Part 16: Part 3-2: Mermaid's Tears
Mermaid's Tears
This is actually one of the lengthier Einherjar sequences, so buckle in and enjoy.
OST: In Water, Air, and Light
But, how do I know it's the right ship?---
What's wrong?
Dad, did you just hear someone yell? What? Here in the middle of the ocean? Listen, there it is again!
Wha...t! Isn't someone going to respond to my cries? Or is that a ghost ship only skeletons ride?---
...Yes. You surprised me, kid. What're you doing out here? You could have drowned!
My ship... it sank. Sank? What happened to the others!? Where are the other survivors!? ...I don't know. ...So... what's your name?
It's not quite accurate - Yume in Japanese would indeed be dream, but there isn't an actual word called Yumei. In the Japanese version, her name is instead Yumeru - which can either mean 'to dream', or can be split into 'dream' (yume) and 'precious stone' (ru).
Huh? I just... umm... Um, well, anyway, it looks like we won't catch anything today. So shouldn't we head back to port? Mmm. Yer probably right about that.---
Lapis? You mean a lapis lazuli, the gemstone? That's right. But this isn't a normal one. It's special- Ah, you mean the Cerulean Lapis! Yeah, I know about it. Any sailor worth his salt does. So it's true that it grants wishes? If only I could find one... Ha. Hate to break it to you, girlie, but it don't really exist. Just another ol' wives tale. ... Sorry, lassie... didn't mean to upset you. Somethin' wrong? No... it's nothing.
Don't you know? It's the Oouzu. The... Oh-oo-zo? When the currents shift, the sea can turn into a giant whirlpool. The tremble you felt was the ship changing course. It's nothing to worry about.---
Huh? I heard you talking to my father. Father is growing old, and he's lost the ability to hope and dream. But I believe the Lapis is real. Do you think I'm silly? No. Thanks for the encouragement. I'll try to believe in it too. That's good! 'Cause you'll never find it if you don't believe in it.
Ummm... Well, our ship is in pretty bad shape. So I guess I'd wish for a new one. The finest one in all of Hai-Lan. What about you? Me? Uh - I haven't really thought about it. I see...---
but now you say you have nowhere to go. I'm sorry to nag, but may I ask why you wanted to come here? Honestly, I wasn't trying to hide anything...
Your father? That's right. What's his name? Koh... Rijun Koh.
You know him? Everyone knows of Shojun Koh and his family. I don't mean to be rude, but are you the child of one of his mistresses?
Do you know of the war between Hai-Lan and the merfolk? It ended only a few years ago. Shogun Koh was commanding the navy against the merfolk. In the midst of a battle, he fell overboard. There was no time to save him, and everyone assumed he had drowned. But miraculously, he later washed ashore alive and well. He was a changed man after that. The Shogun worked tirelessly to make peace with the merfolk and end the war. He was a war hero who became a legendary peacemaker. But his efforts took their toll, and he succumbed to illness a few years ago. The whole nation mourned his passing. He was a great man...
Why did Yumei lie to me?---
...Thank you for trying. Oh, it was no problem. I like to help any way I can. Well, there's no point in searching anymore. Why not? Don't you want to see your father? Don't give up!
You said you'd try to believe in it- There is no Cerulean Lapis! What? But, Yumei... There is no Lapis, and my father is dead! Yumei... It doesn't matter anymore. Please just leave me alone.
---
Surely she doesn't intend... to kill herself!? That noise... It's the Oouzu!---
...Yumei?
I... I didn't...
You should get away from the shore. The Oouzu will be here soon. What about you?
... I'm kinda disappointed. It looks like you didn't trust me, when all I wanted to do was help you. That's why I searched the whole city for information about the Lapis.
You're wrong. Huh? It's true... that I wanted to see my father. But that isn't the thing that I would have wished for. Then... why? My mother... She died recently.
Whenever I wanted to cry, everyone would glare at me with those cold eyes... and I just couldn't do it. But it was more than that... I didn't smile when I was happy. I didn't cry when I was sad. What I didn't realize was that I had given up on living entirely. I was such a fool. At the very least, I wanted to make my father cry.
But it's not fair... Now they get to be together without me... ...Yumei, please don't do this! Goodbye, Fuyuki. I'm sorry I lied to you.
---
For some reason, they decided to make a CGI just for the Oouzu.
---
I was such a fool.---
Wha... What's this!?
Listen: Yumei and Fuyuki
I wish that Yumei is able to be with her parents again...
Yumei is voiced by Tara Jayne, who also voices Llewelyn. Fuyuki is voiced by Veronica Taylor, who's also Freya. This is also arguably the closest she gets to her 'Ash Ketchum' voice.
---
Listen: Lenneth and Yumei
Her wish will be granted. I do not know if this girl will prove worthy of Valhalla. But as promised, they will be together.---
Thanks for the encouragement. I'll try to believe in it too. That's good! 'Cause you'll never find it if you don't believe in it.
---
There isn't much else to say about Yumei's story - the idea is that both her parents were likely Einherjar, hence the Lapis' granting of Fuyuki's wish by killing Yumei.
There's nothing in Hai-Lan before recruiting Yumei, though there's an NPC that offers small talk:
And after her recruitment, if you head back to the shore:
Who...?
The Fragment of Lapis Gem can only be equipped by Sorcerers, and grants 10 RDM and a 50% resistance to Ice.
Yumei human and mermaid form character art.