Deep Sea (1)
‘Deep Sea’, or ‘Tunus’ as it was called, was a nation literally situated in the middle of a vast ocean. Positioned between continents, it was also a vital strategic hub. It handled the role of a nationwide navy, dealing with the ocean’s threatening creatures. It also served as a voluntary protector for merchant and fishing ships passing overhead.
The reason they could do this was very simple. First off, as mentioned, they lived in the ‘deep sea’. No matter how much equipment and magic had been developed, it couldn’t compare to those who had roamed the seas from the beginning—their movements were inevitably restricted.
On top of that, they themselves were powerful. Merfolk, mermaids, blue dragons, sea spirits, and more. They might be weak on land, but with the ocean, they never yielded. Even if they couldn’t win, they wouldn’t lose. That was the nature of the nation ‘Tunus’ and its people.
Thus, Tunus’s enemies feared the sea. They knew they couldn’t easily set foot there, and if they did, their lives weren’t guaranteed.
But.
“Ah, looks like they’re here.”
“Heh heh, you look like hell. Was fighting the Red Dragon that tough, chosen of Selloir?”
So they had dragged him into it. Apostle of calamity, storm, and volcano. Stubborn as an Ox. They believed the power of ‘storm’ dwelling within him could safely navigate this deep sea without a doubt.
“...Got a problem?”
“No, of course not. It’s great news for us. Didn’t expect you to be looking for us too.”
Thus, they felt no particular fear of that place. Or more precisely, they had no reason to feel fear. Their hearts were filled only with ambition and mission. No room or need for fear. They simply kept their goal in mind.
“Then let’s head down. There’s... something we need to claim there.”
“Yeah, Rihalt. Hey, Ox. You ready?”
“...Been ready for a while.”
And so, they leaped from the ship into the sea. Two with the blood of gods, and one chosen by a god.
—Splash!
The three headed into the deep sea together. One for treasure, one for power, and the last for his own scheme. Unshaken despite the darkness ahead, they swam into the ocean depths.
“Hmm, as a scholar, I’d love to see you head to the sea... more precisely, to Tunus. However...”
[She says she doesn’t know what dangers might follow if you step outside your domain.]
Hah, dangers for me?
Naturally, their words drew a hollow laugh from me. From what I’d gathered, within this domain, I was nigh invincible. Imagine a material realm being entering the divine realm. Could that material being kill a god? No, absolutely not. Just as gods face countless restrictions and minions when descending to the material world, so do material beings here. This chaos domain was akin to another dimension. No matter how mighty the mortal, wielding their full power here was practically impossible.
However, as they said, leaving this domain would impose many restrictions on me. It was lessened only because I was a dragon—a mortal dubbed ‘calamity’—but still.
But even with those restrictions, was there any being that could kill me?
Impossible.
I analyzed it thus:
I am a dragon, a calamity. And chaos itself. Even Verinal couldn’t take my head—who could achieve that feat?
For that to be possible, droves of those who’d purely grown their power without godly intervention would need to swarm me. How many such beings existed in this world? Fewer than the fingers on one hand, by common consensus—truly impossible.
[...That’s what he says, Darkul.]
“Hmm, if you put it that way, I have nothing to say.”
Above all, their ‘experiment’ was a crucial opportunity. A rare chance to strip away this divinity and be rid of this hassle. So I had no intention of letting it slip.
Still, I had a question.
But why must it be the deep sea? Not all the world’s oceans belong to Tunus.
Why Tunus specifically? The seas were vast, and Tunus’s territory limited. Visiting there felt unnecessarily troublesome.
[Well, whether stripping the divinity succeeds or fails... we don’t know what’ll happen to you, right?]
Hm.
[Especially since so much of your current self is tied to divinity. Imagine removing it—you could be weaker than ever.]
So what does that have to do with Tunus?
[...Because I’m the head honcho’s daughter there.]
?
“...Pardon?”
[If I give advance notice, we can probably stay there a bit. Lots of my kin live there, so plenty of room for you too.]
Tunus’s head—didn’t that mean the king? Why was someone of that status sticking by my side all the way here? I couldn’t quite grasp her words. I was about to ask, but Leviathan continued smoothly, as if anticipating it.
[Sigh... Truth is, my dad’s an extreme coward.]
Hm. A cowardly dragon. Hard to imagine.
[He’s unusual. Anyway, he acted like he didn’t care what happened to land dragons. As long as his own kind were fine, right?]
...Hoo.
Hearing that, I finally understood why she’d been active on land. Dragons were strong. But now reduced to prey. Land dragons had poured all their effort into hiding or secluding themselves. But for those born in the water, it didn’t apply. They were seclusion incarnate by nature—not hiding per se, but living where none could touch them. So her father must have decided.
...Safe in the sea depths. He restricted venturing out. Was that your grievance?
I saw it as reasonable. No need to go where you didn’t have to, especially for blue dragons who weakened on land.
But.
[...And someday, it’ll end. The answer-seekers always come to me. If they can’t hunt land dragons anymore, their blades will turn to sea dragons eventually.]
Leviathan looked further ahead. This couldn’t go on; blue dragons needed to aid the land. She must have argued that. As proof, she’d gone to the ‘king’ repeatedly. And finally reached my side.
...
I didn’t like it much. Dragons being hunted irked me, but a dragon king too fearful to step up irked me more. Dragons must be mighty. They must dominate all. Qualified to flaunt arrogance. That was my idea of a ‘dragon’.
Yet this Sea King—ruler of sea dragons—was cowardly? It grated on me. Deeply.
...Ready to depart?
So I decided to correct them a bit. Like the platinum dragons who’d hidden away. Blue dragons needed some education. To rekindle the arrogance only dragons could claim in their blood. To remind them of the potential to kneel all before them.
—Rustle...
“I’ve got a ship ready. Mages will follow to design and draw the magic circle on it. So for now, just you and I head there first.”
Then let us depart. Lead the way; I shall follow you personally.
“Yeah, got it. Let’s go—to my hometown.”
With human-form Leviathan aboard, I soared into the skies.
He gazed at the sky today as well... or more precisely, the sea overhead. As always, staring into the dark waters, he prayed. Praising the sea god, guardian of this nation, for an unchanging, safe day.
[...Please let today pass safely too.]
The reason was simple. Tunus must remain peaceful. Tunus must stay safe. Lacking the power to ensure it perfectly, he could only pray to the one who forged the seas.
Of course, his prayers to the god weren’t just that.
...And please keep my daughter safe as well.
He sincerely wished for her safety. So the daughter he couldn’t hold back due to his cowardice wouldn’t die. So the daughter walking the atheist path, rejecting reliance on gods alone, would survive. He prayed for her share too.
This prayer had become part of his life. No direct voice from the god, but the sense of eased burden from praying alone sustained his days. Even as more threats bound Tunus, he kept praising the god. Believing it his last recourse. Praying as always.
After a long vigil staring at the ceiling in prayer, he rose—
“Y-Your Majesty...!”
A guard’s voice echoed. A merfolk with fish-like skin, urgently crying out before him.
[What is it?]
Finding it odd, he immediately asked back.
“Y-Your daughter... she’s returned!!”
[...!]
Words that brought color to his face escaped his lips. But despair soon followed.
Because.
“B-But...”
[W-What? Why?]
“T-The Red Dragon arrived with her. He’s currently waiting above the sea.”
He had come... with his daughter.