Devil vs Mermaid: War to be the God

Chapter :- 17.

Turning his anger into guilt, Erlik thought to get back to the palace. His heart was slumped in sadness as he thought, he shouldn't have threatened Zene. All she was trying to do was save him. But why did she need to keep this a secret in the first place? It's an honor to have such a beautiful white Mermaid form. Erlik thought, the next time he meets Zene, he would apologize to her and ask about her secret instead of pushing to tell it. Zene is truly a nice girl and Erlik was sure that, she will definitely forgive him.

As he got back to the palace, the first thing he had to face was an angry Sylvia. Seeing him coming, she started behaving like the previous day. She started ignoring Erlik to show her anger. It caught his attention and didn't take long to understand what happened to her. He knew that today mornings rude behavior was the reason behind her anger, and he also knows very well that he have to act of fake loving, to win her back.

“Hey, what happened? Why the angry face?” Erlik approached Sylvia and tried to talk to her.

“Don't talk to me and don't try to act as a nice guy. I'm not your puppet, whom you can use as you want. I'm the future queen of Mermaids and Angels. So show your respect.” Sylvia screamed out to stop Erlik.

“Fine then. Now that the girl I love is not here anymore, I should go back to the land I came from.” Saying this Erlik turned back and started walking away.

“Wait… What did you just say? You love me?” As Erlik expected, Sylvia's anger broke as soon as she heard the word love. Hiding the evil smile from his face, he turned around to her.

“No. I said, I love the girl named Sylvia, my Queen.” He said her with a smirk.

“Stop joking. Are you serious that you love me?” As she asked again, Erlik slowly went near her.

“Of course my sweet Sylvia. I love you. Or else why would I try to talk to you whenever you're angry with me.” He said, giving her charming smile to her.

“Finally you said the word I was desperate to hear from you. I love you too Erlik.” Sylvia said in happiness and hugged Erlik right there. But it made Erlik uncomfortable to think of getting caught by someone.

“Okay, okay. I know you love me too. But can you please leave me now. Someone might catch us like this.” Erlik said as he pushed Sylvia away.

“I don't care anymore. Now you are mine, I don't care who sees us like this.” Sylvia said as she was about to hug him again.

“What about king Triton? If he gets to know a human fell in love with the powerful Queen, he will surely kill me.” He knew that this trick will keep Sylvia away from him now.

“Fine. Just wait until my coronation day, I will announce our wedding right after I become the Queen.” Sylvia said and hold Erlik's hand to show her affection.

Erlik took a deep breath after he succeeded to win Sylvia back. But still his heart was stuck on Zene as he wonders when will he get the chance to apologize to her.

At dinner time, Zene accompanied her family in their meal, but her mood was off. She didn't talk to anyone like she usually does. Not even to Kally, who was looking sad because of her favorite sister's sad mood. Erlik couldn't dare to say anything to Zene, at that time because he knew if he tries to talk to her, Sylvia would get mad at him again and create a huge fuss over it. So he thought to stay quiet for now. Throughout the whole time, Erlik's eyes were travelling back to Zene. But he noticed that, she never looked up at anyone or took her eyes off of her plate and ate her meal with extreme concentration.

The night passed by like this and the next morning rose up. Erlik stood in front of his window to see Zene, at midnight like every night but surprisingly he didn't saw her out that night. Erlik understood that she's trying to avoid him and that's why she didn't come out that night. But in the morning, Erlik saw Zene getting out of the palace early morning. While breakfast Zene wasn't present, which made Erlik think about her more. After their breakfast was over, Erlik thought to look for Zene. But before he can leave, Sylvia stopped him.

“Erlik wait… I'm completely free today. Let's go out to have some alone time today.” Erlik knows that he doesn't have any choice except of agreeing with her. Or else he might have to show fake care to Sylvia again. So he agreed to her.

“Sure. Where do you want to go?” He asked her with a fake smile.

“Don't worry about a place. We will go wherever our feet takes us.” Sylvia joined their hands together and started walking out.

Half of the day passed by as the kept walking all over the island, until they came in front of fee people in whom Zene and Kally was also present. As they reached close by, they heard some kind of argument going on among them.

“Ugh… Why this girl is making my life so complicated? What did she do now?” Sylvia said, getting irritated by seeing them.

“I don't know. It seemed serious. Let's go and see.” Erlik said and walked over to them.

“No… I won't go with her...” They heard a kid crying out while saying this.

“What happened here? What's wrong?” Sylvia asked showing her seriousness as a queen.

“Sorry princess Sylvia. It's just my daughter turned 14 today and recently shifted into a Mermaid. Now we are asking her to go for a swim with us, but she's insisting on going with Princess Zene. We could not change her mind anyway.” The mother of the child told Sylvia.

“So what's the problem. Take her for a swim Zene.” Sylvia ordered Zene.

“I'm sorry, but I can't. My legs are hurt and whenever I try to swim, my tail is paining too much.” Zene lied to everyone. And Erlik knows the reason behind her lie very well. He understood everything that's going on there.

Zene got out of the palace early morning because this kid is one of the playmate's of Zene. That girl was turning 14 today, so she insisted Zene to stay with her through her shift. Now that the kid successfully shifted, her parents want her to go for a swim and try to use her Mermaid form underwater. But she's too scared to do that. She loves and trusts Zene very much, that's why she wanted Zene to accompany her. But unfortunately Zene couldn't do that. To swim with that girl, she needs to shift into her white Mermaid form. And if she does that, her secrets will get revealed. So she's trying her best to change her mind. Erlik thought this is the chance to break Zene's anger and show his appreciation to save his life. So he stepped in to stop their argument. Erlik saw this girl before the day he played blind man's buff with them, so it gave him an advantage.

“Hey kiddo. Remember me… What's wrong? Why are you troubling your parents?” He asked that little girl.

“I'm scared to go to the ocean. I want princess Zene to go with me.” She whined to stay with her decision.

“But your princess Zene is hurt. Do you want to hurt her more? You know what? I have another plan. Our future Queen is here for you. Won't it be a pleasure to you if the Queen herself take you for a swim? To top it off, you can have your friends and family all with you when you take your first swim. What do you think?” As Erlik said that, the little girls face lit up.

“Princess Sylvia will swim with me? Really?” She asked in excitement.

“Of course. Why not… She would be very happy to help you. Won't you Sylvia?” Erlik looked up to see Sylvia standing there fuming in anger. As soon as he said that, Sylvia took Erlik's hand and dragged him few feet away from them.

“What are you doing? I'm not going to swim with them. I came here to spent time with you, not them.” Sylvia slowly shouted at him for making that decision for him.

“Don't think of it this way. You always thought that Zene is popular among the people's here. This is why she's so popular. This is your time to show them that you are more caring than her. A swim will make them call you more and love you more.” Erlik knows how to manipulate Sylvia. So he used her insecurities against herself. Sylvia thought about it for a while then made the decision that Erlik is right. She should take this chance make herself popular.

“You're right. Let's go do it.”

They went to them again and Sylvia told the little girl that it will be her pleasure to take swim with her, making her cheering. Soon they went to the water along with her parents. Kally also went to join her friend in her first swim. After everyone was gone, only Zene and Erlik stayed behind. Zene looked worried about that girl as she kept her wondering eyes towards the ocean.

“You're safe for today. Think of a better explanation next time.” Erlik said to her once they were alone.

“Thank you for the help.” Zene apologized to him, but it seems more like a rude comment.

“It's nothing compared to the things you did for me. Thank you so much for saving my life so many times, and I'm really sorry to behave badly with you yesterday. I know it's not a good manner to threaten the person who saved you from death." It calmed Zene's anger a little as she looked up at Erlik the first time since previous day.

“It's okay. Just don't tell anyone about my secret. It's my only request to you.” Zene told him calmly.

“I won't. Your secret is safe with me now. But in return, please keep my truth hidden too.” Erlik requested Zene.

“It already is. But I have a question to ask you. I was wondering since the first day I saw you, why a devil is in the surface all of a sudden? Nobody heard this kind of event before.” Zene asked Erlik.

“Umm… Our king Aaron banished me from the hell. That's why I'm here all of a sudden. But what about you? Why are you keeping your Mermaid from hidden from your own family?” He asked her in return to avoid her further questions.

“Didn't you already see how much my sister's hate me? They hate me because I'm a little different from them, and they think I'm more beautiful than them. If they find out that I got the form of the legendary white Mermaid, they would hate me for forever. I don't want to be hated. I want my sisters to accept me as their own. That's why I decided that I will hide my truth from everyone till the day they realize how much I love them. I will wait till the day they finally love me back.” Zene reveled her sadness in front of Erlik. She doesn't even know why she blabbered everything to him in the first place.

“Don't worry. I will keep your secret safe. And I know that one day your sisters will realize how lucky they are to get such a nice girl as their sister. They will love you and appreciate you one day.” Erlik's speech brought a smile on Zene's face.

“So… Now that we are sharing each others secrets, can we become friends?” Erlik said to Zene hesitatingly.

“I think it's a good offer. I would like to be your friend.” As Zene said that, Erlik's face also brightens up in joy. Today's deal really made a bond between them. Maybe it's a friendship bond or maybe a love bond which they even don't know yet.