While Gray explained the situation to Lahar and Ur, Juvia stood nearby, her attention drifting as she looked around in quiet amazement. The Summer Palace was unlike anything she had ever seen. Constructed from bright, sunlit yellow stone, the palace gleamed beneath the daylight. Long marble staircases stretched upward and downward, one of them leading directly toward the sea. Elegant gilded cupolas crowned the rooftops, catching the light, while life-like marble statues stood between the surrounding pillars, as though silently watching over the grounds.

At the center lay a garden unlike any in her world. It overflowed with vibrant, radiant blooms from across distant lands—roses, lilies, jasmine, ranunculus, lotuses, wisteria, pansies, and alstroemerias. Their colors and forms seemed almost otherworldly to her. She had never imagined flowers could be so varied, so vivid. In her eyes, none of the blossoms in her ocean kingdom could compare.

Inside the palace, the grandeur continued. Crystal chandeliers glittered overhead from towering ceilings. Immense paintings lined the walls, rich carpets softened the floors, and silk curtains and ornate tapestries added warmth and elegance to every hall. A massive fireplace stood as the centerpiece of one chamber, while a grand, winding staircase rose high above, connecting the many levels of the palace. Endless corridors stretched in every direction, lined with doors that promised rooms she longed to explore.

"Well, I don't actually know her name," Gray was saying to Lahar and Ur. "She can't speak."

"Looks like the girl just washed up from a shipwreck," Lahar observed. "She's clearly in shock."

"How terrible," Ur said gently. "The poor thing."

At that moment, they noticed Juvia gazing up the long staircase, her curiosity evident. She attempted to climb it, but her unfamiliarity with her new legs caused her to wobble—once again losing her balance for what felt like the sixth time that morning. Ur immediately stepped forward to steady her.

"Come with me, honey," she said warmly. "Let's get you out of those rags, clean you up, and find you something decent to wear."

"I'll arrange for some dresses to be purchased and have a proper bedroom prepared for her," Lahar added.

"In the meantime," Gray said, "she can wear some of my mother's dresses. She was about the same size at her age."

Juvia smiled softly as she looked between them. Despite her inability to speak, their concern and kindness were unmistakable. She had been right.
Humans were capable of compassion. They weren't all cruel or heartless.

If only her brother could see this...

Soon after, Juvia was guided into an ornate bathroom, where Ur prepared a bath for her. The porcelain tub was filled with warm, bubbling water, its surface alive with soft foam. Candles were lit around the room, and delicate rose petals and fragrant oils were added to the bath, filling the air with a gentle, floral scent.

It was unlike anything Juvia had ever experienced. Warm water. Soft light. Floating bubbles drifting across the surface. She had never even imagined such a thing existed. Once she was settled into the tub, her eyes widened with childlike wonder as she began to gently play with the bubbles.

"My goodness," Ur chuckled, dropping more rose petals into the water. "What a mess you've made of your hair. Lucky for you, dear—I happen to know exactly how to wash a woman's hair. Now just relax and leave everything to me."

Ur carefully began to wash Juvia's hair, using a mixture of lavender oil and gentle soap shavings. She rinsed it with a pitcher of warm water, then slowly worked through the tangles with a comb. Despite her condition, Ur couldn't help but notice how remarkably soft and silken Juvia's hair was. Her skin, too, was striking—fair and luminous, unlike anything she had seen before. Alabaster, smooth, and radiant.

After a final rinse, Ur poured water over her once more, then gently dried her with two towels before wrapping her in a soft white bathrobe.

"Now you wait here. I'll dispose of these old things and bring you something much more pleasant to adorn yourself with."

Ur picked up Gray's old shirt and the wreath from the floor. Juvia quickly stopped her by gently grabbing her arm.

"Why, whatever is the matter, dear?"

Juvia carefully placed her fingers over the wreath Ur was holding—the same one that had been a birthday gift from her sisters. Though she had become human and now lived in the surface world, she could not bring herself to abandon her past entirely. Not the memories of her family.

"Oh, I am terribly sorry," Ur said at once. "I didn't realize this was important to you. In that case, I'll keep it somewhere safe."

Reassured, Juvia released her hold, and Ur left to prepare her attire. Later, she returned with a selection of garments. First, she helped Juvia into a corset and undergarments, followed by a petticoat. Over that, she dressed her in a sky-blue gown of muslin and silk, featuring a broad, deep neckline, a nipped waist, and mutton sleeves that rested delicately off the shoulders. Ur then parted Juvia's hair down the middle, styling it into soft ringlets, which she adorned with a lily-shaped barrette. Finally, a pair of slippers was placed upon her feet.

"Well, you certainly are a lovely child," Ur remarked, stepping back to admire her work. "Dare I say you're lovelier than any of the women Lahar has tried to marry Gray off to."

When Juvia looked at her reflection in the tall mirror, she stood frozen in astonishment.
She looked like a true human girl. For the first time in her life, she saw herself as beautiful.

When she had first met Gray, she had feared the opposite—that her appearance would repel him, that she would be too strange or unworthy for him to even look at. How could she hope to win his heart if she could not even catch his eye?
But now... because of this transformation, she finally had a chance. Overcome with gratitude, Juvia smiled at Ur and embraced her tightly.

"Oh! Well, you're most welcome," Ur replied with a soft chuckle, though pleasantly surprised by the sudden affection.

Ur privately thought Juvia must be of noble birth, for no commoner could possess such refined beauty and manner. However, not all of the maids shared her sentiment. Some of them watched Juvia with curiosity—and others with thinly veiled amusement.

"She keeps staring at everything," one whispered.

"And she can't even talk," another added. "What's wrong with her?"

"I don't know," a third murmured, "but the prince has actually asked her to stay for dinner."

"You're kidding. That little waif?"

"Hush now, both of you!" Ur snapped, turning sharply toward them. "You forget your place!"

The maids immediately fell silent and dispersed.
Ur then guided Juvia down the corridor toward the palace dining room, where she would soon share a meal with Gray. When they arrived, Gray was not seated at the long table. Instead, he stood by the window, gazing out at the ocean with a troubled expression. At the sight of him, Juvia's composure faltered. He was so handsome. So composed. So sincere. Even now, she found him utterly magnificent. Despite her elegant appearance, doubt crept into her thoughts.
Did she truly have a chance?

"Come on, honey, don't be shy," Ur encouraged gently. "He doesn't bite."

Juvia would have laughed if she still had her voice.

Instead, she took a quiet breath and stepped forward into the dining room. Gray sensed her presence and turned from the window. The moment his eyes fell upon her, he froze. Once again, he found himself completely taken by her. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen—graceful in her movements, radiant in presence, with eyes that seemed to speak more eloquently than words ever could.

"You look wonderful," he said.

Juvia's cheeks immediately flushed, the warmth spreading further as he escorted her to the table and pulled out a chair for her with the ease of a perfect gentleman.

"Your room should be ready by the time dinner is over," Gray continued. "And the dresses Lahar ordered will be finished by tomorrow. I hope everything will be to your liking."

Juvia smiled at him shyly, clearly touched by his thoughtfulness.

"And don't worry," he added. "I'll do everything I can to find your family and ensure that you're returned home safely."

At those words, Juvia's smile slowly faded. Her eyes softened with a quiet sadness. Alas... she could never return home. She would be barred from the sea for the rest of her life.

"Oh dear..." she thought uneasily. "What am I going to do for shelter? I can't live in a cove anymore... I can't breathe underwater. Maybe a nearby cave or grotto could work..."

"What's wrong?" Gray asked, noticing the change in her expression. "You do want to go home, don't you?"

Juvia hesitated. She simply looked at him, her gaze heavy with unspoken emotion, but offered no answer.

"Unless..." he continued thoughtfully. "You don't have a family. Are you... an orphan?"

Juvia nodded.

"Oh... I see." Gray's expression softened. "Then I suppose that means you don't have anywhere else to go."

She shook her head. A quiet understanding settled over him, and sympathy filled his eyes.
He imagined she had lost everything in the shipwreck—her family, her home, any sense of belonging. Just like him, she had been left alone in the world.

"Well," he said gently, gathering her hands in his, "I'm not one to send a lady out into the world with nothing and no one."

He looked into her eyes with quiet sincerity.

"Until further notice, you can stay here. I'll take care of you."

Juvia said nothing, but the way she lowered her gaze shyly seemed to answer him all the same.

"You won't be a burden," he assured her. "I promise. Besides... it's nice to have a guest I can actually talk to, instead of constantly listening to someone go on about needing silk dresses from the eastern lands, or a golden tiara with twelve diamonds, or insisting on buttermilk baths and never letting her feet touch the ground."

Juvia tilted her head slightly, confused. Was that what human girls were like?

"Yeah... ridiculous, I know," Gray said with a quiet chuckle. "I won't get into all the details now, but let's just say my most recent guests were... very unreasonable."

"Unreasonable?" Juvia thought. "They sound downright impossible."

"I remember once," Gray continued, "I was having dinner with one of them and tried to pass the time by sharing stories my father used to tell me about the sea. She just laughed, said only fools believed in such tales, and then went on demanding her wedding attire instead. Truly insufferable... though perhaps she was right. Not many people would want to hear those stories anyway."

Juvia immediately shook her head.

"What? You'd like to hear them?"

She nodded eagerly, a bright spark lighting up her eyes.

"Are you sure? They can be a bit far-fetched."

But she simply rested her head in her hands, watching him intently, silently encouraging him to continue.

Gray smiled.

"Alright... if you insist."

For the next hour, Gray shared stories—tales of krakens, pirates, selkies, and other mythical wonders of the sea. His voice carried emotion and energy, bringing each legend to life. Juvia listened without interruption, completely captivated. Not only did he know stories she had never heard before, but the way he told them—so vividly, so passionately—made them feel real.

He truly was remarkable.

More so than she could have ever imagined.