Chapter 8
“No. It doesn’t dry that quickly.”
Sharkrof shook his head.
“It’s not because of the gills. There’s some kind of strange smell in the air. It’s hard to ignore. It’s a really bothersome scent.”
“I don’t smell anything.”
“Probably no one but me can smell it. Sharks have sensitive noses, you know. The most sensitive among sea people. Anyway, there’s a smell that I just can’t ignore, and it’s bothering me. And it’s getting stronger.”
“Other sea people?”
Phineas shook his head.
“That’s a terrifying phrase. It means there isn’t just one thing like you. One dangerous creature like you is already more than enough for this world.”
“That’s a misunderstanding. Not all sea people are dangerous—only I am. And honestly, being called dangerous is quite a compliment for a shark.”
Sharkrof puffed out his chest proudly as he spoke.
“Of course, there are some sea people who would probably make the world better if they didn’t exist at all. But regardless of what you think, there are plenty of sea people besides me. Unfortunately.”
Sharkrof went on to explain about the many other sea people.
Each of them had the form of a different kind of fish, and their personalities differed slightly depending on the species.
He even gave examples of some sea people who, as he put it, would “probably be better off not existing in this world.”
There was the octopus clan, cunning and arrogant, always acting like they were the smartest beings alive.
The jellyfish clan, who pretended to be easygoing but were actually sly and dark-hearted.
And the barracuda clan, whose shining scales were beautiful but whose tempers were the worst—always causing trouble as they swam around in noisy groups.
Unexpectedly, I found myself fascinated by these stories about sea society.
Phineas, however, seemed to have a different impression.
“See? Sea people are all dangerous. I hope I never meet one. Even a single shark man is already too much to deal with.”
Phineas shuddered.
It seemed Sharkrof’s explanation had only strengthened his prejudice.
“Anyway, they’re a bunch with hardly any likable traits. But even those guys seem to have managed to live outside the sea without revealing their true identities.”
Sharkrof added this while looking at me.
“So I’m confident that I can blend in even more naturally. I believe the shark clan is especially intelligent. It’s my first time walking through such a crowd of land people, but I’m not very nervous. There is the minor problem of that strange smell irritating my nerves, but still…”
But Sharkrof suddenly began acting even stranger.
Not even a minute had passed since he had claimed he could behave naturally.
Up until we reached the town, he had quietly followed behind us.
But suddenly he stopped walking.
Then he rushed past us and began running somewhere.
His steps were full of confidence, as if he had a clear destination.
“Sharkrof, where are you going?”
I shouted, but there was no answer.
I felt uneasy. Considering Sharkrof’s painfully limited knowledge about life on land, it didn’t seem likely that he would find his way through the complicated alleys of town.
We quickly chased after him.
When we finally found him, Sharkrof was standing in front of a stall where fish were neatly displayed.
“Yes, this is it. The source of the smell that’s been bothering me all this time. The irresistible scent of prey that stimulates a predator’s instincts.”
Sharkrof’s voice drifted toward us.
So the smell that had been making him restless came from the fish shop.
Sharkrof stared at the silvery fish scales with sparkling eyes.
From the look on his face, you’d think he had just discovered a treasure map left behind by a legendary pirate captain.
“So many fresh fish. They shine more brilliantly than any school of hairtail fish I’ve ever seen. You must be an incredible hunter. Honestly, your skill surpasses even that of a great white shark. How can a land person without sharp teeth or powerful fins possess such hunting ability?”
Sharkrof spoke passionately.
The merchant guarding the stall simply stared at him blankly, clearly having no idea what was going on.
A chill ran down my spine.
Realizing this was trouble, I hurried over to stop Sharkrof.
Meanwhile, he continued speaking with rapture.
“I’d be lying if I said it doesn’t wound my pride. But when it comes to important matters like superior hunting methods, sometimes one must swallow their pride and learn even from land people. How exactly did you catch so many fish? And with their shining scales preserved so perfectly. I’m curious about the secret—”
“Sharkrof! Come here for a moment.”
We grabbed Sharkrof and dragged him into a side alley.
I stopped only when I thought no one else could overhear us.
“Sharkrof, if you keep talking about fish hunting like that, you’ll look like a very strange person.”
I said.
“What? Do land people not feel moved when they see such beautiful and magnificent proof of a hunt? And you don’t ask each other about hunting methods?”
“Hunting methods? That doesn’t really sound like an everyday conversation topic…”
“I see. I thought I could behave perfectly like a land person, but it’s still difficult.”
Sharkrof immediately looked dejected.
“And in the first place, that person didn’t even catch all those fish. He’s just selling them.”
I explained.
“Really?”
Sharkrof paused as if trying to recall something.
“Now that I think about it, that might be true. Judging by the way he arranged the goods, he seems like someone who doesn’t even know how to read the waves. He stacked them in a spot that will surely become a sea of water tomorrow… So yes, becoming a good hunter would be difficult.”
He continued.
“I don’t know why I only realized that now. I should go warn him about the waves.”
Sharkrof immediately went back to the stall.
Standing in front of the merchant again, he suddenly asked,
“Have you noticed anything strange about the sea lately?”
The merchant looked even more confused than before, but he absentmindedly answered yes.
It seemed he had been swept up by Sharkrof’s momentum.
Originally, this market street was low in elevation and close to the sea.
It wasn’t unusual for it to flood during storms.
But recently, the sea had been acting wildly regardless of the weather.
I agreed with that observation.
“Since you already know about the changes in the sea, this will be easier to explain. If you don’t prepare for the sea’s next whim, these beautiful and proud trophies will all get soaked and rot away.”
Sharkrof said seriously while looking down at the fish.
Although we had warned him earlier, he still called the fish trophies.
Apparently, it was too much to expect him to change his way of speaking in just a few minutes.
“So you’re saying another wave will come tomorrow and flood this place again?”
the merchant asked.
“Yes.”
Sharkrof nodded.
“But how do you know that?”
the merchant asked suspiciously.
“Well, that’s a secret.”
Sharkrof replied.
“Maybe your navy service helped you predict it?”
The merchant glanced over Sharkrof’s uniform.
Navy service?
I wasn’t sure if that was a convincing excuse, but if he was willing to accept it somehow, that would be a relief.
The merchant continued,
“But I’m not sure if your prediction has any real basis. No one has managed to read the sea’s unpredictable waves lately. So it’s a little hard to believe.”
“Whether you believe me or not is none of my concern. Marina asked me to warn you about the waves, so I did. Anyway, I’ve said what I needed to say. Whether you listen is up to you.”
“I think Sharkrof might be right. Our shop actually received help today. There were huge waves overnight, but we prepared in advance thanks to his warning, and nothing bad happened.”
I stepped in.
“Really?”
The merchant looked back and forth between Sharkrof and me.
Then he said,
“But the name Sharkrof? That’s unusual. And Marina, what exactly is your relationship with him?”
“Ah, well…”
“He’s a café employee. Once summer begins and things get busy, he’ll start working.”
[A café employee who suspiciously resembles a shark]
Sharkrof used the same excuse we had discussed earlier.
Apparently, his offer to work at our café hadn’t been an empty promise.
“That’s right. A new employee. He said he was born and raised very far away. That’s probably why his appearance looks unfamiliar.”
I quickly added.
At that moment, Sharkrof—who had been staring at the fish on the stall—suddenly whispered to me in a strained voice.
“Miss Marina. We need to get away from this shop quickly.”
“Why?”
“The scent of fresh fish is becoming more and more irresistibly tempting. If I stay around here any longer, I won’t be able to resist eating those fish.”
“That would be a big problem. Then let’s go quickly.”
And I meant that completely sincerely.
We had already caused quite a scene here.
There was no need to complicate things further.
I hurriedly said goodbye to the merchant and dragged Sharkrof away with me.
