"Yes, I heard that there is a local war with Atlantis going on here in the Atlantic Ocean, but it doesn't have much impact on our lives. I thought this route was just a bit risky, but I didn't expect it.
Attacked by one of his own people..." Atreus said vaguely while chewing dried meat and cheese.
"'The Lost Souls' must think that you are going to support Atlantis. She has already sunk dozens of ships like this, and you don't even know?" Lily looked surprised.
Atreus shook his head honestly, after all, he really didn't know anything.
This was also a method he came up with in a short period of time to collect information. He knew nothing about this world and could only roughly guess that there was a war going on between mermaids and humans, so he pretended to be involved accidentally because he was obsessed with academics.
As for a professor who doesn't know much about the war, it's better to make up a false identity and then get away with it in a few words.
Moreover, there was a rule of "no wasting food", so he was only responsible for listening. From time to time, he would say a few silly words, which would induce Lily to take the initiative to tell the information.
After a meal, he roughly understood the context of this world and this war.
The oceans of this world are ruled by a "United Kingdom" composed of seven undersea tribes, including Atlantis, and have been in contact with land since the Age of Discovery, because neither side has much land or resources for the other.
The needs of the two countries have been in a state of peace for a long time, with occasional exchanges of needs, until the emergence of modern industry.
Humanity's exploitation of seabed resources and large amounts of sewage discharge have led to the deterioration of the marine ecology. Conflicts between mermaids and sewage and mining companies have gradually become more frequent. The United Kingdom has repeatedly come forward to negotiate with humans, but humans are not a whole like them.
Even if a single country agrees to stop emissions and expand mining, it will not be binding on other countries.
The trigger of this war was that the Queen of Atlantis, "Artoria Curry", went to Gotham, the country with the worst pollutants in North America, to negotiate, but was rejected by the country's president, "Bruce Wei".
"Well" caused by the seizure.
It is said that the parents of this female president were killed in a conflict between mermaids and sewage companies. The Queen of Atlantis may have mentioned this incident during negotiations. I don’t know if she was revealing the truth at the time or making fun of it.
It took a while, but the final result was that Brucey and her Wayne family officially declared war on the United Undersea Kingdom and called themselves the "Drowning Ghosts" - judging from this name, it was probably the former.
In summary, this is a world based on the premise that "Atlantis has been in contact with the land from a long time ago". At least some of the countries and cities Lily mentioned have never been heard of by Atreus.
The reason why Lily is here is because she is the "sea watcher" of the "Sea of the Earth's Core", and her duty is to prevent ships or sea beasts from approaching the huge undersea whirlpool that is said to lead to the center of the Earth.
It's just that due to frequent wars recently, the battlefield has spread here, resulting in too many wrecks of ships or submersibles being involved. She has almost no chance to stop it. She will only take the initiative when she sees the victims - such as Atreus.
Approach and rescue.
"This sunken ship was sorted out by me and other 'sea watchers' to temporarily house the victims. You can live here temporarily, and when I change shifts with them, I can take you back to the land," Lily looked at Ah
Tereus ate up every bit of the food that was served, and his expression seemed to be much relieved: "If you have something urgent to go back to, I can also make a report, but based on our relationship with humans, I probably won't approve it.
"
Although they are not the same person, they have the same appearance and similar personalities, and they are all keen on helping others, but... what is Shirahoshi's purpose of throwing himself here? Just to let him meet Lily's homomorphic form?
"The school is on holiday. I don't have anything urgent to do, but it would be troublesome if I were missing for too long." Atreus continued to make up the story: "How often do you change shifts?"
"It's usually seven days. After all, this sunken ship can't store much supplies. There may be problems if humans live on the bottom of the sea all the time." Lily looked up at the ceiling: "But you're lucky, tomorrow is the round -"
Boom boom boom——!
Even across the water, the cabin and the air, the huge explosions and roars came through very penetratingly.
Lily was stunned for a moment, then swung her tail and rushed out of the living room, her words echoing in the room: "You stay here! I'll go take a look!"
"I am a weak academic, and I have just experienced a shipwreck. No matter what I think, it is impossible for me to intervene."
Atreus muttered to himself, cast the Disillusionment Charm and the Silencer Charm on himself, and then quickly followed him out.
————
It seems that I have to retract my evaluation of "local war". Has mankind's technology developed to this extent after contact with Atlantis?
Atreus, who followed Lily quietly all the way, narrowed his eyes and looked at the "sky".
There was a "submarine" that was completely black, had an elongated oval shape, and was painted with a red bat on the surface. It was at least ten times the size of the sunken ship just now. It was sinking while it continued to emit dull explosions.
At the same time, more than a dozen relatively smaller "square boxes" painted mainly in blue and white were circling around it, constantly firing some kind of physical projectiles to attack the giant submarine, without completely destroying it.
The attitude of never giving up.
"James? Why are you here? Isn't the shift change tomorrow? What's that black one?" Lily, who was swimming in front, somehow connected with those "square boxes", but Atreus could only
Hear her voice.
"[Black Manta]? The new weapon of the Drowned Soul?" Lily's voice sounded very surprised: "Okay, I'm going to help!"
Do you still remember that you are just a "sea-watcher" with no fighting ability?
Atreus watched Lily nimbly avoid the scattered debris and get into one of the "square boxes". He hesitated for a moment, but still did not follow. After all, he could not explain how he, a "human professor", could move freely on the seabed.
of.
But even if you can't take the initiative to show up, there are still things you can do, such as...
Atreus raised his hand and pointed it at the submersible that kept making muffled explosions: [God's Edge is Shadowless]! [Split into pieces]!
Katcha...a dull tearing sound came from inside the submarine.
Very good, even if this black submarine, which was constantly disintegrating, accelerated its disintegration, those mermaids would only think that their attack was effective, and would not doubt——
Buzz-buzz!
Less than five seconds after Atreus cast the spell, the red bat-painted eyes on the surface of the submarine that looked like just decoration suddenly lit up, and two black and red beams of light swept straight towards him.
"Is this really——!?" Atreus, who easily dodged the beam and was about to laugh, but a sudden feeling in his heart made him turn around subconsciously.
The "square box" submersible that Lily had just gotten into couldn't dodge and was hit by one of the beams, which exploded into a ball of underwater fireworks.
"——"
Amidst the sharp tinnitus, a picture flashed before Atreus' eyes - it was a wall calendar that he accidentally glanced at while dining in the sunken ship.
The date above is...[1989].
——[‘Loki Odinson’ meets ‘The Little Mermaid’ Lola Angelberda (1960-).]——
