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墨書 Inktalez
Gu Yan fell into deep thought, seemingly engrossed in the story.
The sage shifted his tone and asked Gu Yan, "If this person did not indulge in these ethereal things, he would not be lost to the world, even if he were to die in the belly of a fish, it would remain unknown. What do you think, young friend?"
After hearing the sage's words, Gu Yan lowered his gaze and said, "I actually think this person is admirable. After all, to dare to dream and act, even if it leads to death, is simply dying for a cause. A long life must have meaning tied to something or some belief; otherwise, living a mundane life is just a wasted trip to this world."
The sage laughed, "I anticipated your response. Even without memory, you have not changed at all. In my youth, I encountered many people; I came here to live in seclusion over a decade ago after being unable to move on. Yet looking back, few like you truly embody their words and actions."
Gu Yan keenly caught the phrase "embody their words and actions." He frowned slightly, hesitating to speak but ultimately remained silent.
The sage continued, "The legend of the Merfolk has circulated in both East and West. It is mentioned multiple times in the 'Classic of Mountains and Seas,' while in the West..." The sage paused, and Gu Yan recalled the Fairy Tale Book stained with mud and interjected, "There are fairy tales by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen, like 'The Little Mermaid'; Greek mythology also describes the Siren."
"Exactly. They have left traces all over the world, and descriptions of their appearances are surprisingly consistent. I believe that where there is smoke, there is fire; perhaps in some corner of the world, such a species truly exists, only encountered by chance and evolving into a beautiful tale." The sage seemed somewhat wistful as he looked at Gu Yan and said, "Young friend, our last conversation was about the Beautiful Siren."
"Are you saying that I traveled thousands of miles here specifically to discuss this creature with you?" A flurry of thoughts raced through Gu Yan's mind as he recalled the scales on his chest, the house by the sea, and the stack of documents in his father's study. A sense of familiarity surged within him as if something had been touched upon; however, more memories remained shrouded in fog before him.
The sage nodded: "Back then, you were different from now; there was an obsession in your eyes. I don't know how you found out my address, but you traversed mountains to get here. You said you had been to many places and faced many disappointments; yet despite that, you were unwilling to give up even a shred of hope. You pleaded with me for information. You said: 'Even rumors are better than knowing nothing.' This place is remote; I cannot imagine how much effort it took for you to find it. Though you appeared weary on the surface, your gaze was resolute. At that moment, I knew another infatuated soul had entered this world. I could not bear to see another fool like that ancestor of yours; I warned you that 'the Beautiful Siren lures sailors to their deaths with her song or distracts passing boatmen into sinking.' In legends from various countries, creatures like the Beautiful Siren bring temptation and misfortune." But you said...
The sage reminisced: "You said instead, 'I would rather be plagued by misfortune than be unable to escape it. I just hope never to wander aimlessly again and end my days in despair.'"
Upon hearing those last words, Gu Yan's pupils constricted suddenly; a peculiar emotion flickered in his eyes as if he were infected by that stubborn version of himself.
His voice became somewhat hoarse as if something was lodged in his throat; he struggled to say, "Unfortunately... now... I don't remember... I've even forgotten who I was back then..."
A hint of compassionate sorrow appeared on the sage's face as he said: "Young friend, if you wish to recover your lost memories, there is indeed a way..."
Gu Yan suddenly raised his head to look at the sage and asked eagerly: "What is it!?"
"Since legends exist for a reason, just like those stories; the life of a Siren is inherently a gamble."
Gu Yan suppressed his impatience and listened carefully to every word from the sage without missing a beat.
"This species has always been favored by nature; although they are few in number, they possess extremely powerful abilities and long lifespans. They dominate the seas with these divine advantages without any species threatening them. However, anyone within the food chain must have weaknesses; Sirens are no exception—and their weaknesses are often more fatal than those of ordinary species.
Why does the Merfolk weep pearls? It is because her household has no rice for cooking; she willingly sacrifices her life essence to transform into pearls for sale to buy rice. Why does the Siren transform her fish tail into legs to come ashore? It is because she longs for someone special and wishes to be with her prince forever. They could live forever but willingly give up their lives for worldly love in hopes of seizing that slim chance—the chance to live."
"The chance to live...?" Gu Yan's expression turned grim at once as he urgently pressed on: "What does this mean? What do you mean by a chance to live?"
"Do not rush, young friend; do you remember how the story of the Beautiful Siren ends?"
The tale of the Little Mermaid can be considered well-known—it tells an utterly tragic story.
Gu Yan replied: "The Siren comes ashore but loses her ability to speak; however, that prince does not remember her. She gives up her chance to kill him for salvation and ultimately... ultimately turns into foam."
The sage agreed, saying, "Although there are some discrepancies, the factual differences are not significant. If they remain unemotional, they can maintain their prime throughout their lives. However, if they encounter someone destined for them, the deeper the connection, the faster they will grow. They will reach sexual maturity in a very short time and develop legs, but at the same time, they must pay a price.
The most precious thing about a Siren is the mysterious abilities granted by the gods. For instance, their enchanting voice that can mesmerize others or their ability to read minds effortlessly... They use these as leverage to gamble on a difficult opportunity.
What rises must fall; when a Siren matures, if the chosen one has not truly fallen in love with them, their vitality will gradually be absorbed by that person. But how can the fragile human body withstand such immense power? Therefore, a Siren will carve out the hardest part of their flesh—their reverse scale—and merge with that person to preserve their life.
They take unpredictable risks and endure the pain of losing their scales to test the unfathomable depths of human hearts. Moreover, once separated, to protect their kind from prying eyes, memories related to the Siren will gradually fade away, further increasing the stakes.
Once a choice is made, there is no turning back; since the day they met, a bond has been formed between them that can only end with one party's death. Either they truly connect with each other or turn to dust."
The proud nature of Sirens makes it impossible for them to tolerate flawed love; they would rather choose a mutually destructive ending than live in solitude. The sage's gaze seemed to see through everything as he said, "The reason I initially withheld everything was because it had not yet begun. I selfishly thought that if you did not act, knowing less would prevent you from getting deeper into trouble. Now it seems I was wrong. Young friend, everyone has their own adventures. If you possess that reverse scale and wish to regain your memories, there are two ways: either wait for the other person to die or offer your true heart. The former is easy; you just need to wait for them to exhaust their life force. If you choose the latter, you must ask yourself if you can do it—if you sincerely return the scales to them, all grievances can be resolved."
Gu Yan's fingers trembled slightly as he unconsciously clenched his clothes over his heart; beneath the fabric lay the shimmering scale.
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