I’d be startled if a stranger approached me on the street, but having a magical creature I’d never seen before act familiar with me left me speechless. Even after double-checking, my relationship rating with Deneb remained at “Cautious.” I whispered in a low voice so others couldn’t hear.

“Do you know me?”

Deneb flapped its fins in surprise before I even finished speaking.

[You’ve learned human language while we were apart!]

“Can’t you understand what I’m saying?”

[How strange. Those beautiful tentacles are gone too… Don’t tell me humans took them?!]

When using my encyclopedia ability, communication with magical creatures was usually seamless. But now it was one-sided. I could understand Deneb, but Deneb couldn’t understand me. As we stared at each other, unable to figure out why, another Deneb suddenly emerged from between sea anemones and bumped into the one hovering in front of me.

[Hey! Look carefully. Anyone can see this one has no fins—clearly a human.]

[Oh…? You’re right. I was confused because this human emanates Ophelia’s magical energy.]

Hearing the familiar name, I tapped my chest and said, “I know where Ophelia is.”

But even the newly emerged Deneb couldn’t understand me.

[This one speaks such strange words.]

[But somehow it seems to understand what we’re saying.]

[Really? …Hey. If you’re eavesdropping on our conversation, move your pathetic fins.]

I don’t have fins… After pondering briefly, I raised my right hand and waved it slightly. The two Denebs startled, turned their backs to me, and pressed their horns together. They whispered in voices they thought I couldn’t hear, looking like they were holding a strategy meeting.

Finally, after finishing their private conversation, the Denebs spoke:

[We don’t know how you understand our language, but this works out well.]

[Go tell your king that His anger hasn’t subsided yet.]

Their voices grew increasingly louder, expressing their pent-up anger.

[They dared to invade His territory. Those shameless creatures.]

[Lord Oceanos used His power to prevent it.]

[That’s why we were swept away by the storm. But we don’t mind.]

[Right. It doesn’t matter if it helps protect the kingdom.]

The Denebs’ intense emotions were conveyed clearly. So the storms in Oceanos Sea were indeed caused by human interference. I couldn’t yet understand the full situation, but it likely involved territorial invasion.

[We must return to the sea soon.]

[We need to go help Lord Oceanos.]

The two Denebs steeled their resolve like soldiers on a battlefield. Then, spreading their brilliantly glowing fins, they said:

[You who stand between magical creatures and humans. We value this connection and offer you advice.]

“…Advice?”

[Be careful. Another storm is coming.]

With that ominous warning, the two disappeared into the coral. I was leaning my forehead against the tank wall, retracing their conversation, when Iris approached and tapped my shoulder.

“Hey, what are you doing here? We’re supposed to move.”

When I looked up at her, Iris suddenly widened her eyes.

“Your… your left eye….”

“What?”

I rubbed my eye with the back of my hand and looked at Iris again. She stared intently at my left pupil, then shook her head.

“Never mind. I must have seen wrong. Let’s go quickly.”

Following Iris as she walked ahead, I suddenly turned back to look at the tank. In the clean tank wall, I could faintly see the reflection of a rose-tinted iris. It was the same phenomenon as when I looked in the mirror with Asrein in the preparation room. Startled, I squeezed my eyes shut, then opened them to find my eye had returned to its original color.

With a trembling hand, I covered my left eye. A faint voice echoed in my mind.

‘Another storm is coming.’

***

After completing our brief tour of the sanctuary, we returned to our accommodations. Professors were assigned individual rooms, while students shared rooms in pairs. I quickly spoke up and managed to room with Iris. Of course, Iris complained about having to share with an annoying guy. Yet she still quietly helped move my luggage. She’s really not honest with herself.

Once we finished unpacking, Winter went around to each room to inform us that a modest banquet had been prepared. Thinking it was just a simple dinner, I went without hesitation, only to back away at the same time as Iris when we saw it.

“…How is this ‘modest’ in any way…?”

It was called a banquet, but it was nothing short of a feast. A long table had been placed in the middle of a small hall, laden with unfamiliar dishes. Unable to blend into the lively atmosphere, I slipped away to a corner and sipped wine. Apparently, Iris was equally uncomfortable in such settings.

Looking around the lavishly decorated banquet hall, Iris remarked sarcastically:

“Rich kids really do take any chance to throw parties. Don’t they?”

“Haha… I’m more thinking about how much effort it must have taken to prepare and transport all this food.”

“I knew you’d think that too.”

As we formed this modest connection, I spotted Winter moving around greeting people. Given that he personally guided us and was now striding across the banquet hall, he must be fairly low in the sanctuary’s hierarchy.

Winter caught my eye just as he was sighing, thinking no one was watching. He approached our corner with an awkward smile.

“Are you enjoying yourselves?”

To this perfunctory question, Iris replied with one corner of her mouth raised:

“The last port I visited was annoying because sailors drank until dawn, making it noisy. I like how quiet it is here.”

Come to think of it, despite being a fairly large city, there wasn’t a single light visible outside the windows. Winter sipped his wine with a melancholy smile.

“Pergamon was like that until quite recently. It was a city where lights never went out, even late at night.”

“Why is it so quiet now?”

“Because of Oceanos, as you might know.”

Winter shrugged and continued:

“With the recent increase in storms, ships have gradually stopped coming. Plus, there are unsettling rumors about singing voices heard at dawn.”

“Oceanos has always been capricious, hasn’t he?”

“But only occasionally. Sometimes he would pass by while people sang hymns, or the sea would calm when precious items like jewels were thrown into it, just as the legends say. But lately… he’s been preventing anything from passing through the sea.”

Listening to Winter, scattered clues suddenly came together in my mind: Ophelia’s mention of removing impurities, the Denebs’ talk of territorial invasion, and what Asrein had told me at Reton Temple.

“Did you perhaps invade Oceanos’s territory?”

“…Pardon?”

“I’m wondering if something was built in the sea.”

Winter’s eyes, which had maintained composure until now, flickered rapidly. Catching this momentary disturbance, I probed further:

“Like… a temple, perhaps?”

As soon as I finished speaking, Winter swallowed hard and asked:

“…Did you come here already knowing?”

“No. It was just a guess. Magical creatures usually act out because of territorial invasion.”

His hesitant lips opened cautiously:

“Actually… a few months ago, the lord gathered workers to build a temple in Oceanos Sea.”

“Is there even a place to build a temple in the sea?”

“Oceanos Sea is so vast that it contains several islands. They planned to build on the largest one, called Potamoi.”

Though I had already guessed the reason, I deliberately asked directly, not wanting to believe it was true:

“If it’s an island, worshippers would rarely visit. Why specifically there?”

“For quite some time, temples have been built in places with strong magical creature presence. Though their numbers are gradually decreasing now, the temples that were already built still stand.”

That was indeed the reason. When we went to Reton Temple to investigate the suspicious shadow, Asrein had explained it to me. Temples were deliberately built in areas rumored to have magical creature sightings. It was a simple yet crude method of suppressing magical creatures’ power with divine energy from the temples.

“Was there a particular reason for suddenly deciding to build a temple?”

“Well…”

Winter suddenly glanced around and lowered his voice:

“His Majesty the Emperor is scheduled to visit Pergamon for next year’s founding anniversary. If His Majesty were to see his people throwing jewels into the sea and singing hymns…”

Naturally, the Emperor, who considers himself the sole ruler of the continent, would be displeased. But the approach was fundamentally flawed. As I sighed in exasperation, Winter continued cautiously:

“But the plan was completely abandoned. More precisely, they couldn’t even reach Potamoi Island.”

“…Don’t tell me…”

“Yes. The ship carrying materials for temple construction suddenly sank in a typhoon. Fortunately, there were no deaths, but most people on board lost their legs or their eyesight. Because of this, all the workers and sailors withdrew from the project. Now they’re terrified at the mere mention of Oceanos.”

I gulped down my wine upon hearing this disturbing account. I couldn’t tell if the burning sensation was from the wine or from the foolish decision. Winter averted his gaze and murmured quietly:

“Since then, storms have been striking without warning. The locals probably know, but they dare not speak of it for fear the blame might fall elsewhere.”

“Surely you realized the approach was wrong. Why didn’t you stop it?”

“At first, the director and the rest of us naturally objected. But we couldn’t do anything beyond that.”

“Why not?”

“Over the years, hundreds of magical creatures have been rescued by Tethys sanctuary and safely returned to nature. Some suffered fatal wounds that couldn’t be treated with herbs or magic and had to end their lives here. Do you know who made all this possible?”

Winter looked at a portrait hanging on the banquet hall wall:

“It was our lord. This place exists thanks to his generous support. How could we say anything more to such a person?”

The middle-aged man in the painting wasn’t displaying wealth like typical noble portraits; instead, he wore simple clothes and smiled benevolently. He must be the count who governs the Oceanos Coast.

After silently gazing at the portrait for a while, Winter slowly bowed his head and pleaded:

“Please don’t blame our lord too harshly.”

Afterward, Winter turned and went to the sanctuary director. I stared blankly at the portrait, holding my empty wine glass. I understood how important it was for the Emperor to personally visit the city on the founding anniversary. That’s why even the lord, who had generously supported the sanctuary, invaded a magical creature’s habitat for fear of criticism. Because of that mistake, workers and sailors were severely injured, and sea routes were closed. Even months later, Oceanos Sea continued to rage without rest.

The complex entanglement of interests made my head throb. As I touched my forehead, Iris casually asked:

“Why the long face? Feeling sorry for the injured people now?”

“I do feel sorry for them, but the bigger issue is that innocent magical creatures are suffering too.”

Sighing, I put down my wine glass, and Iris grabbed my wrist firmly.

“Sometimes it seems like you prioritize magical creatures over humans?”

“There are plenty of people who take humanity’s side without me needing to. But no one speaks up for magical creatures.”

When I stared directly into her gray eyes, her hand slowly fell away.

“Fine. I suppose… we need people like you to maintain balance.”

Today, I really needed some alcohol. I filled a round glass with wine and rinsed my mouth, but the heaviness in my heart remained. I turned to Iris:

“Do you think… coexistence with magical creatures is possible?”

Despite the sudden question, Iris answered without hesitation:

“Coexistence? Easy to say.”

She snorted and looked around the banquet hall.

“Everyone claims to want coexistence on the surface, but their true feelings are different. Even here, they pretend to care about magical creatures while actually wanting them under their control.”

“…”

“It’s not just about magical creatures. In every relationship, the one holding the knife is actually more anxious. They’re constantly on edge, worrying when the seemingly docile creature might stab them in the back.”

Shrugging her shoulders, Iris stepped closer to me.

“That’s why I found you somewhat fascinating. You seemed to genuinely care about magical creatures.”

My grip on the wine glass tightened unconsciously. When I frowned, Iris’s lips twitched.

“But seeing your expression now, I’m not so sure.”

Iris moved beside me, placed her hand on my shoulder, and whispered:

“Do you truly believe coexistence with magical creatures is possible?”

I silently drank my wine in response to her pointed question. It felt like I was burning inside.