Niagara (1)
Han Areum, annoyed by her hair fluttering in the wind, pulled a rubber band from her pocket and tied it back into a single ponytail as she asked,
"You really have nothing to say? Any story's fine."
She must have thought I wanted to consult her about my worries over Aqua or Niagara.
Actually... there is something that's been bothering me a bit.
When I heard Aqua's story, there was one part of Niagara's actions that I just couldn't understand. I couldn't stop thinking that some clue was hidden there.
The showdown with Niagara is tomorrow. If not now, I'll never get another chance at a lead.
Gazing out at the night sea, I slowly opened my mouth.
"Why did Niagara leave Sia Clearwater?"
Niagara's contractor, Sia Clearwater, had been living in seclusion deep in the Amazon for the past five years.
Spirit contractors who lose their spirits often end up as shells of themselves.
But Sia Clearwater was a bit different. She hadn't truly parted from her spirit. Rumor had it she believed the myth that living in harmony with nature would raise her Spirit Affinity, so she'd gone into the Amazon to reach a level where she could cross into the Spirit Realm and reunite with Niagara.
But there's no clear record of why Niagara actually left Sia Clearwater.
"I don't want to see any more spirits get hurt" didn't quite cut it as an explanation.
"How does keeping spirits from getting hurt connect to abandoning Sia Clearwater?"
That was the part that didn't make sense.
"Ah, Niagara."
Han Areum shook her head vigorously, perhaps trying to shake off her buzz.
"Who knows. Maybe he developed a distrust of all humans?"
In the current situation, that seemed like the most plausible explanation. Niagara himself had even said, "Humans are poison."
"But..."
That didn't feel right for a spirit. Spirit Kings were more rational than regular spirits, but at their core, they were still spirits. And among them, water spirits had the highest affinity with their contractors.
Would Niagara, of all spirits, really fall into human distrust because of the Wind Spirit King's death, then abandon the contractor he'd lived with like family for five years?
I couldn't easily accept that conclusion. The spirits I knew weren't like that. I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to it.
"Spirits are tricky, huh."
Han Areum said, looking out at the sea.
"I don't know if it's distrust or outright hatred of humans, but even so, Niagara's still looking for family like humans do, right?"
"Niagara is?"
"He called Aqua his daughter."
That was true. Niagara had called Aqua his daughter without hesitation.
Suddenly, something flashed through my mind.
"Wait. When did Niagara start calling Aqua his daughter?"
"A few years ago, I think?"
A few years ago—and Niagara's big change had happened five years back. From what I knew, Niagara had treated Sia Clearwater like a daughter when they were active together.
They'd contracted when Sia Clearwater was just nine years old.
Just like the old days Aqua remembered between herself and Niagara.
No way...?
I pieced together the theory and puzzle pieces in my head once more.
The reason Niagara left Sia Clearwater.
The reason he started calling Aqua his daughter.
Even the reason he'd tried to stop Aqua from leaving the Spirit Realm.
It all fit together perfectly.
I turned to Han Areum. She shrank back a little, perhaps intimidated by my intense gaze.
"What's up?"
"Thanks."
"Huh?"
"Let's head back."
"Huh?"
I took the puzzled Han Areum back to the suite.
"Gilsan. One more favor?"
Jang Gilsan paused with his wine glass and turned to me.
"Just say it."
"Find one person for me. Bring them here. Ideally before the showdown with Niagara ends."
"Who?"
"Sia Clearwater."
"...Niagara's contractor?"
Jang Gilsan looked baffled.
"You planning a fair 2v2?"
"No. Sia Clearwater's the key to changing Niagara's heart."
"Got it. You have a plan."
Jang Gilsan nodded without pressing further and pulled out his phone.
"Find a spirit contractor in seclusion in the heart of the Amazon by tomorrow... What a pain of a client."
He grinned.
"Jeong Ri-on would never go for a request like this."
Jang Gilsan immediately made a call.
"Yeah, it's me. Need you to find someone. Contact the US branch and send people to the Amazon."
Issuing orders over the phone, Jang Gilsan looked utterly reliable.
* * *
The next day, we did some light exercise to loosen up, then had breakfast. After showering, Aqua gazed out the window.
Aqua's eyes turned toward the sun in the sky.
[Niagara will come soon.]
She must have gauged the time from the sun's position. Aqua's voice was calm, her gaze steady—no tension or anxiety.
I gently scooped her up, gave her a piggyback ride, and asked,
"Shall we hit our cafe?"
[A cafe?]
"A bit of caffeine wakes the mind right up."
[Good! Let's go!]
We headed straight to the cafe. Thanks to the bodyguards Jang Gilsan had mobilized, we enjoyed a quiet morning there.
We placed our orders before finding a seat.
"I'll have an iced Americano."
"Does an iced Americano suit your height and face? How about some hot herbal soup?"
"Judging by face? Anyway, it's my older brother's fault for taking all the genes. Couldn't leave some for me?"
"He left you the height, though."
"Face over height any day."
"Better than having that face with short height."
"...True, but why do I feel like I lost?"
Aqua chuckled softly at Han Areum and Han Deuri bickering first thing in the morning.
After ordering, we took a table overlooking the sea. The food came quickly, but no one really touched it.
[Ssiit......]
Mandu barely nibbled his favorite cake, clinging only to Aqua. She smiled softly at his clingy gestures, stroking his back.
[Mm. Tasty!]
Aqua soothed Mandu while sipping her hot chocolate. She seemed unusually serene today—like gazing at still water.
Is this how Aqua steels her resolve?
It felt like the calm before the storm.
Maybe I should help a little.
I opened up casually, like everyday chat.
"What should we do for summer break? We're all together—maybe some group tours?"
The siblings and Jang Gilsan blinked at my words, but soon caught on and played along.
"Water park, obviously! I brought my swimsuit!"
"Lots of tourist spots nearby. We could knock those out."
"Yachting along the East Coast wouldn't be bad."
"What about you, Aqua? What do you want to do?"
Aqua beamed at me.
[Anywhere with you is fine by me!]
"That's my line."
We giggled, sketching out vacation plans. Jang Gilsan pulled up an Excel sheet on his tablet, and the siblings searched nearby attractions and eateries on their phones, plugging them in. It was a haphazard plan with no time allocations or budgets.
[Hee hee hee! Can't wait!]
We lost track of time, happily filling the summer itinerary. Then, suddenly, we all turned to look out the window.
Niagara's waterfall was pouring down.
The cascade from empty air was fantastical—and eerie.
Jang Gilsan murmured softly,
"He's here."
Han Areum and Han Deuri watched the waterfall with tense eyes. Even as A-rank awakeners, they could sense Niagara's unnatural aura.
"Whew..."
Jang Gilsan sighed and shook his head.
"Sorry. Couldn't meet the deadline."
It was about Sia Clearwater.
"It's fine. It was a last-minute ask anyway."
"If word comes during the fight, I'll have a teleporter bring her straight here."
"A teleporter? Isn't that too much?"
Jang Gilsan brushed it off.
"Told you. It's an investment."
Then, with uncharacteristic steel in his eyes,
"So you two just focus on winning."
"Got it, sunbae. You just protect Aqua!"
"Hyungnim, Aqua, Mandu—fighting!"
"Haha, thanks everyone."
[Thank you!]
With their cheers, we stood. As I held Aqua, Mandu scurried up to my shoulder.
"Let's go."
[Mm!]
[Ssiit!]
I looked at my friends. They nodded silently.
Leaving them behind, we stepped out of the building.
Reporters were camped outside the cafe.
"There he is!"
They rushed me like they'd been waiting.
"Kang Hyunwoo-ssi! Is it true the spirit you contracted is the successor to a Spirit King?"
"Did you meet Union Guild heir Jang Gilsan at the Academy? Planning to join after graduation?"
"Daily Academy! One word on your resolve before the duel, please!"
But Jang Gilsan's bodyguards formed a wide human barricade, keeping them at bay.
"Win this, Hyunwoo-ssi!"
"We gotta train together again! No losing!"
[Aqua-nim, fighting!]
[Don't get hurt!]
Spirit Knights and other spirit users and spirits cheered us on. Sylphs especially swirled overhead the moment we emerged, chattering away.
[Will a new Water Spirit King be born?!]
[Or end as youthful folly?!]
[Showtime! Grab your popcorn!]
[I'm proposing to her after this fight!]
[Did we win? We won!]
I ignored the sylphs raising their own defeat flags and scanned the spirits beyond the barricade one by one.
Salamanders flicking tongues from contractors' shoulders, gnomes clutching legs and staring wide-eyed. Undines sending cheers and worries, excited sylphs.
The spirits saw this duel as one big game—or festival.
A festival it is.
Today was the day Aqua became Spirit King, after all.
Smiling, I said to her,
"Shall we go, future Spirit King?"
Aqua, whose face had been a bit stiff, looked surprised at my words, then covered her mouth and giggled.
[Yes! Let's go!]
We stepped toward Niagara's waterfall.