The Gobiru Sea, located on the western side of the continent, is the fabled Forbidden Sea. Enshrouded by some mysterious force, it is besieged by incessant tempests throughout the year, with waterspouts making frequent appearances.


    Yet, despite such a formidable environment, fearless land - based explorers still venture into this realm. They possess, to varying degrees, unique methods of survival in the harsh maritime conditions.


    The Black Shark is an exploration ship that often frequents these waters. Crafted from special magical materials, not only is it inherently robust, but it also has advanced magic arrays inscribed within. With the crew''s cooperation, it can cast a variety of emergency magics.


    Pike, the captain of this ship, bears a cross - shaped scar on his forehead, making him highly distinguishable. This burly captain''s favorite pastime is to climb onto the lookout during the fiercest of storms, savoring the sensation of the tempestuous winds and driving rain lashing forcefully against his muscles. This grants him a thrill of defying the heavens, a feeling, of course, founded upon his formidable strength.


    However, today the weather does not cooperate. He can only sit idly in a corner of the deck, silently toying with the gold coins in his hand.


    A stout, pot - bellied man approaches and says, "Captain, we''ve just double - checked the course. We''re approaching the place we explored last time. Should we inform the young lady up front to get ready?"


    Pike makes the gold coin flip and slide across the back of his fingers. After listening, he pinches the coin between his fingertips and glances at the figure standing at the bow, dressed in adventurous attire.


    He manages a smile and says, "Since this young lady wishes to experience the harshness of the sea, we shall fulfill her wish."


    Another long - faced sailor with a blue - turbaned head sidles up and remarks, "These noble young ladies must have lost their wits. Abandoning their luxurious lives, and being so frail, they come here in search of mermaids. What utter folly!"


    Pike shifts his position, his tone filled with contempt as he responds, "You think she''s weak? Don''t be so naive, Rillo. She''s a genuine level - two warrior, more capable than you."


    Upon hearing this, the sailor named Rillo is startled. The noble young lady had always seemed quite ordinary, and he had assumed she was just an ordinary person.


    "You should have realized. After days of fierce storms, she still maintains the same state as when she boarded the ship. This is quite extraordinary," the pot - bellied crew member comments.


    "Someone like her is among the elite of the nobility. How could her parents bear to let her embark on this adventure with us?" the long - faced sailor asks, even more puzzled.


    Pike suddenly stands up and walks towards the captain''s cabin, saying calmly, "Because her parents don''t know."


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    The two crew members exchange puzzled looks.


    At this moment, the figure at the bow is looking expectantly at the gently undulating sea - level. Her name is Diana, born into a count''s family.


    Exhibiting exceptional combat talent from a young age, she has received all kinds of affection from her elders. At just sixteen, she became a level - two knight, yet within her heart lies a soul yearning for adventure.


    Prompted by a certain opportunity, she set foot on this adventure ship. This opportunity was Glen''s fairy - tale, specifically, the story of the mermaid.


    Perhaps overly protected by her family, perhaps deeply moved by the story, or perhaps both, in any case, she was deeply touched by the tale. Such a lovely and kind - hearted mermaid should not have met such an end!


    After reading it, Diana couldn''t break free from this fictional tragedy for a long time, feeling as if something was missing in her heart.


    While strolling alone in disguise on the bustling street, she suddenly heard someone mention the word "mermaid." This instantly roused her from her daze.


    Looking around, she saw a traveling merchant shouting something about selling mermaid slaves. This instantly ignited Diana''s anger.


    Undoubtedly, the traveling merchant was in for a bad time.


    When Diana saw a creature with a human - girl upper body and a fish - tail lower body, covered in wounds, imprisoned in a glass pool, weakly gazing at the outside world, the mermaid fairy - tale flashed through her mind again and again.


    "Why are you treating her like this!" Diana demanded of the merchant.


    "Miss, I didn''t do this... It was the fishermen who did it when they caught her. I''m just here to sell her," the merchant replied.


    In the end, Diana taught the traveling merchant a lesson and took the mermaid away.


    Although this incident caused a bit of a stir, it was nothing to a count''s family. The elders in the family merely gave some mild scoldings and didn''t see anything wrong with Diana''s act of seizing. They told Diana that many of the slaves in the family were also snatched by some of the elders.


    These words didn''t comfort Diana; instead, they made her feel like an outsider in her own family. She had never felt this way before, but since reading those fairy - tales, some of her ideas had changed.


    The mermaid was well - taken care of, but there was never a smile on her face. Diana tried every means to make the mermaid happy.


    However, the mermaid in the pool seemed to have completely lost the will to live, huddling motionless in the corner, her eyes always empty.


    One night, this noble young lady finally understood why the mermaid was unhappy.


    It was because she had no freedom!


    So, Diana found a sailboat and released the mermaid into the sea where she was found. After the mermaid fell into the water, she surfaced and looked at Diana for a while, as if trying to remember her, before sinking back into the water.


    Although it was just a silent gaze, Diana felt that everything she had done was worth it! Because the mermaid remembered her!


    After that, her story somehow spread among the noble circles, influenced by Glen''s fairy - tales.


    The noble young ladies were extremely envious of Diana''s experiences.


    Diana, however, didn''t feel much about it. In the following days, she saw more things that she couldn''t accept.


    The most prominent of these was the slave trade.


    She tried to do something, such as banning any form of slave trading in the name of her family.


    However, this only had a superficial effect. The things that should have happened still happened, just moving from the open to the hidden.


    For the first time, Diana felt powerless.


    Yet, she didn''t give up.


    With unremitting efforts to crack down on these private slave trades, the merchants came to realize that doing such things in the territory of this noble young lady was asking for trouble.


    As a result, the slave trade seemed to completely disappear from Diana''s sight.


    However, this special noble young lady knew that this was not enough.


    In the future, she wants to do something big!


    Before that, she needs an experience that can transform her, such as an exciting adventure in this so - called Sea of Death.