[??? POV]
Normandia ...
That is the name of the world I live in now. This world was created by Goddess Diana—a Goddess famous for her compassion toward Mortals. There are many Gods and Goddesses in this universe; each of them creates their own world. We do not know why they do this, but the Mortals in the worlds created by these Gods and Goddesses are usually required to worship them or adhere to the teachings of their creator.
In this world, Goddess Diana created creatures called humans to inhabit the world she built tens of thousands of years ago. For thousands of years, the humans—who were few at first—began to multiply until they filled every corner of Normandia. Although many humans did not follow the Goddess's teachings, Goddess Diana did not punish her creations at all. Other Gods and Goddesses would at least exile their creations from the world they built if this happened.
That is why many Demigods took refuge in Normandia—the world Goddess Diana created—after being expelled from their original worlds. One such family was mine ...
We are creatures called Sirens. Goddess Isis created our kind in a world named Thalassa. However, according to the stories I heard from my parents, their grandparents were expelled from the world of Thalassa because they violated the rules set by Goddess Isis. Sacrificing all the power they had, my great-grandparents opened an interdimensional gate and entered this world.
When the two of them arrived in the world of Normandia, Goddess Diana spoke to them directly through telepathic magic. She said that my great-grandparents and their descendants could live in this world as long as they did not disturb the humans here. If they violated this rule, Goddess Diana would expel us from the world she created.
My great-grandparents agreed. After that, they lived peacefully in the ocean for thousands of years. Over that vast span of time, they produced descendants. Meanwhile, many other Demigods appeared in this world—including creatures called Elves, Dwarves, Demons, Dragons, and many others.
However, unlike our kind, not many of these Demigod descendants inherited the powers of their predecessors. Only a few among them inherited that ancient strength. I suppose this is because the birth ratio of these creatures is much higher than our kind, who are only capable of producing one descendant every tens of thousands of years.
When I was first born, a war broke out between the descendants of the Demon Demigods and the humans. This caused Goddess Diana to descend to this world personally to choose a Demigod from among the humans to lead them against these demons. My father and mother did not interfere in this conflict, even though the impact of their war disturbed and damaged our home: the ocean.
After the demons were defeated in the war, Goddess Diana punished them by moving those demons to a world owned by another God or Goddess. Hundreds of years passed, and the condition of the sea after the great war began to recover. Additionally, the sea creatures created by my family's magic to decorate the deep ocean—so it wouldn't be lonely, silent, and more beautiful—began to increase in number.
When my great-grandparents first arrived in this world, the ocean was filled only with water and darkness. Now, however, many other creatures have slowly emerged and multiplied. The ocean that was once dark and lonely has become crowded and colorful.
"Hey Mr. Turtle, you can walk on land too, can't you? Can you tell me what it's like up there?"
At that time, as a small child, I was swimming in the ocean alongside an old turtle hundreds of years old. Thanks to my family's power, I could communicate with all the sea animals here.
"Eeeghhh ... Miss Celestia, although the land is very different from the deep sea, I guarantee there is nothing interesting up there," Mr. Turtle replied, looking suspicious.
I could sense a lie in Mr. Turtle's words. Why was he lying to me? What was he actually trying to hide? I couldn't help but think that way at the time. I didn't press him further. Truthfully, I could go to the land if I wanted to. We—Sirens—can walk on land once every few thousand years.
Our tails will split in two, a pair of legs will appear, and we can walk on land for a few days. However, because I was not yet a hundred years old, I couldn't do this yet.
"Father, Mother, can I ask something?"
Getting no answer from Mr. Turtle, I turned to ask my parents.
"What is it, Celestia? Is something bothering you, child?" Mother asked.
"Mother, why do you and Father always forbid me from going near the surface?" I asked. "Lately, I've often seen strange objects polluting the ocean, sinking down from the surface. Besides that, some corals are damaged and sea animals are becoming rare around here. What is actually happening?"
Back then, I was very innocent and didn't understand much about the environment we lived in. Father and Mother fell silent for a moment after hearing my question before they both let out a sigh. They exchanged glances before looking back at me.
"Celestia, we will tell you when you are grown up enough," Father said with a smile. "As for all the oddities you've found lately, they won't last long. Don't worry, we will take care of it."
A few days after our conversation, the strange things I found in the ocean really did start to decrease. The odd objects falling from the surface lessened, and this time I could play and talk with sea creatures that were previously hard to find. What actually happened after that? What did Father and Mother do to return things to normal?
"Didn't I tell you? We would handle it," Father said to me.
"Now, you can freely play and explore the ocean in comfort again, Celestia," Mother said, smiling.
I didn't know what had actually happened, but not long after, something strange occurred. The sea animals swimming around here stopped moving as if frozen, and the ocean currents stopped as well. A thunderous roar of lightning echoed, unlike anything I'd heard before. Father and Mother's expressions turned anxious at this strange phenomenon.
"You Sirens have violated the rules I made and that we agreed upon previously."
Suddenly, I heard a woman's voice from nowhere. I looked around to find the source. However, all I found were the sea animals standing still.
"Great Goddess Diana, we only scared the humans so they wouldn't destroy the home we and our kin inhabit," Father replied, sounding panicked.
"We can tolerate it if the damage is minimal and the kin they hunt are not too many. But ... " Mother sounded deeply saddened.
I didn't know what was actually happening then. However, this was the reason Father, Mother, Mr. Turtle, and the other animals didn't want to be honest with me.
"Did they ever threaten your lives?" the woman's voice asked.
Father and Mother only remained silent in response to the question posed by the voice.
"First, this world is a home made for my creations—Humans. All resources and its contents are for them to utilize for their survival," the mysterious woman's voice said. "You are guests who stayed after your kind was expelled by your own Goddess."
At that time, I still didn't know that we didn't come from this beautiful place. To be honest, this truth disturbed me for several years.
"Second, your predecessors dared to create creatures to live in the world I created without my permission," the voice continued. "While I do not mind this, the consequences of your actions are your own responsibility."
Father and Mother bowed their heads as if realizing the mistakes made by our predecessors. They both asked for another chance and promised not to repeat the same mistake. However, the woman refused because an agreement is an agreement. She said she would expel us from her world.
"Great Goddess, Celestia—our daughter—has nothing to do with our actions," Mother said, sounding pleading. "I hope You can give her an exception in this matter."
"We beg you, Great Goddess. We do not know what kind of world we will end up in after being expelled from here," Father said, sounding worried. "We fear the next world we visit will be a very dangerous place for Celestia."
"Fine, I suppose punishing her for the mistakes of her predecessors is unfair," the woman said, her tone becoming relaxed. "In that case, Triton and Rhodes! For violating the rules I established, the two of you will be removed from this world as punishment! Do you both accept this punishment?"
"We both accept Your punishment, Great Goddess!" Mother and Father spoke together.
Not long after, a black hole appeared in front of them. They both turned to look at me, who was confused at the time.
"Celestia, this is not a final goodbye," Father said, stroking my hair. "If you have enough strength, you can meet us in another world."
"This is a safe and comfortable home, Celestia," Mother said, smiling at me. "While we hope to meet again when you are grown, we both hope you can live in this world with happiness and peace. Not like in our original world, understand?"
I only nodded because I couldn't process what was actually happening. After saying their farewells, the black hole sucked in both my parents. Then, I was all alone in the ocean before all the animals could move again. From that moment on, I was the only Siren in the world called Normandia.
Hundreds of years passed, and I have now reached adulthood for a Siren. After that incident, the ocean slowly became dirty and damaged again due to trash coming from the surface. However, I couldn't do anything to address this because what happened to my parents would happen to me if I interfered in human lives. If that happened, I would fail my parents' hopes.
"Hmm ... Mr. Dolphin, why have you come here?" I asked an animal that approached me. A certain object was stuck around his neck.
"Miss Celestia, can you help me remove this? It's uncomfortable for me to swim because of this," Mr. Dolphin said.
I approached him and checked the object. It was an item often used by humans. It had happened many times before—human-made objects bringing trouble to the ocean and the animals living here. I then removed the object. Mr. Dolphin looked very relieved now that the thing choking him was gone. He then swam freely here and there, laughing heartily.
"Thank you, Miss Celestia," the dolphin said.
"If there are any other problems, you can come to me anytime, Mr. Dolphin," I told him.
Suddenly, Mr. Dolphin's expression turned gloomy.
"What is it, Mr. Dolphin? Is there another problem?" I asked curiously.
"Miss Celestia ... the hunting of our kin by humans is becoming more intense than before," Mr. Dolphin replied morosely. "I heard that some fish are also threatened with extinction because of this. Is there nothing we can do but watch our kin disappear from this world, Oh Mother of The Sea?"
Mr. Dolphin did not call me by my name, but by my title as the guardian of this ocean and the creatures within it. I fell silent for a moment before answering his request. Although I wanted to solve this, I would be punished by Goddess Diana if I interfered with human life. I didn't know how to make these humans stop hunting sea creatures other than by scaring them.
"I will try to find a way, Mr. Dolphin," I replied. "For now, warn the others not to go to the surface often."
"Understood, Mother of The Sea. But my kind at least has to surface occasionally because we are a bit different from the others."
After Mr. Dolphin left, I couldn't help but lean back on my throne, thinking about this endless and growing problem. "Hah ... if this continues, all the animals in the ocean and its beauty will die."
What should I do?
I couldn't help but remember the Goddess's words when she was about to punish my parents: 'You created these creatures, and you are the ones who must be responsible and bear the consequences for their lives.'
I think I finally understand what she meant. When my predecessors started creating animals in the sea, we had to understand that if our creations kill one another, if they feel suffering for being born into the world, or if they curse us for giving them a terrible life—that is our burden.
I wonder, how does Goddess Diana feel when she sees her creations killing each other? Does she regret it when the beings she created curse her for the suffering-filled lives they lead? What does she feel knowing what damage her creations have done to other beings?
I do not know ...
To calm my mind, I swam toward the surface. Poking my head out of the water, I looked up at the beautiful blue sky. Many birds were flying around looking for prey in the ocean.
— Krookkk!! Krookk!! Krookk!!
The birds were suddenly hit by a powerful burst of water, causing them to fall and die instantly. The Goddess forbade me from disturbing humans, but not other creatures. However, from another direction, I suddenly saw a small boat approaching the spot where the birds fell.
"Hm ... what was that just now?"
I heard a man's voice on the small boat. He then picked up the newly dead birds and put them into his boat. A human ... a creature that always brings destruction wherever they are ... I truly hated these beings who made my home damaged and uncomfortable.
He then appeared to take something from his small boat and throw it into the sea.
'Is he throwing trash into my home? How shameless! If I weren't bound by the Goddess's rules, your life would be over, human!'
However, looking closer, what the human threw wasn't trash, but coral reefs.
"I'm sorry we destroyed your homes along the island's coast," the man said, smiling as he dropped more coral into the sea. "This is all I can do to fix the mistakes of the humans who exploit your home without building a new one."
What was he actually doing? I had never met a human who did this. Besides, this man's characteristics seemed a bit different from the humans who usually throw trash into the sea. After his business was done, the man sailed away. I followed him secretly from behind.
Soon, we arrived at a beach. The man got out and walked into a building. Because of my current form, I couldn't walk on land, so I could only wait and watch from afar. Not long after, he came out carrying a box and walked toward the shore.
"..."
Inside those boxes were many baby turtles. The man released them all onto the sand. The hatchlings began to walk slowly toward the ocean. It didn't take long for all of them to enter the water. I then used magic to help them so that the waves wouldn't push them back to the shore. After ensuring all the baby turtles were in the sea, the man stood up and smiled with satisfaction. He then turned and left the beach, returning to the building.
"What did I just witness?" I muttered, still confused by what I had seen.
I knew what the man did, but I didn't know his intentions. Weren't humans creatures who enjoyed causing destruction and killing others? Yet, what I saw was a human trying to preserve the sea creatures created by my predecessors!
What happened to humans? Had they changed since the last time I saw them decades ago?
I steeled my heart for the decision I made. Then, I began to swim toward the shore. Soon, my upper body emerged, and my tail slowly began to split in two as I got closer to the land. My lower body, which previously had a tail, now turned into a pair of legs. I slowly walked on the sand toward the building where the man was.
When I arrived, I saw many baby sea animals kept in glass boxes. I also saw the man feeding fish in a pond. I slowly walked toward him. He turned around, seemingly noticing my presence.
"Huh? W-who are you, Miss? And why are you here in such minimal clothing!?"
The man was startled and almost dropped the fish food he was holding.
"Forgive the intrusion, Human. My name is Celestia, may I ask you something?" I asked him.
The man didn't respond to my question. Instead, he stood still, and I saw his cheeks turning red for a reason I didn't know.
"Aa-aahh ... you want to ask something? What is it?" the man replied, smiling and scratching his cheek.
"What are you doing here with so many fish in a pond and those things made of glass?" I asked.
"Ah, this is a hatchery," the man replied with a term foreign to me. "It seems you're confused by this new term. I guess it's natural, considering we—the Venetian Nation—created this method first."
He sounded proud saying that. However, it was my first time hearing of a human nation called Venetian. Just as sea animals have different species, humans also have differences. Humans with certain characteristics are categorized into nations, as this young man said.
"Our nation just bought half of this island from the Novgarad Kingdom and formed our own country," the man continued. "But seeing the island's environment damaged by previous residents, we decided to fix it and make it as good as it once was."
He then explained the Republic of Venice's project to restore the marine ecosystem so that all creatures there could breed well and sea life around the island could recover. He also said the Republic of Venice would strictly punish anyone who damaged the environment.
"Why do you do this? Don't humans only exploit and destroy the environment without taking responsibility?" I asked him.
This was an undeniable fact. For hundreds of years, humans had ruined the sea until it was no longer pure. Now the water smelled, and the view underwater wasn't as beautiful as it used to be, tainted by trash and destruction.
Hearing my words, the man gave a wry smile. He then said that the Venetian people were also previously oppressed and exploited by nations superior to them. Therefore, they knew exactly how it felt to be exploited without being supported by those who exploited them. Thus, the Venetian Nation did not want to end up like the people they hated.
The Venetian Nation then created hatcheries and Ecosystem Zones for the preservation of other marine biota so the environment would be protected and they could benefit from it sustainably. Hearing his shocking words, I didn't know what to say.
I, a Demigod, could not protect the life of the sea because of the rules set by Goddess Diana. Yet now, suddenly, a group of humans appeared who wanted to guard sea life from greedy, foolish humans.
"However, the Venetian Republic is a newly built and still weak country," the man said. "If a stronger nation attacks, we won't be able to carry out these policies we've just started."
I understand now ... After hearing his explanation, I thought of a heavy decision. Goddess Diana forbade me from interfering with the lives of humans in this world. If I violated this rule, the Goddess would move me to a worse world.
But I have made up my mind this time. I will protect the Venetian Nation from their enemies in exchange for them protecting the ocean from damage caused by human actions. However, the price I have to pay is sacrificing my physical body and my life in this world.
Even if I stayed alive, I couldn't protect this ocean from human stupidity and greed alone. That is why the Venetian Nation will replace me as the protector of the sea.
After parting ways with the man, I activated a spell to separate my soul from my physical body. Next, I will fall into a slumber and will not wake again until someone attacks and intends to kill the residents of this island.