The Mermaid and the Little One

Vivian, a senior cost engineer, dies from working overtime. When she opens her eyes, she’s a baby in a wasteland world. The world is rebuilding after a disaster. Plants and animals have mutated, genes are in disarray, and food is more precious than life. The human mother who raises her turns into a mermaid when Vivian is three. She thinks her life has reached a dead end, but the mermaid, a cold and sensitive powerhouse, protects her just like a human mother would. She fights with all her might to raise her, bringing her up plump and healthy. Vivian clenches her tiny fists and decides she and the mermaid will make a life for themselves in this world. Using her cost-engineering skills, she plans resources, controls costs, runs a farm, and lays out their territory. Vivian has an adult soul in a child’s body, and calmly focuses on building a future. Freya the mermaid is at the peak of combat strength, cold on the outside and warm on the inside, and dotes on the child. Together, the human and mermaid find food and seeds, start a farm, build a home, and gather companions. In an era of survival of the fittest, she and her mermaid mother will build a warm utopia no one can conquer. (No romance / mother and daughter protect each other) (Wasteland survival / worldbuilding and farming / warm and healing) Theme: Exploring the equality of souls and the meaning of happiness