Chapter 1
Grand Duke Elphiers was staring with curiosity at a creature he had never seen in his life.
“……I’m your daughter.”
“I don’t have any daughters—especially not fragile ones that require constant care.”
No, not your daughter, Your Grace.
“I mean… I’m the Sea God’s daughter…….”
I blinked. My vision blurred, then quickly sharpened again.
Don’t shake! You can do this!
I clenched my tiny fist and puffed out my chest as confidently as I could—though in truth, it only made my round little belly stick out.
Those sea-like blue eyes stared straight at me, and my inflated chest promptly deflated.
My heart began to pound.
Seeing him in person is way scarier than I imagined!
Tap. Tap.
At the sound of the duke tapping the armrest, I flinched and shrank back.
“So you’re saying you figured all of this out on your own?”
“Y-Yes…….”
Leaning back in his chair, the duke narrowed his brows. His golden hair shimmered in the sunlight, and his sharp eyes swept over me from head to toe.
What? He’s totally suspicious!
Well, that was only natural. A child suddenly showing up with a map marked as land blessed by the Sea God—anyone would find that strange.
But I couldn’t back down. I had to be adopted.
By Pierre Elphiers, the Grand Duke standing right in front of me.
“And how exactly am I supposed to believe this?”
“Y-You can tell by my hair color… it’s blue, like the sea…….”
“You could’ve dyed it.”
Huh—well, he wasn’t wrong. He really was sharp.
But how would a kid dye her hair?!
Panicking, I blurted out,
“I-I can use my power!”
“Hmm. The power of water?”
I nodded.
I’d come straight here after regaining consciousness in the sea, so I hadn’t had time to properly test it—but it should be fine.
…Right?
The Elphiers family was blessed by the Sea God.
And the man gazing at me now with a bored expression was none other than the Grand Duke of Elphiers himself.
Even seated, his towering height and solid build stood out.
He looked down at me as if I were something insignificant, yet in his blue eyes flickered a strange mix of suspicion and curiosity.
That gaze pricked at my heart like needles.
It was far too frightening for me to endure.
I shook my head hard.
If I backed down now, everything it took to get here would be wasted. This was the only way for me to survive and take my revenge.
Ariel, you can do this!
I wriggled my small fingers, met his gaze head-on, and steeled myself. Then I brought both hands together.
“Hoo!”
The moment I focused all my strength into my fingertips—
Plop.
A very, very tiny—utterly insignificant—drop of water formed.
I did it!
I lifted my head proudly toward the duke.
“……Pfft.”
The Grand Duke of Elphiers laughed.
That was not the reaction I expected.
That’s so unfair!
“Only babies are allowed to laugh at babies!”
“……What?”
“J-Just wait a moment! I can do it!”
I strained again, and another droplet appeared. The corner of the duke’s mouth twitched once more.
“N-Not yet! It’s small, but… still!”
Pop.
The droplet burst.
N-No, this wasn’t supposed to happen…!
This wasn’t part of the plan!
Panicking, I hurriedly focused my strength into my hands again.
Plop.
What? Why does it keep popping?!
Another droplet formed—only to burst again moments later.
Cold sweat trickled down my back.
“Hoo!”
Again—and again the droplet burst right before my eyes.
What do I do?
Even I had to admit it. For the Sea God’s daughter, this power was pathetically weak.
Think. There has to be a way.
“I-I heard that showing everything right away is stupid anyway…….”
“That sounds like you can’t show it, not that you’re choosing not to. And from what I see, that’s exactly the case.”
Gah. I’d been caught! But I couldn’t retreat—so I decided to double down shamelessly.
“……That’s not true?”
“It isn’t?”
“No, it’s not.”
“It’s not?”
Seriously, how childish! What kind of adult does this?!
Neither of us backed down. Though flustered, I nodded as if everything was fine and spoke again.
If he wanted to know whether I couldn’t show it or wouldn’t, all he had to do was raise me.
“This is just a preview. If Your Grace raises me, you’ll find out on your own.”
When I blinked my golden eyes and looked up at him directly, his lips twisted upward.
…Why is he smiling so frighteningly? Still, that smile seemed to overpower anyone facing him.
So I cautiously mirrored it, lifting my own lips.
Grin.
“Huh?”
He let out a hollow laugh, clearly dumbfounded. I exaggerated my grin even more, showing my teeth and giving him a wink.
It felt like I’d seized the momentum.
This might work! He might actually give in!
The Grand Duke stepped closer.
“If I raise you, I’ll find out? That sounds like you might not even be able to use your power properly.”
“B-But you saw it! I made a water droplet!”
“And what exactly am I supposed to do with a water droplet?”
It really felt like I was about to be thrown out.
Don’t lose heart, Ariel!
“Even this much is amazing! Can you make a water droplet, Your Grace?”
From absolutely nothing—ta-da! Other people can’t do that! I’m amazing!
I jerked my head up to look at him—but the moment I met those wavering blue eyes, I froze and quickly bowed my head.
“The Elphiers family worships the Sea God…… and I’m His daughter.”
“So you’re saying I should worship you?”
Scary! I’m telling Dad on you! Isn’t he supposed to be the one protecting me? Why is he this terrifying?!
“N-No! That’s not what I mean! I don’t want worship—just… just let me stay by your side…….”
“I’m not even sure you’re His daughter. Why should I take you in?”
His downward gaze burned. I flinched and clamped my mouth shut. Faced with eyes like a beast’s, my hands folded neatly on their own.
“I have nowhere else to go…….”
He wouldn’t heartlessly kick out a child who had nowhere to go, right?
He didn’t believe me—and he didn’t seem inclined to accept me either. I quickly assessed the situation.
I rushed things too much.
If I’d confirmed my power beforehand, I wouldn’t have been doubted like this. I shouldn’t have hurried so foolishly.
“I’m sorry. I’ll train and come back stronger. Please wait five—no, ten years.”
In the end, I bowed politely.
Ariel Berenice.
I really came back…….
A small, compact body barely reaching one meter tall, chubby cheeks tinged with red, pale arms and legs that looked short even at a glance.
No matter how much I wanted to deny it, the reflection staring back at me from the water pooled at my feet was unmistakably that of a child.
Four years old is just cruel.
When I slapped the water with my hand, ripples spread even in the shallow pool.
“Eek! This is a problem.”
Sea-blue hair like the ocean itself, eyes like golden sand glittering in the sunlight.
Hair flowing loosely like rolling waves.
I am the Sea God’s daughter. I could wield the power of water—and that power had countless uses.
I brought water to drought-stricken lands, identified land rich enough to bring wealth, and unleashed floods and typhoons upon my enemies.
Truly overwhelming power.
With abilities like that, you might think there was nothing to worry about—but life is never that simple.
Sigh.
Growing gloomy, I splashed the water petulantly.
“No matter what, how could you send a child out alone to be a guardian?!”
A gift bestowed upon a family that worshipped the Sea God—the family’s protector. That was the reason for my existence as Ariel Berenice.
Though the god had said the child bearing that power was to be loved and cherished, the Victuar family did no such thing.
“I am the one chosen by the Sea God. You will become my daughter and be loved.”
My divine father could not interfere in human affairs. So he sent me into the human world as a being meant to help them.
A guardian sent to a family that served the Sea God—that was me. To protect and love that family was my mission.
Victuar was the one who awakened me as I slept curled inside a droplet of water, showing me Mermaid’s Tear, the proof and promise between me and the Sea God, and taking me away.
I followed him without suspicion.
And that was how, in my previous life, the lying Duke Victuar claimed me.
With gentle smiles and a deceitful heart, Duke Victuar tricked me.
I never imagined the one who awakened me from the cold depths of the sea would lie.
Idiot. Stupid. Ariel, you idiot!
And in the end, after being used by Victuar—
I died.
