‘Daughter! Daughter!’
The Goddess arrives riding on the back of the orca swimming straight toward us like a bullet, just as we finish exterminating the abalone-like creatures and even finish loading them up.
I don’t see Cele and Raz, but they’re probably resting at the Goddess’s palace.
‘You did so well, Daughter!’
“Really, truly thank you! I’m so glad I asked you all!”
Before us who kneel to greet her, the Goddess descends from the orca’s back to the floor, her robe swaying. From under the hem peeks a glimmering fish tail, its scales sparkling like opals. I didn’t notice when we had our audience since she was on a raised throne then, but the Goddess is also a mermaid!
“You did well too, Maal. Swimming at full speed must have been tiring?”
‘I’m fine with this much! More importantly, Lady Lyusia! The Prayer Ritual!’
“Yes, I know! However…”
While swaying her tail fin that trails long like a comet, the Goddess turns slightly toward us. Her eyes, tinged with a melancholy color, wander through the air as if hesitating. It’s as if she’s unsure how to broach what she’s about to say. The orca that swims close to us also looks at us with a troubled expression.
‘Lady Lyusia is about to perform a Prayer Ritual. The Prayer Ritual involves wielding the Goddess’s divine power itself. It’s too much of a burden for human children.’
“It pains me to say this to you who recovered this treasure for us… but could you please leave the Prayer Chamber and wait in the front garden until the ritual is finished?”
The sea master and servant both droop their eyebrows dejectedly.
…What are the Goddess and the orca even saying?! There’s no way humans should be present at a sacred place where a god personally performs a ritual! Well, honestly speaking, it’s not like I’m not curious about what she’ll do… but they say curiosity killed the cat, right? Witnessing divine miracles up close is too much for a human body, isn’t it?
“—Of course, that’s only natural… we shall wait outside the temple.”
“So that all the world may rest in peace and tranquility, we too shall offer our prayers.”
Following Mr. Ville and Mr. Xenon who kneel and bow their heads, I also start to open my mouth…
Gyuuuu, guuuuuu…
What echoes through the room filled with a serious and serene atmosphere is the magnificent sound of a stomach.
…
…Nobody says anything.
Well, yup, I mean…
Just as a sacred ritual is about to begin… for a stomach to rumble…
…
…
…Okay. It was me. I did it!
But I’m not acting alone! Mr. Ville, I can tell you’re subtly turning your face away with a poker face!
The glutton alliance’s synchronization power didn’t need to manifest here of all times!
So embarrassing!
“Oh my, oh my! Of course, of course! After the big job of recovering the pearl, you must be hungry!”
‘Come to think of it, humans apparently eat three meals a day—morning, noon, and evening! I completely forgot!’
As I can’t lift my face from embarrassment, I hear pitying voices… When I secretly glance up, the Goddess is looking at me with the most sympathetic eyes.
Ugh… I’m terribly sorry to have caused you such concern!
“You know what. The Prayer Ritual takes time. In the meantime, why don’t you all have something to eat?”
“Eh… um… but during such an important ceremony…”
“Hehe. The Prayer Ritual is for praying for the happiness of all living things, you know? But if you right here near me are going hungry, it would be meaningless.”
‘Exactly! Only when you eat delicious food to your heart’s content and become happy can we say the Prayer Ritual was successful!’
Putting her fingertips together, the Goddess laughs merrily. The orca gently swaying its tail fin beside the Goddess also seems to be smiling with an unusually sincere face.
“Besides, I’m curious about what human children eat! I’d love for you to tell me about it later!”
“Human food…?”
“Yes. The land children offer me wine when they pray to me, but I’ve never seen what they eat!”
I involuntarily lift my head as the Goddess lets out her most excited voice of the day.
…Oh ho? I know this kind of atmosphere very well!
Mr. Ville and our Gourmands party, Lady Meel who kidnapped me without question… it’s the scent of fellow food lovers!
“You see, unlike Maal, I don’t need ‘food’ to survive. But I’ve been a little curious! What exactly is this thing called cooking?”
“Eh, ehhh… cooking…?”
A more fundamental, conceptual question than I expected has arrived!
Personally, when asked "what is cooking," I think it literally means "managing ingredients properly.”
So…
“Taking ingredients with various characteristics—some that are delicious as they are, some that can’t be eaten as they are—and preparing them so they become something delicious that all kinds of people can enjoy together… something like that, I suppose…”
“My, my, my! Wonderful! How wonderful! That’s a concept we don’t have!”
‘For me, eating is nothing more than something I do to stay alive.’
The Goddess clapped her hands in delight, her eyes sparkling brighter than ever since we first met. Even from a distance, her excitement and warmth radiated toward us. The Goddess, still brimming with excitement, was gently accompanied by the slightly more composed orca.
It’s probably the difference between the Goddess who can live without eating and the orca who can’t survive without eating. I suddenly think there might be a thick wall of fundamental misunderstanding between them…
…Well, I think they’re two beings—one deity and one creature?—bound by trust and affection strong enough that such a wall doesn’t matter.
“Um… if you’d like… would you care to dine with us?”
What I thought of to further improve the relationship between this perfectly matched pair was sharing a meal. …Or rather, that’s about all I could think of…
If they don’t know about cooking, the best way is to just eat together—simple as that. If "seeing is believing" works, then "eating is better than hearing" should work too! Besides, I’ve caught the scent of fellow food lovers from both the Goddess and the orca. Having just us eat in front of such beings feels… a bit…
“We have enough ingredients to make plenty for Lady Lyusia and M… Mister Maal as well.”
…Honestly, while the Goddess is one thing, addressing the orca with formality feels… my heart isn’t entirely at peace with it, but calling the Goddess’s apostle by name in front of her…
After all our casual interactions, if someone said "What are you being formal about now," I’d have no comeback.
“Oh my… how extraordinary…! That we would be eating… prepared food…!”
“Eh!?”
“Is it okay!? Really!? My, my, my!”
’Isn’t this wonderful, Lady Lyusia! I’ve always wanted to know what human food tastes like toooooo!’
It was really just a casual invitation on my part, but I got a much bigger reaction than expected!
The Goddess covers her mouth with both hands in overwhelming emotion, and the orca brings its fin to its mouth—though it doesn’t reach. They really are two of a kind…
“Um… I’m very sorry to say this when you’re looking forward to it, but it’ll just be simple food that families commonly eat… if that’s alright…”
“It’s fine! It’s fine! Just the thought makes me incredibly happy! Besides, this will be our first time eating what human children eat! It’s such a precious experience!”
The Goddess gazes at me with eyes sparkling even more than Ms. Aria when she’s hungry. At this rate, I probably don’t need to worry about disappointing expectations.
“…I’m more motivated than I’ve ever been! Watch closely, children of the land—I think this will be the best ritual I’ve done in centuries!”
Has her overflowing divine energy become visible? The area around the Goddess as she swims toward the treasure vault with her hem billowing wavers like a heat haze. Is this… that? Like a mother getting excited when she hears her child will cook for her on Mother’s Day?
Something soft presses against my back as I watch the Goddess’s retreating figure. This roundness… wait, that’s not Ms. Aria!?
‘Now. The ritual will begin soon. Children, let’s leave the Prayer Chamber and wait together with me.’
“Huh? After saying all that ominous stuff, you’re leaving too, orca? I figured you’d be assisting the Goddess or something!”
‘While I am indeed an excellent orca, I’m not capable enough to endure the Prayer Ritual.’
My protests fall on deaf ears. The orca keeps pushing my back with its nose. That force is stronger than expected—if I let my guard down, I might stumble forward.
“…Hey, Rin! Are you sure this is okay? Sharing a meal with a goddess…”
“Well, when I caught the scent of a fellow foodie… I just…”
“Eating with a god… I’m nervous…!”
‘Ughhh! You always forget about me!’
After leaving the Prayer Chamber and the Goddess completely disappears from view, everyone gathers around me as I’m being toyed with by the orca’s nose. The worried voice is Mr. Ville’s. The slightly tense voice is Ms. Aria’s. Gomamiso’s voice as it jumps onto my shoulder is completely sulky.
A bit behind, I can hear multiple footsteps—that would be Mr. Xenon and Mr. Ed catching up.
Everyone says various things, but not one voice blames me for my outrageous proposal.
“Judging by the Goddess’s reaction, it seems like she’d be satisfied with whatever you serve.”
“Hehe… being expected that much makes me want to make something even a little delicious.”
“Considering your nature, I understand the feeling… but what exactly do you plan to serve?”
Everyone gathers around me, chatting about this and that. The path to the temple’s front garden suddenly becomes lively.
Mmm! This kind of atmosphere… it feels like it’s been a while.
What should I make? As I match up mental recipes with the contents of the fridge… I suddenly realize something.
“Ah, that’s right! Hey, hey, Little Orca!”
When I beckon at the Camping Car entrance, the orca with an excited face swims over. Since we’re away from the Goddess, I can just address it casually now, yup.
‘Hmm! What is it, Daughter?! Do you need my assistance?’
“Not so much assistance as a small confirmation… um, is it okay to serve fish dishes to the Goddess?”
Cooking fish in front of the Sea Goddess… wouldn’t that be like killing her children right in front of her? That would be a total disaster—like unleashing a box full of malice upon the world…!
It was a fairly important question for me, but the orca’s reaction to hearing it is… extremely subtle!
‘Hmm. I sort of understand what you’re worried about, but that’s perfectly fine! Fish are just fish!’
“Fish are just fish… what’s the difference there?”
The orca tilted its small head while flapping its fins, but it just sounded like it was repeating itself… Could there be a subtle difference?
‘All ocean creatures are indeed equally the Goddess’s children… but all living things must eat to survive.’
From what the orca explained to clueless me, when they’re born, everyone is uniformly just ordinary "fish" or "marine mammals." Among them, some suddenly develop self-awareness, and those individuals gather under the Goddess to serve her.
Like the orca, and kids like Raz and Cele!
‘In other words, except for those like me and those children who serve the Goddess, they’re just perfectly ordinary fish!’
“Ah, yup… I kind of understand the nuance… So that means we’re allowed to catch and eat the ordinary fish swimming around here?”
‘Yes, yes, exactly! Please eat your fill! If you can catch them, that is!’
“Gah! So irritating! I’m gonna catch enough to turn into preserves, just you watch!”
The orca’s superiority complex seeping through its words and expressions, like "I can catch fish properly, you know," is extremely infuriating!
When I glance outside the temple, there are schools of fish swimming around freely in all directions. They’re there, but… indeed, whether I could catch fish that swim so freely through the sea like that… when asked that… I’m not very confident!
…But wait a minute? Right now I can breathe freely underwater, so couldn’t I do the longed-for free diving fishing—though I’m not sure if I can call it that?
“…Still, we don’t know when the Goddess’s ritual will end. The main dishes will be the Fragore Crab we just looted and the large amount of abalone-like creatures we caught!”
If we were on land, I’d just fire up the grill for a barbeque, but you obviously can’t start a fire underwater. I can only use fire in the Camping Car because it’s protected by the Goddess’s blessing.
So crab hotpot then? The shoulder meat might be delicious in gratin too! If there are leftovers, I could make crab cream croquettes… no, with everyone’s appetite, there won’t be leftovers. Since there are still eggs left, a fluffy crab omelet sounds delicious too. Personally, I love pouring plenty of sweet and sour sauce on it!
“Argh! I want to make so many things, but there’s not enough time!”
“What a luxurious dilemma, Rin. I’m always amazed how you come up with so many dishes off the top of your head.”
“Hehehe! It just means I’m that greedy for food! Hmm… maybe a seafood stir-fry with tons of crab and abalone…”
Thinking that far, a sudden inspiration strikes me.
“That’s it! A crunchy rice with thick seafood sauce!”
The sound when you pour the sauce over freshly fried crunchy rice, the aroma… that entertainment value is perfect for the Goddess who’s eating for the first time! I don’t have ready-made crunchy rice on hand, but I do have frozen rice! If I microwave that, mash it, flatten it, and have Mr. Ed or Mr. Ville dry it with magic, I should be able to make crunchy rice!
Honestly, if someone asked, “Is this standard home cooking?” I’d have to say it’s a bit extra. But seeing how excited the Goddess and the orca were… I just can’t cut corners.
“Alright! Time to start cooking! Today, everyone’s going to help with the cooking too!”
“W-What?! Are you serious, Rin?!”
“Dead serious… though it’s not that difficult.”
My declaration while arranging the frozen rice in the microwave seems to have shocked all the party members. I wave my hand lightly to reassure everyone whose faces instantly changed. I’m certainly not asking them to cook from scratch. What I want help with is the crunchy rice base and the crab and abalone prep.
For the crunchy rice base, I want them to mash the microwaved rice and dry it, and for the crab, I want them to extract the crab meat from the shells. As for the abalone… yup, it’s about shelling them. Pretty straightforward.
When I explained the actual work with demonstrations, everyone readily agreed.
“Alright, Aria and I will take care of the crunchy rice base!”
“Mm, leave it to us!”
“I don’t believe I’m that clumsy, so I’ll work on getting the crab meat out.”
“…Guess that leaves me with abalone shelling… well, I can handle blades reasonably well.”
‘Then I’ll be the cute overseer!’
Yup. Aside from the last "cute overseer," we’ve divided the roles perfectly!
And once they’ve taken on a task, they’ll see it through to the end, so I can safely leave it to them… right…?
“Rin… Rin! The rice got all sticky!”
“Sorry, Rin! This drying thing is tricky!”
“I apologize, Rin… I can’t help wanting to get every little bit out… it’s going to take a bit more time…”
“Rin, sorry… I didn’t mean to crush it, but the shell shattered, and the meat’s just…”
The inside of the car suddenly becomes lively… no, it’s gone beyond lively to downright noisy.
But I factored in this level of chaos from the start.
Even if the table gets covered in rice grains, even if things get half-dried or over-dried and the quality can’t be stabilized, even if the crab meat barely accumulates, even if small abalone-like creatures become casualties… It’s more fun when everyone fumbles through unfamiliar work together while still having a good time, and I think our feelings will reach the Goddess!
When I notice, the orca stationed at the open door watches us chirping with tender eyes.
…Somehow, when this guy looks at me like that, it throws me off a bit… It makes my back feel ticklish!
Trying to dispel this unfamiliar atmosphere, I think about teasing like usual. I was going to say something like "The main dish position is open now, you know?" but somehow I can’t get the words out.
Whether it senses my hesitation or not… the orca waves its fin, beckoning me over.
‘Hehehe! It’s almost the climax of the ritual. I absolutely wanted you to see this sight, daughter!’
“…Climax?”
Beckoned as I am, I stick my head out the door, and the orca points upward with its fin.
Following that, I look up, and at that moment.
“Wha… whoa… whoaaaa!”
Pillars of light in red, blue, green, yellow, purple, orange, navy… colorful light towers stood tall in the center of the temple. Particles of light spilling from there scatter throughout the sea while sparkling.
They flow around me on the current too… and when they hit my body, they make sounds like pop candy, scattering neither hot nor cold sparks that crackle and pop.
‘Can you feel it, daughter? The Goddess’s blessing circulates through the world. This is the scene you helped restore.’
“…I see… So this is it…”
I helped restore such a beautiful scene… Thinking that, my nose suddenly stings. I desperately swallow the impulse welling up from deep in my chest.
I felt an irrepressible urge to cry… but I can’t cry here and now!
“If this is the climax, then the ritual should be ending soon, right? Then I need to sprint toward the finish on my end too!”
‘Oh? You could have cried, you know? I’ll lend you my chest or back, whichever you prefer.’
“If I cry now, I won’t be able to taste-test the sauce! Lend them to me another time when there’s a chance!”
When I thrust my chin up with my usual attitude, the orca also twists the corner of its mouth into a grin.
Yup. This kind of exchange suits us perfectly!
‘Well then, I’ll go welcome Lady Lyusia. I’m looking forward to seeing what kind of dish emerges from all that commotion, daughter!’
“I’ll give it my all so you’ll say it’s delicious! See you later then!”
The orca’s fin and my hand clap together with a snap.
Simmering in the deep frying pan is seafood sauce packed with abalone and crab meat. Green vegetables and fresh mushrooms are added too. Next to it, a pot filled with oil waits for its turn…
This is the result of giving form to everyone’s efforts after parting with the orca!
“Oh my! Oh my! I’m truly delighted! That all the children made this together…!”
The Goddess raises her excited voice outside the Camping Car.
With this many people, we couldn’t all fit inside the car… so the Goddess herself grew ball chair sponges and a coral table to create a special dining venue. Of course, a dome-shaped blessing is cast around the Camping Car to keep the water out.
“Alright, here we go…!”
After calling out, I toss the crunchy rice base into the sea of oil. Thanks to Mr. Ed drying it skillfully, there’s no splashing from moisture remaining in the crunchy rice. The right moment is when the rice making cheerful sizzling sounds turns golden brown. I immediately transfer it to a plate, and while the oil still crackles on the surface of the crunchy rice, I hand the plate to Mr. Ville waiting at the entrance to carry it to the dining table.
As for me, I’m heading to the dining table carrying the frying pan with the still bubbling sauce even after removing it from the heat.
“Now please watch the finishing touch!”
Pop pop, sizzle sizzle, crackle crackle, whoosh…!
When I tilt the frying pan with sauce toward the crunchy rice, various sounds ring out. At the same time, a fragrant aroma spreads throughout.
The seafood crunchy rice with billowing steam seems to have completely captured the Goddess’s heart.
“Ah… oh my… the sound, the smell, the appearance…! I haven’t even eaten it yet, but I feel so happy… how wonderful…!”
“Since it’s fresh, the crunchy rice still has its crispiness, but after a little more time, the rice will absorb the sauce… and the texture will change again.”
“…Such things happen…? Cooking is amazing…!”
“Um… it’s extremely hot, so please blow on it well… and let it cool down sufficiently before eating.”
…Yup. I don’t think that’s something to say to a goddess, but it just slipped out. I mean, she said it was her first time eating… so I wondered how much I should warn her.
Fortunately, the Goddess doesn’t seem bothered by my meddling and blows gently on the crunchy rice loaded on her spoon.
Before us watching with bated breath, pink lips open to welcome the spoon…
“…! This is… this is the sensation called ‘delicious’? What should I do… I can’t stop my hand!”
Her throat moves with a gulp, then a voice trembling with emotion shakes the air. Sparkling sea-colored eyes travel back and forth between the dining table and me many times.
“Here, Maal, you try some too! It’s amazing… wonderful…!”
‘Mm! Mmm! So this is what humans call ‘cooking’! Various sensations explode in my mouth! My brain is being shaken!’
“Right? Amazing, isn’t it? Cooking can make you feel this happy.”
The Goddess feeds the orca by hand while giggling with delight, and the orca is just as excited as the Goddess.
If they’re this pleased, then all our hard work together was definitely worth it.
The Goddess, having completely finished her portion of seafood crunchy rice, sets down her spoon with a satisfied sigh.
“…Oh my…! I got so absorbed all by myself… Children, please eat while it’s still warm too!”
“Eh, but… is that alright?”
“Hehe. Didn’t I say so earlier? Your happiness is my happiness.”
When the Goddess waves her hand, the seafood crunchy rice on the coral table divides itself onto small plates.
Is this magic? Or a miracle?
If she’s being this considerate, it would be rude not to eat.
“…Then I’ll gratefully accept! Itadakimasu!”
“Y-Yes. We are deeply grateful for your vast benevolence.”
I insert my trembling spoon. Even though some time has passed since cooking, steam still rises from the crunchy rice. Maybe it doesn’t cool easily because it’s thick? I blow on it carefully to avoid burns and determinedly bring it to my mouth.
“Mm! Mmm! Delicious! The sweetness of the rice goes perfectly with the seafood sauce!”
When I bite into the crunchy rice—soft from absorbing the sauce on the surface but still crispy inside—the fragrant aroma unique to fried foods spreads throughout my mouth. The rich seafood flavor that oozes out enhances the rice’s sweetness even more!
“Crab, sweet… delicious…! Tender, bouncy!”
“Maybe because it was such a pain to beat, it tastes even better!”
Having struggled with the crab, its flavor must be all the more precious. Ms. Aria and Mr. Ed savor the crab meat while feeling the satisfaction of victory.
“Perhaps it’s because the greens and mushrooms neutralize the greasiness and strong seafood flavors? I can eat it without getting tired of it…!”
After tasting both crab and abalone, Mr. Xenon seems to have noticed the vegetables’ subtle flavor.
“…Deep Blue Avalon, was it? It certainly lives up to being called a luxury ingredient. The texture, the overflowing flavor… this is addictive.”
“…This me don’t really like this that much… just your cooking was tastier!”
Meanwhile, regarding the Abalone-like creatures, Mr. Ville and Gomamiso had completely opposite evaluations. I gave Gomamiso lightly boiled Abalone-like creatures instead of crunchy rice, but… it didn’t suit the kitten’s palate. Too bad! Personally, I’ve just added the abalone-like creatures to my list of favorite foods. Just knowing there’s a stock of shelled meat left in the fridge makes me feel happy.
Despite making quite a large amount, the seafood crunchy rice disappeared into our stomachs in no time. The Goddess’s eyes watching us exhale contentedly with satisfaction are nothing but gentle. Eyes filled with compassion reflect each of us in turn.
“Not only did you save us from a dire situation, but you’ve also treated us to such hospitality… A reward worthy of your thoughtfulness cannot possibly be redeemed with mere gold.”
“Hyeh!?”
At the Goddess’s words as she knits her brows, a strange sound escapes me.
Eh, ehhh… a reward is troubling!
This time was just because I felt the atmosphere of fellow food lovers and ended up inviting you… It’s not something I did wanting a reward!
“No… a reward, there’s really no need for that…!”
“Exactly! Just your kind words are more than enough!”
Mr. Ville, sensing my confusion, earnestly declined, and I desperately followed suit showing my stance of avoiding compensation.
The Goddess simply watches us with eyes like she’s looking at endearing children…
Which just makes it all the more terrifying!
“Hehehe… I see. Forcing things isn’t good. But please accept at least this, alright?”
The Goddess deepens her smile and snaps her fingers. Instantly, warmth spreads at my chest.
What I feel under the palm I instinctively press there is a hard, round sensation… The pale pink coral bead imbued with the Goddess’s blessing that fell when I first met the orca.
“I’ve strengthened my blessing. It should protect you from evil things.”
When I pull it out from my chest, the color has become much stronger, and somehow the radiance seems to increase too!
When I glance at the Goddess, she nods as if affirming everything.
“This is an honor beyond my worth…! Thank you!”
Just as I bow my head deeply, I hear the clear sound of bells from far away. Not just one either. It seems like various different bell sounds of different sizes and materials are layering together.
‘Are you curious? Those are the sounds of church bells praising the Goddess’s divine power being rung at various places around the world.’
“Ah, wonderful! It seems the blessing has reached the surface too.”
I see. I don’t understand the mechanism, but the sound of bells rung by Lyusia churches here and there on the surface… the sounds of gratitude struck by humans echo all the way to the ocean floor. How mystical.
…That means Rayer’s church bell sound is probably mixed in there too? Since the blessing has reached them, I wonder if the sea is calming down as well. I hope ships have returned to the harbor…
While listening to the layered bell sounds, my eyelids gradually grow heavy. Unable to stand there any longer, I sink to my knees on the floor.
“Though it’s regrettable, I must return you to land soon…”
The Goddess and orca, wearing smiles tinged with loneliness, sigh almost simultaneously. Did I imagine hearing "I really don’t want to send you back though…"?
I want to think properly, but my thought processes are increasingly consumed by drowsiness. Mr. Ville too, Ms. Aria too… sitting down or lying down beside me… Realizing it’s not just me, my body’s strength suddenly drains away. Finally unable to even sit, I collapse onto the floor with a thud.
“But it can’t be helped. After all, this is the ocean floor. Though you’re protected by my blessing now, this isn’t originally an environment where land children can survive…”
‘Please come visit again! Children like you are always welcome!’
I can barely… think anymore… about what they’re talking about…
I just feel like my body is gently floating…
“As long as you stay in those bubbles, you won’t be attacked by monsters. Please rest your bodies leisurely inside them until you return to the surface.”
Being gently patted on the head, I suddenly understand that this is goodbye… An overwhelming loneliness wells up in my chest.
‘I’ll come to thank you again properly, daughter!’
“Yes. Then… until we meet again, brave and kind-hearted children of man. Stay well until that day comes.”
The gentle hand moves away… and there my consciousness cuts off too.
“Hey, Rin! Are you okay? Rin!”
My shoulders are being shaken, and my eyes open. Mr. Ville, silhouetted against the crimson-dyed sky, peers down at me with a worried expression.
When I sit up, sand crunches beneath my body with a gritty sound. The scene spreading before me looks somehow familiar…
“This is… the beach where we met the orca this morning?”
“Yeah. Looks like we’ve come back.”
Here and there, familiar voices are groaning. From the way they’re moving around sluggishly, it doesn’t seem like anyone is injured and unable to move.
Just moments ago I was supposed to be in a blue world, yet now I’m sitting in a crimson world… Maybe because I’m not fully awake yet, it feels strangely unreal. The core of my head feels fuzzy like I’m still in a dream.
“…Somehow, I can’t help but think that everything that happened was all just a dream.”
After all, it was so otherworldly that I could believe it was all a dream—such a beautifully pristine world.
“I understand how you feel, Rin…”
“We really conquered a dungeon and did all sorts of things, right…?”
I want proof that adventure wasn’t a dream.
With that thought, I pull out the coral bead from under my clothes, and it has turned quite a deep coral pink, just as I remember from my most recent memories.
It seems the dramatic adventure in the sea was real after all.
As my head clears, all the things I need to do keep floating into my mind.
“Ah… if it wasn’t a dream, then… that means we have to go report to the guild?”
“…Thanks for reminding me of something unpleasant, Rin. After we finish reporting to the guild, we’ll also need to go report to the Lucky Clover.”
“Hehe. This time for sure, I want to hear about the bazaar.”
As if giving up on everything, I lie back down on the sandy beach again. There’s a mountain of things to do, and honestly, if I report what I saw and heard truthfully, they’ll probably be suspicious.
Before I know it, our teammates have crawled over near where Mr. Ville and I are lying side by side on the beach.
“Mm… I’m in the mood to watch the sea just a little bit longer.”
“Yes. Let’s do that.”
At least until this sunset sets… until the crimson sun sinks and we’re enveloped in darkness reminiscent of the ocean floor… I decide to let our adventure rest for a while.
