Water Park (4)
It was Aqua who struck first.
Aqua shaped her finger into a gun and aimed at the sylphs.
Whoosh—!
A water pistol shot burst from the tip of her finger.
[No way!]
The sylphs scattered in all directions with nimble flight, as if they'd anticipated it, dodging the stream of water. Then they swooped past us like fighter jets in a low-altitude flyby.
Whoosh—!
The wind from their passage churned the waves.
“Whoa?!”
Startled, I quickly tucked Mandu, who'd been perched on my head, into the pocket of my life jacket.
“Woroo!”
“One more time!”
The people around us giggled and cheered excitedly at the sudden waves. With the wave pool requiring mandatory life jackets anyway, no one was in danger of getting hurt by the splashes.
[Mm!]
Aqua kept tracking the sylphs, firing water pistols from her pointed finger.
[Face the wind!]
But the sylphs nullified the water attacks effortlessly, even conjuring a barrier of wind.
[This won't do!]
Aqua plunged her hand into the water below and pulled out something unexpected—a cannon made entirely of water.
The undines swiftly clustered around the cannon.
[Aim!]
[Aim, aim!]
[Incoming!]
The undines skillfully swiveled the cannon toward the sylphs with practiced ease, honed from countless shots back in the Spirit Realm.
Aqua gauged the distance with her finger, then shouted.
[Fire!]
[Fire!]
[Fire!]
Like rowdy pirates echoing their captain, the undines fired the cannon on Aqua's command.
Boom! Boom!
The water cannon launched water projectiles that arced through the sky toward the sylphs.
Splat!
[Gah!]
One sylph took a direct hit and plummeted.
[No! Hang in there, Number Three!]
Another sylph scooped up the fallen one and zipped away.
The remaining sylphs glared furiously and charged at us.
[This is for Number Three!]
Whoosh—!
[Gyaah!]
[Aaaqua niiiiiim!]
This gust was fierce. It nearly blew away the diminutive undines.
Jeong Ri-on's sylphs live up to their reputation!
The waves surged wildly. Combined with the pool's own artificial waves, the delighted screams of the swimmers filled the air.
[Hrm...!]
Aqua let out a grave murmur. Her opponents hovered in the air—an extremely unfavorable matchup.
I spoke up.
“Aqua. Let's go giant-size.”
[Giant-size, you say?]
Gigantification was one of the water spirits' signature tricks.
“Then you can easily reach the sylphs, right?”
[Brilliant!]
Aqua giggled and dove beneath the surface. Through my Spirit Affinity, I could see her body absorbing the pool water and expanding massively.
Splash—!
A gigantic hand burst from the water. It slapped the surface, sending sprays everywhere.
“Eek!”
“Whoa!”
The nearby crowd shrieked with delight, eyes sparkling.
Aqua's head and upper body followed her hand, emerging from the water. She was now nearly five meters tall—almost ten times her original size.
“Woooah!”
The crowd erupted in cheers. The sudden appearance of the giant spirit had the kids going wild.
[Freeze!]
With only her upper body above water, Aqua reached for the sylphs.
[Eek?!]
The sylphs pulled off acrobatic maneuvers, barely slipping between her massive fingers.
[Where do you think you're going!]
[Gyaaaah!]
Like prey fleeing a colossal monster, the sylphs screamed in retreat—but Aqua's hand was faster.
Squish!
She finally caught one. Aqua cupped her hands, shook it vigorously, then hurled it toward the outdoor ocean with all her might.
[Aaaaaah......]
The sylph's cries faded into the distance until they vanished entirely.
The undines threw their hands up in victory.
[We won!]
[Lady Aqua wins!]
The rest of the crowd had witnessed Aqua's triumph too.
“Ooooh!”
“Awesome, undines!”
“Was that some kind of show? So fun!”
The kids were especially ecstatic.
“I wanna play with the undines! With the water spirit!”
“Dad! Take me closer to that spirit! Hurry!”
Aqua surveyed the crowd, hands on her hips. Her enlarged body made every motion slow and dramatic, like something out of a blockbuster movie.
[What's this? You all wanna play with me?]
The entire wave pool nodded enthusiastically at Aqua.
She chuckled mischievously.
[Very well! Come one, come all!]
Aqua extended her massive hand toward the people. They screamed like they were being kidnapped by a sea witch, yet buzzed with the thrill of a new ride.
She hoisted them onto her shoulders. Fascinated by the feel of a real water spirit, they rubbed her cheeks and shoulders curiously.
[Heehee! Tickles, doesn't it!]
Aqua's laughter sent vibrations rippling through her body to the riders. They wobbled, then slid down her arm like a waterslide. Those on her head slipped and dove straight in.
“Ahahaha!”
“Wow! Again!”
Everyone was having a blast. No injuries, thanks to Aqua cushioning potential collisions with water buffers.
“One more ride!”
“Lemme climb up!”
The crowd swarmed Aqua in a frenzy—even adults far older than her clung excitedly. Strangely, Aqua was the one entertaining them.
[Lady Aqua! Us too!]
[Play with us!]
The undines joined in, enlarging themselves to varying sizes based on their ranks—like a family of giants.
[You rascals!]
Aqua scooped up one undine and hugged it tight. A person wedged between them looked blissfully overwhelmed, on the verge of a happiness-induced heart attack.
[What are you waiting for!]
Setting the undine down, Aqua called to me.
[You too—come here!]
Her words sent a familiar tingle through my heart. I knew this feeling well—it always came when playing with Aqua.
The sensation of returning to childhood innocence.
Suddenly eight years old again, I splashed wildly toward her.
* * *
“Wheeee!”
I grabbed Aqua’s gigantic arm and slid down.
Whoosh!
Her body already felt like a water balloon, slick with pool water—I couldn't hold on.
Splash!
I submerged, then bobbed up.
“Ugh, not working.”
I tried climbing her body again. I wasn't alone—folks were scaling her like a massive inflatable slide.
Aqua helped the kids up easily while playfully nudging adults off.
[Heehee. Try harder!]
She peered down at me with a grin. Surrounded by dozens, hundreds of people, her eyes still locked on me unerringly. Even mid-play with others, she'd glance back.
It filled me with a childish, possessive joy.
She's my spirit, after all.
“Alright—one more go!”
I rolled up my sleeves and started climbing again.
That's when I reached her shoulder.
[Sisit!]
Mandu, who'd been on her shoulder, scampered down to me and offered his tail.
[Sisist!]
Climb using me, he seemed to say.
“You sure you can handle my weight?”
[Sisit!]
Mandu barked confidently, as if offended I'd doubt him.
“Got it. Here goes!”
I grabbed his tail.
[Si, sisisisisist!]
And we slid together. Mandu flailed with arms and legs to cling on, but it was futile.
[Ahahaha! What are you two doing?]
Aqua caught us gently and placed us atop her head.
From five meters up, away from the teeming water, the view opened wide.
“Whoa~.”
I took it all in. Kids dotted Aqua's shoulders, but her head was my private perch. Other undines carried their contractors similarly, dwarfed by the spirits.
Gazing far, I spotted Jang Gilsan lounging in our rented cabana. Overwhelmed by the crowd, he'd stepped out for a breather.
[Let's make bigger waves!]
[With our wind, it's possible!]
[Here we go! Super-speed wind!]
The sylphs, back from their flight, were playing wildly again. Their contractor, Jeong Ri-on, was captain of the Spirit Knights and Phoenix Guild's sub-master—too busy for playtime, so the sylphs were pros at entertaining themselves.
[Sisist!]
Mandu climbed onto my head—now the highest point of all.
[Sisit! Sisit!]
Thrilled, he flicked his tongue in what sounded like laughter. I reached up to pet him. He flopped belly-up.
Tickling his tummy, he wriggled and chirped happily.
[Sisist!]
A memory I'd cherish forever.
* * *
We didn't leave the Water Park until evening.
[Haaah......]
Aqua rested her chin on my head with a languid sigh. Post-play exhaustion always left her clingy like this.
“Fun, Aqua?”
[Of course! Truly enjoyable!]
Even drained, she kicked her feet excitedly at my question.
Mandu was already asleep in my pocket.
“Come back again sometime?”
[Absolutely! Let's return!]
Heehee, Aqua beamed brightly. For now, Niagara seemed forgotten.
Seeing her like that lifted my spirits too.
Spirits should always be joyful and happy.
A sentiment all spirit contractors shared. These beings had crossed an entire world to meet us—they deserved this miracle.
That's when it happened.
“Spirit contractor-nim!”
Turning at the call, I saw a short-sleeved staffer rushing toward me. Jang Gilsan's secretary blocked his path.
“Who are you?”
“Ah... I'm an employee of Phoenix Resort.”
The secretary glanced at Jang Gilsan, who looked to me—my guest, my call.
I nodded.
The staffer bowed before me.
“Hello. I'm Han Dong-su, marketing manager for Phoenix Resort.”
“Yes. Kang Hyunwoo. What can I do for you?”
Wondering what marketing wanted, Han Dong-su dropped something totally unexpected.
“By any chance, are you interested in being an advertising model?”