More time had passed than expected. Asrein, unable to sit still and pacing by the window, thought to himself that it was fortunate in many ways that no shouting could be heard from the adjacent room. Oceanos, who hated losing more than death itself, would never bow his head even with a knife to his throat.

That’s why Asrein felt deeply uneasy about this negotiation. Moreover, since the body Oceanos possessed happened to be Tae-oh’s, Asrein’s worry grew heavy as water-soaked cotton.

How much time had passed since then? When the sun was tilting westward, a small noise came from beyond the door. Asrein, who had been gazing out the window, immediately turned his head to stare at the door. Eventually, the door opened and a welcome face entered.

“Tae-oh. How are you feeling?”

Upon entering the room, Tae-oh immediately smiled with his eyes upon seeing Asrein. Despite his pale skin, his colored lips created a strikingly seductive atmosphere. It felt disconnected from his usual shy smile whenever their eyes met.

Because of this, Asrein recognized immediately. This young man was not the Tae-oh he knew.

“Why are you still in that body?”

“Being on land after so long fills me with nostalgia, making it difficult to leave.”

Though the voice was the same, the languid tone made it sound like a completely different person. Displeased by this fact, Asrein frowned, causing Oceanos, who had taken over Tae-oh’s body, to smile slyly.

“Ah, should I call you by the name ‘Asrein’ now?”

Oceanos stopped in front of Asrein with light steps, like a butterfly landing on a flower petal.

“Since when have you listened to me so well?”

“Hehe… how mischievous of you.”

The gaze that traveled from his solid chest along his neckline to his face was seductive. Hands with small remaining scratches gently caressed the long tawny hair. While Asrein openly displayed his discomfort, he hesitated to push those hands away for fear of hurting Tae-oh’s body.

Seeing Asrein’s twitching hands, Oceanos giggled softly.

“It’s still amazing. How is someone so precious wearing human skin?”

“If your business is done, leave that body now.”

“If you want your charge back, first answer my question.”

The eyebrows that always formed gentle curves rose sharply. With Tae-oh’s precious body in Oceanos’s hands, Asrein had no choice but to comply. Oceanos spoke while slowly circling around him.

“I don’t understand any of your actions or words right now.”

“What do you mean?”

“Why don’t you announce to the world that you’re alive? All magical creatures are waiting only for you. Since that day, you’re the only one who can save us from this continuing despair…”

His calm voice began to tremble slightly. After completing a full circle and returning to stand before Asrein, Oceanos was somewhat agitated. His wide eyes glared accusingly at Asrein.

“Please give this humble one an explanation.”

“I cannot speak of it yet.”

“Yet… how long do you intend to continue this charade?”

Though Oceanos openly scoffed, Asrein remained motionless. Oceanos spoke while moving his arms exaggeratedly, like an actor performing on stage.

“I still vividly remember you blessing newly born magical creatures. On that quiet shore, you told me you would entrust this sea to me. You taught Hyperion to love forests and life, and you opened a new world for Helios and Selene.”

The sparkle in his eyes, like experiencing ecstasy, instantly vanished.

“…But look at you now.”

His gentle face twisted dramatically as he frowned while smiling.

“You have quite the stomach. When the race that cut off your horns and killed you deserves annihilation, how! …How can you possibly live among them disguised as a human?”

The emotion Oceanos expressed was clearly betrayal. While happy that someone he thought dead was alive, he resented Asrein for not revealing this fact to him until now.

Asrein, for his part, turned his eyes away from the passionate emotions directed at him.

“I see no further value in this conversation.”

At this blatant rejection, the dark area under Oceanos’s eyes trembled.

“Could it be that after living among humans for so long, you’ve come to prefer them over magical creatures?”

His tightly closed lips only stimulated Oceanos’s competitive spirit. To force open those lips as heavy as stone, a life-threatening provocation was necessary.

Of course, a being closest to perfection among all things in heaven and earth would not easily reveal an Achilles’ heel. But even the absolute being had a scale growing in reverse – Oceanos knew exactly what would provoke Asrein.

“Or perhaps…”

Oceanos carefully extended his hand and grasped Asrein’s shoulder. Then, slightly raising his heels, he whispered in his ear.

“Have you developed feelings for this human?”

Veins bulged over the temple beneath his long hair. Asrein wanted to push him away immediately, but because it was Tae-oh’s appearance, he barely suppressed his anger. Noticing the momentary disturbance in those golden eyes, Oceanos used it to his advantage.

“My, both then and now, you make mistakes led by mere sentiment. You who should want for nothing…”

Oceanos slowly lowered his hand to embrace Asrein’s waist. Not content with that, he smiled while pressing his cheek against the firm chest, like a longtime lover. A grinding sound of teeth echoed ominously throughout the room. With a mischievous smile, Oceanos looked up at Asrein and said:

“If you desire him so much, why not take him by force? Though it’s a grown man’s body, in his current state without will, he would have no strength to resist.”

With those final words, Asrein’s patience burned completely to ashes. At last, Asrein tightly gripped the slender neck that spouted such absurd words. Oceanos twisted his upper body to escape belatedly, but it was a futile struggle. Despite the gentle touch stroking his Adam’s apple, the killing intent directed at Oceanos was razor-sharp.

“Watch your words. This is not someone you can treat carelessly.”

Oceanos, quite bewildered by Asrein’s attitude of protecting the human, said:

“You must be joking. Surely you wouldn’t… The you I know…”

“Enough.”

His resolute voice silenced Oceanos.

“Leave without a trace and never think of returning. The moment any harm comes to this person’s body, the sea named Oceanos will vanish from this world without a trace.”

Asrein’s eyes directed at Oceanos shone with a dangerous light, like solar flares rising from the sun’s surface. As soon as the hand gripping his neck released, Oceanos backed away, breaking into a cold sweat. Only after putting sufficient distance between them could he finally exhale the breath he had been holding.

Oceanos stroked his throat, where the sensation still lingered, and said:

“I won’t ask how you’re alive. For us, only the fact that you ‘are alive’ matters.”

“…”

“So when your noble plan is complete, please call upon this Oceanos. I will create an army solely for you in the depths of the sea, where humans dare not know.”

Oceanos placed one hand on his chest and drew the other behind him, performing a royal bow.

“Give us a proper chance for revenge…”

Soon, water spray rose over his bent back, and his body collapsed. Asrein hurriedly grabbed the fragile shoulders and pulled them to rest against his chest. He could only feel sorry for Tae-oh, who had lost consciousness and fallen.

Just then, there was a knock at the door. Asrein instinctively embraced Tae-oh and answered casually.

“Come in.”

Bezef, who opened the door and entered, widened his eyes at the sight of the limp Tae-oh.

“Is that Tae-oh person alright?”

“…He’s merely unconscious.”

Asrein gently stroked Tae-oh’s arm, treating it like a glass sculpture. It was such a careful touch that it was hard to believe these were the same hands that had gripped his neck just minutes ago. Finally reassured, Bezef smiled brightly and said:

“Thank you. Thanks to you, my father will soon regain his health. So regarding how to repay you for this matter…”

“Direct your gratitude to my student. It was entirely Tae-oh’s decision to take this risk.”

“Ah, then I shall invite him separately to entertain…”

“No. That won’t be necessary.”

What stopped his excited chatter was a firm gesture.

“I’d prefer we never see each other again.”

His narrowed eyes contained clear hostility. Bezef couldn’t hide his bewilderment at Asrein’s sudden change in attitude. Asrein stared directly at his eyes, which swayed like a pendulum, and said:

“You and the Count may not know, but the original reason for investigating the Oceanos Sea was at the Imperial Family’s request.”

“W-what do you mean…?”

“However, I’ll keep this matter confidential. Since unexpected events occurred for both parties, let’s maintain mutual silence.”

At the word “Imperial,” Bezef swallowed hard. It was his mistake to assume they were simply visiting for research purposes, having brought students along. Suddenly confronted with the truth, Bezef’s mind went blank, and all he could do was gape like a goldfish. Displeased by this sight, Asrein clicked his tongue briefly.

“Understand? What happens to House Pergamon and the people living in this city is of no concern to me. You brought this trouble upon yourselves from the beginning, so I expect you to handle matters on your own from now on.”

After delivering these words that were closer to a declaration, Asrein bent down and effortlessly lifted Tae-oh. Then, looking down at Bezef who stood frozen in place, he said:

“If you understand my words, please step aside.”

***

I dreamed of swimming in the deep sea. Corals of all colors and aquatic magical creatures I had never seen before brushed past me like they were greeting me. Without worrying about running out of breath, I happily wandered around until I spotted a snow-white rock in the distance. Perhaps it emitted a deadly poison, as no living creature approached its vicinity.

Carefully turning my body, I reached the massive rock. Up close, I could see hand-sized horizontal lines sparsely marked on its surface. Moreover, bright red seaweed grew through cracks that resembled lightning bolts. Out of curiosity, I reached out my hand but stopped abruptly just before my fingertips made contact.

The rock opened its eyes. No, a whale the size of a rock slowly raised its body. The horizontal lines I thought were scratches were all eyes. Roughly estimating, more than dozens of gazes were directed solely at me. Unable to move even a single step with my hand extended, I was overwhelmed by the pressure emanating from the pure white whale.

The eyeballs that had been busily moving around, examining me, stopped. One second, two seconds…. Time flowed, but it felt like only this space was frozen in time. So even when the whale slowly opened its mouth, I couldn’t move my body. Just as I was about to enter the enormous mouth without offering any resistance—

“Huk…!”

I opened my eyes with a gasp, breathing deeply. My body was gently swaying, and I could faintly hear the sound of hooves. As I slowly raised my upper body, the coat covering me slipped down onto my thighs. Rubbing my drowsy eyes with the back of my hand, I habitually checked for his presence.

“…Professor?”

“Did you sleep well?”

His low voice pleasantly tickled my ears. Thank goodness. Asrein was by my side.

“Where are we?”

“The matter concluded safely, and we’re on our way back to the sanctuary.”

“Ah… Did everything go well? Did Oceanos cause any problems?”

Asrein, who had been answering diligently, suddenly closed his mouth. Feeling somehow anxious, I gripped the coat tightly and watched his expression.

“I… I don’t remember anything.”

I gazed at Asrein’s beautiful face through blurry eyes. No matter how much I blinked, trying to see clearly, my hazy vision didn’t improve.

“That’s fine. There’s nothing for you to worry about.”

That’s a relief, but… why was there a bitter emotion in his voice? Something must have happened. I had mountains of questions, but my tired body wouldn’t cooperate with my mind. When I mumbled something that sounded like baby talk, Asrein gently laughed and pressed my forehead.

“So… get some more rest.”

Curling up like a shrimp, I felt sleep overtaking me again. Trying to hold onto my fading consciousness, I slightly opened my eyes. But someone was sitting next to Asrein. It was someone who shouldn’t be here, who couldn’t possibly be here.

The figure disappeared as soon as I blinked, but I saw it clearly. Oceanos, smiling at me.