The Little Merman Demands Legs from the Sea Witch - Chapter 28

Kashmir walked into the water until his lower body was submerged. Usually, if he stayed like this for a while, his legs would transform back into a tail. However, to his surprise, nothing changed this time. His legs remained as they were, solid and stable beneath him, with the strange heaviness he had felt earlier gradually dissipating.

Puzzled, he glanced down at his lower body. What was that unfamiliar sensation if it wasn’t his legs turning back into a tail? Just as he was about to touch his g***n to figure it out, Iko spoke up from beside a palm tree.

“If you really want to learn about human mating, I… I can lend you a book.”

Iko, her breath still shaky from earlier, admitted to herself that she had been too hasty in trying to seduce him.

She had assumed that intimacy would come as naturally as kissing, without needing any prior preparation. But she was wrong. If only she had been more experienced.

But she wasn’t. And she didn’t trust herself to guide him through the act in a way that would be pleasurable for both of them. Leaving it up to Kashmir seemed equally risky—if he could nearly crush her chest just by touching it, she feared what else he might do unintentionally. So, both of them needed to be better prepared.

“Come inside,” Iko said, gesturing with her eyes as she headed into the house. Kashmir walked out of the water, his steps sure and strong. But he hesitated at the entrance to the witch’s house.

“You usually get angry when I just walk in. Are you sure it’s okay this time?”

“It’s fine.”

Kashmir, his heart pounding, entered the house. Although it wasn’t his first time inside, it was the first time she had willingly allowed him into her personal space, so he felt both excited and curious.

“If you read this, you’ll get a general idea of how things work.”

Iko said handed him a book titled The Structure of the Human Body while he was still busy marveling at her home.

Iko had expected him to be eager to dive into the book right away, but he didn’t even open it. Instead, he tucked it under his arm and continued exploring the house. Iko couldn’t exactly force him to sit down and read it immediately.

“You don’t have to read it right away. Just take your time and return it when you’re done,” she said, trying to sound casual, even though she really wanted him to read it and learn quickly.

“Sure. But what’s that big bag over there? Are you planning to go on a trip or something?” Kashmir asked, pointing to a large bag in the corner.

Iko’s heart skipped a beat when he mentioned it.

“That’s not mine,” she said, averting her gaze. Her reaction was suspicious enough to make anyone wonder.

“Then whose is it?”

“It’s none of your business,” Iko snapped defensively.

Kashmir turned to her with a surprised look, and Iko immediately regretted her sharp tone.

“It’s not mine. It was packed by Dalribaya before she passed away. It’s not…mine.”

Iko explained, softening her tone. But the atmosphere between them remained tense. While Iko hesitated, unsure how to convey that she didn’t want to fight, Kashmir’s legs started to twitch.

“The potion must be wearing off.”

Kashmir rushed out of the house before his legs could turn back into a tail. Iko watched him leave, feeling disheartened.

He had only asked about the bag, and she had overreacted, creating an awkward situation. How could she convince him that staying here was more comfortable and fun than going to the village if she kept pushing him away?

With a heavy sigh, Iko resigned herself to waiting until Kashmir read the book and came to her with questions. Then she could pretend to teach him, using it as a way to seduce him.

Although she wasn’t very knowledgeable herself, she was sure she knew more than he did. After all, he was a fool who wouldn’t be able to understand everything just from reading.

***

Iko was confident in her plan, but days passed, and Kashmir never mentioned the book or asked her any questions about it.

“Have you read the book I lent you?” Iko asked.

“Huh? Oh, yeah,” Kashmir replied vaguely.

“Did you understand it?”

“Yeah, kind of.”

But it was clear he didn’t want to discuss it. He kept his back to her, fiddling with the sand and avoiding eye contact. Iko had expected him to be interested in s-x, given his curiosity about new and exciting things. But apparently, that wasn’t the case.

Had he found it different from what he expected, and now didn’t want to pursue it? Or was he simply uninterested in doing it with her?

At some point, he had even stopped asking her to entertain him when he was bored. Just a short while ago, he had been so persistent that it was almost annoying.

This sudden change in his behavior left Iko feeling both confused and concerned.