By Zephyria I knew spirits existed too.
Wizards who wielded magic collected Mana Stones, and Spirit Masters who handled spirits collected Spirit Stones. The Moonstones scattered on Moonstone Beach were also a type of Spirit Stone. Even if I couldn’t see or wield Mana, as long as objects created by the results of magic and Spirit Arts circulated in this world, I knew well that they existed on this land.
But I never thought I would actually see a spirit in my lifetime. Mikael called out to a spirit with a cry so bizarre it didn’t match his fairy-like beautiful face. Something like, “Is anyone there?” I even chuckled at the sound. He seemed like a male protagonist from a play. One that aired five hundred years ago, at least. However, the result was not funny at all.
The wind swirled around Mikael. His wispy pink hair floated and rose in the air, and his blue eyes sparkled. Wind became light, and light became wind. Even though it was midday, the surroundings, robbed of light, grew dim. Something luminous darted here and there, flashing and showing off its existence.
And voices echoed in the air.
[Really! Did you really call us?]
[Friend? I don’t have any human friends!]
The spirits, appearing and disappearing faintly, had blurred features that made them hard to see.
[Pretty friend! Sylph’s friend!]
[Not a friend! It’s a person!]
[That’s not a friend, this one is a friend!]
Unknown luminous powder fell from their constantly fluttering wings and gathered on the floor. Flashing gazes swept over my face. Giggles echoed in the air, gasping breaths and clapping sounds swirled through the air, afterimages zipped past my eyes…
Honestly, I was scared. Ivan gently placed his hand on my lower back, and I leaned on that hand for support.
…
I briefly forgot how much of a crazy bastard my husband was, and realized I had trusted Ivan again…
Ivan, who had been watching Mikael and Your Highness exchange cryptic words with the Sylphs, suddenly picked a fight with the spirits. The Sylphs, who had answered a few questions, all turned serious and disappeared.
I just wanted to collapse and sob from sheer terror, but since I was holding Ivan’s hand, I had no choice but to walk. Since not many sailors had Defense Artifacts, I had to help sail the ship too…
The Eldos Ho had gained a few more sailors by now.
Seeing the magic defense artifacts hanging from their waists, I figured Windy must have visited. At first, I felt nauseous with tension every time I went out to sea to see the golden island, but after doing it a few times, it became somewhat manageable.
Together with the sailors, we raised the anchor and unfurled the sails.
I just want to go back quickly and sleep with my legs stretched out. I’ll tell them not to bring me along when they meet those high-and-mighty people again. After spending today, I realized. I was a more timid creature than I thought. I just wanted to ignore Princes and Dukes. Buying and selling goods day by day suited me well.
I don’t think I’m going home today.
It felt so unreal, I was just stunned. It was a great relief that physical protection magic circles had been installed around the captain’s cabin of the Eldos Ho and the special room next to it where Ivan and I slept. I almost became fish food without even knowing why I was dying, but now I could die knowing why.
I… I guess I’m dying because I married the wrong man.
Originally, this was the safe distance.
A distance where you could barely hear a lullaby, where even entranced people wouldn’t jump into the water immediately but would wait to get closer, and where those wearing magic defense artifacts could see the golden island peeking just above the water with the naked eye. About 120 meters away from the island.
This is where we would fold the sails, drop anchor, admire the golden island for about ten minutes, then raise anchor and unfurl the sails to sail away. That was the usual order. And that’s what we intended to do today.
But today was different.
It wasn’t much different from when I saw the Sylphs earlier. Luminous things swirled in the air, they let out strange noises, and they wildly leaped at each other. What’s different about the Sylphs and the spirits here? They don’t speak the same language? They’re more violent?
Or, instead of disappearing, they become a giant storm and rage?
The sailors, who had rushed into the captain’s cabin following Mikael’s shouts and Ivan’s commands, flailed like freshly caught fish with every sway of the ship. Not just me, but everyone was gripping the safety handles on the walls, but it wasn’t very safe as the ship was being tossed around violently on the sea.
Black seawater rose higher than the dark clouds, obscuring the sky.
Then, blue sword energy cut through the black seawater.
As the sea crashed and tried to swallow the ship,
The sword cut through the water again, pulling the ship back to the surface.
It was incredibly strange that just stomping your foot could embed a person’s leg on the deck, but then, holding a person like that and swinging a tiny sword around would split the seawater with a flash of light thirty or forty meters long. How could that be human? They didn’t look human at all.
The ship wasn’t a roly-poly toy; it tilted forward and bounced up, then tilted backward and bounced up. It was chaos. I felt like I was on stage for a New Year’s festival dance competition. Like riding a crazy horse, my limbs flailed. A few sailors, lacking the strength in their arms, lost their grip on the safety handles and rolled on the floor, crying out in pain.
I… I couldn’t even cry. I just stared out the window, where the seawater repeatedly wiped and pounded, dancing blankly as the waves dictated. How could seawater rise like neatly woven felt, shaped like a rectangle, and try to engulf the ship? Was I dreaming with my eyes open?
Ivan, who had been holding my waist instead of the insufficient handles and was nestled in my arms, looked intently out the window and whispered strange words against my chin.
“If the magic circle breaks, let’s run that way immediately.”
“…That way? …Where? You don’t mean over there?”
“Yes. Mikael’s side has the highest survival rate.”
“No… I feel like I’ll die on the way.”
“Haha, well. He’ll probably save us.”
Are you laughing now? Now that you’ve dragged your wife into a death trap?
My arms, which had unconsciously tightened around Ivan’s waist, must have exerted too much force, because Ivan let out a cute “Ouch ouch” and pushed my arm away. Fortunately, screams, the sound of waves, and crying could be heard from all directions, so only I could hear Ivan’s feigned cuteness.
“…Does it hurt?”
“I have something to say…”
“If you’re going to say you love me again, just shut up.”
“But this feels like an opportunity to die on the same day.”
“Go quickly to your friend and tell him to save everyone.”
“Should I go there?”
“Of course? Should I go?”
It was during a moment of making silly jokes to shake off my anxiety.
Thump. A weak vibration, subtly different from before, made me sway. The anchor. The anchor had snapped. As our eyes met, Ivan and I both let go of the safety bar and ran.
Damn it, running on a floor tilted at almost seventy degrees was incredibly difficult, and something I normally couldn’t do, but wasn’t my limbs long? I lunged forward, grabbed the control lever, and with my other hand, I gripped Ivan’s forearm and pushed him forcefully towards the control lever.
Ivan, without hesitation, began pounding on the buttons. The ship, which had barely righted itself, turned with near-acrobatic skill and began to speed towards the beach. Far behind, the waves looked like living beasts chasing us.
Ivan, who was gripping the control lever tightly, turned to me and smiled. Seeing the blue veins bulge on the back of his hand, I was dumbfounded.
Seriously, really… Are you laughing now? But absurdly, I found it funny too. As I giggled, the people around us looked at us suspiciously, and I just… felt like I was going crazy.
Still, it was a great relief.
That we were all safely holed up in the captain’s cabin without losing a single sailor, and that despite the violent shaking, everyone was sane enough that no one died from hitting their head on the wall. It was fortunate that we didn’t bring too many sailors because of the shortage of artifacts; the thought of having to hold mass funerals for a large group in a foreign land sent shivers down my spine.
Paul, who was staggering up, tears and snot streaming down his face, gave me a thumbs-up.
Damn it, it’s a down. I deliberately acted petulant, pressing down on Paul’s thumb with my own and bending it.
At least we’re alive.
We’re not safe.
Why do I have to ride in the same carriage as these noble people on the way back?
“What was that just now? How can such waves appear in a calm sea?”
“There were a lot of Nereids. Around that island.”
“Then why did they attack us? This has never happened before.”
Still, it was a great relief that Ivan asked questions on my behalf. He had only acted tough in front of me, but Ivan must have been flustered too. I know, if you’re surprised, show some human emotion. You just lifted your head, looked around, and nodded so nonchalantly, I thought only I was surprised.
Speaking of which, Nereids must mean it was a spirit problem after all. I pondered again, recalling what the Sylphs and their companions had been chattering about earlier.
Were we too noisy while the Blue Turtle or Golden Turtle was sleeping? Or perhaps these great people here had Divine objects. Is that it? Do spirits react to Divine objects?
Mikael, who had been pondering for a long time, spoke cautiously.
“Ruben…”
“Your Highness?”
Right, Your Highness was the problem. He must have brought a Divine object. He’s probably leading all the spirits around.
“…Isn’t it because of her beauty…”
“Cough!”
Damn it.
I choked.
“Kuhuk! Keck! …Keck! Kehek! Kuhup, ugh, cough!”
I was so flustered that I couldn’t hear anything. I don’t know what I’m doing right now, but I feel incredibly rude, angry, and annoyed.
I can’t believe that after leaving two repairable footprints on the Eldos Ho, which I received as my wedding anniversary gift just now, the first thing he says is something like that.
I understood why Michael Ernhardt was Ivan’s friend. The two bastards were exactly the same. Ivan, who had been stroking my back, seemed to sigh, and I flinched for a moment. Ah, I’m not coughing because I want to. I tried to make an excuse, but Ivan whispered softly.
“…The ones who got wet were those two, but why did you catch a cold…”
“No, that, that’s not it.”
You heard it too. If you have ears, how can you not be surprised?
Unable to say such a thing and just opening and closing my mouth, Ivan pulled me in.
…Pulled me in and kissed me.
Gasp, my heart, lungs, and lower abdomen all contracted at once.
His hot tongue, which plunged into my mouth as if it were natural, tasted slightly metallic, unlike usual. Did I bite him earlier? But other than that, it was the same as usual.
Slowly tracing the bumpy part of my palate, coiling and rubbing my tongue, tapping lightly on the soft skin inside my cheek, then pulling my tongue to bring it into his mouth… sucking it with a pop and releasing it, that entire sequence…
Startled, my coughing stopped. What was that just now? No, wait, here? In front of them? Don’t you have any shame? Ivan, who gently pressed his lips on my parted lips a couple more times, asked refreshingly.
“Are you feeling a bit better now?”
Am I better?
“…Yes…”
I felt more like I was going to die now than I did on the swaying ship earlier.
I’m so embarrassed I could die. I quietly covered my nose to avoid sniffling…