Entering the Spirit Realm (3)
Once Pompeii's story had reached a natural pause, I brought up another topic.
"Uluru. There's something I want to ask."
I stroked Mandu's back as I spoke.
"When we first found Mandu, it was deep under the sea."
[Under the sea?]
"Do you happen to know why a baby spirit ended up in a place like that?"
We explained the circumstances of how we'd discovered Mandu.
By the time we finished, Uluru's face had hardened.
[Chit! Chit!]
Mandu seemed worried about the other baby salamanders. It had been lucky enough to survive, but if others had suffered the same fate, they might have already crossed the river of no return.
Uluru listened gravely to Mandu's tale and nodded.
[I knew the number of baby salamanders had been decreasing little by little lately.]
According to Aqua, Uluru cared for nearly all the baby spirits. That was because Pompeii, the Fire Spirit King, was still young, and the Wind Spirit King's throne sat empty.
[I thought it was just a natural cycle regulating their numbers... I never imagined something like this...]
Even Uluru hadn't noticed—the scheme had been carried out that stealthily.
Could someone be deliberately harming the baby salamanders?
The sudden forced returns of baby salamanders to the human world didn't seem like the work of nature or mere coincidence.
That was when it happened.
[Hm?]
Aqua turned around. Sensing a familiar spirit energy, I did the same.
[I wondered what business brought Aqua to the Spirit Realm...]
There stood the former Water Spirit King, Niagara.
* * *
Niagara joined us. Uluru drew a glass of water for him, but he seemed uninterested.
[Um, that is...]
Niagara finally spoke up, clearing his throat awkwardly before timidly addressing Aqua.
[I-it's been a while, Aqua.]
[Hmph!]
Aqua snorted as if she'd been waiting for this. Niagara's mouth turned down in a pout.
Niagara had no ground to complain about the treatment—he knew what he'd done. But airing old grudges could wait; we had business to discuss.
"Niagara. Did you follow us here after seeing Aqua head to the Spirit Realm?"
Niagara looked grateful that I'd spoken to him so casually.
[Yes. A spirit user I know called Sia after seeing your photos on SNS.]
I'd felt it during the Little Mermaid Challenge too, but SNS really spread like wildfire.
[When I expressed worry, Sia told me to come check on things.]
As far as I knew, Niagara had been recuperating in America—not the Spirit Realm—for Sia Clearwater's sake. She feared he might retreat back into seclusion there again.
But she let him go without hesitation because he was worried about Aqua.
Truly, no spirit user was a bad person.
[Perfect timing, then.]
Uluru nodded.
[Since you're here, lend us your strength, Niagara.]
Uluru summarized Pompeii's situation for him.
[Pompeii went that far...?]
Niagara stroked his beard gravely. A seven-year-old doing it was downright comical.
[Hm, but...]
Niagara tilted his head, looking troubled.
[I came because I was worried about Aqua, but Sia will worry if I'm gone too long.]
Uluru waved it off.
[We'll call her here too.]
[Sia as well?]
Niagara glanced at me. The rule about humans not entering the Spirit Realm was already broken anyway.
[With two Water Spirit Kings, we'd have a solid edge even against Pompeii.]
Niagara nodded at Uluru's words.
* * *
Mindful of Niagara's frail condition, Uluru opened a direct passage to the human world for him. Soon after, he returned with Sia Clearwater.
Sia Clearwater chattered energetically, cradling Niagara in her arms.
"I can't believe it! Me, in the Spirit Realm!"
[Don't be too surprised. It was bound to happen someday.]
"I trained for five years straight to come here...!"
[A-hem, a-hem...]
"Oh, sorry."
[No, I'm sorry.]
I couldn't help but smile at the sight.
They're adorable.
Sia Clearwater was petite. Carrying the relatively large Niagara made her look like a child lugging around a teddy bear half her size.
[Ah! Hyunwoo!]
Sia Clearwater spotted me and ran over with a bright smile. She set Niagara on a chair, then bowed politely.
"I'm Sia Clearwater. It's been a while."
Her Korean had a slight accent.
Ever since Korea rose as a hunter powerhouse, learning the language had become a mark of sophistication among hunters.
"I should have visited sooner, but our recuperation kept me away. I'm truly sorry."
"It's fine. Please, lift your head."
Sia Clearwater straightened up with a radiant smile.
"Thank you so much. I got to reunite with Niagara because of you."
"No need. We received the Spirit Realm's trident in return."
"That was a duel for the Spirit King throne—it was only right."
True enough.
"And thanks to you, I made it to the Spirit Realm. I'm so grateful."
"It wasn't thanks to me."
"Still grateful. For everything."
Sia Clearwater smiled softly, her eyes crinkling at the corners.
She's positively glowing.
Last time, years surviving in the Amazon had left her grubby and gaunt, compounded by the grief of losing Niagara. Her face had been shadowed and thin.
She looks so much better now.
Reuniting with Niagara seemed to have restored her lost vitality. Fresh energy brimmed from her brightened features. Now she finally looked her age.
It warmed my heart to see the change. Losing family was too cruel for a teenage girl.
While we exchanged greetings, Niagara kept stealing glances at Aqua.
[What are you staring at!]
But when Aqua glared, he deflated instantly.
* * *
After brief introductions, we filled Sia Clearwater in on Pompeii's situation again.
"To sum up, we need to purify Pompeii and find out what's causing the baby salamanders to vanish."
But we had no leads on the salamanders yet. Naturally, Pompeii took priority.
[Then we should head to his domain.]
Niagara looked ready to move out immediately.
"Hold on. Before we dive in, give us a few days."
Uluru, Niagara, Sia Clearwater—even Aqua and Mandu—eyed me curiously.
I grinned and patted Aqua's cheek.
"I want to do some Spirit Realm sightseeing."
[...Sightseeing?]
Uluru blinked as if she'd misheard.
[Ah! Hehe!]
Aqua covered her mouth and giggled, as if she knew exactly what I meant.
Spirit Realm Tour
📍 Show your first-time visitor spirit user around the Spirit Realm.
🎁 Reward: Spirit user's growth.
We might have to face Pompeii in battle. A spirit user was a guardian who protected their spirits. We always had to prepare for the worst.
Uluru tilted her head, puzzled.
"It's how we get stronger."
[Hm! Just watch! We'll come back much stronger in a few days!]
Uluru, Niagara, and Sia Clearwater still looked baffled.
"It's my trait."
[Ah. I see.]
Only then did they nod.
[I'll show you the best spots I know!]
Aqua buzzed with excitement. She seemed purely delighted to share what she loved.
[We should all travel together.]
Niagara suggested.
[Since Pompeii warned Aqua, better to stay cautious. Spirits can't always sense each other here.]
Even if spirits could detect one another's energy, there were limits.
[And Sia, you should see the Spirit Realm too.]
Niagara gazed warmly at Sia Clearwater. She nodded eagerly.
"Shall we start the tour, then?"
As we rose to leave—
[Wait!]
Aqua shouted.
[One last issue to settle!]
Everyone turned to her. Aqua crossed her arms and huffed, glaring straight at Niagara.
[Let's talk, former Spirit King!]
I could guess what was coming. Aqua wanted to put an end to their bad blood.
[Hm!]
Niagara, oblivious, beamed at her like a doting father hoping for reconciliation.
It was almost pitiful to watch.
Aqua tilted her head.
[Did you just say 'hm'? Have you forgotten basic greetings from the shock of losing your throne?]
Sensing something off, Niagara tilted his head slightly and greeted her.
[It's been a while, Aqua.]
Aqua wasn't satisfied. She uncrossed her arms and planted hands on her hips.
[It's been a while? That's too casual!]
Niagara blinked in confusion.
Aqua declared boldly.
[Where'd you sell your polite speech!]
[......]
Niagara blinked in disbelief before responding.
[You want me to use polite speech?]
[You're facing your king! Show some respect!]
Niagara's mouth hung half-open before he shook his head.
A triumphant, gleeful smile played on Aqua's lips. It practically screamed, Gotcha now.
[No, Aqua. Even when I was Spirit King, you spoke casually to me.]
[When the king changes, so do many things! The new king demands your respect!]
Niagara blinked blankly. Aqua jutted her chin forward seriously.
[Come on! Say it: Lady Aqua!]
[...Aku... Aqua. That's a bit...]
[Lady Aqua!]
[......]
Niagara stared blankly at his spirit user, pleading for help.
"Hehehe."
But Sia Clearwater just laughed merrily at her spirit's plight—half blissful to be with Niagara, half vindicated after five years of abandonment.
Under that pressure, Niagara awkwardly turned to me. As if I'd bail him out.
"Some Spirit King once tried to imprison his successor just because he was king. Polite speech is nothing."
[Ahem, hem.]
Niagara cleared his throat, pretending not to hear.
[Say it already! Lady Aqua!]
Aqua barked. Niagara looked lost, then squeezed his eyes shut tight.
[Ah!]
Aqua yelped in surprise.
[Are you pretending to sleep?! Have you no shame, you who were once called Spirit King?!]
Niagara's eyebrows twitched, but his eyes stayed shut.
[Keep it up, and I won't call you former Spirit King—I'll just say 'bearded undine'! I'll tell all the undines to call you that too!]
His eyebrows quivered, but still no opening.
[Bearded undine! Open your eyes! That's an order from the king!]
Aqua showed no sign of stopping, venting years of pent-up frustration. She loved Niagara—and that's why she was so ruthless. Now she was unleashing it all.
Niagara, meanwhile, kept his eyes clamped shut, terrified of even glancing open.
To help Aqua along, I chimed in.
"Aqua. Niagara still hasn't recovered from losing to us."
[Hm? Is that it?]
"Otherwise, passing out like that makes no sense."
Aqua's eyes gleamed mischievously.
[Oh ho! I see! Then I'll be understanding! Our poor bearded undine has turned into an old relic!]
Twitch—Niagara's eyebrows jerked the hardest yet.
[Old relic spirit! Bearded old relic undine!]
Aqua dug in gleefully, determined to air every grievance and fury while she had the chance.