Normally, the Summer Palace of the Magnolia Nation was where Gray felt the happiest. It was a breathtaking seaside estate, perched atop a hill that sloped gently toward the ocean. From its terraces, one could see the endless horizon—sunlight shimmering across the waves, the nearby town bustling in the distance, and much of the nation stretching beyond. Within its walls echoed the laughter of cherished memories. Portraits lined the halls—moments frozen in time of Gray and his parents, smiling together during summers long past. Being here always made him feel like a child again. At times, he could almost sense the presence of his mother and father beside him.

But not today.

Today, the palace felt empty. Instead of strolling along the shore or preparing for a sail as he normally would, Gray sat alone atop a low wall, staring out at the horizon with a distant, hopeless expression.

"It pains me to see him like this," Ur said quietly, standing with Lahar at a distance as they observed the prince.

"I know," Lahar replied. "I thought returning here might help. But he's still wasting away over some maiden who doesn't even exist."

"So you say," Ur answered.

"Oh, come now, Ur," Lahar said with a faint scoff. "You don't seriously believe some girl swims around rescuing people and then vanishes into thin air, do you?"

"I believe there's no way Gray could have survived that shipwreck on his own," Ur replied calmly. "Someone must have saved him. Personally... I think it was an angel."

"Oh, so he's in love with an angel now?" Lahar said dryly. "That's quite a story for a future queen."

"You know what your problem is?" Ur countered. "You refuse to believe in anything that can't be explained by science or logic."

"That's because anything unexplained by science and logic simply doesn't exist."

"Oh? Then can science explain how whales sing?"

"Of course," Lahar replied. "Whales have complex structures connected to specialized air sacs in their throats."

"But can science explain what they're singing about?"

"Singing about?" Lahar raised a brow. "Ur, they're whales. Whales don't have feelings like humans do."

"How do you know?" she asked. "You've never been a whale. You don't know how they feel or think."

"Ur, this is a ridiculous conversation. What do whales have to do with Gray?"

"I'm trying to tell you," Ur said patiently, "that there are things in this world that logic and science—no matter how advanced—cannot explain. A young man's heart, for instance. No matter how many books you read or experiments you conduct, you cannot fully understand what happens inside another person's heart. Love isn't something you can measure or prove. It's something you learn through faith... and feeling."

Lahar exhaled, crossing his arms.

"I understand what you're trying to say," he replied. "But I still can't believe in a mysterious woman from the sea. It sounds like a hallucination at best. I'm certain that once Gray spends time with the Princess of Lazan City, he'll forget all about this... nonexistent maiden."

"You can't force Gray to fall in love," Ur said firmly. "You can't make him do anything he doesn't want to do. I've been trying for years."

"He just needs to meet a real woman," Lahar insisted. "To experience genuine connection instead of holding onto a fantasy. You have to admit, this obsession isn't healthy."

"You're right," Ur said softly. "But we must be patient with him. Give him time."

"I've already given him plenty of time."

"True love can't be rushed," Ur replied. "It will happen when the time is right. You'll see. He'll likely meet the love of his life when you least expect it."

...

It was rather ironic that Ur had said such a thing, because that very morning Juvia had washed ashore near the palace with her companions. She lay collapsed on the sand, soaked and bedraggled, her body still as though lifeless. She had been unconscious for quite some time—so long, in fact, that Panther Lily had begun to fear they had not reached the surface quickly enough.

But then, sunlight broke across her face.
Slowly, she stirred. Juvia sat up unsteadily, her mind drifting as fragments of memory returned—echoes of what had happened before she lost consciousness. Then, as her vision cleared, she looked down and froze. Her tail was gone. In its place were two delicate legs—slender, pale, and unmistakably human.

She stared in stunned silence, unable to comprehend what she was seeing. At first, she thought it must be a dream. Something like this couldn't possibly be real. But the more she looked the more certain she became. This was no dream. She had truly become human. Juvia lifted her hands, touching her skin, then carefully moved her toes, marveling as they responded. A quiet, overwhelming wonder filled her.

Words could hardly describe the feeling. Despite everything she had endured—the cruelty of others, the painful conflict with her brother, the destruction of her beloved garden, the loss of her voice, and the agony of her transformation after nearly drowning—this moment marked the fulfillment of her deepest wish. Her dream had come true.

For Panther Lily, however, the situation was a nightmare come alive.

"I cannot believe what you've done!" he cried, panic evident in his voice. "Of all the things you could have done—of all the trouble you could have caused—you had to go and do this!"

Juvia didn't respond. She was too focused on her new legs, attempting to stand. It was far more difficult than she expected. She wobbled, struggled to balance, and then promptly lost her footing, falling back into the shallow water.

"Don't ignore me!" Lily continued urgently. "You don't fully understand what you've gotten yourself into, so you need to listen!"

Juvia tried to respond, to reassure him, to ask him to calm down—but when she opened her mouth, no sound came out. Then she remembered.

"I... gave up my voice."

A quiet sadness crossed her face. Losing her voice pained her more than she expected. Singing had always been something she cherished. But if this was the price she had to pay to be here... to see Gray again... then perhaps it was worth it.

"You struck a bargain with the sea witch!" Lily exclaimed. "The most dangerous creature in the entire ocean! Do you have any idea what you've risked? Merfolk who lose their souls to her are trapped in eternal suffering—so terrible they'd beg for death!"

He paced anxiously.

"And the only way to avoid that fate is to get a human—someone who doesn't even know you—to marry you within a single month!"

Juvia paused at that. A month. To her, that seemed like plenty of time. In her world, couples often came together in far shorter spans. How difficult could it truly be?

"My nerves are completely shot!" Lily groaned. "This is a catastrophe! What would your brother say? No—no, I'll tell you what he would say—he'd say he's going to skin himself a sea cat! That's what he'd say!"

Juvia instinctively held her pendant again, her thoughts drifting to her family. She imagined their reactions upon discovering she was gone. A flicker of guilt surfaced in her chest.

But they would recover. She had only ever made things harder for them. In time, she might have even put them in danger. Perhaps this was for the best.

"Alright," Lily said decisively, snapping her back to the present. "Here's the plan. You stay completely out of sight while I return to the sea witch and try to convince her to call this whole thing off. She's not exactly reasonable... but she does enjoy watching others beg."

Before he could move, however, his ears twitched sharply. Footsteps. Approaching.

"Someone's coming!" Lily warned urgently. "Juvia—hide!"

She quickly crawled behind a large rock, doing her best to conceal herself. Realizing her state, she gathered her long hair around her and used strands of seaweed to modestly cover herself. Then she sat perfectly still, hoping whoever was approaching would simply pass by without noticing her. That hope vanished the moment she saw who it was.

Prince Gray. He had come down to the beach for a walk, seeking a moment of peace and clarity. At first, Juvia's heart leapt. She nearly stepped out to reveal herself—to speak to him at once. But then reality settled in. She was still unclothed, and far from presentable. She hesitated.

"It would be better to wait until I look proper," she thought.

Carefully, she attempted to stand, intending to move farther away to avoid being seen. But her new legs still felt unfamiliar beneath her. She lost her balance and stumbled, falling back down against the sand. The sound caught Gray's attention.

"Hello?" he called, turning toward the movement. "Who's there?"

He began to walk closer. Juvia quickly turned away, her face burning with embarrassment. Her hair was damp and tangled, her appearance disheveled from her ordeal. She instinctively tried to hide herself as best she could. When Gray finally reached her and saw that she was a woman in distress, his expression softened. Without hesitation, he removed his shirt and gently tossed it toward her.

"Here," he said kindly. "It's not much, but it should cover you. Are you alright, miss?"

She could only respond with a quiet smile as she pulled his shirt over her body.

"Don't be afraid," Gray said gently. "I won't hurt you. Do you need some help?"

Juvia remained silent.

"Can you come out?" he continued, his tone calm and reassuring. "It's alright if you don't want to. I just want to make sure you're not hurt."

This time, she managed to steady herself. Using the rock for support, she slowly rose to her feet and stepped out from her hiding place. For a moment, Gray found himself unable to look away.

Despite her disheveled appearance, she was beautiful—as lovely as a pearl polished by the sea. Her eyes, a deep, vivid blue, mirrored the color of the ocean itself. And somehow... they felt familiar. Familiar in a way he couldn't explain. Eyes he had seen before and in dreams.

"Do I... know you from somewhere?" he asked, a hint of hope in his voice. "Have we... ever met?"

Oh, how Juvia longed to answer him. But no words came. She instinctively touched her throat, opened her mouth—and again, only silence followed.

"You... can't talk?"

She shook her head.

"...I see," Gray said softly. His expression shifted, a flicker of disappointment crossing his face. "Never mind then. You couldn't possibly be her."

"Her?" Juvia wondered, her curiosity piqued. Who was he talking about?

Lost in thought, she released her grip on the rock and immediately began to fall.

"Whoa—careful!"

Gray reacted quickly, stepping forward and catching her before she hit the ground. Their eyes met at close range. In her gaze, Gray saw something that caught him off guard—loneliness. A deep, quiet sadness, as if she had been searching for something... or someone... for a very long time.

Not unlike how he had been feeling himself.

"I don't know who you are," he said gently, helping her steady herself, "but it's clear you need help."

Gray then lifted her into his arms, taking Juvia completely by surprise.

"Don't worry," he said gently. "We'll get you fixed up."

Juvia froze for a moment, her breath catching as she instinctively held onto him. Then, slowly, she relaxed. With care and ease, Gray carried her along the shoreline and up toward the palace.
All the while, Juvia could do nothing but gaze at him adoringly and enjoy being in his strong arms.