As soon as the older sister returned to her room, she began to mutter to her reflection in the mirror:
"Moonlight... it was her own choice... heh heh heh..."
"For a Merfolk to shed their fish blood, they must endure the agony of having their scales stripped away... Under the witness of the moonlight, those with weak resolve will turn into mere sea foam..."
"It was Qianqian herself who wanted to become human... she was the one who wanted it... Qianqian... little sister... my... little sister..."
Soft sobs echoed through the room, gradually escalating into wails of uncontrollable regret and self-reproach. Why hadn't she realized it sooner? Why, why!
The next day, the older sister’s emotions had returned to normal. She set out for her customary patrol of the sea, only to discover that not a single Merfolk was to be found in the entire Merfolk Homeland—not even Granny Mermaid, who served as the community's anchor.
She suddenly remembered: the night before had been the night of the full moon. It would take half a day for a Merfolk to travel from the coast to the human fishing village on foot—without magic or water—and with newly changed feet, adjusting to the sensation would take time. Therefore, Qianqian must have reached the village last night to be with that human.
Chapter 209