After Becoming a Merman and an Imperial Marshal

Want to buy a fish? How about a mermaid who can sing, give hugs, has eyes only for you, and can even lay eggs for you?

The Imperial Marshal Ye Yu buys a little blue mermaid from a foreign vendor. After Ye Yu takes meticulous care of him, the mermaid transforms into human form.

On his first day as a human, the adorable little mermaid clings to Ye Yu and begs for a hug.

Ye Yu thinks the vendor was right. He decides to keep the mermaid by his side and raise him well.

Every mermaid regards the first person they see upon opening their eyes as the person closest to them. Yue Chi opens his eyes and sees Ye Yu, whom he mistakes for his "father."

When Ye Yu is injured, Yue Chi uses healing magic.

When Ye Yu has a headache and can't sleep, Yue Chi sings with his mermaid's voice to soothe him to sleep.

When Ye Yu wants to cuddle, Yue Chi thinks it over and decides it's not out of the question.

It isn't until later, when Ye Yu coaxes him to lay fish eggs, that the slow-witted Yue Chi realizes something seems wrong...

Yue Chi wants to cry, run away, and go back to the sea.

When the tide comes in, Yue Chi wants to return to the sea, but Ye Yu refuses and forbids anyone from letting him touch seawater.

The song calling to him from the shore in the dead of night draws Yue Chi out anyway, and he sneaks away.

The sixteen-year-old mermaid swims back to the sea alone. But two months later, the interstellar continent goes to war with Ocean Planet and wins a decisive victory. Yue Chi is captured and brought back.

The room is dim. Trapped inside, Yue Chi curls up in a corner of the bed.

Ye Yu looms over him and bends down, his voice cold. "Chi, do you hate me that much?"

Yue Chi stammers, "I... I don't hate you. Chi knows he was wrong... Chi just wanted to go out and play..."

His words are cut off. Ye Yu kisses him until the corners of Yue Chi's eyes turn red and his whole body trembles like a leaf. Ye Yu gently strokes his face and toys with his tail, coaxing him softly, "Be good, Chi. If you don't hate me, then we can make fish eggs now."

An extremely possessive love interest who convinces himself he's loved and lets his imagination run wild, doting on the protagonist beyond all reason and devoted to making a home with him, versus an innocent, soft and adorable protagonist who knows little of the world.

They love each other, and neither has been with anyone else. There is no coercion. He buys the mermaid and keeps him from running off to save him. Mermaids have low status due to their social position.

The protagonist is physically weak and can only use healing magic and sing.

Mermaids hatch inside shells and grow up quickly. Once they reach a certain age, their growth slows.

Theme: Stay true to your convictions and work hard to overcome difficulties.