Help! My Bargain-Buy Crybaby Merman Won’t Stop Making Noise - Chapter 1

The merman was covered in wounds.

The crate was far too small for someone his size. He lay curled up miserably inside it, his wrists bound behind his back.

A cheap bite guard covered his mouth. A yellow tag had been punched through one ear, stamped with his number: 531.

Even his once-beautiful silver tail had lost its sheen.

After confirming the delivery, I signed the receipt.

From today on, he was my merman.

I reached down to lift him. His eyes snapped open, and a warning growl rumbled in his throat.

Those ice-blue eyes were proud and wary.

For a moment, I went still.

That color looked so much like the eyes of the merman I had met as a child.

So when my best friend, Shen Qing, sent me the listing, I bought him without giving it much thought.

I gave his wounds some basic treatment. The instant I undid his restraints, he slipped into the swimming pool on his own.

I had filled it in advance with salt water at roughly the same salinity as seawater.

I took the salmon I had prepared from the refrigerator, walked to the edge of the pool, and kept my instructions brief.

“Eat.”

He approached slowly and reached for me.

Had I known enough about merfolk, I would have recognized a hunting stance.

Unfortunately, I didn’t realize what it was until a sharp pain tore across my arm.

My bracelet snapped and dropped into the water.

Luckily, I moved fast enough to escape with only a shallow scratch. Beads of blood fell into the pool and bloomed through the water.

His nostrils flared. He froze.

At his reaction, I wondered if he hadn’t meant to scratch me at all.

Perhaps human skin was simply too fragile for a merman.

I sighed and tended to my arm.

To avoid a repeat incident, I decided to consult the digital handbook the seller had included with my order.

【Merfolk do not share a language with humans. Communication requires patience.

【Merfolk can move about on land, but they must rehydrate at regular intervals and consume additional fresh water.

【This species is naturally vigilant. Degree of domestication varies by individual. For the owner’s safety, an aquarium is recommended during the initial adjustment period. Observe through glass and avoid direct contact.

【Some merfolk can transform their tails into legs. The shop assumes no responsibility if a merman uses this ability to escape.

【For customers who regard their merman as a partner: humans and merfolk are reproductively compatible.

【Please note: merfolk possess far greater strength and stamina than humans.】