Chapter 7

Camille barely considered it before refusing outright.

Stellan's face fell.

"I knew your feelings for me weren't that sincere. In that case, why did you go to all that trouble to win me back? Don't worry. Even if I end up disfigured, I won't beg you for anything ever again."

His voice trembled ever so slightly, and Camille's heart softened instantly. After a long moment's hesitation, she turned to Ansel.

"If my wish were for you to cut off some of your flesh to heal Stellan's wounds, would you be willing to do it?" she asked carefully. "If you aren't—"

"I'm willing."

Ansel's voice was calm, his tone as calm as a stagnant pool of water.

"As long as it's your wish, I'm willing."

This would be the 1,000th wish. He was on the verge of clearing his debt, but the heart that had once overflowed with love had long since been filled with nothing but pain and disappointment.

Ansel picked up the knife and began slicing off pieces of his own flesh, one cut at a time. He was even grateful for his broken heart, because compared to it, the physical pain didn't feel as unbearable.

He placed the pieces of translucent merfolk flesh over the wounds on Stellan's arm. Just as he was about to stop, Stellan spoke up again.

"That's not enough. I want a thick layer!"

Ansel frowned. He was just about to say something when an angry voice rang out from the window.

"Don't you dare hurt him!"

A beautiful little merfolk leaped through the window, her iridescent scales gleaming with a cold luster as she threw herself in front of Ansel.

"I knew I should've stayed by your side the whole time. I only stepped away for a moment, and look what happened! This is absolutely outrageous!"

Ansel recognized the merfolk as the handmaiden of the neighboring sea kingdom's princess. No wonder he'd felt someone had been following him lately. It had been her all along.

Even back in the ocean, Lorie Prellar had always babbled about "shipping" him with the princess and wishing that they would end up together. And now, she'd even crossed the seas just to protect him.

He hadn't felt such warmth in a long time, and it made his nose sting. But this wasn't the time to get all emotional.

"Get out of here. I'll be back soon."

He'd already realized that Stellan was a complete lunatic. And Camille, while usually rather rational, lost all sense of reason whenever Stellan was involved.

If Lorie stayed here, she could be in serious danger.

But it was already too late.

"Mr. Wells' flesh doesn't seem to be working. Is it because he's getting too old? Maybe we should try his little lover's flesh instead."

A wave of icy terror swept through Ansel's entire body. He turned to glare at Camille, but to his surprise, her face was twisted with anger, along with other emotions he couldn't quite read.

"You'll be back soon? You're actually planning to leave me, Ansel? Why? Because of her? Are you two really involved?"

Lorie's face flushed bright red, and she hurried to explain. "Of course not—"

"If you're not involved, why are you so worried about him?" Stellan retorted, cutting her off. "Anyway, let's stop wasting time on this pointless chatter. Camille, I want her flesh to dress my wounds."

Ansel yelled in alarm, "No!"

To repay his debt of gratitude, he had to obey Camille's every wish, but Lorie was under no such obligation.

Besides, he was the prince of the merfolk. It was his duty to protect his people under the sea.

Camille looked at the visibly anxious Ansel, then shifted her glare to the pretty little merfolk behind him. Her voice turned colder than ice.

"What if this is my final wish? What if I insist on doing it?"

Ansel stiffened. If he refused, he would very quickly turn into foam. But even if that was the case, he still wouldn't be someone who hurt others for his own benefit.

If he lived like that, what difference would there be between such a life and clinging to a cowardly existence?

With absolute, unwavering resolve, Ansel bit out, "No!"