You were always the one who found me.
So please...
Continue to be the light that shines on me.
Breaking News
Omi Bridge Collapse Area Closed to Traffic
Cause Still Unknown
Otsu, Shiga
The Massive Hole Spans Several Meters
In Otsu City of Shiga, the Omi Bridge suddenly collapsed today around 6 pm.
What the heck?
So we can't use the bridge?
That's terrifying.
At the scene...
I see. So you saw Lisa.
Lady Witch...
Why does Lisa have legs?
It's because she took my potion.
But why?
How should I know?
She's the one who stole it from me.
What a nuisance.
So you have an older sister, Lara?
I won't allow a mermaid and human to love each other.
Lisa...
The fish swimming vigorously above us is called a dace.
Shiga Prefecture
Lake Biwa Museum
Lisa Shiomi
The ones swimming at eye level are carp or crucian carp.
I'd like you all to learn all about the fish of Lake Biwa today.
How beautiful!
That's a Biwa trout.
Biwa as in Lake Biwa?
That's right. It's a fish of Lake Biwa.
But it eventually returns home to its river.
It's a type of migratory fish!
You know so much. I'm impressed.
How's it going?
No luck.
We searched everywhere, but there wasn't anywhere that stood out.
Okay.
It's been a century since the witch vanished.
There's a high chance she's not here in Lake Biwa anymore.
How are you with your injury?
I'm okay.
It's just...
Lara...
We don't have much time anymore.
And then guess what happened!
Father gave it to me!
1783 A.D.
Really?
I was so happy.
Lara! Hurry up!
There!
Gotcha...
I got scared!
It has such a big mouth!
But that makes it cute, doesn't it?
You like it a lot, don't you?
I see you two together all the time.
Yeah, it's really fun to be around.
It finds all sorts of things.
Really?
Yup.
A strange fish with only its eyes peeking out from the sand...
A beautiful cavern filled with colorful mineral stones...
It even led me to find this place we're playing in.
I think with its light...
It finds a way through the world, no matter how dark the place is.
See? It found us again.
You're totally right.
Hey!
Sorry about earlier.
1793 A.D.
It was Lara all along.
She's the special princess.
However...
After being betrayed by the hideous humans, Lara has...
No!
The princess who provides light to this palace is now gone.
This palace will soon perish.
We must leave and search for a new place to call home.
That's how it is.
What's that?
That's...
Grace the Witch!
Have you been well, my pitiful palace dwellers?
Since Rowan is useless, I'll take over and guide you to a new sea.
Follow me...
If you don't want to die.
Where are we going?
To the mansion I built.
Why would we go to the Witch's Lair?
This is your king's request.
If you know of another safe place, feel free to go there.
Hey, it moved.
It's alive.
Is it real?
Creepy as hell.
Stay away!
What's this?
No! That belongs to me!
Unhand me!
Somebody help!
Another round of applause for the beautiful songbirds
from the distant land, please!
Now, brace yourself to meet one of the rarest creatures in the world: a mermaid!
Do not let her lure you in with her cursed lower body and lustrous eyes
and drag you into the sea with her! You have been warned!
Let me out! Right now!
Let me out of here! Hey!
Ladies and gentlemen, please witness this with your own eyes.
Behold! This is undoubtedly a mermaid!
Let's have a round of applause!
A big round of applause, please!
Feast your eyes!
Let me out.
I don't like this place.
I can't see anything.
Who are you?
Finding things is the only thing I'm good at.
I'm sorry I couldn't get to you right away.
How did you...
I took the witch's potion.
What?
As long as you're safe, I'm good.
Why would you go so far?
Lady Lisa, you praised me for my ability to find things.
But really, you're the one who found me first.
That made me very happy.
What are you going to do?
My duty here is done.
Now please return to everyone...
Lady Lisa!
No! Lady Lisa!
But why?
You're the one who found me deep in the darkness...
So please...
Continue to be the light that shines on me.
Lady Lisa!
I'm okay.
Here, take this.
Let's head back for today.
No. We'll keep going.
We finally reached this place Father and everyone headed toward...
1931 A.D. Okishima
Father!
You are... Lisa?
What happened to you?
How could this be? Even you have those hideous legs.
What is this place?
It's the vile Witch's Lair.
We ended up here after a long journey, losing nearly all our light on the way.
Lisa, listen to me.
Lara rests over there.
Lara?!
After Lara turned into foam, I once again gave her my light.
All so that she can restore it:
The palace's light.
The light that only the princess possesses.
That's what I want.
I want to restore our palace's...
Our family's glory!
Lisa, you will wait for Lara's return in my place.
Lady Lisa!
The door isn't moving!
Humans are such helpless creatures.
The witch?!
How pathetic.
The sight of you running away from the water is unbearable.
Begone! We will protect this place until she wakes up.
Be quiet. Rowan is choosing to sleep.
You didn't stop at Lara. You deceived Father, too?
Do I really need to answer that?
Why must I answer those who will vanish once my potions runs out?
This is a sacred place.
Return to the surface, humans.
Name: Kota Minase Registered Location: Gamo District, Shiga Prefecture Address: Same as above
Kota?
I chose it.
That's your name from now on.
I will follow you wherever you go.
As the witch said, we only have a little bit of potion left.
Before we turn to foam, we need to obtain more.
In order to make that happen, I'll do anything.
Kyoto Daily News
Dreams of Regenerative Remedies Can He Restore the Light in Medicine? Seizo Horikoshi
Kyoto Chuo University
And you are?
This is...
Your new dream.
To rely on the help of hateful humans was horrifying...
But the potion we called taboo might be something else in their hands.
It was a gamble I had to take.
I was captivated by the brilliant light of that medicine.
I dreamed of the possibilities that medicine could unlock for life.
Medical Research Facility: Otsu Branch
The human system of knowledge was different from that of the merfolk.
Hypotheses and verification.
But the more we repeated the process,
the more we realized how difficult it would be to reproduce the medicine.
It was a medicine that felt as though it was life itself.
Like a star of life was contained within it.
We spent our days pursuing a light invisible to us.
What is the true nature of this light?
Where did this light come from?
I must know...
I want to know the essence of life that shines with light.
But it seems like I am...
"Running out of time."
Humans' words are always so exaggerated.
They embellish their brief lives like this...
Horikoshi Family Grave
He spent his entire life creating
this imitation that's nothing like the original.
But even this seems to delay us from turning into foam.
I see.
1984 A.D.
The Nature of Lake Biwa and the History of its Biology
Kyoto University of Science
School of Environmental and Life Sciences
Department of Aquatic Biochemistry
Visiting Professor
Lisa Shiomi
Lara still hasn't awakened.
The imitation potion is losing its potency, too.
2026 A.D.
The lake bed survey of Lake Biwa is almost complete.
If we find the witch, we'll definitely get the potion...
It's exactly as you said, Lady Lisa.
Lara, please hurry.
Find us.
But Lady Lara has human legs.
Listen, Lara.
Merfolk and humans can't love each other...
But...
Things could turn out differently tomorrow.
Lara...
Why won't you shine your light on us?
And now...
Lisa
Lady Lisa!
You must be showing symptoms, too.
It's no longer effective.
But as long as we have Lady Lara's special power, then...
Lady Lisa?
What was that?
The witch...
Could it be... She was watching us this whole time?
I finally found her.
I knew it.
The witch is at that house.
Translation: Sachiko Takahashi
Timing: Andy Ellis Editing and Typesetting: Ashley Barboza
Quality Control: Riley Dalton Translation Check: Sriram Gurunathan
When I got in a fight with my brother, we didn't speak for a month.
Yeah.
You see, my sister...
To Be Continued