The sea had finally become quiet.
The giant predator floated lifelessly upon the waves.
Its enormous body drifted slowly with the current.
Blood spread across the ocean surface.
The battle was over.
The centuries-long nightmare of the merfolk had ended.
And yet—
A strange tension lingered.
Because the true matter had only just begun.
The Scarder Stone of Wisdom rested within Kel's hand.
Golden light flowed beneath its crystalline surface.
Ancient runes shimmered faintly.
The artifact looked beautiful.
Ancient.
Mysterious.
Powerful.
Like a fragment of forgotten history.
Around him.
Hundreds of mermaids stared.
Their eyes never left the stone.
Some looked hopeful.
Some nervous.
Some desperate.
Several appeared on the verge of tears.
For them.
This wasn't treasure.
It was heritage.
History.
Identity.
Meanwhile—
Kel stood calmly atop the ocean surface.
Water magic maintained the platform beneath his feet.
His silver hair danced within the sea breeze.
His sword remained sheathed.
His expression remained unreadable.
The elder mermaid finally approached.
Slowly.
Carefully.
As though afraid the stone might vanish.
When she reached a respectful distance.
She bowed.
Deeply.
Then spoke.
"Honored human."
Her voice trembled slightly.
"Please."
Her gaze fell upon the crystal.
"Return the Stone of Wisdom."
Silence followed.
Many mermaids lowered their heads.
Others clasped their hands together.
Hope filled their eyes.
Even the students aboard the academy vessel watched carefully.
Most expected one outcome.
After all—
The young man had risked his life.
Saved them.
Killed the monster.
Surely he would simply return it.
Surely.
Then Kel spoke.
"No."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
The elder froze.
The mermaids froze.
The sailors froze.
Even the students aboard the vessel froze.
The ocean itself seemed confused.
The elder blinked.
Perhaps she thought she had misheard.
"What?"
Kel looked at the crystal.
Then back at her.
His voice remained calm.
Completely reasonable.
"I killed the monster."
Silence.
"I removed this stone with my own hands."
The elder stared.
Kel continued.
"I discovered it."
The ocean breeze swept across the waves.
"Therefore."
He lifted the crystal slightly.
"This belongs to me."
The silence became painful.
Several mermaids looked stunned.
Others looked horrified.
One young mermaid nearly fainted.
This wasn't how stories worked.
Heroes helped people.
Heroes returned treasures.
Heroes smiled kindly.
Heroes didn't negotiate.
Yet Kel continued.
"If you want it."
His silver eyes met the elder's gaze.
"Give me something of equal value."
The words struck like thunder.
The elder stood motionless.
Her mouth opened.
Then closed.
Then opened again.
No words emerged.
Because for the first time—
She realized something.
The young man before her wasn't a hero.
At least not in the traditional sense.
He was an explorer.
And explorers followed different rules.
Inside his mind—
Seiren laughed softly.
"They're shocked."
"Expected."
"You could simply return it."
"I could."
The Guardian immediately understood.
Then started laughing harder.
Because she knew.
This wasn't about greed.
Not even slightly.
Meanwhile—
Kel calmly continued.
"When I first entered the water."
His voice carried across the sea.
"I came searching for missing students."
Several sailors nodded.
True.
"When I learned there were no missing students."
The mermaids listened carefully.
"I intended to return to my ship."
Silence.
The elder's expression gradually changed.
Because she knew he was right.
Kel continued.
"I stayed after hearing your story."
His eyes shifted briefly toward the corpse of the giant predator.
"I chose to end the cycle."
His voice remained calm.
"I did not have to."
The statement wasn't arrogant.
It was simply true.
No one could deny it.
The elder lowered her head.
Because he was right.
Again.
Kel pointed toward the crystal.
"Then I found a treasure."
The words echoed.
"In explorer tradition."
His gaze sharpened slightly.
"The one who finds something owns it."
The ocean remained silent.
The logic was brutal.
Simple.
Fair.
Impossible to refute.
The elder slowly closed her eyes.
Because she knew.
If this situation happened in reverse.
If a mermaid discovered treasure within an ancient ruin.
No one would ask her to return it for free.
The truth hurt.
But it remained truth.
Then the elder finally asked:
"What do you want?"
The question immediately attracted everyone's attention.
Kel looked at her.
Waiting.
The elder straightened slightly.
Then spoke.
"We will compensate you."
"How?"
The elder hesitated.
The surrounding mermaids began whispering.
Rapid discussions spread.
Suggestions.
Arguments.
Ideas.
Then—
One proposal gained support.
The elder nodded slowly.
Apparently reaching a decision.
Then she looked toward the crowd.
A path opened.
One mermaid stepped forward.
The same one.
The silver-haired mermaid.
The one who had attempted luring Kel earlier.
The one who nearly suffered emotional destruction when Kel called her an uncategorized species.
She approached slowly.
Beautiful.
Elegant.
Nervous.
The elder gestured toward her.
Pride filled her voice.
"We offer our tribe's greatest beauty."
Silence.
The silver-haired mermaid froze.
Several other mermaids nodded approvingly.
The elder continued.
"She is exceptional."
The young mermaid immediately lowered her head.
Appearing vulnerable.
Submissive.
Embarrassed.
The students aboard the ship collectively leaned forward.
The sailors stared.
The atmosphere became strange.
Then—
Kel replied.
"I asked for something valuable."
Silence.
The elder froze.
The silver-haired mermaid froze.
The entire tribe froze.
Then Kel continued.
"I did not ask for this."
The silver-haired mermaid looked personally attacked.
Again.
Inside his mind—
Seiren completely lost control.
"KEL."
"No."
"KEL."
"No."
The Guardian was laughing too hard to continue.
Meanwhile—
Kel pointed calmly toward the stunned mermaid.
"This thing."
The silver-haired mermaid's eye twitched.
"...Thing?"
"Yes."
Kel nodded.
"It is neither fish."
Several mermaids gasped.
"Nor woman."
Several more gasped.
"It remains an uncategorized species."
The emotional damage spread across the sea like a plague.
Several younger mermaids visibly wilted.
One elder looked ready to cry.
The silver-haired mermaid herself stood completely motionless.
Her soul appeared to have left her body.
Then the elder hurriedly replied.
"No, no."
"She is exceptional."
Kel looked interested.
The elder immediately continued.
"Very exceptional."
"How?"
The question sounded genuine.
The elder froze.
Because she hadn't prepared for follow-up questions.
Then—
She began listing qualities.
"She's talented."
Kel waited.
"Beautiful."
Kel waited.
"Kind."
Kel waited.
"Strong."
Kel continued waiting.
The elder gradually lost confidence.
Meanwhile—
Kel narrowed his eyes slightly.
Then spoke.
"Or."
The single word cut through everything.
The elder froze.
The silver-haired mermaid froze.
Everyone froze.
Then Kel continued.
"What if."
His gaze moved between them.
"This isn't compensation?"
The atmosphere changed instantly.
The elder's expression stiffened.
The silver-haired mermaid blinked.
Confusion appeared.
Then Kel calmly delivered the killing blow.
"You are trying to profit twice."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
The elder's face changed.
The silver-haired mermaid's face changed.
Everyone's face changed.
Kel pointed toward the young mermaid.
"She doesn't think like the others."
The silver-haired mermaid froze.
The elder froze harder.
Kel continued.
"She hesitated while luring students."
The surrounding mermaids looked surprised.
"She showed guilt."
More surprise.
"She dislikes what your tribe does."
The silver-haired mermaid stared at him.
Shock filled her eyes.
Because he was right.
Every word.
Kel looked toward the elder.
Then calmly finished.
"You offer her because she causes trouble."
The ocean became silent.
Dangerously silent.
"By giving her away."
His voice remained perfectly calm.
"You recover the stone."
The elder's expression crumbled.
"And remove a troublesome voice from your tribe."
Silence.
The students stared.
The sailors stared.
The mermaids stared.
The silver-haired mermaid stared hardest of all.
Because for the first time in her life—
Someone she met only hours ago had understood her better than her own people.
Inside his mind—
Seiren finally managed to stop laughing.
Then softly whispered:
"Direct hit."
And judging by the elder's expression—
The Guardian wasn't wrong.