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"But... Madam Shyarly doesn't meet just anyone. She's very famous on Fishman Island, and there's always a crowd of people trying to see her."
Hikaru raised an eyebrow. And what does that have to do with him?
"Aren't you a clerk here? Just go inside and let her know someone wants to see her. Tell her... if she refuses, the Mermaid Café will be wiped off Fishman Island by the Divine Emperor, Hikaru."
"Huh?" Melo was stunned. She hadn't expected this at all. Hikaru had seemed so approachable, someone she wanted to get closer to, yet now he was saying something so terrifying.
She instinctively let go of his arm, and the surrounding mermaids looked at her in surprise.
"You're not serious... are you?"
Seeing her uneasy expression, Hikaru chuckled. "What's there to be afraid of? Just pass along my message. Do you really think Madam Shyarly won't come out to see me?"
"Hikaru is trying to scare Madam Shyarly!" Lulis muttered, giving Melo a knowing look and secretly rolling his eyes at her hesitation.
"That's true..."
Melo let out a relieved sigh, but deep down, she couldn't shake the feeling that Hikaru was dead serious. The thought sent a chill down her spine.
She couldn't help but think to herself—was Hikaru always this unpredictable?
But Hikaru wasn't joking. If Shyarly really refused, he wouldn't hesitate to replace the Mermaid Café with something else.
"Go on. Don't worry. Madam Shyarly will see me. And even if she refuses… would I really kill all the beautiful mermaids here? I could never bring myself to do that."
That was the truth. If he actually harmed them, his crew would definitely protest. As for why… well, that wasn't something to be discussed openly.
Melo hesitated for a moment before nodding. After giving Hikaru one last deep look, she turned and swam towards the depths of the Mermaid Café.
Madam Shyarly's Room
Shyarly sat comfortably on a floating bubble made of bubble coral, an ancient divination book resting in her hands.
She was deep in study, completely unaware that today would mark a turning point in her fate.
Just then, Melo finally reached the door and knocked softly three times.
"Come in," came Shyarly's cool, composed voice.
As the door opened, she glanced up and offered a soft smile.
"Oh, Melo~ What brings you here?"
Melo fidgeted, nervously rubbing the hem of her clothes. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead as she murmured, "Madam Shyarly… please don't be upset by what I'm about to say."
"Oh? What could possibly make you this nervous? Are you planning to quit and leave the Mermaid Café?" Shyarly asked with amusement, setting her divination book aside.
Melo bit her lip and forced a smile.
"No… Lulis and I ran into a human at Mermaid Cove. He called himself the Divine Emperor, Hikaru..."
"What!?"
Shyarly's sudden outburst cut Melo off mid-sentence.
"Are you all right? He's a wanted criminal by the World Government! His bounty is as high as 300 million Berries!"
"Huh?" Melo was stunned. She hadn't expected someone so handsome and gentle to be a wanted man!
"Hey! Snap out of it!"
Melo shook off her daze and continued, "He said he wants to see you… and he warned that if you refuse to meet him, he'll destroy the Mermaid Café."
Shyarly narrowed her shark-like eyes in displeasure. "He actually said that? How arrogant can he be?"
She spoke with irritation, but deep down, she knew Hikaru had the strength to back up his words.
"Where is he now?"
"He's waiting at the Mermaid Café..."
Shyarly was momentarily speechless. She quickly glanced at the door behind Melo…
Half-open… not fully closed!
Did Melo leave it open on purpose, or was she simply too nervous to notice? A powerhouse like Hikaru could have easily overheard their entire conversation.
Letting out a helpless sigh, Shyarly waved her hand. "Go and call him in."
"Yes! Madam Shyarly!"
"No need. I'm already here."
A flash of lightning crackled in the air, and in the blink of an eye, Hikaru appeared before Shyarly. He had teleported through the electric field—one of his signature abilities.
With a casual smile, he greeted her, "Madam Shyarly, I've heard a lot about you."
His gaze wandered over her figure, and he couldn't help but sigh internally. What a tall woman… She must be over five meters when she stands up.
If handling Shyarly was already a challenge, then what about Shirahoshi, who was over ten meters tall?
No! I need a way to get bigger!
His mind immediately jumped to a solution—Big Big Fruit… Sanjuan Wolf… That's it! That fruit is mine.
Pushing the thought aside, Hikaru continued admiring Shyarly's appearance:
Short black hair that partially covered the right side of her face, cool blue eyes, soft yet alluring lips, and an almost ethereal pale complexion.
Her dark purple hooded top clung to her upper body, with only the middle button fastened, revealing her cleavage and toned abdomen—enough to draw anyone's attention.
Her mermaid tail was dark blue in the front and white in the back, with a small dorsal fin at her lower waist and two delicate crescent fins at the tip.
It only took Hikaru a moment to take in her entire appearance. The fact that she dressed so casually at home was certainly a bonus for him—the unexpected guest.
Shyarly, on the other hand, stared at him blankly. As expected, he had heard everything. She scanned him up and down before speaking in a cold tone, "So, you're Hikaru? They say you can't judge a person by their appearance."
"Squaah~"
Melo's eyes sparkled with admiration. If Shyarly weren't present, she might have reached out to poke Hikaru just to confirm he was real.
Seeing Melo's reaction, Shyarly rubbed her forehead, exasperated. "Melo, leave us."
"Yes!" Melo pouted in disappointment, but before stepping out, she gave Hikaru an encouraging glance, as if cheering him on.
Hikaru smirked in response and shut the door with a simple gesture.
"Alright, tell me—what do you want from me?" Shyarly instinctively straightened her posture, slightly intimidated by Hikaru's presence.
Of course, he had a very specific reason… Ahem, something serious, of course.
Hikaru remained unfazed by her cold demeanor. He found amusement in her distant attitude. After all, warmth could melt even the coldest of hearts.
"What else would I want?" he said with a chuckle. "It's said that Madam Shyarly's divination is 100% accurate. Naturally, I came to see you for your fortune-telling abilities."
His eyes gleamed with curiosity. "So, tell me… can you predict my future?"
Shyarly frowned. That was, indeed, why most people sought her out. But over time, she had distanced herself from divination. She had seen too many tragic fates unfold.
Expressionless, she replied, "If you came here just for a reading, then leave. I stopped telling fortunes years ago."
Hikaru let out a low chuckle. Oh? Trying to fool me?
Character Notes:
Shyarly – A blue shark mermaid, standing at 520 cm tall. Once an adorable child, she grew into a cool and elegant woman. Her precise fortune-telling earned her the title Madam Shyarly. Now that she's in the protagonist's hands, the title has never been more fitting.