Furis rolled his eyes. "Then what do you want me to do? Just quit and let a legacy die?"
Legacy? Seriously... I could never understand people and their obession with their past, their glory, their history. It all felt meaningless, what would your past achievements amount to in present? Nothing!
It was all but a meaningless façade created by those who couldn’t see their incompetence. Hiding behind the mask of ignorance, veiling their own shortcomings. Instead of improving, they strive to be respected for things they have never done.
Associating themselves with other successful people, groups and associations. To get a moment of gratification.
I tilted my head. "Does a legacy matter more than your people’s lives?"
Furis’s eyes bulged for a moment, but he forced himself to calm down. "It’s not that... it does matter, that’s why I want to stop them. They quite literally can’t live without help from the other tailed merfolk. Away from Aquis Vanlur, they won’t survive."
I shook my head slowly. "That’s not the point... sometimes, some people would rather die than live under suppression. Pride and dignity—those are worth more to some than their lives. If they want to go, let them go. It’s much better than watching them slowly suffocate here."
Furis dragged a hand down his face, muttering something under his breath before saying, "You don’t understand how incompetent they are... fine. How about this? You live among the yellows yourself and see firsthand what I mean. Then you’ll understand."
Muirs frowned, clearly uneasy. "Brother, is that really a good idea? He’s a human, and more than that—someone we saved. They’d be openly hostile toward him."
Furis shook his head. "Not necessarily. Most of them don’t even know he was saved. The few who do are from the upper echelons, and they won’t interfere if I order it."
Then his gaze locked on me. "It’s your choice, Arawn. Will you live there and prove your point, or will you admit you’re wrong?"
I sighed. "I have no idea how you managed to take my words as an insult, but that wasn’t my intention. That aside... living there would be risking my life. So, if I succeed, I’ll want something in return."
Furis’s lips curved slightly. "Fair enough. Ask whatever you want—if you can prove your point, I, Furis Glanis, swear on my deity to grant it."
I shrugged. "Thanks. Also—however I live there, don’t interfere. Any outside influence will only cause problems."
He inclined his head. "As you wish. But if you need help, I’ll provide it."
I stroked my chin in thought. "In that case, I do have a question... do your people have a monetary system? Some kind of currency to exchange goods?"
Muirs answered before Furis could. "We don’t use currency. Goods are traded based on the strength of the creature you’ve slain. The stronger the prey, the more goods you can claim."
"I see. And is there a specific place to make these exchanges, or can I do it anywhere?" I asked.
"There’s usually a single shop in each settlement that carries most necessities," Muirs explained. "For things like houses, you’ll need to deal directly with the owner."
I nodded. "Alright. I get the basics. I’ll manage. Let’s meet again in a month."
Furis smirked. "A month it is. I hope the result is equally satisfying for both of us."
I smiled faintly. "Yeah... that would be great. I hope so too."
With that, I turned away. My destination? The yellow-tailed revolutionary, still fiercely going on with his speech.
If I was going to live here, I’d need to make sure the people had a good opinion of me—especially since I was a land dweller, an outsider who stood out in every way.
After all, I had no intention of becoming another victim of their racism.
So, I swam toward the yellow-tailed revolutionary and addressed him, earning the attention of everyone nearby.
"You have quite the ideology, my friend... but do you think mere ideals alone can bring about such a drastic change?"
The revolutionary froze mid-sentence, a scowl twisting his features. "Who are you? Wait—"
Perhaps it was then that he noticed the obvious—I had no tail. His eyes widened instantly, and he stammered, "Y-You... what are you? What happened to your tail? You don’t have fins either... Do you have gills? Are you alright? You’re not dying, are you?"
Without waiting for my answer, he abandoned his speech entirely and darted toward me, fussing over my condition like an anxious medic. His hands roamed, inspecting every inch of me, until he suddenly gasped.
"How! You’re perfectly fine... yet... you have no tail, no fins, no gills..."
He clamped a hand over his mouth, voice trembling. "How can you even be alive? That’s... impossible."
By then, the other merfolk had gathered, forming a tight circle around me, their gazes sharp and unblinking.
I cleared my throat. "There’s nothing wrong with me. I’m perfectly fine. I don’t have a tail, or fins, or gills... because I’m human. A land dweller. Not someone born of the ocean."
A heavy pause. Their expressions hardened into suspicion. The revolutionary leader studied me as if trying to pierce through my skin.
"Hmm... is that so? Then tell me—why is a land dweller... a human... here in the depths of the ocean?"
The murmuring began almost immediately.
"Human? What’s that? Never heard of it. Do you know?"
"Yeah... I’ve heard, in ancient times, there was a species who lusted for war and bloodshed. They conquered everything on land, and to escape from them our ancestors fled into the sea."
"Heinous creatures... yet this one doesn’t seem like that. Honestly, except for the tail, he looks just like us. I thought bloodthirsty beings would be... more terrifying to look at."
"Don’t be fooled by appearances. What if he’s a spy sent by the other merfolk?"
"Silence!" the revolutionary leader barked, his voice cutting through the crowd like a blade.
The whispers died instantly.