At the sa ti. In Aoma Village, atop the watchtower.
“Angelica, look toward the deserted island!”A sturdy, dark-skinned young man pointed at the distant view captured by magic and shouted.
In the projected image, a massive shape lay sprawled across the small island that fishern usually used for angling and drying their nets. Under the moonlight, they could only make out its vague outline, sothing that looked like a monster.
Staring at the image before him, the stocky young man trembled from head to toe. His lips parted and closed several tis before he finally forced out two halting syllables, “Sea… beast!”
“How could a sea beast appear in coastal waters?” Angelica asked in confusion. Normally, the mana concentration near the shore was too low to attract magibeasts, let alone a large sea beast.
“If—if that isn’t a sea beast, then what is it?!” The young man’s panic grew. Having a sea beast appear near the docks would be a catastrophe. No one could predict whether it might suddenly attack nearby villages or towns.
“Perhaps a giant whale got stranded,” Angelica said with a calm expression, though unease stirred faintly in her heart. “I’m going out to confirm it.” For the villagers’ safety, she decided to head to the deserted island and see for herself.
If it really was a beached whale, it would actually benefit the villagers by providing food. But if it was a sea beast… that would be an unimaginable disaster. No matter what, she needed to confirm it first before deciding on a plan.
“You’re heading out now!?” the young man exclaid in shock.
“Yes. I won’t feel at ease unless I see it with my own eyes,” Angelica replied with a nod. She was the village chief’s daughter and had the responsibility to protect the villagers. She could not ignore such a potential threat.
“I—I’ll stay here and continue watching…” the young man said, face paling. He didn’t dare get anywhere near that giant creature.
“Alright.” Angelica nodded, not forcing him. She left the watchtower and hurried to the church’s warehouse to inform Layna and the others. Then she set off with the best swimrs among the fishern.
“This is far too risky! What if that suspicious sea-beast-like creature suddenly becos hostile…” Aurora said worriedly.
“It is risky, but if we don’t figure out what it is, the villagers will remain anxious,” Layna replied.
“Even though I want to go check as well, my duty is to protect all of you,” Fiat said, sounding sowhat regretful.
“I hope Princess returns soon.” Layna glanced toward the warehouse entrance, her heart prickling with unease.
Neither she nor Aurora were combat personnel. If they followed Angelica out to sea, they would only drag her down. The only one with real fighting ability was Fiat, and he couldn’t leave because of them.
“Yes, when Princess is around… everything feels safe.” Aurora nodded. She had an inexplicable confidence in Yae-hi, for it felt like she could solve any problem just by being present.
At the docks. Angelica and five fishern boarded a fishing boat and headed toward the deserted island.
At night, the ocean felt deep and foreboding. The orange glow of the lantern rocked softly, illuminating the faint terror on everyone’s faces, all of them uneasy. They desperately hoped that massive thing was just an ordinary marine creature and not a sea beast capable of devastating destruction.
Having just survived a horrifying plague, the last thing they wanted was another catastrophe.
Under the moonlight, the fishing boat slowly approached the deserted island. The enormous silhouette grew clearer and clearer, and as they drew nearer, its appearance gradually ca into full view.
The gigantic creature looked part fish and part serpent, its body covered in scales, with four thick, powerful limbs. No matter how one looked at it, it was nothing like a whale. This was…
“Sea beast!” One of the fishern fell straight onto the deck, shouting in terror. The mont he yelled, panic rippled through all of them, bursting forth uncontrollably.
anwhile, the fish-serpent beast suddenly snapped its eyes open. Its eyeballs rolled wildly, and its face twisted into a distinctly humanlike expression of pain. A pain so clear that anyone could see it.
It seed to be enduring so kind of tornt.
“Roar!” Suddenly, the fish-serpent creature let out a deafening bellow, as if it could no longer endure the pain. Right after, its massive body thrashed violently, churning the surrounding seawater into chaos.
“Not good! We need to leave imdiately!” Angelica shouted. She understood that the creature wasn’t attacking them, but the waves created by its wild convulsions were more than enough to sink their boat.
Panic erupted on deck. The fishern didn’t even hear her words. And even if so did, their trembling bodies couldn’t respond.
A surge of waves rose and ca crashing down on the fishing boat! In the next instant, the boat completely shattered.
***
Outside Aureole Town, a luxurious beast-drawn carriage stood parked.
From inside the carriage, two figures stepped out. The mont they had walked several ters away, the coachman snapped the reins and fled the scene with his beast in a panicked hurry.
He had been properly paid, but fear was still fear. If he didn’t run now, was he supposed to stay and keep trembling here?
“So timid, yet he still drives night routes,” Yae-hi said with a helpless laugh as she watched the carriage speed away.
“Life is hard,” Lili replied.
“Yes.” Yae-hi smoothed her expression and looked towards the direction of Aoma Village.
There were two reasons she chose to get off here. First, she wanted to check on Aureole Town’s situation. Second, she wanted to avoid exposing her whereabouts.
The villagers of Aoma Village saw her as a so-called “Lord Angel” and naturally wouldn’t connect her to the infamous imperial scourge. But outside the village, soone as suspicious-looking as her could easily attract unwanted speculation.
“Let’s sneak into the church and see what’s going on,” Yae-hi said, withdrawing her gaze and turning toward Aureole Town’s modest walls.
“Yes. Let’s wrap this up quickly,” Lili nodded.
Those Apostles could arrive at any mont, they couldn’t afford to waste ti here.
Ten minutes later. Two black silhouettes slipped out of Aureole Town and landed beside the road.
“That priest nad Micha was practically a scamr in holy robes,” Lili said speechlessly.
“He is a scamr,” Yae-hi laughed.
Right now, Aureole Town’s church was even more fanatical than the one in Aoma Village. Priests and regular townsfolk alike, anyone who had witnessed a so-called *miracle*, beca unbearably devout, endlessly shouting praise to the goddess.
Anyone who didn’t know better would think they had gone mad.
“I don’t believe in any of that,” Lili said coldly, shaking her head.
“I didn’t believe either.” Yae-hi gazed up at the moon hanging in the sky.
“Then why do you believe now?” Lili asked curiously.
“A secret,” Yae-hi said, turning toward her with a breathtaking smile glowing under the moonlight.
“……”
Lili’s hand flew to her chest as her heart thrashed violently. She tried to suppress it, her expression tightening with sudden pain. ‘Oh no… I’m dying… this hurts…’
How could soone be allowed to be this beautiful!? At that mont, Yae-hi’s elegant silhouette filled Lili’s mind and vision completely. There was no room left for anything else.
“It’s getting late. Let’s go back.” Yae-hi extended a slender, alabaster hand toward her, smiling gently.
Lili froze for a mont, then slowly reached out and held it. In that instant, she felt as though she was holding not just Yae-hi’s hand, but her own future.
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