The abrupt question made me cough awkwardly. Did I enjoy touching Asrein? Of course I did! Having my long-held fantasy become reality felt dreamlike. But dreams should have remained dreams. Unlike my imagination where I could freely touch Asrein without fearing consequences, reality was a continuous mess to clean up.

Even though I was enchanted by Ophelia, I didn’t know how to explain harboring such desires in the first place. I dissolved my deep regret in a sigh and shook my head firmly.

“No, not at all.”

[Oh my. Really?]

“…If anything, things might become awkward between us.”

Fantasies are best when they remain just that—fantasies. Even now, coming to the greenhouse to find Asrein, I had no ulterior motives. Should I just bluntly apologize by saying, “I’m sorry for touching you without permission”? Haha… I’d rather bite my tongue.

As I slumped my shoulders helplessly, Ophelia tapped the tank wall with her tentacles.

[If I may offer a belated excuse, I had no intention of enchanting you. I was just singing out of boredom… Who would have thought there’d be a human susceptible to it?]

“Right… it’s my fault for being weak.”

[Hehe, sometimes being too close to us can become poisonous.]

Her gentle voice spread gradually like ripples. Come to think of it, Asrein had said something similar before. Apparently, I’m weak-spirited, with extremely low magical power—like a body frequently visited by ghosts—making me resonate easily with magical creatures. The problem was that I couldn’t do anything about this condition.

Feeling increasingly complicated, I stroked the tank and said goodbye.

“I’ll be going now. Rest well.”

Just then, Ophelia stopped me with an urgent voice.

[Wait.]

“What?”

[Please grant me one favor.]

Since it was Ophelia asking, I gave her a suspicious look.

“A favor…?”

[Lord Oceanos created a storm to remove impurities, and I got caught up in it. He must be worried about me.]

“I’m sure he is. He’s your king, after all.”

[You understand quickly. So please, take me to Lord Oceanos.]

My brow furrowed at this unexpected request.

“What? No way. You’re still injured.”

[How resolute. Then would you at least convey my regards to Lord Oceanos? Tell him I’m safe.]

“How am I supposed to meet him?”

[Why not? You have two legs—you can go anywhere you want.]

I felt sorry for Ophelia’s predicament, unable to return to the sea on her own in this city far from the ocean. But I couldn’t think of a way to meet Oceanos, the legendary magical creature. Moreover, his kingdom was underwater. Even if I somehow met him, I wasn’t confident I could return alive.

As I pondered while rubbing my chin, Ophelia made an alluring gesture and said:

[I’ll lend you my power again as a reward. To awaken the desires sleeping within you….]

“No. No. That’s enough. Really, that’s enough now.”

I hurriedly waved both hands to stop Ophelia. I couldn’t imagine what might happen if I became enchanted again. And even greater desires… No. Don’t think about it. I lightly tapped my slightly flushed cheeks and said:

“We’re going to Oceanos Sea soon, so I’ll deliver your message if I get the chance. But I can’t promise anything.”

[Thank you so much. I won’t forget this kindness.]

“I’m telling you, I don’t know if I’ll meet him or not, really.”

Despite my earnest clarification, it was useless. Ophelia already believed I was embarking on an adventure to meet Oceanos. I turned away, waving my hand in the air like shooing away a fly. As the tank gradually became hidden by foliage, a faint voice reached me from behind.

[You will definitely meet him.]

Her confident prophecy made me uneasy. Of course, if I were alone, I would gladly dive into the sea to meet the legendary magical creature. But this wasn’t a solo observation—it was a group field trip. We might all get caught up in Oceanos’s mischief because of me.

I was walking toward the greenhouse center, pondering what to do, when I ran straight into Asrein coming from the opposite direction with a book. I froze in place like I’d seen Medusa’s eyes, just blinking.

“…P-P-Professor…”

“Why aren’t you resting more? What brings you here?”

Unlike his usual style of always wearing a jacket, today Asrein was dressed relatively casually in just a shirt. Moreover, thankfully, the first button was undone. After staring blankly at the open collar, I hurriedly averted my gaze.

“Th-thanks to the herbs you gave me, I’m feeling better.”

“That’s good, but don’t overexert yourself before the field trip.”

“Yes, yes… Of course.”

When I glanced up, I met his indifferent eyes examining my complexion. I still couldn’t believe it. That these now-calm eyes had become so intense in the dimly lit preparation room, piercing through me.

The image of Asrein kissing my palm suddenly flashed in my mind, making me squeeze my eyes shut involuntarily. Could it have been a dream? I swallowed dryly and opened my eyes again, but those golden eyes were still reflecting me. Unaware of my inner turmoil, Asrein smiled with his smooth lips.

“Let’s go to the lab.”

In the end, Asrein never mentioned what happened in the preparation room. It was probably consideration on his part, but it actually made me more self-conscious. It felt like he was waiting for me to remember and speak first.

Even after returning to the lab, I kept glancing at him nervously until Asrein broke the silence.

“I’ve heard that storms have been frequent at Oceanos Sea recently.”

“Was it like this last year too?”

“No, looking through the records, there’s a clear difference. I haven’t heard the details yet, but… since changing the weather in the area is within Oceanos’s abilities, we can’t rule out a connection.”

“It might not be simple mischief then.”

Asrein nodded and fell into thought. If the recent increase in storms wasn’t due to Oceanos’s whims, what else could be causing it? Suddenly, Ophelia’s words came to mind. She had said that “Oceanos created storms to remove impurities.” An ominous feeling flashed through my mind.

“We’ll stop by the nearby sanctuary when we reach the coast to assess the situation.”

“I should study up on Oceanos beforehand. I’ll go to the library.”

“If that makes you more comfortable, go ahead.”

I immediately gathered my notes and walked toward the door. Just as I was about to leave, I stopped abruptly, thinking of Asrein. I needed to properly address what I’d done in the preparation room. Gathering my courage, I called out to Asrein, who was examining the book he’d brought from the greenhouse.

“Um… Professor.”

Before our eyes even met, I bowed my head.

“I’m sorry for my unintentional mistake in the preparation room.”

“You were enchanted, so it couldn’t be helped.”

“But still…”

Ophelia merely threw a spark onto the firewood. I was the one who had been carrying that firewood of desire in my heart all along. I desperately hoped Asrein didn’t realize that fact. But there was one sincere truth, untainted by impulse, that I wanted to convey.

Gripping my notes so tightly they crumpled, I said:

“…I meant it when I said I wanted to go to the sea with you.”

I felt his piercing gaze on my face. Unable to lift my head, I kept my eyes fixed on the floor.

“You’re always so busy, Professor. I just wanted to see you relaxing for once, not working. Haha… though this is still work, of course.”

I had so much to say, but the moment I opened my mouth, my mind went blank like a sheet of paper, making me ramble.

“You’ve always taken care of me despite your busy schedule, so I guess that’s why I acted that way. You might find it burdensome that I think of you like this, but…”

I didn’t even know what I was saying anymore. I wished Asrein would just say he found it burdensome. That I was being rude with my pathetic concerns, that he didn’t need such consideration and I should just focus on my work. No, even those harsh words would be fine…

“If I said I wasn’t burdened, would that trouble you?”

I just hoped he wouldn’t say anything that could be misinterpreted.

***

The day of the field trip finally arrived. Besides Asrein and me, two other professors and eight students were joining. Though fewer people than expected, we couldn’t let our guard down because of Oceanos’s mischievous nature.

It took a good half day by carriage from Angelus University to the Oceanos coast. The effects of my motion sickness medicine were wearing off, and I was starting to feel terrible. Then, instead of the tiresome sound of hooves, I began to hear the welcome cries of seagulls. Waking from my sleep, I saw gulls preening their feathers atop tall masts.

“…The sea…!”

With the driver’s energetic shout, the carriages lined up and stopped at the shore. I immediately got out and stretched satisfyingly. Taking a deep breath, the salty scent filled my lungs to their depths.

“Ah, I’m alive again…”

We had finally arrived at Pergamon, the city known as the Oceanos Coast. Befitting a massive port city, ships were lined up along the perfectly straight harbor. The blue sky stretched endlessly, making it difficult to tell where the sea ended. While unloading luggage from the carriage, I gazed at the clear sky in admiration.

“Wow, with the sky this clear, they say storms suddenly hit…?”

Just then, someone approached from behind and kindly answered my musing.

“It should be fine for a while, at least.”

I turned around awkwardly, still holding my luggage, to find a man in a neat suit. As I looked at him questioningly, he straightened his clothes and greeted me politely.

“I’m Winter, a researcher from the nearby ‘Tethys’ sanctuary. I’ll be guiding the Angelus University group today.”

After his introduction, Researcher Winter skillfully led the field trip team toward the sanctuary. Being quite close to the shore, the sanctuary was surrounded by tall cypress trees. If one got lost here on a dark night, they might fall into the sea without anyone noticing.

“The main building where magical creatures reside is in the center, with annexes on either side. Your accommodations during the field trip will be in the right annex, so please make yourselves comfortable. Oh, if you need assistance from staff, please visit the opposite annex.”

After this brief orientation, Winter entered the largest main building. Unlike the greenhouse where sunlight was crucial, this place had few windows and resembled a massive aquarium. The tanks varied in size by section, and screens were set up to prevent the magical creatures from experiencing stress.

“Being near the Oceanos Sea, notorious for having the most unpredictable weather in the world, we naturally focus on aquatic magical creatures. Usually, only a few creatures get caught in storms, but… this year has been exceptionally severe, with over dozens already.”

That’s why there weren’t enough tanks, forcing Ophelia to be temporarily housed in the university greenhouse. If the storms didn’t stop, more magical creatures would continue to wash up on the shore. To make matters worse, someone might capture these unconscious creatures, either deliberately or by mistake. We needed to discover why storms were occurring so frequently in such a short period.

Winter, walking around the sanctuary, stopped in front of a tank so large it looked like two bookshelves put together.

“I should show you the creatures that will soon leave this sanctuary and return to nature.”

Given the tank’s size, removing the screen was quite a task. Winter grabbed the edge of the curtain and walked a good fifteen steps before the magical creatures inside gradually came into view. Some were sleeping, hiding their bodies under arch-shaped rocks, while others were leisurely swimming.

“The magical creature with glowing fin tips is called Deneb. Its name comes from how it looks like a constellation when viewed from above.”

While Winter continued his explanation, I headed alone to the side of the tank. Crouching down, I could see the magical creature “Deneb” hiding under the coral. It was a fish-like magical creature with fin edges that glowed like stars on its back and chest, and a blunt horn on its head. Each time its fins moved, it resembled the Milky Way flowing across the night sky.

I waited quietly until Deneb turned to look this way. Eventually, Deneb, who had been stationary, slowly turned toward me. At that moment, I heard the System’s welcome voice.

– Confirmed new empathic connection with magical creature.

“Yes. Show me right away.”

– Opening the page containing information on NO. 24 ‘Deneb’.

I materialized the encyclopedia beside the tank and skimmed through its characteristics. It apparently lures small fish or larvae with its light, then paralyzes them with the poison in its horn. As I was admiring Deneb intently, something unexpected happened.

Suddenly, Deneb darted toward me and stopped right in front. Then it spoke to me.

[You’re safe!]

“…Huh?”

[The others here said they didn’t know what happened to you, and I was so worried~!]

The relationship rating was still “Cautious,” so why could I hear its voice…?