073
“I’ve seen people ride dolphins before in my life… But someone turning into a dolphin? That’s a first.”
The family head, Galizard, clicked his tongue in disbelief.
The incident of Shupetty Pashayen turning into a dolphin spread throughout the mansion in an instant.
Even though dolphins are air-breathing mammals, they’re still ocean-dwellers—not exactly creatures of the land.
So as soon as the incident occurred, Leviwood immediately called for help.
Thankfully, Ilyad was at the mansion at the time. And lifting a dolphin was no problem for someone of his strength.
As a result, emergency aid was administered swiftly.
“What on earth… My daughter… What is this…”
Diegon had been repeating the same phrase over and over, unable to process what had happened.
Yes, in the Pashayen family, the dead turn into whales.
But someone turning into a dolphin while still alive?
That was unheard of.
“This is, without a doubt, the first time something like this has happened in the family’s entire history.”
Cedric, who had been flipping through historical records with a grave expression, closed the book with a firm statement.
“And it doesn’t seem like the doing of either the Spirit King of Air or Water.”
“Indeed. Spirits view their original form as the most beautiful. They wouldn’t play such cruel tricks without reason.”
That comment came from Lottya Lovlemary, a professor of spiritology, responding to Cedric’s analysis.
“Then who… and why…?”
Staring blankly at the tank, Diegon rubbed his face in distress.
No, there must be a way.
It was a sudden and bizarre event, but surely—surely—there had to be a way to reverse it.
“These are the clothes and belongings that the young miss was wearing and carrying.”
“What’s this box?”
Carmen, visibly restless, offered the neatly arranged items on a tray to Diegon.
Frowning, Diegon reached for a box wrapped in blue paper—it was only natural.
“Could this object have been cursed or something? Lina, since when has Shupetty been carrying this box around?”
Lina, who had been sitting in front of the aquarium crying, barely managed to lift her head at the sharp question.
“T-that… that was something the young miss brought back… the last time she went out with Young Master Mikard.”
“When was that again…? Oh, the day she went to the bank? The day she brought back that weird origami crane hairpin.”
Lina didn’t bother to correct him by saying it wasn’t a ‘weird origami crane hairpin’ but rather a ‘breathtakingly beautiful and artistic origami crane hairpin.’ That wasn’t the point right now.
Nor did she mention that Shupetty kept that origami hairpin hidden like a treasure in her jewelry box.
Or that every night before going to sleep, she would take out her name tag that read ‘My Daughter’ and that hairpin, look at them, stroke them gently, kiss them, and then fall asleep.
Because what did it matter now—when that precious young miss had turned into a dolphin!
And she hadn’t even worn the hairpin today, anyway.
“Then who gave her this box? Was it that bastard Raximon again?”
Diegon felt like he was about to lose his mind.
Lately, he’d been trying so hard to focus all his attention on his daughter. He was being incredibly careful and attentive.
Even on the days when she went out, he’d anxiously wait, wondering when she’d return.
Every night before bed, Elzen would do a final check on Shupetty’s condition, and Diegon would check again at breakfast.
He’d even planted several navy men among the maids and servants in the house, just to keep an extra eye on things.
So he could get reports on how Shupetty spent her days.
Yet, not once had he received a report about this box.
“That box…”
Lina hung her head in guilt.
It was her duty to report everything about the young miss.
But she had deliberately left this box out.
“That was… um…”
Lina was conflicted.
She felt like she shouldn’t be the one to say this. The young miss would surely be disappointed if it came from her.
But the young miss who would be disappointed—had turned into a dolphin!
“Dad!”
Just as Diegon’s face grew colder and Galizard let out a groaning sound—
Mikard burst through the door, having run there after hearing the news.
“That! That’s Dad’s!”
“….…!”
Bang!
He’d flung the door open so hard that the hinges came off.
Mikard pointed straight at the box in Diegon’s hand.
“Chubby bought that for Dad! But she never got to give it to you.”
“…For me?”
Diegon narrowed his brows and looked down again at the flat box in his hand.
The box was small enough to fit into a skirt pocket, and thinly wrapped.
What was inside seemed to be made of fabric.
“It’s a birthday present for Dad! Actually, we were planning a party too. But we couldn’t do it—because Luarel came back that day.”
“……”
“Anyway, that part’s not so important. What matters is, it’s for Dad.”
Having confessed everything, Mikard quickly rushed toward the glass tank.
“Chubby…”
Shupetty—a dolphin?
He couldn’t believe it, but now that he’d come and seen with his own eyes—
He was sure.
Those gentle, round, and hungry-looking eyes were unmistakably Shupetty’s.
“Did you feed her anything?”
“Not yet. We were debating whether to give her sardines, or something humans eat, or maybe cooked meat. We weren’t sure.”
The one who answered was Leviwood, who had been standing with his arms crossed the whole time.
Mikard scratched his head and shouted, exasperated.
“Ah, just give her everything! Let her choose! Chubby’s going to turn skinny at this rate. She eats so much normally! And look at her—she looks super hungry right now!”
“What if she gets sick from eating the wrong thing, Mikard?”
Mikard got worked up, Leviwood calmly tried to soothe him, and Lina burst into tears again at the word ‘skinny.’
Just then, a soft tapping sound was heard from somewhere.
It came from Shupetty, pressing her snout gently against the glass.
“Shu…”
Diegon, who had been staring at the box for a while, spoke with a trembling voice.
Shupetty did a spin in the water, almost as if she understood him.
She looked excited, in contrast to all the serious people around her—and honestly, it left them speechless.
“Huff, huff. Your Excellency, I’ve arrived.”
“Lieutenant Commander Rachel.”
Shupetty, upon seeing Rachel, did three joyful spins in the water.
Rachel took about 10 seconds to process the situation, then tossed aside her jacket and climbed the ladder up beside the tank.
“I’ll translate.”
“Please do.”
In this unprecedented situation, the only one they could rely on was Lieutenant Commander Rachel—who could understand dolphin language.
Splash!
Rachel dove into the tank and began communicating with Shupetty through silent underwater swimming.
To normal people, the sounds might have been indiscernible or just random high-pitched squeaks.
But thankfully, Rachel could translate them into human language.
“The young miss says the box is indeed a birthday present. She says you should open it. As for the rest…”
“The rest?”
“She says… she’s excited. And… she wants to go to the sea.”
Everyone present smacked their foreheads in unison.
That reaction was so typical of Shupetty.
“She also says the tank feels very stuffy.”
“Of course. Who in their right mind would trap a dolphin in a tank? Tsk tsk.”
Galizard, who had been silently observing, let out a sigh.
Rachel, drying her hair with the towel Lina had tearfully brought over, continued her report.
“The young miss says, since she’s like this now, she’d like to see the mermaids and the great ancestor whale. And also… she’s hungry.”
“She has no idea how worried her father is…”
Diegon couldn’t even bring himself to open the box—let alone unwrap it.
He just held it gently in his hands, eyes dimming with emotion, then shut them tightly before opening them again.
“For now, grilled sardines and clam meat would be best. Lina, go prepare them.”
“Y-yes, right away!”
“And I… should contact Raximon.”
