Section Four: The Little Mermaid with Stockholm Syndrome (Part Two)

Greed triumphed over all, and driven to madness by profit, Leia ruthlessly yanked at the pearls sewn onto the princess’s blouse. The mermaid princess’s suspicions surged anew; she felt a large hand fumbling over her body, but the gods could attest that Leia truly only wanted to tear off a few pearls. Finally, Leia managed to snap a thread of shark silk, sending seven or eight lustrous pearls, each the size of a thumb, tumbling to the floor. The sailor scrambled to pick them up, all the while keeping a firm hand over the princess’s mouth.

The shout came from Leia—while he was distracted, the princess seized her chance and bit him. Leia straightened, glaring malevolently at the mermaid princess, momentarily forgetting her noble status.

But in the next instant, his expression softened; his gaze was drawn to the rare blue pearl necklace adorning her neck.

The mermaid princess opened her mouth, but before a scream could escape, Leia lunged at her like a ravenous wolf, hands reaching for her neck.

Her pupils dilated in terror, the approaching shadow filling her vision. As an adolescent siren, she was delicate and fragile, possessing little more than water manipulation as a gift; her ability to protect herself was scarcely greater than any ordinary human girl. This was why the burly Wilian commander always accompanied her.

Just as Leia’s fingers were about to brush her neck, a powerful force suddenly yanked him away.

Leia turned to look and saw Wei Wujie standing at the cabin door, pulling him back with brute strength.

Leia was momentarily stunned, but being quick-witted, he immediately shed his coat and tried to dart between Wei Wujie’s legs. Yet, Wei Wujie was not one to allow escape; his large hand seized Leia’s vest, rendering him numb and immobile, able only to blink rapidly in a plea for mercy.

“He… he tried to hurt me,” the mermaid princess hid behind Wei Wujie, forgetting in her anger that it was he who had brought her aboard and bound her powers, the very reason for her peril. Now, her beautiful eyes blazed with fury, wishing she could burn Leia to ashes.

“Wait, Wei, don’t kill him—please hand him over to the captain,” Amango hurriedly interjected as he arrived.

Leia was tossed to the floor, rolling over and finally subdued. He knew that any attempt to escape in Wei Wujie’s presence would only worsen his fate, so he meekly allowed Amango to escort him to the captain’s quarters to see Kaplan.

After Amango departed, the mermaid princess finally regained her composure, patting her chest and straightening her blouse, which Leia had torn at the corner. Yet, she could not conceal the glimpse of her snowy waist and belly, and her cheeks reddened.

“Hurry and lift the restriction on me,” she demanded, her face flushed with anger. Though she despised the man from earlier, she now recalled that it was Wei Wujie who had bound her powers. Without his interference, even ten Leias could have been reduced to nothing by her.

“To be fair, it was my fault. I shouldn’t have suppressed your abilities and left you vulnerable to humiliation,” Wei Wujie admitted, a rare concession. Though he misunderstood Leia’s intent, the mermaid princess saw no need to correct him; it was enough that he felt guilty.

But his next actions proved she had overestimated his conscience.

Golden runes streamed from his fingertips, settling throughout the cabin. The water bullets the princess had embedded in the wood dissolved into droplets and returned to the basin; the runes even restored the damaged holes to their original state.

Only the mermaid princess watched in fearful awe, realizing that Wei Wujie had sealed the entire cabin with enchantments.

Dangerous energies now surrounded her, lurking unseen like traps. As long as she did not provoke them, she would be unharmed.

Having finished, Wei Wujie waved his hand over the princess; violet auspicious energy flickered from his fingers. Instantly, she felt her body relax, her forcibly restricted powers once again at her command. Yet she no longer dared to attack Wei Wujie or challenge the cabin’s enchantments.

“How long do you plan to keep me here? You liar! You promised me thrilling adventures!” Tears welled up in the princess’s eyes. The small cabin had become a prison she could not escape.

“I haven’t lied to you. Isn’t this experience thrilling enough? Only three or five more days—once we reach Victoria Harbor, I’ll release you. But you and your burly commander had best keep your word, or else you won’t just be locked up for a few days,” Wei Wujie answered, irresponsibly.

The mermaid princess was frightened; she did intend to seek revenge once freed, but now she was truly afraid. She mustered only a feeble protest, “You… you liar!”

Wei Wujie shrugged, “Don’t keep calling me a liar. What have I lied about? Isn’t this thrilling enough? If you aren’t happy when I let you go, I’ll keep you here until you are—my word is always good.”

Ignoring the shell-shocked mermaid, Wei Wujie stepped out, the cabin door closing of its own accord behind him.

The princess, finally shaken from her stupor, was so outraged by his shamelessness that she forgot her fear of the enchantments. The water in the basin transformed into dozens of blades, which she hurled at the door. Golden light flickered; invisible forces rebounded the blades, turning them into a cascade of rain that soaked her from head to toe.

Outside, Fulton and First Mate Anderson rushed over, anxiously asking, “What did you do to her?”

Captain Kaplan also arrived, his expression showing deep concern over how Wei Wujie had handled the mermaid princess.

Earlier, after interrogating Leia, Kaplan had been startled and ordered the greedy fool to be locked in the ship’s brig for criminal sailors, not wanting to see him again until they reached Herdasin. Thankfully, Wei Wujie had intervened; otherwise, if anything truly happened to the mermaid princess, the Westphy Empire would undoubtedly attack the Celeste without hesitation.

He quickly summoned Fulton and Anderson, eager to see how Wei Wujie would clean up the mess. Though he knew Wei was capable—after all, he had captured the most distinguished enemy aboard the Sea Bat—it was clear that not everyone could remain so composed.

Wei Wujie struggled to express himself in the common tongue of the continent, “Oh, I didn’t do anything to her. No need to look at me like that, and no need to worry. She’s our hostage now; I’ve made arrangements with the big commander that once we reach Victoria Harbor, I’ll let her go.”

“But won’t she seek revenge when she’s released?” Fulton interjected anxiously.