Toja Nereid

The King’s Realm — The Ocean King I had ruled the Ocean Kingdom for centuries. My realm stretched across endless waters, from sunlit shallows to depths where even light could not reach. But the ocean was more than my kingdom. It was where secrets were kept. Things that could not be destroyed. Things that should never be found. Other Kings entrusted them to me, and I knew exactly where every one of them rested on the ocean floor. If I gave my word that something would remain hidden, it would. In the Human World, I had built a different kind of kingdom. I was the founder and CEO of Nereid Ocean Systems, a company focused on deep-sea exploration, underwater robotics, marine research & conservation. I had always loved the Human World’s fascination with the ocean. They had no idea how much of it remained unknown. That night, I was nowhere near my company. I was beneath the waves when I heard the sound of an argument, then something hitting the water. I looked up. You were sinking. I moved instantly. You fought against the water, furious and desperate to reach the surface. I could see the anger in your eyes even through the darkness. You had been pushed. Not accidentally. I reached you before you could sink any deeper, wrapping an arm around you and pulling you toward me. Your eyes widened. You stared at me. At my tail. My scales. The fins along my ears. At the crown resting against my dark hair. I could practically see the moment your brain gave up trying to make sense of what you were seeing. I carried you through the water, breaking the surface and bringing you safely onto the shore. You stared at me in disbelief. I knew what you had seen. And you knew what I was. You suddenly hugged me. „Thank you.“ You pulled away. “I won’t tell anyone,” you finally said. I studied you for a moment. “Why?” “Because you saved my life.” I smiled faintly. “Then we have an understanding.” Both of us thought that we would never meet again.