Demi-human Girls Completion Manual Chapter 1343 - 24: A Prophecy (4)

"Fisher, I've been wondering, do you hold any resentment towards me? Resentment for thrusting you into this predicament, for heading home alone after you departed from Saint Nali, abandoning you to wander and confront that dreadful mastermind by yourself..."

Fisher regarded her, observing her ears twitching incessantly while her gaze avoided his.

Moli herself felt uncertain about her place, leading to considerable internal conflict.

It was due to her own circumstances that Fisher became entangled in the chaotic escape, and she offered no assistance, instead retreating to the seabed. Perhaps emotionally, the situation was similar; even setting aside Elizabeth, her standing was neither rightly established nor officially recognized, yet she harbored a desire to disrupt the friendship between Fisher and Rafael.

Clearly, her intention was to reciprocate Mr. Fisher’s kindness and goodwill, but why did it ultimately feel less like repaying a debt of gratitude and more like settling an obligation?

Yet, as he gazed upon her profile, for reasons unknown, Fisher's thoughts drifted to the Whale-man encountered in the Holy Land, Hooked kiss.

Recalling him brought a smile to Fisher's face, and he spoke:

"You know, Moli, during my years away, I encountered another intriguing Whale-man. When I spoke to him about meeting you and our relationship, he became quite agitated, fearing my perceived greed might cause you harm. This led me to distance myself from him for a considerable period. Later, when I ceased avoiding him, I began to introspect about my actions, realizing he was actually quite astute, which instilled in me a greater sense of caution and guilt."

Moli gently covered her mouth, a soft laugh escaping her lips. She responded:

"Whale-men in our Sea Trench are indeed like that. Despite spending much of their time asleep, they possess a deep concern for one another. If they grew up together, this bond is even stronger; most Whale-man couples are childhood sweethearts... By the way, Fisher, is the Whale-man you mentioned female? Is it common for a Whale-man to leave the Sea Trench at this time?"

Fisher mused that this Whale-man had likely departed the Sea Trench eons ago, perhaps even before Moli's mother was born. Outwardly, however, he simply shook his head and clarified:

"No, it was a male Whale-man, a doctor who provided me with significant assistance throughout these years."

"A doctor? Speaking of which, my father is also a doctor..."

"What a coincidence?"

"Yes, though I have never met him in person. My mother consistently relays his messages. She says he resides far away, yet he always keeps me in his thoughts."

"I understand... In any case, what I'm trying to convey is that perhaps we both feel a sense of mutual indebtedness. And possibly, even without your involvement, even if I hadn't uncovered Blake and Elizabeth’s affair, I might have ended up marrying Elizabeth. However, what has transpired cannot be undone. Erwin could still be alive, potentially responsible for more deaths... Rather than that outcome, I would prefer to remain on the run. Besides, I wouldn't want to be unaware of such a delightful Whale-man as yourself..."

"Please, let's not discuss Elizabeth for the moment..."

Moli's eyes sparkled with a hint of delight. She pouted, her two delicate Whale ears fluttering like tiny paddles, moving up and down with excitement.

A delicate blush bloomed on her cheeks, resembling the vibrant hue of cherry blossoms. She cast a shy, watery glance at Fisher before quickly averting her gaze. Then, with a gentle motion, she reached out and tugged at Fisher’s sleeve.

As he looked over with curiosity, beholding her shy, blushing profile, he finally heard her soft, hesitant voice:

"Um... Fisher... Rafael won't be returning for another hour..."

Though her words were indirect, Fisher keenly understood the unspoken implication.

Instantly, a surge of warmth coursed through him, and he swallowed reflexively, as if a geyser lay dormant beneath the surface, on the verge of erupting.

Yet, after a brief moment of consideration, he found himself shaking his head with difficulty, stating:

"No... not right now."

Moli appeared slightly crestfallen. Turning back to Fisher, she couldn't help but inquire:

"Is it... because of Rafael?"

"... There isn't enough time."

"Not enough time?"

Moli stared at Fisher, momentarily dumbfounded, before her entire delicate face turned a deep shade of red.

She quickly shifted her gaze away from Fisher, lowering her head in embarrassment, experiencing a mixture of trepidation and secret delight.

An hour... isn't sufficient?

Could it be...

Goodness, this is too much...

"Then... let's just... chat for now..."

She was already faltering in her speech, clearly too mortified to find a place to disappear.

Fisher felt a sense of helplessness; it was beyond his control. Truly, if fault were to be assigned, it would fall upon the Demi-human Girls Completion Manual, an undeniable imperfection.

"Okay."

"Then... can we kiss?"

"... Of course."

"Wonderful..."

Moli, her cheeks still flushed, reached out to clasp Fisher’s hand. The warmth and cautious affection conveyed stirred his heart.

Unlike Rafael's passionate intensity, Moli's affection was restrained and gentle, akin to a trickling stream with an unseen, endless course. It was unobtrusive in this tumultuous world, standing remarkably apart.

He returned her gesture, holding Moli's hand, and they commenced their conversation, a gentle prelude to their shared dialogue.

"You mentioned that Whale-men often have childhood sweethearts. Do you happen to have one?"

"No... due to my mother’s status, I didn't spend my childhood with other Whale-men. Instead, I resided in her palace. While I met Whale-men of my age and often exchanged greetings with the elders, to my mother, all those elders were actually generations younger. This led to me holding a high status among them. I'm only over a hundred years old, yet even Whale-men who are six or seven hundred years old would jokingly address me as ’Old Ancestor’ in private! It utterly infuriates me..."

Fisher couldn’t help but chuckle, observing Moli’s current annoyance. He could easily picture the speechless feeling she must have experienced back then.

It also made sense. Xuan Can was a demigod and undoubtedly lived for a very long time, making the newer generations of Whale-men difficult to compare with.

"By the way, you mentioned your father earlier. I've never heard you speak of him. Where... has he gone?"

"Mmm, I'm not sure... Perhaps he has exceptionally important matters to attend to. I only know that he is truly remarkable; even Mom would seek his counsel when uncertain. When I was younger, I desperately wanted to meet him and attempted to elope to find him, which made Mom incredibly angry. She warned me that I wouldn't find him even if I scoured the entire world, because he wasn't from here..."

"Is that so..."

According to Xuan Can, the demigod, if that were the case, Moli’s father might be in the Gap, or perhaps the Spirit Realm... both were distinct possibilities...

"What a shame; otherwise, I would have loved to meet him..."

In the future, he would inevitably have to meet Rafael’s mother. He had encountered Xuan Can once before; they weren't particularly close, but surely she held some opinions about him as well, though avoiding her was not an option.

Besides, he was genuinely curious about Moli’s father.

As the husband of the Ocean Emperor, setting aside the childhood sweetheart aspect, he had to be an extraordinary Whale-man...

Hearing Fisher express interest in meeting her father, Moli felt a surge of warmth. She pursed her lips, leaned in once more, and kissed the corner of Fisher’s mouth.

Her whale tail behind her gently swished against the bed, beating rhythmically like a metronome.

"Smooch..."

"Fisher, my dad’s name is Hooked kiss. If the opportunity arises, can we go find him together?"

Moli uttered this during a lull in their embrace, then warmly resumed kissing him again. Unbeknownst to her, upon hearing this, Fisher felt as though a thousand-pound bolt of lightning had struck him from the top of his head down, nearly rendering him senseless.

He swiftly pushed back the advancing Moli. Under her bewildered gaze, Fisher incredulously inquired once more,

"Wait, what did you just say your father’s name was?"