SS 8: Consequences of the Betrayal

I am the minister of the mermaid country. My name is Bass.

No, it would be better to say the former minister. Because today is the day in which the mermaid country will be attacked and destroyed.

If they are people that possess an item that can control sea serpents, surely they would have a drug that can turn a mermaid into human.

No matter what I did with my life, it all leads to despair but with the worse situation at hand, it became a distorted obsession to live.

I made a magical contract with the humans. I will guide the fishmen to attack the mermaid country. Then after our victory, I will meet up with the humans at dawn to acquire the drug that will turn me into a human. Failure is not an option. In any case, I have the fishmen to attack the mermaid country.

After that, we had several secret meetings with General Bowman and his fishmen. The barrier is too powerful. If they’re mermaids, they can easily pass through the barrier but other creatures and demons would be repelled by the barrier. However, if the barrier makes contact with a living mermaid, anybody could pass through the entrance situated just right above the country’s center.

At the meeting, we decided the time and procedures of the attack. After that, we encircled the mermaid country using 300 fishmen soldiers and 3 sea serpents. And then, we let the serpents squash the mermaids that came out. So to chase the mermaids retreating into the barrier, 200 fishmen soldiers and 2 serpents will form a group and hold 1 rope each. By holding the end of the rope, anyone touching that rope can enter the mermaid country through the entrance.

The remaining serpent together with the 100 fishmen will be tasked to clear those who ran away. And because the demands for the young mermaids were high, we’ll avoid killing them since that would lower their value. Letting them run away and risking the chance of counterattacks would be troublesome so I will try not let even one of them escape.

****

The day the fishmen arrived came at last. I could become a human like this. I must make it succeed at any cost.

Overwhelming the mermaid country should be easy. They’re flimsy. A little bit too flimsy. Is this the result of relying too much on the barrier? With this, we don’t have to worry about counterattacks. This is the only country I belonged to so it stirred complex emotions inside my chest. However such emotions completely disappeared before the promise of survival.

I guided General Bowman towards the king’s chamber where the queen was maintaining the barrier. The queen saw me walked in with a fishman was astonished then rampaged in anger. She tried to cast an advanced water magic so we pushed the captured mermaid to the front in order to act as meat shields. The queen hastily canceled her magic.

I spoke unintentionally. I could now become human.

「The barrier can be shattered easily. With this comes the end of the mermaid country.」

General Bowman held the queen. I guess they will imprison her somewhere else. The queen is worth the trouble.

****

Well then, let’s meet the humans to fulfill the contract.

「Then, General Bowman, would you please excuse me because I need to go to the humans in order to acquire the drug.」

「Oh yeah, that’s right.」 General Bowman offhandedly replied.

However, fishmen flocked the door so I can’t get out. The fishmen encircled and pointed their spears at me. Weird, what’s the meaning of this?

「I’m sorry but what is everyone doing?」 I said in a strained voice.

At that moment, General Bowman spoke.

「Speaking of traitors, did you know that they are only useful until their betrayals?」

What are you talking about? This stupid-looking fishface.

「Is that so? In other words, you mean that I will be discarded? Though unfortunately for you, you cannot hurt me because I signed the magical contract.」

「That’s right. Those who went through a magical contract are unable to disobey it both in thoughts and actions. However, that is only after signing the contract. Before signing the contract, it is possible to place various countermeasures in order to defy it.」

Due to General Bowman’s words, I responded with undisguised malice.

「What the hell are you talking about? Let me out this instant!」

「You will be discarded, you even said that yourself. You were a fool and I was thankful for it.」

I felt a burning sensation from my chest. I saw General Bowman’s spear was sticking out of my chest. What the… Impossible! They should not be able to harm me because I signed the contract…

「You had a face that screams incredulity. Fine then, I will tell you a little secret. You had signed a contract with the humans but you hadn’t with us! You were too worried at that time wanting to make a contract with us.」

It seems that General Bowman is saying something, but his voice can’t reach my ears anymore. Power leaves my body. Will I finally die here? I, in order to……..

「Traitors would always have a miserable end.」

General Bowman’s voice resounded throughout the king’s chambers.

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