Chapter 4 Don’t Call It Tears of the Mermaid
Hearing a hasty news caster on the morning news reporting how many consecutive days off there would be during this year’s Golden Week holiday, I realized April was already halfway over. My second year of high school had gotten off to a somewhat chaotic start, beginning with the problem of our club room being forced to vacate. I feel like I’ve already worked a full year’s worth of stress, so I’d like to take a full year’s vacation.
“Like that’s going to happen……”
After school, I headed to the club room as usual, trying to console myself with pointless muttering.
It’s only Saku-senpai who’s hoping for a new visitor to come seeking advice. As for me, I’d be perfectly happy with the club room being quiet enough to hear the sound of a single bird. After all, just like no firefighter wants a fire, peace is the most precious thing.
“Our club room is literally no open flames allowed……huh?”
Turning the hallway corner, I noticed a group of girls gathered. At the end of the corridor bridge were three girls, with one familiar face from my class in the center.
“Eww, no way? Maihama-san can’t swim?”
“She looked like she could do anything, so shocking!”
The other two girls I didn’t know well were speaking in exaggeratedly high-pitched voices.
“Yes. I’m afraid I can’t help with that, I’m very sorry.”
As Maihama politely bowed her head, the two girls just said something like “It’s okay~” with a flippant smile.
“……Even though she’s a mermaid?”
“……Right? Doesn’t that seem weird?”
As they passed by Maihama, they made sure to say these words loud enough that she could definitely hear them.
They were obviously insufferable, but well, that kind of meanness is common in society.
“Yo. You got caught up with some weird people.”
“Ahh, Komori-kun… I wouldn’t say they were that weird.”
“Were they asking you to do something?”
“Yeah. Sometimes I get asked to fill in for clubs that have vacancies. Those girls were third-year swimmers. They said they’re short of butterfly swimmers this year.”
“Ah… Could it be they heard about you being a mermaid?”
“Exactly. Even though I can’t even tread water properly. I was pretty embarrassed.”
The one who should be embarrassed was them. They probably had some ridiculous fantasy about mermaids floating in water or not needing to breathe.
“It’s a pain having to explain it every time.”
“Nah, in cases like this, you can just say ‘I can’t swim’ and be done with it. The more complicated cases are when people have half-baked knowledge……mhm……”
Looking at the troubled girl, I couldn’t help but think she looked kind of cute.
“Ah! There you are! Maihama-san!” “Do you have a moment?”
Two small-statured girls ran over. They seemed to be acquaintances of Maihama.
“Ah, right, you’re from the choir club… Uchida-san and Uesaka-san. What’s up?”
“Yes! This! This website!”
“We looked it up during lunch break and got really excited!”
The two excited first-years showed Maihama their phone screen, which made Maihama make exactly the same “mhm…” expression she had just made moments ago.
“It says here that mermaids are all good at singing.”
“We’re aiming for nationals in choir. Please join us, even if it’s just part time!”
This was definitely going to be complicated. Since it wasn’t malicious, it would be harder to deal with.
“Sorry, can I cut in?”
“……Eh? Whaaat!” one of them jumped back dramatically—not really the reaction someone would have to a stranger suddenly talking to them. “Hey, this guy…” “Yeah, it’s him, right?” The two whispered together, and seemed to reach a conclusion.
“A real live Bat-senpai” “Real Bat Senpai…”
Maihama snorted and looked away.
“If you ate that, you’d probably get a stomachache.”
“S-Sorry!”
“It was supposed to mean brings good fortune!”
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT gadgetizedpanda.net
The underclassmen were bowing repeatedly like I was about to eat them. Seems like I’m just not the type to be popular with girls. At the same time, I just discovered that this nickname had already spread to the new students.
“Well… As you’ve researched, statistically many mermaids are good at singing. The catch is what ‘good at’ means here. Do you think it means better pitch than average people? Or like having a powerful operatic voice?”
The first-year girl responded to my question with “Is it different?”
“Unfortunately. Apparently their voice contains ultra-high frequency sounds between 10-20kHz, which creates relaxing alpha waves in human brains when heard.”
“Whoa that sounds scientific!”
Though I could relate to their reaction of not understanding but being impressed.
“If multiple people sing harmonies, the effect probably won’t show up.”
That was the conclusion. If they wanted to complain about being disappointed, I wouldn’t mind them taking it out on me.
“Oh, wow… This site even has a note about it here.”
“We jumped to conclusions and got too excited……”
The two girls apologized sincerely for saying strange things.
“But but, we love Senpai’s voice! It’s so pretty!”
“Really?”
“Yes! Definitely! We’re both fans! Peace out!”
Watching them leave cheerfully, I couldn’t help but admire how nice it must be to be young and straightforward.
“Bat-senpai, are you a mermaid expert?” “You’re just a mermaid fanboying. Definitely trying to get with her.”
Without even trying to eavesdrop, I could hear them badmouthing an upperclassman. Everyone was so obvious with their gossip, it wasn’t even really behind people’s backs anymore. They might have even been trying to be overheard.
“Komori-kun, are you trying to get with me?”
“Please don’t tease me like that.”
“Sorry sorry. Komori-kun already has Saiin senpai, right?”
“You’re definitely teasing me. Were you mad I interrupted?”
“Not at all! I’m only grateful. You know a lot about all sorts of facts, huh?”
“Just coincidence.”
“Actually, I’ve seen you helping other girls like this many times before.”
“Seems like you observe people closely. What, are you trying to get with me too, Maihama?”
“Well… I guess I am. I do want to get close to the real you, like a documentary program would.”
“You wouldn’t last five minutes with my real self.”
Normally not someone who jokes around, Maihama often let her mischievous side show with me. This reminded me of her completely different fashion sense on her days off.
Right when I was about to bring it up—
“Ah, oh no, we shouldn’t be having this chat standing around.”
Maihama filled the moment with her words, making me miss my timing.
“I should hurry through student council stuff and get to my club.”
“Right. do your best in moderation.”
“Yeah, You too Komori-kun”
I didn’t bother calling out to stop Maihama as she walked away.
Peaceful. And I preferred it that way.
“Hmm, hmm. Playing 7-6 knight drop to hold on, I see.”
Pachi. The pleasant sound of grain wood echoed in the club room.
Of course, no consultation visitors would appear so conveniently. As usual, Saku-senpai was absorbed in playing children’s games without any consistency. She was staring intensely at the shogi board placed on the round chair. It was a proper one with legs, not a folding board, borrowed from the shogi club—but from my memory, it hadn’t been returned in over ten months.
“Hmm, this really is a bad shape……”
She opened a book while sitting there, her face serious like a professional match. The book title was “Brave Horizontal Step Capture.” Nine out of ten times, it wasn’t for beginners. Saku-senpai was quite strong at shogi. She was also good at go, chess, mahjong, othello, backgammon, and most board games.
She wasn’t so much talented as she was someone with too much free time, easily influenced by anime. I had been dragged into playing with her, so I had become somewhat decent at all of them, though I hoped I’d never need those skills. I’d rather die than thank her for all those days of nothing but silver drop and ranging rook shogi.
“Geez, the era of horizontal steps ended long ago……”
As I muttered to myself while looking at a math textbook, my phone vibrated in my pocket.
I saw it was a message from Shishihara, and felt somewhat confused.
After that time when I was attacked by a yakuza named Saejima Ritsu, and “sososo, right right, we didn’t have Komori-kun’s ID before, right? Yeah!” that girl who clapped her hands like a monkey toy had exchanged contacts with me, so there was no worry about personal information leaking.
“…………?”
Looking suspiciously at where she sat across the table—Shishihara had closed the light novel she’d been reading (Saku-senpai’s personal property) about a dragon king at work, and was fiddling with her phone. Pretending she didn’t know anything, she was deliberately not looking my way.
Also check out my friend Localizermeerkat for more LN translations!
BUY THE SOURCE MATERIAL TO SUPPORT THE AUTHOR !!!
Kindly click on the green button above and contribute to filling the green bar if you’re interested in having another LN from the request page translated. Also, every donation is being used to purchase the source material and to fund more English translations.
Please consider joining my Ko-Fi membership. By becoming a member, you’ll also gain access to 2-10 additional chapters of all of the novels from this site translated into English. Last but not least your support will also assist me in upholding the translation quality and speed. For more information, please follow the link.
Donation for faster release is always welcome
Additionally, I am now accepting translation requests.
