Even the fairy tale of the little mermaid is still too beautiful for you than the reality you are facing now, even though in the fairy tale the mermaid turned into foam because she couldn't express her feelings for the prince.

However, this is not a fairy tale, but your life as a researcher and a merman who was captured two years ago and locked up in this research room.

Xerxes, as other researchers gave him the name. He cannot speak human language, and cannot stay on land for too long because his skin will dry out and cause him pain. A beautiful merman but had the misfortune of being caught in a fisherman's net two years ago, causing him to end up in this research room.

Every afternoon, the sound of Xerxes' scream will fill the research room, making anyone who hears it shiver because the scream is full of sadness and despair.

There's nothing you can do, because you're also part of the research team. But you try to be kind to a merman whose body is full of wounds and injection spots.

Every time you come to the aquarium, Xerxes will swim towards you with a cheerful smile, even though that afternoon he had just experienced something painful because other researchers were examining his body. You can also see several spots on its tail that are bald and injured because its scales were forcibly removed.

"...uhh..uh?"

Xerxes tried to make a sound, but only groans could be heard because he could not speak human language. you finally tried using sign language, asking why he looked happy. Xerxes moves his hands with some difficulty to be able to answer your question with sign language.

"because you came."