**The Protagonist is the Villain, Episode 49 (49/515)**
That evening, when I returned to the bathhouse, Sellu sniffed me, catching Eve's scent.
"What happened?"
"Oh, I'm still persuading her. To help her integrate into human society, I think she needs a little more love and care."
"Love and care, huh... You're really something, High Priest of the Celestial Deity."
"Sellu, do you know about the Celestial Deity?"
"One of the sailors was a believer. He told me that if I believed in the deity, I'd stop doing this kind of work."
"What happened to him?"
"Eve challenged him. She said if the Celestial Deity was real, the god would save him from drowning. She threw him overboard."
"Did he survive?"
"No, he drowned. A passing shark ate him in one bite. That's why I don't believe in the Celestial Deity."
"Religion isn't meant to be believed in that way."
"Hmph... whatever. If a god can't save me from a shark, they're useless. I'd rather believe in my daughter."
I sank into the bath, exhaling. Even I wasn't a proper believer, so I didn't want to dwell on this topic. Sellu climbed out of her tub and sidled up to mine, licking my forearm gently.
"Wanna do it again tonight?"
Her eyes gleamed with mischief. I had no reason to refuse. That night, too, a few scales clung to my thighs.
In the original story, Eve is a bundle of insecurities. Her childhood abuse by slave hunters made her hate human men, and she despised her mixed-race appearance. But the protagonist, the hero, used power sex and compliments to win her over, stopping her hateful life and making her one of his wives.
Here, though, Eve and the hero's relationship is toxic, and I've had no part in it. With the hero unlikely to leave Erina for Eve, maybe it's up to me to embrace Eve with love?
Checking the kingdom's laws, there was no clause against marrying a mermaid. Even as a hero who defeated the Demon King and High Priest of the Celestial Deity, I couldn't petition to spare a pirate with no ties to the land. Scandal is more trouble than romance.
For my request to succeed, I needed something dramatic—a unique circumstance to sway the judges and public opinion. A priest vowing to take responsibility for a mermaid pirate? Romantic, isn't it?
The next day, in the dungeon, Eve sat demurely, legs pressed together, glancing at me. I sat across from her, separated by bars.
"Have you thought about it?"
"Uh... are you serious?"
"About what?"
"Marrying me. I'm trash, and I might stab you in the back."
"You're not that untrustworthy."
"Fuck! Stop with the wordplay and answer properly! Even if I'm trash, will you marry me?"
Words are empty. I knew actions speak louder. I opened the cell door and stepped inside. Eve tensed, staring up at me.
I pulled her into a kiss.
"Mmm... ng..."
Eve struggled but didn't pull away. Fearful of her sharp teeth, I didn't push my tongue in, but she accepted the kiss, lips slightly parted. Carefully, I slid my tongue inside.
Her teeth grazed my tongue—like kissing a bear trap. One wrong move, and my tongue would be shredded. Her tongue entwined with mine, and after a long, saliva-filled kiss, I pulled away. Eve, face flushed, licked her glossy lips.
I tasted blood on my tongue. Kissing someone with sharp teeth was risky. Gently, I kissed her again, stroking her head.
"Is that enough?"
"...You're insane. I don't like you. I like women. If I marry you and gain freedom, I'll sleep with every woman in this estate. Got it?"
"Why do you put yourself down like that?"
Eve scowled.
"What?"
"Why do you think you're trash, that you only like women? I don't see it that way."
"Fuck... you religious bastard..."
Eve turned away, cursing. I forced her to face me. Her ears flushed red, and she refused to meet my eyes.
"Do you hate me?"
"...I fucking hate you. Got it? I fucking hate you."
"I think you're beautiful. Pretty face, big breasts..."
"Die! You bitch, die!"
Mentioning her breasts was a mistake. Eve kicked me, lost her balance, and fell backward. I climbed on top of her, stroking her cheek.
"Get off! Get off, you bitch!"
"We're getting married, so we should consummate it."
"What? Get off, you bastard!"
I silenced her with another kiss. She resisted less when I kissed or touched her than when she cursed. But I didn't push my tongue in, fearing she'd bite it off. After a long kiss, I pulled away.
"I really think you're beautiful."
".....Really?"
"Really. Fucking gorgeous. Huge tits too."
".....You always add one more thing."
Eve turned away, muttering. I untied the chains around her legs. As I reached her waist, she looked at me anxiously.
"Are you sure?"
"What?"
"I'm really ugly. If you see and run away, I'll kill you. Got it?"
I didn't respond. Eve didn't resist as I unbuckled her belt. The environment had made her compliant.
I slowly pulled down her pants. Her toned abs made me swallow hard. Cotton underwear modestly covered her. She crossed her thighs, turning away in shame.
Her thighs were softer and smoother than I'd imagined. I paused, massaging them gently. Eve watched, breathless.
After a while, I pulled down her pants. The tough leather was surprisingly stretchy. As I reached her knees, scaly skin was revealed.
Eve looked up at me, dizzy. Her legs, far more grotesque than I'd expected, shocked me, but I managed to hide my reaction. Below the knees, she was a fish with human-shaped legs. Seeing it in person was different from game CG.
Her knees were covered in rough scales. I removed her shoes. Her feet had webbing and sharp claws. She flinched as I touched them.
"Is it gross?"
She asked. As I stroked her legs gently, she spoke excitedly.
"You saw it. It's fucking gross. You won't even get hard. Scales will fall off everywhere, and you'll be ridiculed. People will call you a crazy pervert for sleeping with a lowborn slave."
My hand brushed her thigh. After a long, self-deprecating rant, Eve fell silent, trembling. I ripped off her underwear. She twisted in shock, but bound arms couldn't cover her.
"It's fine."
Honestly, if I could sleep with a mermaid, scales below the knees weren't a problem. I climbed on top of her, pulling down my pants. She looked at me, then away, muttering,
"You're a pervert."
Eve's insults, from someone so beautiful, were oddly arousing. I touched her eyepatch. She tried to pull away, not wanting it touched.
"Can I? Is it okay?"
I removed my pants, revealing my erect penis. Eve glanced at it, then at me.
"...Do what you want."
Permission granted. I pushed inside her, but her tight entrance resisted. Realizing I needed lubricant, I remembered the aphrodisiac in my pocket. I poured it on my penis.
"Ng... What's wrong?"
Eve, unable to see below, asked as I groaned. The aphrodisiac's intense sensation overwhelmed me. Gasping, I pushed into her again.
"Mmm... ng..."
Eve grimaced as I entered her, twisting slightly. The aphrodisiac worked as lubricant, and I slid in fully with little resistance.
"Haa... ng... ah..."
Eve, accustomed to dildos from the ship, accepted me easily. She exhaled hotly, head drooping. Her insides were softer than expected, with pleasant pressure.
"Haa... ah... mmm... ng..."
Her walls clung to me with a sticky texture as I moved. Her juices, the aphrodisiac, and my penis created an obscene rhythm. Eve's soft moans turned into strange sounds.
"Haa... what's this... ng... it's strange... ah..."
I didn't mention the aphrodisiac. My penis was throbbing, and I couldn't risk finishing too quickly. I moved slowly, not wanting to seem premature.
"Ng... ah... aa... ahh... this feels... ng... new... ahh..."
I began rotating my hips, stirring inside her. Bound by chains, Eve could only lift her head slightly, enduring the pleasure.
"Ah! Ng... ah... it's good..."
Eve was on the brink, gasping in ecstasy. I couldn't hold back either, my hips moving wildly despite my intentions.
Flesh slapped against flesh, wet and sticky. Each thrust made Eve moan, losing herself in pleasure. I pounded into her, savoring her body.
"Ahh! Yes! Keep going! Ng... ahh!"
"You're mine, got it?"
I grabbed her head, thrusting deeply. As I whispered, Eve stared blankly, nodding. She was lost in pleasure.
Drooling and gasping, Eve reached her limit. I thrust deeply, holding her tightly. She kicked, screaming in ecstasy.
"Ahh... ahh... ahh!"
I released more semen than ever inside her. Eve trembled, savoring the sensation. After a while, I kissed her again. Sweaty and flushed, she looked at me.
"If you leave me, I'll kill you."
I had no intention of leaving her. But do I really have to marry her?