Giana and I had struck a deal. I would ‘tutor’ her in all the 9t tricks I learned so she could focus a bit more on her mermaid side.

  According to her; her 9t side is relatively useless as her offense is low and 9t are built like glass cannons. She is neither glass nor cannon. A mermaid on the land however is silly too, so she has no choice but to go around as a vixen.

  9t tricks and specialties are hard and unintuitive to learn so it would be wise to figure that out first but that’s what she has me for. She asked me about my phoenix side, but with our team like this, it might be a bad idea if I explore my phoenix side and turn into a complete noob as one god or demon would then wipe us all out.

  We surfaced after a long relaxing swim and Raishin and Greg got the surprise of their lives.

  And this is why Giana is the hottest girlfriend! Not only is she a vixen, she is a mermaid! Nobody stands a chance against her!

  Whoa you’re huge! Ow!

  “Raishin… you’re staring…” Noelle said as she smacked Raishin and dragged him away.

  Interesting, So Agnis had no chance of resisting you, did he?

  “Nope! I feel like another swim, do you guys want to join us?”

  No, thank you!

  Giana extended her hand to Yv, and we dove down again. She created a bigger bubble, and it was Yv’s turn this time.

  You asked to go for a swim to get Greg excluded…crafty vixen.

  “I might be a mermaid now, but I still have vixen traits!” Giana dove back into the ocean and started to swim and sing. It was just Yv and me in the bubble.

  “I’m so happy you’re safe!”

  A rabbit hug and some sniffs was what I got hit by.

  I’m sorry that it had to be like this. You must feel like a second choice.

  “I don’t mind it's better than being lonely forever.”

  I had a similar talk with Yv. It seems she doesn’t want Greg to know. I asked her why and… keeping it from him gives her a kick… it seems everyone in our team had been dropped on their head when they were a kid, besides Greg who actually seems to need it.

  Me getting my ass kicked made my team organize itself. If I knew, I would have gotten in trouble earlier.

  Giana returned with an impressive catch and some seaweed.

  Yv and I cooked up some seafood and I gave her some mushrooms for her vegetarian diet.

  “Hey sweetie…what was that demon about?” Yv asked as she munched on her mushroom and seaweed stir-fry.

  Uh, just the classical case of a sealed demon wanting to break free. This guy was way stronger than the scratching demon though, so I had to chuck him in a black hole.

  Giana had caught some of those super tasty ugly fish to add to our menu as its flesh was soft and fragrant.

  “Scratching demon? You never told us about that Deca.”

  I shattered an illusion, created an [Illusionary Dagger] and recreated the scene that killed me several times before my birthday years ago. I haven't changed since then. I still spend most of my birthdays sleeping or unconscious. I started with some fried eel while the idols were watching the illusion.

  Eat up, your food is getting cold.

  My partners had their eyes glued on the illusion and stopped eating. Means more for me!

  “Really Deca? A ‘meat line’?”

  It worked, didn't it? Yv, your mushrooms are getting cold.

  Yv didn't respond, so I claimed her mushrooms.

  They got weirded out when the demon crawled into the adventurer and they screamed when it climbed into me. They acted as if they were watching a horror movie. And then it ended.

  Oof I'm stuffed.

  “Hey! Where are my mushrooms?!” Yv asked and gave me an accusing stare.

  Dunno. Maybe that crab there ate it.

  A crab was pinching Giana’s tail and she had no clue. I blasted it and added it to our menu.

  “Oh, I didn't notice.”

  How tanky are you actually as a mermaid. Those sapphire scales look super tough…

  “I don't know… oh I can do this!”

  Giana got covered in sapphire scales, and it didn't seem to hinder her movement.

  I touched the scale covered skin, and it felt like touching skin.

  How mysterious. So… when I get hungry, I have the two of you as emergency food.

  I got some angry glares and backed off.

  Hey come on, it was a joke!

  “We're not food!”

  We chatted a bit, and Greg called in a meeting after we surfaced.

  As we all know, we recently had an encounter with a demon and almost lost a member, so…Agnis you asshole! Why are you pretending to fall asleep?!

  Huh? I'm not pretending, I'm really falling asleep. But this has nothing to do with me, right? It's your problem, not mine!

  Can you at least listen?

  I will try.

  Thank you…So Agnis was the only one who… Noelle, can you smack Raishin awake? Why is everyone falling asleep…

  Ow! It wasn't me! Huh? Morning already?

  “Stay awake Raishin, we're having an important meeting.”

  Yes hottie! But… I already said that I screwed up and generate mana next time, right? So this has nothing to do with me right?

  Greg rubbed his temple.

  This is also for you to hear, please listen. So all of us are mythical beasts, but our mana levels are simply put…pathetic. So…Now Giana is sleeping?!

  Leave her be. She went through a lot. Thank you for putting her to sleep. She needed it.

  I…didn't…am I this boring?

  “Everyone knows what you want to say Gregory. We need to find ways to generate enough mana to be better prepared, right?” Noelle said in a bored tone.

  Yes but I want to brainstorm methods of…Agnis! Why are you eating fish?!

  It's not just fish. It's spirit salmon!

  Why now…

  Because I'm a spirit? Don’t worry, I don’t blame you for forgetting, as I also do sometimes.

  You know what? Never mind. So we need to find ways to generate adequate mana in a timely manner. Agnis and Giana have frost magic. Raishin is a lightning tiger, which leaves us 3. Any concrete suggestions or solutions?

  How about you create a negative mana pressure in your bodies by shifting mana into your tails?

  W…what?

  Store and condense mana in tails so you draw in mana faster. Isn't this logical?

  My team looked at me as if I was speaking Hourai. Wait, they all know Hourai. My team looked at me as if I was speaking Draconian.

  “Is that how you get so much mana lil' bro?”

  Don't be silly. I would be reduced to a vomiting fox if I did that. You and Yv can do that. Greg is screwed.

  “Why wouldn't that work for you two?”

  We have adverse reactions to impure mana. Agnis gets around it with frost magic. I have to absorb energy with my shadows and repurpose it.

  So just you left Greg, good luck! I'm going to address my own mana problem.

  I lifted mermaid Giana, who was quite heavy. Not surprising as it would be impossible to swim if she kept her 9t weight.

  Where do I put her down? I will just have her lean into me while I figure out how to harvest mana. I can't just go around and stealing mana.

  I sat down and leaned Giana into me. A big mistake. Giana was way heavier than me and knocked me over.

  A heavy 3-meter-long mermaid was sleeping on top of me, and I couldn't get her off. All my tails were between my back and the sand. Death by mermaid. Not a bad way to go.

  I wasn't in danger, but I was stuck. I accepted my soft and squishy fate and started to brainstorm.

  Both Nilah and I can charge the circle 5% at a time so the faster we get mana, the better. Harassing gods is the fastest way to get mana but also the fastest way to die, but! We have an overpowered 6t in our party! Raishin might be able to help out a lot but… it will physically exhaust him which might not be smart in times like this. How about I have my Nightmare dungeon harvest mana for me?! That's brilliant!

  It should be already holding on to a lot of mana.

  Giana rolled to the side and used me as a body pillow. I can't complain. Maybe not a bad idea after all.

  What… if we just enter AA’s. The fans will crowd us. They won't mind getting some mana theft. Nilah can play to her strengths! Never knew that being popular could be so useful!

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  Yv, Raishin and Noelle came over and Raishin was looking at me enviously.

  Hey hottie, let's do that too!

  Heh, so jelly.

  “Be careful lil' bro, she's quite strong as a mermaid, she might snap you in two.”

  Uhh help?

  “Have fun lil' bro. Come Raishin let's see who can make the best sandcastle, the loser treats the winner for dinner!

  Raishin don't it's a tra…

  Deal! I will show off my skills!

  Noelle didn't make a sound, but by reading her lips I could tell that she said ‘easy win’ as she gave a thumbs up and found a spot for their challenge.

  Raishin is an idiot for having a sandcastle contest against a 7t…

  “Does Raishin know that he can't win this?”

  He doesn't… he thinks he can win…

  Raishin was making a fool out of himself. At least Noelle seemed to be having fun. Maybe I should employ this tactic too but how? I only ever make a fool out of myself unintentionally. Maybe that's the key.

  Giana had rolled into the ocean in her sleep while still using me as a body pillow.

  Hey Deca wait! I can't use my setup like this! Deca wake up! I'll drown!

  There is a possibility that mermaids aren't supposed to sleep on land, so their instinct might draw them into the sea in case they get stranded.

  Yv, help!

  Note to self: prepare to drown if you become a mermaid's body pillow.

  Yv wasn't able to save me, but she managed to wake Giana, who was a deep sleeper.

  “I'm sorry Deca, I slept great though!”

  Oof that gave me a scare. Your hair is blonde again.

  “Yeah I think I still prefer it like this.”

  Giana went to her 9t form and leaned in to me. “Now you won't fall over.”

  We observed how Greg was flipping through books to find out how to deal with his mana problem.

  “It seems he loves books more than anything else.”

  Don't be like that Yv I'm sure he also cares about us.

  “He was the calmest when you disappeared, though.”

  Hmm that's strange yeah, he's normally calm but freaks out if something happens that he was supposed to take care of. Deca, is he truly free from curses?

  Giana answered after a brief silence. “How is this possible? [Superbia] has returned. Just that one."

  Pride was it? Sure seems like it… are Raishin and I curse free?

  I got blasted by [Empathic Bond] and Giana nodded. “You and Raishin are curse free. Good job Deca!”

  I will kick your ass later. Why would his curse return?

  Yv changed aura. “Maybe he didn't want that curse to leave. Wasn't ‘pride’ the worst one?”

  No clue but… does that mean there is still hope for him?

  I have nothing against Yv, but I also wish my Greg a hot partner. Would it be cruel and inappropriate for me to ask that of her? What would be the correct course of action? And why is having a 6-man team so complicated?

  “I'm sorry sweetie, but I tried. I'm not generous enough to give someone infinite chances but…” Yv closed in, sandwiching me between her and Giana. “It's very sweet of you to be mindful of your friend like this.”

  I guess… do you two really need to sandwich me like this? It's awkward.

  Greg looked up from his books.

  I've meant to ask, you two seem quite close. I can even feel a thin trail of charm magic between you two. What have you done to him, Yvonne?

  Greg got up and walked over.

  Yv didn't do anything! It was me! I seduced her.

  Weren't you incapable of seeing anyone without charm magic as a romantic interest?

  Why does everyone know this besides me?

  Giana got up and stepped forward. “This has been the result of you treating Yv poorly and Deca and I are accepting her in.” She said as she pointed at him.

  This is bad…I have to de-escalate.

  I did no such thing. I treated Yvonne normally!

  I wanted to make an underhanded comment, but I held back.

  “Normal?! You didn't treat me normal!” Yv said as she also got up and shifted to a fiery aura.

  Let's agree to disagree and just let this be, yeh? I have some novels and vodka here, and you can play with my tails Yv.

  I did treat you normally, and I don't like how you lay claim on my friend like he is some object. He already has someone! It's one thing for a vixen to do that but you? A non-vixen? You disappoint me…

  “What do you know about treating people normally? Why is it your business how many women he gets? What do you even know about me or him?! You only ever read books, but for a bookworm, you sure are ignorant!”

  Hey guys, calm down. Can you help me, Deca? Guess not…

  Giana was also fired up and had completely taken Yv’s side.

  Ignorant? I know nothing about Agnis? How dare you! I have been with him while you 3 have been fooling around with your idol nonsense. We have been under constant attack, while you have been under a rain of cheers and people chanting that they love you. It is you two who know nothing about him.

  Ugh, why me. Time to cool off hotheads.

  I turned Giana, Yv and Greg into ice cubes and dropped my head into my hands. Is this why they didn't tell Greg? And why is Greg such an asshole? Does pride turn you into an asshole? It does, right?

  Giana's statue shook and thawed. She walked over and hugged me. “I'm sorry for that. I let my emotions get the better of me.”

  Don't worry. I had to control myself too to not pick a side. The relationship between Greg and Yv might be beyond repair now…

  “Were you secretly hoping he would act normal and have Yv fall for him again?”

  Trust me, I have nothing against Yv. She is hot as fuck. You're hotter, though. But I wish Greg, my buddy, a beautiful woman too. And to be honest. I'm not sure I can pull this off… having 2 women. I can't even get my relationship with you correct…

  Raishin and Noelle were happily messing around in the sand, unaware of our feud.

  “I know…but it was we who got forceful and greedy, so we have to figure this out. We can see that you're doing your best.”

  Doing my best isn't enough when your lives and relationships are at stake. We're immortal Giana. We can't get released from these stressful or straining relationships by dying at 70-80 years old. This resentment will not solve itself, and they will butt heads 100 years from now, 200 years from now, 500 years from now etc., and I don't want this on myself either. I don't want any of you to resent or avoid me for an eternity.

  “I don't know about Yv, but I won't ever resent you. I do see what you mean. Was…was it a mistake for me to send Yv after you?”

  I shook my head and kissed Giana's forehead.

  Nah, you tried to make the best out of a shitty situation. I've never seen Yv so happy. Everyone deserves happiness. You got dealt a shitty hand and made the best out of it but…

  Our gazes fell on the 2 ice cubes.

  “It doesn't change the relationship between those two…”

  Can you get that curse off him, see if he apologizes?

  “I will but…these curses only amplify traits the victim has, it doesn't create what doesn't exist…”

  I thought as much.

  The frost around Greg got turned into ice, so Giana could work her magic. We waited for a bit and [Superbia] returned 30 minutes after Giana got rid of it.

  “That's strange. I never heard about a reapplying curse. Deca… do you mind if we visit Rubert? He might know something about this.”

  Who is Rubert?

  “You call him Healerguy.”

  Ah right! He was your teacher or something.

  “Yeah, don't worry. I will give you a thorough checkup so he doesn't have to. So Deca! Show me your secrets!”

  Giana turned into her mermaid form, grabbed me with her tail and started all sorts of medical tests and other stuff I didn't understand.

  My checkup had ended, and I now have a watchful vixen mermaid keeping an eye on me, as my condition was worse than she expected. Yv got thawed and notified of the situation. Giana lifted the curse on Greg again to see if he would act normal in the 30 minutes he had.

  Ugh, Agnis, you need to find a different method of cooling people down.

  Did you mean what you said?

  I might have had to word it differently, but I stand behind my statements.

  “Do you truly believe you treated me well?”

  Did I not?

  “This is hopeless…thank you for trying sweetie, lets go.” Yv grabbed my hand and dragged me to Raishin and Noelle. “Noelle, Raishin, we're going to visit Rubert to get Gregory's head checked. Raishin, you and Agnis can crack his head open if Rubert doesn't find anything.”

  Whoa, Yv looks upset. What did Greg do?

  “Be himself… come sweetie. I need some attention.”

  Yv dragged me behind a dune and hugged me. She vented all her frustrations. She told me the things she wanted to say to Greg but couldn't as I turned her into an ice cube. But also things she would never let anyone hear. Besides me, apparently.

  “Sweetie, please never put me in a situation where I will have to choose between him or someone else, as I'll never choose him. If I had to choose between him dying or Raishin getting hurt, I would let him die so that Raishin doesn't get hurt, heck even for a stranger!”

  I'm sorry. I did not know it was this bad…

  “I…I'm not as nice of a person as you think. I'm extremely selfish and petty. I will be forever loyal to people who show me genuine good will, and I would betray people in a heartbeat who don't treat me well. I have the ability to determine whether it's genuine or not.” Yv's petal-patterned eyes glowed. “That's why I will stay forever loyal to you, Giana, Noelle and Raishin.”

  So if I tried to get you and Greg together…

  “I would request a lot of charm magic from Giana to the point you will get extremely possessive over me. Speaking of which. It's time for another dose of charm magic. Your attraction for me has dropped, didn't it?”

  I…I'm sorry…

  Yv kissed me on my cheek. “Don't apologize. You can't help it. I wish I was born with charm magic affinity…”

  Hey! What…why do you need to hit me with charm magic again?

  “Giana told me that the most beautiful and perfect woman in the world could try to seduce you, but if she doesn't have charm magic, it will always fail. Meanwhile, a rock possessing charm magic could seduce you easily…it's impossible for you to fall in love with someone who doesn't possess charm magic.” Yv got up and dusted sand off her skirt. “And that's why I borrow charm magic from Giana. To make you go crazy about me.”

  She hopped off and left a sand cloud behind.

  Is this even sustainable? Doesn't her inability to use charm magic make her incompatible with me? Is this why charm magic users are drawn to me? I sighed and got up as I have to prepare to meet Healerguy and run to Gittrian