Chapter 194 - Sea Demon Tiel’s Big Adventure (2/2)

Gawain faltered instantly, feeling that this question had touched the blind spot of his knowledge. After pondering carefully for a long while, he then explained hesitantly. “Sleeping in the well indeed isn’t against the law here, but it’s considered suicide…”

Tiel stretched herself hard, her tail flapping on the ground as she exerted force throughout her body. “Then I’ll sleep somewhere else.”

“Eh, hold on.” Gawain jolted and abruptly reacted. “Are you planning to go around the human world like this?”

Tiel paused for a moment and only seemed to notice then that she looked rather different from the people around her — as well as the soldiers who cordoned off the scene and their curious glances. Miss Mermaid let out an “oh” belatedly. “Oh… I forgot you people don’t look like this!”

Just as her voice fell, Gawain saw a sheet of mist disperse instantly before his eyes. When the mist re-condensed into human shape, Miss Mermaid’s appearance had changed —— the scales on her cheeks and arms vanished; her fishtail also became a pair of human legs; even the leather clothing on her had become a long light blue dress!

The style of that dress was clearly very much like the one Heidi was wearing; only the color had changed. Undoubtedly, this was a product she had created using a certain magic or innate power after observing the way humans dressed.

Gawain watched this scene in amazement, unwittingly recalling the legends about the sea demons that Pittman had told him previously. “This race possesses the ability of unending change. When they are active in human societies, they can transform to look like humans. That is why legends about sea demons moving on land have been left in the world…”

It was also the first time Heidi, Amber, and the rest standing around saw such a miraculous yet convenient “spell”. This was much more convenient than human Mages’ “transformation spell” or the Druids’ “animal morphing”. Rebecca couldn’t resist exclaiming, “Wah! So impressive!”

Then her thoughts unfolded, “If I were to master this, won’t I have countless new clothes to wear…”

Amber glanced at the doofus scornfully. “Come on, you couldn’t even learn a Repulsion spell…—Using your staff to hit someone is foul play, I’m telling you!”

Gawain blocked out these two clamoring girls and looked at Tiel who was not too skillfully standing on two feet and preparing to walk uprightly. “Your transformation spell is pretty good, but I suggest you do not walk about as you please before adapting to the land environment. —— If it is possible, do you want to be a guest of the Cecil territory?”

Tiel familiarized herself with the feeling of walking upright while looking towards Gawain. “…Is this a ‘capture’ that is slightly more tactful?”

“No, I’m offering out of goodwill,” Gawain said very seriously. “As you know, I’ve had contact with the sea demons seven hundred years ago. I could more or less be considered your race’s old acquaintance? In those years, your people helped me in the sea. Now that a sea demon has come to land, I naturally ought to reciprocate in kind. I do not know what the sea-demon society is like, but the human world is extremely complicated. There are lots of countries that differ in customs and culture, and innumerable forces and races whose ideologies are entirely different. I cannot be sure what the humans of other lands feel about a sea demon. ——Especially in the situation where you’ve yet to adapt to human society, you will easily be met with their hostility.”

Tiel thought for a while. “Mm… your words do make some sense.”

“I am the feudal lord of this land. At least within the Cecil territory, I am able to guarantee your safety ——and can also keep your race and origin a secret,” Gawain stated with a smile. “Of course, this is merely an invitation. If you’re really unwilling to, you may leave anytime. Just remember to try not to sleep in wells in the future.”

“Ah, walking on land feels even more troublesome.” Tiel stepped out and briefly took a few steps. She seemed to have missed Gawain’s ending comments and instead waved her hand lazily. “In any case, I don’t plan on leaving anymore. I’ll stay here. Do you have a place to sleep here?”

Although communication with this fish was a little difficult, it seemed that his objective had been achieved?

This sea demon held all new knowledge that Gawain had no clue of. He wanted to keep her at the territory by all possible means, and so long as she was willing to stay, providing a comfortable living environment wasn’t a problem at all. Gawain smiled at once. “Of course there are places to sleep. —— Feel free to raise whatever requests you have.”

“I don’t have too many requests. Just sprinkle some salt.” Tiel waved her hand. “I don’t need you people to change the water either. I can purify it myself.”

Gawain was lost for a long while before he realized that the other party was asking for a saltwater pool… Of course, a fish tank or water basin should work too, as long as it was big enough.

Although Gawain believed that his authority could ensure that whatever he said would be executed thoroughly in the territory, there was no telling how useful his authority would be on this saltwater fish. In order to avoid Tiel committing shocking acts that do not conform to human values (for example, suddenly bringing her fishtail out and then fighting with fishermen) when no one was watching, he decided to have her in the newly completed feudal-lord residence.

Though he did not build a huge castle like those extravagant conventional aristocrats, the newly completed feudal-lord residence was still a very big building: there were plenty of empty rooms that had yet to be put to use. Setting aside one for this sea demon wasn’t a problem at all.

It happened that Heidi and Rebecca had moved into the new home recently; he’d just let Tiel live next to the two of them.