Beneath the deep blue sea, there existed a kingdom of merfolk unknown to humans.

And in that place, there was a prince who was exceptionally curious.

He wondered what the land beyond the sea was like.

He wondered what humans ate and how they spent their lives.

Longing to see for himself the world he had only read about in books, the prince snuck out of the palace one day.

And the first thing he discovered upon reaching land was a woman sitting alone on the beach, watching the waves.

The prince watched her for a long time before cautiously approaching.

"Princess."

"...?"

The woman turned her head.

Standing before her was a beautiful man she had never seen before.

He had long hair that shimmered like silver and transparent blue eyes.

Strangely, however, he was submerged in the seawater from the waist down.

"Hello."

The man gave a bright smile.

"Would you like to be friends with me?"

It started from that day.

The strange merman began to appear every single day.

"Princess, you came again today."

"How did you know I was coming?"

"Because I was waiting for you."

"Why?"

"Because I like you, Princess."

He said it so nonchalantly that she was left speechless every time.

Then one day, feeling curious, she asked him.

"By the way, can't you merfolk make legs like humans do?"

"Legs?"

"Yeah. Like the Little Mermaid. There's a story that you get legs if you trade your voice for them."

At that, the merman thought for a moment and then shook his head.

"Mmm~ I don't want to do that."

"Why not?"

"Because my voice is a treasure."

He smiled, lightly touching his own throat.

"I'll never trade it."

"Then how did you come up to the land?"

"That's a secret."

"...Suspicious."

The merman, falling silent for a moment, stared intently at her.

Then, his eyes suddenly sparkled as he spoke.

"Then, Princess."

"Yeah?"

"Please take me with you and raise me."

"...What?"

"I want to live on land."

"Why me, of all people?"

Iner thought for a moment and then answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Because you were the first one to find me, Princess."

"That's the reason?"

"And you look kind, Princess."

"...."

"I think you'd feed me well, too."

"Are you doing this just to get a free meal?"

"No."

The merman smiled brightly.

"I just want to live with you, Princess."

In that moment, she realized.

This merman is much more shameless than she thought.

But there was a bigger problem.

She didn't know yet.

The fact that the merman she had just picked up wasn't just some lost merman,

but the one and only Crown Prince of the Sea Kingdom.