Chapter 519: Blessed by Companions
“I was taken to the radiant depths of the sea—on the back of a giant turtle shell. I could clearly see its form and hear the voice of a powerful Spirit,” Chris said, downing his ale in one gulp.
The radiant seabed…? Ah, maybe it looked that way to Chris because the Spirits were gathering around?
“Isn’t that a bit too much praise for the turtle…? Mmmph!” Dean said, covering my mouth from behind while still keeping his gaze on Chris.
“Just stay quiet until Chris finishes talking,” Retze added, glancing our way.
Well, his wording might be a bit harsh, but there’s no denying that it was a strong Spirit… right?
“The air dome enveloped us, making it neither cold nor hot. The powerful turtle Spirit spoke leisurely and dove down toward the seabed with remarkable speed!”
I was adjusting the air pressure with the help of the Atmosphere Spirits! Was the turtle unable to refuse Sea God Seikai’s request? No, since the turtle is a Spirit, only the air layer on its back and us inside would be crushed! I thought the turtle would share the same fate, but now I realized it was different. That turtle!!!!
“What I saw beyond the hole at the very bottom of the sea was a small mound of Spirit that peeked through like molten iron, a burning rock, its essence being fire. It was a lonely Spirit, with no kin around at the seabed.”
The description of the Karianto Manju is impressive too!? Isn’t that a bit strange? When Chris explains, everyone seems like good Spirits, not just good people!?
“My role, as told by Jean, was to comfort that lonely Spirit by sharing tales of Van, her kin. She—this lonely Spirit was female—desired stories of love. The tales of love that made her heart race would stir her, while simultaneously deepening her loneliness.”
…Seriously?
“Your eyes are wide open…” Retze whispered, picking at a fried oyster while sipping his ale.
Chris was drinking the same ale that Dean and the others had, but was Haulon preparing something? Unlike the beer around here, it seemed to have a higher alcohol content and wasn’t mixed with grains.
Noticing that I was surprised—perhaps impressed and calming down—Dean stepped back. I adjusted my seating and took a sip of ale while grabbing another fried horse mackerel. It’s a bit tricky to eat while listening to the story. Should I bring out some fries too?
Oh, Chris’s story is reaching its climax.
“Calming her heart, I followed her as she sank to the seabed, sharing countless tales. The stories Jean told were diverse, and I was captivated, almost forgetting it was my turn to speak. Before long, she met her companions at the seabed and returned.”
Chris moistened his mouth with ale. He was eloquent even at the bottom of the sea, but he’s quite the storyteller here too, isn’t he? Should I take notes? My stories aren’t known here, but they’ve existed for a long time.
Yet, there were similarities between the stories Chris told and those from this world, which felt rather mysterious. Like the idea of a marriage that forbids seeing each other, and Yamato Totorihime and Oomononushi, right? Japan has those too. Maybe they exist in Greek mythology as well?
“That must have been tough. In the beautiful sea where Spirits dwell, the leisurely turtle Spirit that makes you forget time, the lonely and sorrowful Spirit… it’s beautiful. I wanted to follow her to the bottom of the sea,” Haulon sighed.
The turtle probably made Urashima Taro forget time too, right? Was it the flow of time that was different in the Dragon Palace? But right now, I want to doubt the turtle.
“Did you witness the Spirit reuniting with her companions before returning?” Dean asked.
“No, it’s not over yet. As we made our way through the sea to return, Sea God Seikai came to meet Jean!” Chris replied.
“Ugh. That name sounds incredibly familiar,” Haulon said.
“Ah, right. He mentioned it was a request from Seikai,” Retze added.
“I’ve heard of Sea God Seikai too! He’s one of the deities worshipped in Naruadeid! The image of him riding a dolphin is just as I’ve heard—truly that god!” Chris said proudly.
“And that Sea God Seikai entrusted his name to Jean, and he even rewarded me! I received Spirit Gold when parting with the Spirits at the seabed, making me a wealthy man in just one day. When I was chosen by Jean, I resolved to use this life for the sake of those suffering from drought, but it turned out to be a beautiful dream-like experience. Well, I thought it would be fine as long as Jean was by my side,” Chris said, winking.
Please don’t risk your life. —You immediately answered with that resolve and followed me. I really feel blessed by companions in this world.
I rested my chin on the table, watching Chris answer questions and talk, glancing around at everyone. Retze, Dean, Karn, and Haulon, who had started mumbling to himself. Though he wasn’t here, Ash, the Butler, Dinoss, Shiva, and the children.
Yeah, I’m quite happy.
Now, shall I bring out what I received from Chris? Haulon might shout out in realization about the origin of this Spirit Gold, just like I did.