Sia Clearwater (3)
“How about we grab a quick breakfast before we head out?”
Sia nodded at my words.
“Sounds good.”
Her casual speech still felt a bit awkward, and we exchanged small smiles as we looked at each other. I lit a campfire using the burner my parents had packed for me and started grilling the fish I'd hung out to dry, skewering them on sticks. With the scented herbs recommended by the sylphs and the help of the salamanders, the fish came out golden-brown and fragrant. Of course, I sprinkled on plenty of Spirit Realm Pink Salt.
By the time the fish were fully cooked, the spirits had gathered around the fire. Holding the piping-hot skewers, the savory, nutty aroma tickled my nose. I locked eyes with Sia for a moment before taking a big bite.
“Mmm, delicious.”
Crispy skin gave way to juicy, flavorful flesh beneath. It was just fresh-caught fish seasoned with salt and herbs, but grown in the pure Spirit Realm, they tasted so rich it was impossible to feel like anything was missing. Firm yet tender, nutty and salty—the fish danced on my tongue. We smiled at each other as we savored our meal.
“We ate some yesterday, but the fish here in the Spirit Realm really are incredible.”
“Nothing from the Amazon even compares!”
As we ate with relish, the eyes of the watching spirits grew wider and wider.
[That mouth is huge!]
[It all went in one bite!]
[Piggier than the salamanders!]
[Are all humans pigs?]
Undines and sylphs couldn't eat solids, so our meal must have looked fascinating to them. Feeling like a sudden mukbang streamer, I chuckled softly and handed out skewers to the gnomes and salamanders. One sylph stuck right to my side.
[Just one bite!]
“You guys can't eat solids.”
[Juuuust one biiiite!]
I smiled and tore off a piece of fresh fish flesh, popping it into the sylph's mouth.
[Nom!]
The sylph caught it in her mouth. But the flesh passed straight through her body and plopped onto the ground.
[Hiiiing.]
The sylph looked crestfallen. That's when Mandu popped out and snapped up the fallen piece.
[Ah! Mandu! You can't eat stuff off the ground!]
Aqua scooped up Mandu in a flash, but the dirt-covered flesh was already in his belly.
[What a piggy Mandu!]
Despite her scolding words, Aqua smiled and hugged him tight.
[Chit chit!]
Mandu let out a joyful chirp. I set my fish aside for a moment, reached out, and pulled them both into my arms.
[Hee hee hee!]
Aqua looked up at me with a beaming smile. Mandu stuck out his tongue and licked my wrist—lick. The warm sensation felt nice.
* * *
After breakfast, I washed up.
“Aqua, if you would.”
[You got it!]
At Aqua's gesture, lake water rose up and enveloped my body. I savored the cool sensation as the shower finished in an instant. My hair was perfectly clean, and even my teeth sparkled.
“You're the best, as always.”
The bloodstains from the fish had vanished from my clothes, leaving them white and fluffy.
[Hehe!]
Aqua puffed out her chest proudly. While we cleaned up, the spirits prepared to depart.
[Carefully now, no injuries!]
Uluru supervised as the spirits boarded the leaf yacht. From the baby spirits who'd started with us at Great King Waterfall to the undines who'd joined there, over a hundred spirits boarded the leaf boats one by one. Sia and I stood a bit apart, each cradling Aqua and Niagara, watching the scene.
“So fluffy……”
Sia Clearwater stroked Niagara's head with a delighted smile. Niagara's face was a touch haughty, but he was clearly enjoying the affection.
It's only been a few weeks since their reunion after years apart.
Having found peace after five long years, Sia Clearwater's eyes held only Niagara.
[Hehe…….]
Aqua smirked at Niagara. He must have found it amusing to see Niagara—who'd once insisted humans were poison and they should leave the human world—now snuggled like a teddy bear.
[Ahem, ahem.]
Niagara turned his head away, embarrassed. But he didn't reject Sia's touch. Feeling mischievous, I asked,
“Sia, mind if I pet Niagara too?”
“Sure thing?”
Sia held Niagara out to me like offering a stuffed animal. Niagara freaked out, of course.
[What do you think you're doing! No way!]
Flames practically shot from his eyes, as if he'd shatter my fingers if I dared touch him.
[You two have gotten close!]
Aqua glanced between us. We shared a small laugh.
“Thanks to the parasites.”
[Parasites?]
Aqua tilted her head. I gently pinched her soft cheek between my thumb and forefinger.
“We decided to be friends.”
Sia beamed happily too.
[Good for you!]
Aqua patted my arm approvingly. She must have been a little worried about Sia herself. We watched Uluru load the spirits aboard bit by bit.
[Still, I'm a bit worried.]
Aqua stroked Mandu, her voice subdued.
[While we're off sightseeing, what if more baby salamanders are in trouble?]
“Yeah, that's possible.”
I'd been feeling uneasy about it too. We still didn't know why Mandu had been under the sea or how many baby salamanders had suffered the same fate. Even now, some might be getting hurt or dying.
But everything has its time.
Facing Pompeii like this was out of the question. If a fight broke out, I needed to be strong enough to have a real chance.
Sorry, but Aqua and Mandu's safety comes first for me.
I was a spirit contractor, after all—flawed as I was.
[Chit…….]
Mandu, perched on my shoulder, let out a small whine.
[Mm…….]
Aqua looked glum too. Sia asked,
“Do you think we'll end up fighting Pompeii, Hyunwoo?”
“Nah. The odds are really low, honestly.”
The baby salamander issue was separate from Pompeii. At least, he knew nothing about it.
“If Pompeii had done something truly evil, Aqua would've sensed it the moment we met.”
Spirits could discern good from evil in others. If Pompeii had committed fratricide, Aqua would've known instantly upon meeting him.
And his appearance would've been far more twisted than that.
Spirits, being pure, changed form based on their thoughts and mindset.
“But there could be enemies besides Pompeii.”
“Besides Pompeii……?”
Sia's eyes widened. Niagara and Aqua looked at me too.
“I'm thinking there might be outside interference.”
Spirits' forms reflect their thoughts. Like how Aqua resembled Uluru, or mimicked someone they saw. But there were no dragons in the Spirit Realm.
“Without outside influence, how else would Pompeii have seen a dragon to take its form?”
He hadn't contracted with a human, so he couldn't have seen one inside a gate. The baby salamander mystery made sense too if outsiders were involved.
[Oh ho, I see!]
Aqua nodded, chiming in.
[As expected of my contractor! So smart!]
I stroked her plump cheek.
“If there's some external force at play, they won't like us purifying Pompeii—or convincing him to come to his senses.”
Niagara's face grew serious.
[An invasion of the Spirit Realm by outsiders…….]
“It's just a hypothesis. Even if there is outside meddling, it might not mean direct intrusion here. Heck, there might not even be any.”
It was just a reminder to stay cautious. Preparing for as many threats as possible to protect the spirits—that was a contractor's duty.
* * *
We boarded the leaf yacht last. The spirits already aboard welcomed us.
[Pet me!]
[My turn this time!]
Sia and I were instantly swarmed by countless spirits the moment we stepped on. Barely our faces and hands were visible.
How many is this, anyway?
I stuck out my tongue at the yacht packed full of spirits—over a hundred, including the new undines. They squished and piled up like toys in a toy box.
[Giggle!]
[I feel like a rock!]
But they all looked thrilled. Traveling with the Spirit Kings and new humans seemed exciting enough.
[Alright, let's get moving!]
Aqua took the lead again to steer.
[Hold on!]
A sylph interrupted. A fairly large one among the babies.
[We can't keep relying on the Spirit Kings!]
The sylphs turned back.
[Our turn! Let's lift the boat!]
The sylphs buzzed excitedly.
[Lift it?]
[With a leaf?]
[It's a leaf!]
[Exactly!]
In a flash, the sylphs shot up in excitement.
[Let's do it!]
[Lift!]
[Show 'em sylph power!]
They flew outside the yacht, probably to grab the bottom and hoist it.
[Heave!]
[One, two, three!]
[Hup!]
Float—incredibly, the leaf yacht rose into the air.
[Ooooh!]
Aqua gaped in admiration. Two humans and uncountable spirits aboard—that weight, lifted by twenty baby sylphs combining their strength.
[Go!]
[Where to?]
[Wind Cliff!]
[Yeah! Fast as we can!]
The yacht lurched into motion—far rougher than Aqua or Niagara's control.
[Eek?]
Aqua, at the front, lost balance and tumbled.
[Eeeeeek!]
I caught the rolling Aqua softly in my arms.
“Haha, careful there.”
[Whoooaaa…… everything's spinning!]
I laughed and stroked her squishy cheeks.
[Hee hee hee!]
Aqua rubbed her face against me. With the sylphs handling it, she seemed content to ignore the outside entirely.
“This really is spirit paradise.”
Sia Clearwater, buried under baby spirits like a snowman, spoke up.
Spirit paradise……
Maybe paradise for spirit contractors.
No—it's just paradise, period.
Anyone would be happy buried under this many spirits.
* * *
Thirty minutes later, we arrived. But not where the sylphs had aimed.
[What?! Where are we?!]
[This isn't the cliff!]
The sylphs glared at the gnomes like they'd been betrayed. Baby sylphs couldn't carry everyone for half an hour straight. Midway, when they tired, the gnomes took over. And the gnomes had brought us where they wanted.
[Ooooh…….]
[Ooooooh!]
Ignoring the sylphs' fury, the gnomes lumbered slowly toward the cave.
[Tricked!]
[No way! Fooled by gnomes?!]
The furious sylphs stomped, but soon someone shouted,
[Cave exploration!]
And they scattered with excited faces.
“Whoa……”
I stood before the cave, letting out yet another gasp of awe since arriving in the Spirit Realm. It was that massive. The entrance alone dwarfed a five-story building.
[Hehe!]
Aqua smirked proudly at me.
[Aqua.]
Someone called her. A spirit emerged from inside the cave.
Aqua recognized her and shot up her hand.
[Terra!]
There stood an earth spirit. Larger than the other gnomes, with the build of a three- or four-year-old—it was obvious she was the Earth Spirit King's heir.
And she looks just like Uluru.
Terra was like a miniature Uluru—convincing enough to believe at first glance. Which meant she resembled Aqua too.
Like sisters.
I couldn't hide my smile as the two lookalikes embraced.