Summary:
The chapter begins with Vander Decken IX setting up a scheme. He plans to use the Tamatebako to age Shirahoshi from a child to a mature woman. The problem is that Tamatebako is in the Ryugu Palace and Decken can’t enter the palace unless he marries Shirahoshi. Decken decides to give Shirahoshi ten or twenty years at first. His henchmen say Shirahoshi will be bigger, but Decken says he doesn’t have a problem with big women. Decken starts writing the wedding invitations, but his henchmen say he must propose first.
The paper Queen Otohime returned with was a petition bearing the signatures of the World Nobles, endorsing friendship between humans and fish people. All the citizens of Fish-Man Island now agree with Otohime, and she collects more signatures than ever before, more than can fit in the box. Otohime burst into tears of joy as she saw her efforts finally come to fruition after seven years. At Otohime Palace, he celebrates his success with the rest of his family.
Some time later, Otohime explains Shirahoshi’s ability to summon sea kings to her sons. According to her, there is a legend about a mermaid princess who is born once every few centuries. This mermaid can communicate with Sea Kings. Shirahoshi is revealed to be a princess of legend. The prophecy says that one day someone will appear before her to guide her and teach her to use her power for the greater good and bring massive change to the world. If used with sinister intent, its power could cause great destruction. Otohime is worried because Shirahoshi hasn’t learned to control her powers and the Sea Kings could go on a rampage if she goes missing like last time. He asks his sons to protect their sister with their lives as warriors and as brothers if the time comes.
One day in Gyoncorde Plaza, someone sets fire to a box of collected signatures. As the soldiers try to save the signatures, a gunshot is heard. At first they don’t know what that sound was, but then they see that Otohime has been shot. Amid the chaos, Vander Decken IX touches Shirahoshi, but the guards shoot him and escape. The three princes immediately go over to their mother’s side. As Otohime lies there dying, she tells her sons that no matter who the perpetrator is, they must not let themselves become enraged because of her. Shirahoshi almost loses control again. To stop her from crying out loud, Ryuboshi and Manboshi try to cheer her up with dances and songs in a desperate attempt. As Fukaboshi cries, he swears to his mother that he and his brothers will keep their promise to protect Shirahoshi. The chapter ends with the four children of the Neptune family touching pinky fingers with their mother for the last time.