursuit, the sailors decided it was best to pretend they saw nothing.

“All right, you can all leave now. I’d like to speak to Her Highness alone,” Wei Wuji said, ushering everyone—including Amango—out of the cabin. Once the door was closed, he tossed the princess into the water basin.

The moment she touched the water, the mermaid princess launched a fierce assault. The entire basin became her weapon: a third of the water transformed into the same water orbs she’d used to ambush Wei Wuji earlier, another third formed a razor-sharp blade aimed at his throat, and the remainder hovered above her head, shifting shape and ready to strike at her command.

“Ah, a natural gift for water manipulation,” Wei Wuji couldn’t help but admire, though admiration aside, he had to protect his life first.

“Hah!” he barked, and the incoming water orbs rebounded as if striking an iron wall, splintering the sturdy planks around them. The water blade seized the opportunity to slice at him, but to the princess’s disappointment, it didn’t even leave a mark on his neck. Instead, some of the rebounding orbs forced her into a frantic defense, the water above her head spinning into a magnificent shield to block the attacks.

The mermaid princess burst into tears, sitting despondently in the wooden basin as pearls rolled down her cheeks in shimmering streams. She had never been bullied like this before. In the Western Fish Empire, none were nobler than her father, Emperor Sargon, and next came her brother, Crown Prince Philiki—both of whom adored her above all. The more she thought of home, the harder she cried.

Wei Wuji groaned inwardly. If word got out that the sole true disciple of Dragon Island had reduced a young girl to tears, his sect’s reputation would be ruined. He traced a sigil in the air, golden light flickering as a barrier sealed the cabin from any outside sound.

After a while, seeing that Wei Wuji ignored her, the princess slowly stifled her sobs and glared at him in anger. Only then did Wei Wuji speak. “I gave you a chance to try and defeat me, and then return home. But you failed. So now, you can settle down and stay here. As long as you remain in this cabin, you’ll be safe.”

“I don’t want to stay here! I want to go back to the sea!”

Wei Wuji paid her no mind, his fingers weaving strange golden sigils in the air. The mermaid princess sensed an unknown danger approaching; her pearl-embroidered tunic trembled as she tried to retreat. But the golden runes pursued her like bloodthirsty sharks, merging into her body. Her mouth fell open in shock, and she felt her innate power suddenly bound.

“What have you done to me?” she asked anxiously, though she dared not vent her anger as before.

Wei Wuji replied as if nothing had happened, “Nothing much. I’ve just placed a light restraint on your powers.”

———

That evening, the sailors no longer joked or drank with Wei Wuji as before; instead, they regarded him with a kind of reverence. Even Captain Kaplan treated him with unusual respect. Wei Wuji took a large bottle of wine and found Amango on deck for a few drinks. The young man soon realized that his friend hadn’t really changed at all, and his warm enthusiasm returned.

The cabin door’s latch rattled. The mermaid princess, half-asleep, instantly awoke, her lovely eyes alert.

A dark figure quietly slipped into the room, lighting an oil lamp that cast a dim glow over the long, narrow face of the sailor, Leia.

The mermaid princess gasped in fright. Startled, Leia forgot his own fear and clamped a rough hand over her mouth. His calloused palm brushed against lips softer than petals. The oil lamp slipped to the floor, leaving behind only the gentle luster of pearls emanating from the princess’s tunic.

The woman’s muffled sobs and the sailor’s heavy breathing blended into a strange harmony. But let the gods bear witness: our sailor had no intention of committing a crime. Once he managed to calm the little mermaid, he whispered, “Don’t scream. I mean you no harm. I just came to fetch some of the water you used.”

Terror and anger flooded the young princess’s heart; she struggled even harder. As Leia groped in the basin, he pleaded, “Please, believe me. Really, I only heard that water a mermaid has bathed in can crystallize into pearls, just like the ones on your tunic. Oh, look at me—forsaking a watermelon for a sesame seed.”

Realizing that the mermaid princess was as delicate as any ordinary girl, Leia relaxed. He had intended to sneak in and trick the fish princess in hopes of finding a few pearls in the basin. Of course, there might have been a chance to obtain them when the water was changed, but that opportunity might not be his. With debts piling up and forced to flee to sea, the sailor knew that upon returning to Randia, he would face a swarm of creditors, and his earnings from the Celeste would hardly suffice.