68. The Mulren Tribe (2)
68. The Mulren Tribe (2)
"If we go out to sea now, will we encounter the enemies presumed to be led by that Leviathan?"
At Yuma's words, the Mulren king, Yerkur, shook his head.
"No, they are encroaching as if devouring the sea slowly. If we go out, we might see them or we might not. It would be best to wait until the warriors currently on the naval front send word."
Yuma decided to first take a look around the land of the Fishmen Tribe. Right after Yuma rose to his feet, Yerkur added,
"When you go outside, my daughter will be waiting. You will need a guide to tell you about the Mulren."
Attaching his own daughter rather than anyone else seemed like a choice that combined two intentions: wanting to show that he was treating them with utmost respect, and selecting someone who would be easy to talk to.
Jeobeok
Yuma's party emerged from the dwelling of the Mulren tribe's king.
"Hello."
And a woman who appeared to be Yerkur's daughter was standing in front of the door.
She was a Mulren woman whose skin was covered in sky-blue.
"I'm Tisha."
Tisha had a pure white cloth covering her chest and from her pelvis to above her knees.
The cloth looked as soft as the waves of the sea.
Tisha and Yuma faced each other.
Since the Mulren tribe's average height was so tall, there was almost no difference in eye level between Tisha, a female Mulren, and Yuma when they faced each other.
Yuma stared into Tisha's eyes. They were blue like his own.
To be precise, she had eyes close to sky-blue. The blue-green gleam that shone amidst their sky-blue added an air of mystery.
"Please follow me."
Tisha slowly walked forward.
Houses were provided for the sailors and the captain who had to stay here until Yuma resolved the matter of the Mulren tribe.
Yuma's party followed behind Tisha, walking through the forest.
Bel, Cloné, and Hestia stuck close to Tisha's side and began to talk.
"What do the Mulren tribe eat?"
The first question was very casually thrown out.
Tisha stared with a slightly dumbfounded expression at Hestia, who was asking such a formal-sounding question while her eyes sparkled vividly.
"We can live on just the fruit called Lebes that grows in the sea. It contains all the necessary nutrients. Sometimes, people cook and eat the Hurel fruit that grows here or the wild animals in the forest over there."
It was to be expected that there was a forest. The island was quite large for it to serve merely as a temporary anchorage. It was large enough to sustain an entire way of life right here.
"We don't eat the creatures in the sea. They are our friends."
The last sentence seemed the most important.
The next person to stick close to Tisha was none other than Cloné.
"What is your greatest characteristic?"
Tisha walked, her blue hair fluttering.
"It would be that we share emotions with marine life. We communicate using a language promised by our respective ancestors."
"Wow...."
As Cloné's golden eyes widened in surprise, the others' eyes widened as well.
Information about the Fishmen Tribe was rarely spread among people, except for the fact that most of them had blue skin.
And as a result, more bad rumors than good ones were circulating.
Wicked stories like, if you carelessly trespass into the merfolk's domain, you'll become human flesh for them. Originally, people tended to prioritize fear over fondness when it came to things they hadn't witnessed with their own eyes.
It seemed quite fascinating to learn about the various characteristics of the Mulren tribe through Tisha's words.
The next one to approach Tisha was Bel.
"That king seems like a martial fighter type of warrior, judging by his build and the calluses on his fists. May I ask what you fight with?"
Tisha slowly nodded.
"My father is indeed a martial fighter. But I use magic."
At those words, Cloné, who had stepped back again, suddenly poked her head in again.
"Magic?"
"Yes, the Mulren tribe has quite a talent for magic. For water magic."
"Ah...!"
Cloné let out an exclamation and looked out at the sea visible in the distance.
The sea and water-attribute magic.
If it were possible to use the sea as a medium, it could certainly bring about incredible synergy.
"Show me!"
Cloné said, pointing at the sea in the distance.
Tisha faced Cloné, who was staring at her with sparkling eyes.
Her golden eyes shone so much that it made it hard for Tisha to voice a refusal.
Tisha glanced at Yuma.
Since Yuma seemed to be the leader of the party, she directed her gaze at him to gauge his intentions.
"Since the enemies who could be called the Mulren tribe's foes haven't appeared yet, isn't there anything particularly special to guide us about?"
Tisha slowly nodded.
Because Yuma was right.
Tisha slowly descended the land, heading toward the sea to the west.
Yuma's party followed behind Tisha toward the sea.
Because they were curious about how she would unfold the sea as a medium for magic.
Charang....
Tisha slowly entered the sea. The water of the sea gently rippled up to Tisha's knees.
The water tribe.
Perhaps because they were the Mulren tribe, also called such, or perhaps thanks to their sky-blue skin.
She seemed to shine more on the sea than on land.
"...Why are you all staring at me like that?"
Tisha crossed her arms to cover her upper body under the gaze of Yuma's party, who were staring intently at her blue body.
Hestia slowly approached Tisha and said,
"Because it feels like your body shines more once you're in the water!"
Tisha's stiffened face slowly relaxed at Hestia's words.
Tisha murmured softly,
"Well... that's because when the Mulren tribe enters the sea, scales rise up on their bodies."
Yuma looked at Tisha's body.
Indeed, scales that had not been on her skin before had now risen to the surface.
An innate trait where scales surface on the skin upon entering water.
The superiority of the species.
A body that had no choice but to be strong in water.
A body that could move in water as if on land.
And a being whose physical strength alone surpassed that of humans even on land.
Tisha could not help but throw out a remark under Yuma's staring gaze.
"...Even if it looks ugly, it can't be helped. It's a trait of our species."
Yuma shook his head.
"It's not ugly. Rather, it's merely the emblem of a strength that humans don't possess."
"A... strength?"
Tisha's scales, which covered down to just below her collarbone, glistened in the sunlight.
"Yes, a strength. And the fact that it only reveals itself in water makes it seem even more special."
At Yuma's unhesitating words, Tisha's expression subtly stiffened. It was clear that, for some unknown reason, her embarrassment had subsided somewhat.
Now composed, Tisha slowly continued.
"Originally, elemental magic shows its greatness in the creation of something from nothing."
Tisha slowly raised her right hand.
Seureureuk...
A stream of water from the sea shot upward following Tisha's hand.
Cloné's eyes widened in surprise.
Tisha continued.
"The Mulren tribe can handle this sea, itself, as a medium. Though the degree of difference is starkly divided according to one's capability, of course."
Chwaaaak─
The stream of water rising from the sea took the shape of a round shield.
Cloné's eyes went round.
"That's a 4th Circle water-attribute defensive spell... Ripple Spiral! Right?"
Tisha, a 5th Circle mage like Cloné, gave a faint smile when Cloné identified the magic right away.
"Yes."
It must have been because Cloné's passion for magic was genuinely conveyed.
Cloné stood in front of Tisha. And she brought out a small ink-colored wand.
Seuseuk-
And she drew a spell formula. It was the exact same spell formula Tisha had just demonstrated.
Chwareureuk!
The 4th Circle defensive spell, Ripple Spiral, was fully unfolded.
However, Cloné's expression was stiff.
Because it was a shield of waves created by creating something from nothing according to the original laws of elemental magic.
She had intended to create the Ripple Spiral using the very water of this Great Sea.
Just like Tisha in front of her.
But she had failed.
Tisha slowly shook her head.
Her sky-blue hair fluttered gently.
"It's only natural that you failed. Because our mana operation method begins with learning a breathing technique to borrow the power of this sea. And the fact that we are a Fishmen Tribe blessed by the Great Sea also plays a part."
Tisha was right.
It was very valid.
But Yuma thought that Cloné could overturn that.
Magic Genius.
Because Cloné possessed a trait that even 7th Circle mages did not have.
"Try learning it. That mana operation method. The thing called breathing."
At Yuma's words, Cloné and Tisha simultaneously looked at Yuma.
"Believe in your own power, Cloné."
Tisha could not understand Yuma, who spoke as if he truly had the conviction that Cloné could do it.
Because this was one of the Mulren tribe's innate blessings.
A blessing that a pure human mage could not obtain no matter how hard they tried.
But, at least she could see in this short time that the bond between these people was not ordinary.
"Will I be able to do it? Yuma-nim."
Because Cloné's golden eyes, which had been downcast just before, were shining with vitality once more.
"You'll be able to."
Yuma planted conviction in Cloné's mind.
Cloné turned her head and looked back at Tisha.
The water clinging to the ends of Cloné's long black hair scattered.
"That mana operation method! Please teach me. Tisha... un-ni?"
"I'm twenty-four, so I'm probably your unni... But, it'll be difficult. You already know that a mage can't suddenly twist the mana operation method they first learned. If you imprint a new mana operation method into your mana heart, you also have to pioneer a new mana circuit."
"Yes, I know."
Cloné, with her golden eyes, glanced again at Yuma, who was a short distance away.
"But Yuma-nim's words have never been wrong."
Cloné's golden eyes, facing Tisha again, did not waver in the slightest.
Far from wavering, they were sparkling brilliantly.
'How can one build this kind of rapport?'
Tisha suddenly became curious about these people.
She grew curious about Cloné and Yuma in front of her.
"Alright. Cloné. I'll teach you."