Going on Vacation (4)

Shin-nim had been kidnapped. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠To be precise, her avatar—the stone slab—had gone missing while she was briefly away. Up until then, I'd been planning to get off the cruise ship. I'd joked about just buying a new one, but my real feelings were far different.

No matter what it takes, I have to find it.

The stone slab was a memento that allowed Shin-nim and me to communicate. In some ways, it held even deeper meaning than the wedding ring we'd eventually exchange. With something like that gone...

Even if it had been sucked into a black hole, I'd have to retrieve it.

"What are you doing by yourself?"

Anyway, that's how it was as I was preparing to disembark. Shin-nim suddenly started trying something on her own, making strange noises and concentrating hard. When I asked about it, she softly hugged my back and replied.

"Just a minute ago, you were all 'let's go find it right now.'"

"Ah. Then it's settled."

Of course Shin-nim could see the future. Most gods could, and as something that transcended gods, how could she not? Still, she doesn't make mistakes.

To Shin-nim, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the future was like the view right outside her house. Something she could see anytime by just turning her head, 24/7. That's why she had little interest in it. Only anxious folks who didn't know the future bothered peeking ahead. Shin-nim could solve any problem without even glancing at it.

"So what happens?"

"Agh, this goddess..."

And even when she did peek at the future, she often wouldn't tell me. For the fun of it, or to see my raw reaction. It was just like her to skip the twists in novels.

"So we just hang out like normal?"

Shin-nim said to live normally, so that's what we did. The three of us enjoyed the cruise as usual, without any incidents along the way. And so ten days passed.

Toward the end of the trip, the clear sky suddenly clouded over with thick sea fog, and the cruise ship's engines ground to a halt.

The fog was so dense you couldn't see an inch ahead, so the deck was deserted. Normally there'd be crew around, but they'd all gone to fix the broken engines, leaving it empty.

"Is it today?"

I walked the empty deck alone and asked Shin-nim on a whim. It felt like now. But spoiler-hating Shin-nim, predictably, gave nothing away.

"They're coming?"

But some things you could tell without words. Shin-nim's tone brimmed with mischief, and even without her spoilers, something was definitely up. We'd hit fog a few times on the cruise, but an engine failure right now? Too contrived.

About five minutes after that thought, a bizarre wail rose from below the ship. Something emerged through the milky fog.

"...."

A human with a fish head. The things commonly called merfolk. At a glance, they resembled deep-sea denizens, but...

Totally different.

Look at those dead-fish eyes with no trace of intelligence. How could anyone say our kids looked like that? Humans and monkeys had more in common; these were completely alien.

As I watched for a moment, more of their comrades climbed onto the deck. Dozens of merfolk overrunning it. Their stomachs growled hungrily, and they charged at me, their prey.

My response was simple.

—Kwajik!

I spread my energy in all directions and crushed them with overwhelming will. They flattened into jerky. Blue blood sprayed, and a fishy stench filled the deck.

"...."

No living merfolk remained. But I didn't go below deck; this was to prepare for the next wave. Merfolk were lowly creatures, sure. But they were still sea life. A puny mob like this couldn't be the end.

"Are you the boss?"

About five minutes later, someone landed on the deck amid a massive splash. Several times larger than the others, clad in scale armor with a greatsword—a boss-tier specimen.

"Agh, my ears."

It let out a deafening roar and swung its massive greatsword at me. Judging by the mana and speed, it was Legend rank. Not weak. Strong, even. But...

"You're weak."

To me, it was just a bug. Even when I was stuck at Legend rank, I'd have crushed it easily. Now? No contest.

—Puuuung!

No need for spells. I gathered energy in its skull and detonated it. Headless fish-man flopped. I kicked the corpse into the sea, then rinsed the blood and guts off the deck with seawater.

"All done?"

I finished cleanup and sat on a bench. Asked Shin-nim if that was it, but she shook her head.

"What a pain."

The next ones would be stronger than the merfolk. With their boss at Legend, the followers had to be at least Legend Upper. And I had to protect the ship too—troublesome fight ahead.

But aside from that, I felt great. If they were the last wave, it meant these bastards stole the stone slab. I'd been uneasy all week; now relief was coming.

"I'll make sure you have a hellish time."

I'll dump them all at the deep-sea floor. As deep-sea faithful, they'll endure torture with a smile.

How much time passed? The fog mostly cleared, and the engines were fixed enough to go. But we weren't leaving. I'd cast mass hypnosis on everyone aboard.

"Department head, that's not—"

"Waaah... I won't sneak candy anymore..."

"Honey, it's a dream..."

"Mm. Sorry, everyone."

Even toned down, they were having mild nightmares. Better than getting dragged into the fight and dying, right?

I herded them into the auditorium and summoned Do-cheol to guard them.

"You know what happens if anyone gets hurt?"

Do-cheol replied like a pro worker. He used to be total unlikeable, but lately he did good work—I was warming up a bit. Maybe free him after another century of labor.

Asked Go-seo, Do-cheol's handler, and got rejected. Guess while I wasn't calling, he'd been slaving away inside Go-seo. Sorry, Do-cheol. But maybe freedom in a millennium? If your sanity holds that long.

"...."

Lost in such idle thoughts while gazing at the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠night sea, I spotted lights approaching from afar. A group walking on the water. Like the ones I'd caught before, cloaked hoods pulled low.

"...Still think there are survivors?"

"Looks like their plan hit a snag."

"You never know? Could be lucky holdouts."

They chattered as they spotted me. But I focused past them, on the man leading. Saga rank by his aura. Probably the cult leader. The madman claiming to serve Shin-nim, founding a deep-sea worship cult.

"Hm..."

No killing intent—he wasn't connected to those worms. No need for immediate hostility, then. Might even talk, so I addressed the leader.

"You. Do you worship the deep sea?"

"With my soul on the line."

"Then why attack the cruise ship?"

I was genuinely curious. Shin-nim and deep-sea folk weren't exactly saints, but they didn't demand blood sacrifices. So why hit the ship?

A cultist answered.

"Because the goddess demands tribute!"

"...For real? You're not messing up?"

"It's the absolute truth, idiot!"

No signs of lying. With the leader's rank, communicating with the deep sea wasn't impossible. Did they really demand sacrifices?

My mind linked to the deep sea. The first sea was fully within my inner world, so I asked its residents. They denied it vehemently—some even flipped belly-up to prove innocence.

"Then it's the other side's kids..."

Just checking, but then an unexpected guest arrived. Yogurine—Yogseo?—suddenly appeared beside me. A fragment of a fragment, but definitely her.

"???"

They chattered away; I didn't get it all. Anyway, both Go-seo and Yogurine—Yogseo?—confirmed it wasn't them. Shin-nim didn't reply... but she'd have no interest anyway.

"Guess there's only one way."

I pondered and reached a conclusion. If both sides were telling the truth, just eliminate one to make ours the truth. They were criminals anyway. Simple: kill 'em all.