[~1300 Words]
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The mermaid princess's tears… they truly were sweet.
James tasted them unconsciously, half amused, half curious. They didn't turn into pearls, he thought with a smirk. I wonder… if someone drank enough of them, would they gain immortality?
Wrapped gently in Shirahoshi's enormous hand, he felt a strange warmth spread through his body. The world around him seemed softer, brighter. Her hand, though massive, was unexpectedly tender—almost like silk against his skin.
After a while, Shirahoshi finally calmed down.
Then, as if remembering something, she gasped and quickly lifted her hand. "Ah! James-sama! You're human—fragile! I'm so sorry, I got too excited!"
She carefully set him down, her wide eyes full of worry.
James looked up at her, a calm smile playing on his lips. "Don't worry, Shirahoshi. Even if you held me in your hand for a lifetime, I wouldn't be harmed in the slightest. You can… continue next time if you'd like."
Her expression softened instantly, and that radiant smile returned to her face—bright enough to make his heart skip. "As long as you're alright, James-sama~"
He chuckled, stepping closer. "Shirahoshi, may I put these on for you?"
She blinked, hesitating for a moment before studying him carefully. His eyes, his aura, his confidence—everything about him perfectly matched the husband she had always imagined.
And besides, if he truly had her father's approval to bring her mother's wedding gift, then…
"You may, James… Hu–Husband~"
James drew in a sharp breath. That one word—Husband—slid into his ears like a divine melody.
His gaze deepened. He floated up toward her ear, letting the jade box hover in front of him. Gently, he removed her old yellow earrings and whispered, "Shirahoshi~ I'm going to put these on you now."
"Mmm! I'm not scared, Husband."
Her face was flushed, but this time the word Husband rolled off her tongue more easily, more naturally.
James smiled. Without hesitation, he fastened the two new earrings to her ears—delicate ornaments that shimmered softly in the light.
"All done~" He waved his hand, pulling a large mirror from his dimensional space and letting it float before her. "Go on, take a look."
But Shirahoshi didn't look. Instead, she cradled James back into her hand, her enormous blue eyes filled with awe and admiration.
"So amazing! Husband really is a God, isn't he? You can pull anything out of thin air!"
James laughed lightly, patting her forehead. "Of course I am. Didn't I tell you so?"
Shirahoshi closed her eyes and leaned into his touch, her long lashes fluttering. After a moment, she peeked into the mirror and gasped softly.
"The earrings are so beautiful… Thank you, Husband~"
James nodded with a faint smile. But then his expression turned solemn. "Shirahoshi… the surprises don't end here."
She looked at him curiously.
"The man who murdered your mother, Queen Otohime—Hody Jones—has already been dealt with. By my own hands. You no longer have to carry that pain in silence."
Her breath caught. "Ah… Husband, how do you know that…?"
Her entire body trembled. The news hit her harder than any storm. For years, she had endured the agony of knowing the truth but being unable to act, bound by her mother's dying words: Do not hate the one who killed me.
James gave a faint smile. "You forget—I am a God, aren't I?"
"Mm!" she nodded, eyes shimmering with new tears.
Then she scooped him back into her arms and hugged him tightly, crying once again—this time not from grief, but relief.
James didn't stop her. He simply rested in her hands, letting her tears fall freely.
Cry, he thought gently. Let it all out. You've been holding it in for too long.
Her tears sparkled like liquid gemstones, washing away years of sorrow.
But after today, James mused silently, I'll only allow her to cry twice more…
As for why twice—well, that was a secret only he knew.
After a long while, Shirahoshi sniffled, wiping her eyes. She looked down at him, her tone hopeful.
"Hey, Husband~ will you… protect me forever?"
James smiled and reached out to touch her cheek. "Of course. From this day on, no one will ever harm you again."
Her eyes curved into crescent moons of joy. "Husband, forgive me for being selfish, but… I want to leave the Hard Shell Tower. I want to visit the Sea Forest, to see my mother. Will you take me there?"
Her voice trembled with longing. She looked like she might cry again if he refused.
"Of course," James said warmly. "That's why I came—to take you away."
"Really!? You're so kind, Husband~"
Overjoyed, Shirahoshi nuzzled her cheek against him affectionately before setting him down and swimming to a large chest at the corner of her room.
A few minutes later, she held up an outfit with excitement. "Husband! How does this look?"
James turned—and for a second, his mind went blank.
Her beauty was overwhelming: bright blue eyes framed by long pink curls, a taiyaki-shaped ornament nestled in her hair, her upper body modestly dressed in a light-blue top, and her long white pleated skirt draping elegantly over her pink tail.
She was breathtaking.
No, no, focus! Clothes. You're supposed to look at the clothes, he chided himself internally, lightly slapping his cheek.
She spun shyly, her skirt fluttering underwater. "Well? Does Husband like it?"
James's smile softened. "Beautiful. No matter what you wear, you'll always be the most beautiful woman in the world."
Her cheeks turned scarlet, and she shyly twisted her body. "Wuwu~ As long as Husband likes it~"
Seeing she was ready, James said gently, "Shirahoshi, if there's anything you want to bring with you, give it to me. I'll store everything safely. You'll soon live in a place filled with love and freedom."
"Really~?" she asked with wide eyes. After thinking for a moment, she began gathering everything she cherished and handed them to him one by one.
"Door-Door: Dimensional Storage!"
In a blink, every treasure disappeared into the portal he conjured. When the room was empty, Shirahoshi laughed shyly, her laughter echoing like chimes underwater.
James chuckled too, amused and fond. She's too kind for her own good. She couldn't even bear to leave a trinket behind.
When everything was ready, he reached into his storage ring and pulled out a massive pink flying carpet, thirty meters across, embroidered with lightning bolts and angelic wings—the insignia of God's Country.
"Come on, Shirahoshi!"
Shirahoshi gasped in delight. "So amazing! Is this a flying blanket?"
"That's right~" James smiled and activated his Float-Float power.
The carpet glowed and began to rise, carrying both of them gently into the air. As they ascended, the gates of the Hard Shell Tower slowly swung open, light pouring into the chamber.
"Hold on tight~" James said, his voice echoing with both warmth and promise.
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