Chapter 41: Reverse Magic Clash!

Aaaaaah——

Inside the Deep Water Prison, the Mermaid Lady let out a piercing cry and shot into the water sphere with lightning speed.

Plop.

Splashing water burst from the cage, forming a column that directly sprayed onto Herbert’s face.

?

The water flowed too fast for this novice to dodge—he got drenched right in the face.

“Ah I—puk!”

The water was unexpectedly warm, slightly salty, yet without the fishy stench of seawater.

“Cough! Cough!”

Spat! Spat! Spat!

Herbert spat out all the water he’d swallowed, wiped the moisture from his face, and sighed helplessly.

What kind of thing is this?

I just complimented you once—barely a drop of kindness—and you repay me with this much water?

“I was just going to say… hmm?”

But before Herbert could speak, he suddenly remembered something.

Huh?

To some extent, could this water be considered the Mermaid Lady’s bathwater?

Fish soup?

Ugh—

Herbert gagged at the thought. He had no such twisted fetishes—he couldn’t possibly see this as a favor.

Glug glug glug!

Unlike Herbert, who felt slightly nauseous, Freyme inside the water sphere was nearly collapsing.

She stared through the water sphere, desperate, at the uninvited guest: “When did you get in!? No—how did you get in!?”

“You didn’t lock the door. Why can’t I be here?”

Herbert wiped his face and mouth, replying with full confidence: “Besides, I’m the warden. This is a prison cell—why can’t I come here?”

“But you shouldn’t be here at this time!”

Freyme felt awful… terribly awful!

She’d been singing at night as usual, thinking no one would hear—and yet this man appeared out of nowhere at midnight.

It wasn’t just the shame of being overheard—what filled her heart was a deeper, unspoken guilt.

Ruined.

He heard. He heard!

Finished.

He’s going to die soon.

He… hmm?

“Hm?”

Freyme suddenly froze, staring blankly at the boy’s calm expression.

Stare—

It didn’t seem like anything had changed?

Something’s off. Look again.

The Mermaid Lady blinked hard, slowly rising half her body from the water sphere, squinting intently.

Stare—

That’s not right.

Why does he show absolutely no change?

No signs of bodily decay, no madness in his mind… hmm?

Really none?

Confused, Freyme furrowed her brow, abandoning her pretense. She rose fully from the water, bent forward, and leaned in as close as she could.

Let me look properly!

Stare—

Herbert: ?

What are you doing?

What’s so interesting about me?

Noticing the Mermaid Lady’s strange stare, Herbert paused, then looked down at his chest.

!!!

Herbert’s white silk nightgown, soaked through by the water, had become translucent, clinging to his skin and outlining the contours of his muscles—and two other things—

???

Holy shit!

Female gaze.

This is blatant female gaze!

Family, who understands me!?

Anger, trembling, cold—I’ve encountered a bottom-tier sea monster!

I’m gonna post you in a fantasy pink novel!

Female pervert!

“Wait! What are you looking at!?”

This time, Herbert truly lost his composure. Instinctively, he raised both hands to shield himself, twisted his body sideways, and glared back in alarm.

I was just joking with you, and now you’re actually lusting after my body?

A-Zhen, you’re serious?!

Freyme: ?

His body finally reacted?

Seeing Herbert’s sudden reaction, her first thought was that her song had finally taken effect.

But quickly, Freyme realized something was wrong from his movements and suspicious gaze.

He’s acting like… ah!?

“Wait! You misunderstood—I didn’t mean it like that!”

The sea creature shook her head frantically, trying to prove her innocence.

“I wasn’t peeking at your body! I swear!”

Never in her life had she felt this embarrassed.

What am I even explaining…

But Herbert didn’t believe her. He sneered: “You didn’t sneak a peek—you stared openly! Your eyeballs were about to fall out.”

“I didn’t! I didn’t! Don’t make things up!”

Freyme waved her hands wildly. The guilty “peeping tom” retreated under the victim’s fierce accusation, tears welling in her eyes.

What kind of thing is this?

Just as Freyme raised the white flag, Herbert suddenly shifted tactics and delivered a crushing blow.

“You didn’t look? Then why not? Are you resisting because you think my body’s ugly? Are you looking down on me?”

Since you used female gaze, don’t blame me for countering with male fist!

Friend, this punch carries twenty years of cultivation—can you take it?

Freyme, who’d never encountered such a tactic, was instantly stunned by this cross-dimensional punch.

Freyme: ?

Looking down on… what?

I’m not looking down on you!

I, I, I… why am I even explaining this to you?

“No!”

Splash.

Freyme finally snapped back to her senses, bursting from the water and forcibly interrupting his tirade:

“Stop! Stop! Stop!”

“Forget all that nonsense—tell me first, why aren’t you affected at all!?”

“Hm? What do you mean ‘not affected’?”

Herbert blinked, tilting his head in confusion after his punch left him refreshed: “Why should I be affected?”

You looked? Fine.

I was just joking—I wasn’t actually afraid you’d look.

“You wanna look again?”

As he asked, Herbert generously made a show of pulling off his robe.

"Hey hey hey! Don't take it off!"

Freime closed her eyes and turned her head away, shouting: "Didn't you hear me sing just now?"

"Of course I heard—I told you that from the start! So what are you even talking about?"

Herbert scratched his head in confusion, unsure why she was so worked up, then remembered the question he’d wanted to ask and went on:

"By the way, why didn’t you finish singing the last line of that song? Is there some special reason?"

"You know this song... you really heard it..."

After hearing this answer, Freime felt a sudden emptiness, slowly sinking back into the water sphere.

Glub glub.

He really is fine.

There really are people unaffected by my [Song]...

(End of Chapter)