Chapter 513: Karianto Manju Wants to Sink
“I feel like I know Van. Though I’ve never met him.”
…?
Karianto Manju’s words didn’t quite register in my mind. What does she mean?
“Are you two dating?”
What on earth does that mean? A fiancée without ever having met? Is it like pen pals? A virtual wife from an online game? Though, this world doesn’t have the internet.
“Uuuh?”
Karianto Manju shifted slightly.
As she moved, bubbles popped out from the cracked orange, rising through the dark sea where sunlight couldn’t reach.
“Ah~. There are two types of Lava Spirits: the sinking type and the climbing type. I wonder if she’s the sinking type,” the turtle said.
“The sinking type… What kind of type is that?”
“Ufu.”
“When I was newly born, I was a fiery Stone Spirit, you know? But before I knew it, I ended up like this. I was always in a hot, melting place, but I got pulled out.”
So, she was melted by fire and stone, which means lava is a good guess. But was that hot place a Magma Pool? Riding the mantle convection? Is the mantle green because it’s made of olivine?—I’m getting a bit confused here.
It feels like I’m being falsely accused of flirting with a volcano, so let’s set Van aside for now.
“Does wanting to sink mean you want to return to that hot place?”
“That’s right. I want to go back to that hot place. It’s cold here.”
It seems like she accidentally ended up in the sea or on the surface due to some circumstances.
“Um, can I help you get back to your original place? Honestly, the spirits born here are making things quite difficult on the surface.”
I don’t really feel it myself. After all, my House is in a rather mysterious mountain where spirits gather excessively. The outpost is in Kanum, beyond the mountain range, and on an island with cold spring water.
The enclave in Marina was parched, but I cheated a bit by giving magic power to a spirit that brings a little rain in the morning and evening, so it’s manageable for now. I also planted tomatoes, which are resilient to dryness.
“Is that so? I want to return before my body disappears too. I’m trying hard to sink, but sometimes I just want to explode. If I explode, I can grow bigger, but then I end up climbing again.”
Explode… All I can imagine is a volcanic eruption, so please spare me.
“Um, would giving magic power help?”
“More than that, can we talk about Van flirting with someone other than me?”
Wha—?
“Ufu?”
“Ah~. Sinking and climbing are just moods. Mood is important, so please understand the maiden’s heart that wants to feel down while also wanting to explode.”
Did I make a really weird face? The turtle explained, but the conversation is too complicated for me to grasp. Should I call Retze? Or would Haulon be better?
“Can I call Van?”
I might as well just bring the real deal.
“No way. It would be a problem if he doesn’t match my ideal. If the image of Van I get from other spirits crumbles, I would cry.”
…
“Ah~. From my experience, when these folks cry, their bodies dry up, and bubbles filled with dryness and heat rise up. —It also reminds me of the pure and beautiful memories from long ago, along with bleached coral.”
Wait, turtle! You didn’t date other lava spirits, did you? Was it undersea volcanoes or something?
“Wa ha ha! If you give your magic power to the master, it would probably explode in an instant!”
Ex-Staff, that’s the most troublesome thing!
“Can I call a helper? I’ll come back here on the turtle’s back using [Teleportation], so just stay put.”
With that, I used [Teleportation].
Kanum’s House, first floor [Teleportation]. Not wanting to keep them waiting, I dashed out of the house and ran into the rented house.
“Hey, what’s going on?”
“You seem unusually flustered.”
Chris, Dean, and Haulon were relaxing on the first floor of the rented house.
“Could it be related to Seikai’s request? Did it not go well?”
Haulon asked with a worried expression.
It seems Haulon was here waiting for my report on my underwater stroll.
“I’m still in the middle of it. Chris, if you’re free, could you come with me?”
The turtle’s back is a bit cramped.
“If it’s your request, I’ll help. But, where exactly are we?”
“Just a little deeper than the ocean floor. Sorry for rushing; I didn’t want to keep you waiting.”
“Ufu.”
Ufu couldn’t speak, so only I could hear her voice.
“Ah~. Welcome, human, to my shell.”
The turtle seemed quite accustomed to people.
Spirits perceive time differently. Older spirits often take their time, but if a spirit feels like ten minutes is two hours, that could be troublesome.
“If you’re in a hurry, I’ll listen to the explanation later. What should I do?”
“I’d be happy if you could passionately talk about Van’s fabricated love stories.”
Romance is a high hurdle for me.
Chris looked at me as if he had swallowed a stick. It’s not my fault, okay? It’s just that Dean and Haulon are a bit too big for the turtle’s back.