Chapter 6
1402words
Her expression wasn't contemptuous or angry, but rather... pitying, as if regarding a terminal patient, mixed with disbelief, as if confronted with profound stupidity.
"Hold on, let me process this." She massaged her temples. "This mermaid, for a guy she met once, abandoned her family, her species, her voice—her primary communication tool and greatest asset—and traded it all for legs that cause constant agony, just to chase some dude on land?"
"Yes."
"And ultimately he married someone else?"
"Yes."
"So she invested all her 'company assets' upfront—family, talent, health, everything! And the ROI was zero? No, it was negative! Because ultimately she didn't even exist anymore—completely 'liquidated' into sea foam?"
"...From a certain perspective, yes."
"This isn't tragedy!" Anastasia declared with absolute conviction, her voice dripping with contempt for stupidity. "This is the most moronic transaction in history! The textbook example of negotiation failure! She deserves zero sympathy! Her case should be mandatory study in business schools worldwide—a cautionary tale of catastrophic decision-making! I refuse this mission. Let her handle her own mess. This is just natural selection culling business incompetence!"
"I regret to inform you," the witch's voice cut through her rant, "the mission has already commenced."
The familiar vertigo engulfed her, accompanied by the tang of salt-laden sea air.
Anastasia opened her eyes to find herself standing on powdery sand. Offshore, a magnificent sailing vessel blazed with lights, the sounds of music and laughter carrying across the water—clearly a lavish celebration in progress.
On a nearby reef, a stunning red-haired girl with a fish tail stared adoringly at a handsome, crown-wearing prince aboard the ship. The pure longing in her eyes made her look utterly, hopelessly naive.
Simultaneously, strong winds began whipping across the previously calm waters, dark storm clouds massing on the horizon.
A storm approached. The classic scene was about to unfold: prince overboard, mermaid to the rescue.
Anastasia glanced from the lovesick "incompetent CEO" on the reef to the "investment target" for whom she was about to sacrifice everything, and heaved a long-suffering sigh.
"Fine. I'll treat this as another hopeless bankruptcy restructuring case."
Grumbling about how the humidity would ruin her hair, she trudged toward the reef.
"Hello, Miss Fish Tail. Interested in some professional legal advice before signing a contract that will destroy your life?"
The red-haired girl—mermaid princess Ariel—startled at the sudden voice. She whirled around to find a human woman in strange but clearly expensive clothing, arms crossed, regarding her with an expression that screamed "are you clinically insane?"
Ariel had never been this close to humans before. Her instinct was to dive beneath the waves, but something about this woman—some inexplicable force—kept her rooted in place.
"Relax, I couldn't care less about your fish parts," Anastasia said dryly, pointing toward the ship now pitching violently in the mounting waves. "I'm only concerned with my client's 'investment target.' And you, princess, are about to become my highest-priority client."
Ariel tilted her head in confusion.
Just then, lightning split the sky, followed by earth-shaking thunder. A massive wave capsized the majestic vessel, sending passengers plunging into the churning sea amid terrified screams.
Ariel's heart clenched as her gaze locked onto the prince thrashing desperately in the waves.
"Look, your 'investment target' is about to 'delist,'" Anastasia observed clinically. "According to the original timeline, you'll rescue him now, then develop the catastrophically stupid idea of trading everything you have for a pair of legs, correct?"
Ariel's eyes widened in shock. How could this stranger possibly know her thoughts?
"Don't look so shocked—I'm a professional 'relationship risk analyst,'" Anastasia improvised with perfect confidence. "Go ahead, complete your 'initial investment phase'—get your prince to shore. Then we'll discuss that contract you're planning to sign—the one that amounts to filing for personal bankruptcy."
Given this strange "permission," Ariel hesitated no longer. She dove into the churning waters, swam powerfully to the prince, and dragged his unconscious form onto the beach.
As she gazed adoringly at the prince's handsome face, unable to resist leaning down for a kiss, Anastasia's sharp voice cut through the moment.
"Stop right there. Initial investment phase complete—don't add unnecessary emotional expenditure."
She strode over, rolled the prince onto his side so he could expel the seawater from his lungs, then dragged him behind a sheltered outcropping of rocks.
"Now, let's discuss your 'business plan.'" Anastasia sat cross-legged and began her merciless interrogation of the bewildered mermaid.
"Who exactly do you intend to approach for this 'species transformation' transaction?"
Ariel hesitantly mimed a writhing, tentacled shape.
"The sea witch Ursula—naturally." Anastasia nodded. "And her terms? Your voice in exchange for agonizing legs, with a three-day deadline to secure true love's kiss, or you revert to mermaid form. Is that your understanding?"
Ariel nodded fearfully, baffled by this stranger's omniscience.
"Wrong! Completely wrong!" Anastasia rapped her knuckles sharply against the rock. "Your information is dangerously outdated! Let me tell you Ursula's actual standard terms—she takes your voice PERMANENTLY! Those legs will feel like walking on knife blades CONSTANTLY! And if you fail, you don't revert to mermaid form—you dissolve into sea foam. Complete 'existence termination'!"
Ariel's face drained of color, absolute terror washing over her features.
"See? This is what happens without proper due diligence!" Anastasia threw up her hands in exasperation. "You're betting everything—your voice, your health, your very existence—on some vague concept of 'love.' It's the most lopsided, catastrophic deal structure I've ever encountered! You're literally signing your own death warrant!"
Ariel finally broke down in tears.
"Tears solve nothing." Anastasia's tone softened marginally, though remaining professional. "However, you're fortunate to have encountered me. I can help you—for a price. I'll serve as your exclusive legal representative to negotiate favorable terms with Ursula. In exchange, I require thirty percent of all assets you acquire from the prince as my consulting fee."
Ariel only partially comprehended, but she understood the essential point—this woman offered help. She nodded eagerly.
"Excellent. Pleasure doing business with you."
Anastasia marched Ariel directly to Ursula's murky underwater lair.
"Good afternoon, Lady Ursula." Anastasia brushed aside the electric eels attempting to intimidate her and got straight to business. "My client, Princess Ariel, wishes to negotiate terms with you. Here's our proposed contract draft for your review."
Ursula was bewildered by this unexpected human interloper, but upon hearing Anastasia's proposed terms, her confusion transformed into rage.
"Voice rental? Indentured servitude instead of sea foam? Are you deranged?! Who gave you the audacity to waltz in here and dictate terms to ME?!"
"I gave myself the audacity. And these terms reflect 'equitable market exchange principles.'" Anastasia maintained unflinching eye contact. "Madam Ursula, your business model is archaic. Exploiting information asymmetry and predatory terms to manipulate naive clients—such practices neither scale effectively nor ensure longevity. I'm offering you an opportunity for strategic repositioning and market expansion."
She shifted into persuasive mode: "Through our partnership, we can standardize operations and optimize processes. We'll establish 'Deep Sea Transformations LLC,' with you as chairwoman and me handling market development. Today it's a mermaid seeking legs, tomorrow a fish wanting wings, next week a crab desiring opposable claws! The market potential is virtually unlimited! We're offering a sustainable service model—a genuine win-win paradigm, not these one-off predatory transactions!"
Ursula was momentarily stunned by this barrage of business jargon and expansive vision.
"So," Anastasia concluded, "today's contract serves as both Ariel's agreement and your audition. Demonstrate genuine collaborative potential, and you'll gain access to the entire ocean's wealth. Refuse..." she paused meaningfully, "and I'll be forced to explore options with your competitors."
Ursula's expression fluctuated wildly. In centuries of dealing, she'd never encountered someone who could deliver threats with such polished elegance.
Eventually, her hunger for a commercial empire overwhelmed her fixation on immediate gratification.
"Fine... we'll do it your way!"
A fresh magical contract—three pages of dense text—materialized under Ursula's power. Anastasia scrutinized every clause, and only after confirming the absence of hidden traps did she allow Ariel to sign.
Ariel drank the potion and, with a moment of searing agony, her iridescent tail transformed into a pair of elegant human legs.
Anastasia nodded with satisfaction. "Excellent. Your 'startup' has secured its 'seed funding.' Now for phase two—making your 'investor' eagerly pay the premium."
Ariel successfully reached shore.
She had her human legs and, as desired, met the prince at his palace. However, after five days, their progress—or lack thereof—sent Anastasia's blood pressure skyrocketing.
