The area outside the lab was particularly noisy today. When I closed my book and looked out the window, I saw several people passing between the trees. With armor on their arms and shoulders, they didn’t look like students at all. As I kept peering through the window, the perceptive Asrein chimed in.

“Don’t worry, there’s no problem.”

“Oh, Professor, do you know why these people are here?”

“They’re transporting a rescued magical creature.”

My eyes lit up immediately at the mention of a new magical creature.

“What kind of magical creature is it?”

“They rescued an ‘Ophelia’ that was swept ashore during a storm at the Oceanos coast in the southeast. I was told that all tanks at the nearby sanctuary were full, so we decided to temporarily house it in the university greenhouse.”

“Wow… so it’s an aquatic magical creature. Is it badly injured?”

“No major issues, but I was informed that it’s unconscious and not moving, seemingly in a deep sleep.”

Although it would only stay in the greenhouse until the nearby sanctuary found a new tank, this was a golden opportunity. My heart raced at the thought of encountering an aquatic magical creature for the first time. The name ‘Ophelia’—a pitiful flower submerged in a stream—naturally conjured images of a beautiful form.

Suppressing my urge to rush to the greenhouse immediately, I asked Asrein:

“Were there any other damages from the storm?”

“That’s actually what I’ve been worried about. I’m planning to go to the Oceanos coast myself to check.”

“…!! If it’s for research, I’d like to come along!”

“Of course you should join me.”

Despite his ready agreement, Asrein’s expression gradually darkened. His face now carried the weight of all the world’s worries as he pressed his temples where veins had become visible.

“The problem is that somehow this matter has reached the ears of other professors.”

“Why is that… a problem?”

Before I finished speaking, he let out a heavy sigh that seemed capable of drilling through the floor.

“They now want to select some outstanding students from the Department of Magical Creatures for a field trip.”

“What?! To the Oceanos sea?”

“Yes. Well… although another professor will be in charge of supervising the students, it’s still troublesome.”

A departmental field trip? So even this world has hellish outdoor classes. There was good reason why Asrein, who typically remained unperturbed by most things, looked exhausted.

“It’s going to be quite a large expedition.”

“…Sigh… I already have a headache.”

It was understandable that he was annoyed, since professors bear responsibility if anything happens to the students. I suppose we should be grateful that the entire Department of Magical Creatures wasn’t going. Looking increasingly tired, Asrein checked his pocket watch and stood up.

“I’ll go attend a meeting about this matter.”

Gathering his documents for the meeting, Asrein looked more drained than I’d ever seen him. Sensing that no words would reach him right now, I simply offered a light farewell.

“Haha… see you later.”

After Asrein left the lab, I reopened the book I had been reading. But the words wouldn’t register at all. How could I concentrate? My mind was completely filled with images of an aquatic creature gliding through water.

What would it look like? What special characteristics might it have? How does it swim? Does it possess special abilities like the Sainur?

“…This isn’t working.”

With curiosity piling up endlessly, I shut the book firmly. Since the magical creature might leave the school at any time, I needed to see it while I had the chance. My steps toward the greenhouse were lighter than ever before.

The glass greenhouse that appeared beyond the thicket was quiet as usual. It seemed they had already placed Ophelia in a tank and left. Filled with anticipation, I entered the greenhouse, but only lush trees greeted me.

“Where did they put the tank…?”

Finding a tank in the vast, maze-like greenhouse was no easy task. Just as I was about to start searching from one end, something happened.

“…Hmm?”

A beautiful singing voice reached me from somewhere. I quickly turned around, but there was no sign of anyone. Meanwhile, the wordless melody gently enveloped the quiet greenhouse. It seemed to be calling me, so I closed my eyes and concentrated all my senses. Then I gradually felt my body sinking into the deep sea. With the sensation of lying down on a sandy beach, I slowly opened my eyes.

The sunlight entering the glass greenhouse looked like light breaking beneath the water’s surface. In a dreamy state, I followed the singing voice. Pushing aside branches with my bare hands as I moved forward, the singing grew increasingly closer.

Finally, I reached a massive tank.

“Wow…”

An aquarium-sized tank occupied an entire wall. Inside, it was filled with all kinds of seaweed and coral, looking like a piece of ocean had been transplanted there. As I slowly approached, a shadow hiding behind the coral rippled significantly. The magical creature? I immediately lowered myself to peer intently into the tank. Soon, something quickly darted past pale anemones that resembled a dead person’s fingers.

“…Ophelia.”

Had it heard its name? From beside a deer-antler shaped coral, pale pink tentacles slowly flowed out. I held my breath and waited, and soon Ophelia revealed itself.

It had a transparent body like a jellyfish, with colorful, wide fins similar to a tropical betta fish. When Ophelia spun once in place, its multi-layered tentacles rippled. The center was deep rose-colored, gradually fading toward the tips—truly a flower submerged in water, just like its name suggested.

Ophelia glided through the tank like a woman in a voluminous dress dancing. Its graceful movements, reminiscent of a waltz, left me mesmerized. A delicate singing voice continuously echoed in my hazy mind.

I wanted to see it closer. Even closer. I wanted to remove the thick glass separating me from Ophelia and touch it directly. Unlike usual, I couldn’t suppress this impulse, and then—

– New magical creature confirmed.

“……!!”

With the System’s voice, the singing stopped. Simultaneously, my eyes snapped open as though waking from a deep sleep. Without realizing it, I had climbed a ladder leaning against the tank. Moreover, I was gripping the glass with my left hand and bending precariously forward, my fingertips about to touch the water’s surface.

“…What, what’s happening?”

When I flinched violently, the startled Ophelia hid among the corals. I hurriedly climbed down the ladder and pressed my throbbing head. If not for the System’s voice, I might have entered the tank completely.

What was that all about? Had I been enchanted by the mysterious singing? I’d clearly heard that Ophelia had fallen into a sleep-like unconsciousness after being caught in the storm… Instinctively backing away, I glanced warily at the tank. Ophelia poked its head out from behind the coral and waved its tentacles at me, seemingly beckoning. Fearing I might hear the singing again, I immediately left the greenhouse.

On my way back to the lab, I searched for information about Ophelia through the System. Among the information recorded in the encyclopedia, one sentence particularly stood out:

[Those who hear her song shall awaken their inner desires.]

***

The singing voice wouldn’t leave my head all night. Whenever I closed my eyes to sleep, it floated around like dust, preventing me from getting any rest. Just when I thought I might finally fall asleep at dawn, a sudden realization made me bolt upright.

“Ah, that’s right!”

After dinner at the restaurant, I had boldly promised to help Iris with her assignment. And that promised day happened to be today, when I couldn’t sleep. If only I could contact Iris to tell her I’d be late.

“Sigh, no smartphone here either.”

I slapped my cheeks to wake myself up and checked the mirror first. Sure enough, my hair was tangled chaotically from the night’s aftereffects. With no time to fix it, I quickly washed my face and dashed to the library, our meeting place.

After that incident, I had tried to give some meaning to meeting Iris at the library. But this… I’d be lucky if she didn’t scold me for looking like a complete mess.

Entering the reading room on the second floor, I spotted Iris sitting by the window with her arms crossed. With an awkward smile, I sheepishly approached her.

“Sorry I’m late. Have you been waiting long?”

“Yeah. One look and I can tell you just woke up. What happened to your hair?”

“Haha, it got like this while I was running…”

“How does running make it look like that? Even tumbling down stairs wouldn’t do that much damage.”

The truth was I’d been pulling at my hair, begging the singing voice in my ears to stop, which resulted in this state. But since I couldn’t tell the truth, I responded with a hollow laugh. Trying to change the subject, I stood in front of the bookshelf and turned to Iris.

“What was the assignment again?”

“Compare magical creatures from different habitats.”

“Then… swamp and desert would make for a clear comparison…”

I pulled over a footstool and scanned the book spines, looking for useful references. Without realizing it, I started humming the melody that had stuck in my memory. Iris, who had been reading a book I’d already found, suddenly turned and said:

“Hey. That song…”

“Oh, sorry. Was I too loud?”

“No, that’s not it. I just thought you must be quite excited.”

“About what?”

“The song you were just singing. It’s the Oceanos Hymn.”

“…The Oceanos Hymn?”

I had simply been humming the song that had been stuck in my head since yesterday at the greenhouse. But it was the Oceanos Hymn? My eyes widened in surprise, and Iris frowned deeply.

“What? You were singing it without even knowing what it was?”

“I just heard it somewhere and sang along… How do you know about it, Iris?”

“There was a fisherman’s child among the servants working at the manor.”

Seeing my curious expression, Iris shrugged and explained:

“They said a fisherman who barely escaped Oceanos’s mischief survived by singing this song. Since then, whenever crossing the Oceanos Sea, everyone—sailors and fishermen alike—would sing that song, hoping for Oceanos’s mercy.”

With a scraping sound, Iris pulled back her chair and approached the bookshelf. She pulled out a book, flipped through it intently, then showed me a particular page.

“If you’re interested, read this.”

I immediately took the book and quickly absorbed every word from the first line.

The reason the weather of the Oceanos Sea is capricious is because it resembles its master. All creatures born in that sea rightfully worship Oceanos, who is called the king.

Oceanos is always surrounded by half-human, half-beast servants who pledge their loyalty. Occasionally, to entertain the king who despises boredom more than death, they lure humans with enchanting songs.

Humans who throw themselves into the water will never see sunlight again—for that place is both a kingdom and a sanctuary. Therefore, those who step into the sea, beware of disturbing Oceanos’s mood.

If you fall into his domain, immediately bow your head and beg for mercy. Otherwise, you will never die and will be subject to his whims forever.

I quickly turned to the next page, which contained an illustration of what appeared to be Oceanos. Enthroned on a seat made of pure white bones, the ruler had an androgynous appearance that made it impossible to determine whether they were male or female.

They wore a crown made of coral and veiled their face with a transparent curtain like water. Their abundant hair undulated like waves, and at their feet, mermaid-like servants prostrated themselves.

“…Master of the sea…”

After staring intently at the imposing image, I suddenly asked Iris, “Are you going on this field trip too, Iris?”

“Of course. Who else would go if not an honor student like me?”

“That’s… true. You really are amazing, Iris.”

“You’re more amazing for taking my sarcasm as a compliment.”

Iris snickered and mocked me for my meaningless comment. But instead of responding to her joke, I blurted out the thought that had surfaced in my mind:

“Do you think we might meet them during this field trip?”

“What… Oceanos, you mean?”

“Yes.”

Upon my simple answer, Iris exclaimed in horror:

“Are you crazy? Obviously it’s better not to meet them.”

“I suppose… you’re right.”

Despite knowing the danger, strangely, my desire to meet Oceanos wouldn’t fade. I couldn’t take my eyes off the illustration, slowly caressing the rough paper. Iris continued explaining, but I had long since stopped hearing her voice.

In my head, the familiar singing echoed endlessly—that melody praising Oceanos…