Chapter 10.4: Kyōi

From the central plaza of Soranoe, where the ceremony had just taken place, Aricia stood in stunned silence, her mouth slightly agape as she watched the distant spectacle unfold.

Far beyond the coastline, Li-Jua had just obliterated the Nippurufishu with a single, devastating kick.

The remains of the monstrous creature were still airborne, its flesh and viscera raining down into the sea, leaving a thick, crimson stain upon the waves. The scent of blood and raw decay spread quickly, a pungent reminder of the battle’s violent end.

"Ohhh! Lady Li-Jua is so amazing!" Pil gasped, practically shimmering with admiration. The young nymph had her hands clasped together, watching in awe as the white mage plummeted toward the ocean, still falling from the sky after delivering that final, earth-shattering blow.

Ishi, however, remained silent.

She knew, better than anyone, that Li-Jua’s strength was beyond reason. But even she hadn't expected her to make such short work of an ancestral beast.

That wasn’t just power. That was absurdity incarnate.

After a moment, Ishi let out a breath and shook her head. "We should go get them," she said at last. "Miller might be hurt."*

"I’ll handle it," Aricia said, snapping out of her daze.

Without another word, the young Saint turned on her heel and made her way toward the nearest pier.

Then, in a fluid, almost unnatural motion, she dove straight into the sea.

Her body barely made a splash as she vanished beneath the surface, swallowed whole by the ocean.

And just seconds later—

—She re-emerged.

Like a spear cutting through the water, Aricia burst from the depths, gliding across the waves as if the sea itself was carrying her forward. She moved with astonishing grace, her entire form propelled effortlessly as she surged toward the site of the battle.

Pil scowled.

"Now I get why I didn’t like her," she muttered.

Ishi glanced at her, raising an eyebrow. "What do you mean? I thought that’s how you acted with everyone that wasn’t Li-Jua."

"Not true, kid," Pil huffed, crossing her arms. "She’s a nereid, or at least she’s got nereid blood in her."

Ishi exhaled, her expression unreadable. "Yeah. I knew."

Pil shot her an incredulous look. "And you didn’t think to say anything?!"

"Her grandmother was a nereid from the Suiren-tō islands," Ishi explained, unbothered. "That’s where humans and water spirits live and work together in harmony."

Pil groaned, rubbing her face with both hands. "Gods above, you could’ve mentioned that sooner."

Out in the open ocean, near the towering cliffs where the battle had just taken place, Li-Jua plummeted toward the dark, frigid waters below.

The impact sent a numbing chill through her body as she submerged completely. The sea was black as pitch, the kind of darkness that swallowed everything whole, as if she had been cast into the depths of a cavern with no end.

For a few moments, all she could hear was the distant muffled roar of waves and her own heartbeat pounding in her ears.

Then, with a forceful kick, Li-Jua propelled herself upward and broke through the surface, gasping for air.

She whipped her head around, scanning her surroundings for any sign of Miller or the old swordsman Kataude. But all she could see was the endless expanse of water, restless and rippling under the faint moonlight.

"Heyyyy! Miller! Old man!! Can you hear me?!" she shouted, her voice cutting through the silence.

No response.

Li-Jua scowled.

She had no doubt Kataude could make it back to shore on his own, hell, the old fox was probably already halfway to a bottle of sake by now.

But Miller? That idiot was definitely going to drown if she didn’t find him fast.

Before she could start swimming in a random direction, a sudden splash sent a spray of water straight into her face, as if something large had just surfaced right in front of her.

For a split second, she tensed, expecting some kind of sea creature.

Instead—

"Need a fin?" came a teasing voice.

Li-Jua blinked. "Aricia?"

Her eyes adjusted just enough to make out the vague shape of the Saint floating before her. "How the hell did you get all the way out here?"

"Don’t worry about that right now," Aricia replied smoothly. "You’re looking for your friend, right?"

Li-Jua nodded, squinting through the darkness.

It was only then that she noticed something… different about Aricia.

Her features had shifted, subtly at first, but unmistakably. Her face was sharper, almost ethereal, with a soft blue tint that hadn’t been there before. Her ears had elongated into elegant points, reminiscent of an elf’s. And most telling of all, faintly glistening gills now adorned the sides of her neck.

Li-Jua’s brows furrowed, but she pushed the thought aside. "Yeah," she said. "And the old man too."*

"No need to worry about Kataude," Aricia replied easily. "I saw him from a distance, he already made it back to shore. Didn’t even touch the water, that slippery bastard."*

Li-Jua exhaled through her nose. Yeah, that sounded about right.

Then, suddenly—

A glow.

A soft, radiant light surrounded Aricia, a shimmering aura of white and blue that seemed to pulse with life.

"Found him," Aricia announced. "Be right back, gorgeous, don’t go anywhere!"

Before Li-Jua could even react, Aricia dove headfirst into the black depths, disappearing from sight in an instant.

Li-Jua scoffed. "Pffft. As if I could leave, lady."

Not even ten seconds passed before Aricia resurfaced, this time with an unconscious Miller slung over her shoulders.

"Alright, now that I’ve got both of you," she said smoothly, "let’s get back to shore."

With an effortless motion, Aricia raised one hand.

The ocean responded. A wave surged beneath them, rising like a living force, lifting the three of them high above the water. Then, in a single fluid motion, the current carried them swiftly toward the shores of Soranoe.

After a swift and effortless ride on Aricia’s magic-forged wave, the trio reached the shore of Soranoe in mere moments.

The moment her feet touched solid ground, Li-Jua turned her attention to Miller, assessing his condition with a quick but practiced glance. He was unconscious, but the reason was obvious, he’d inhaled some water and had been affected by the Nippurufushu’s venom. However, neither condition seemed life-threatening. Given time and proper care, as his Megalopassive would act and make him recover.

A pair of voices called out from further up the beach.

"Li-Jua! Miller!"

Pil and Ishi came running toward them, their faces taut with worry. "Are you two alright?!"

"Yeah, yeah, everything’s fine," Li-Jua replied dismissively, wringing the excess water from her white robes.

Aricia, now returned to her fully human form, stepped forward, her expression shifting to something more formal, almost reverent. "Li-Jua," she said solemnly, "on behalf of the Ordo Arcanis and the people of Soranoe, I offer you my deepest gratitude. Your strength saved this town from certain ruin, who knows how many lives you spared tonight?"

She exhaled, shaking her head in disbelief. "I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that you defeated that monster so easily. And to think, fifteen years ago, not even the great Kataude, or rather, Shigeru the Warrior, could slay it. The beast had to be sealed away in that cave instead."

There was a beat of stunned silence.

"What?!" Ishi snapped, her eyes widening. "That old man was actually Shigeru, the very strategist and military leader we’ve been searching for?"

Li-Jua snorted. "Yeah, I figured as much."

She cast a glance toward Miller’s unconscious form. "He must’ve suspected it too, that’s probably why he went looking for the guy this morning. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s been playing dumb this whole time just to piss us off."

Aricia took a step closer. "How can I possibly repay you?" she asked earnestly.

Li-Jua waved her off with a lazy flick of the wrist. "For now? Just let Miller rest. Get him proper treatment at the inn, that’s more than enough."

Then she turned to Ishi, a knowing smirk playing on her lips.

"We’re going to see the old man."

Her eyes glinted with certainty. "I know exactly where that sly fox is hiding."

The moment Li-Jua, Ishi, and Pil stepped into the tavern of Soranoe, the reaction was immediate.

“Oi! No kids allowed in here!” the barkeep barked from behind the counter, barely glancing up from the tankard he was wiping.

Li-Jua sighed, rubbing her temple. “See, Pil? I told you to stay at the inn.”

“And leave me alone with a nereid? Not a damn chance,” Pil shot back, crossing her tiny arms, her coal eyes flashing with irritation.

That… was a first. Ishi raised a brow, watching Pil in mild surprise. The mischievous little nymph had never once spoken back to Li-Jua, her precious, adored Lady Li-Jua. It only confirmed what Ishi had suspected, elemental spirits had an instinctual distaste for one another, and the mere presence of Aricia was enough to set Pil on edge.

But the moment the words left her mouth, Pil seemed to realize what she’d done. Guilt flickered across her doll-like features. Then, with a huff, she took a step back and allowed her form to shift. A warm, golden-green light enveloped her, and in the blink of an eye, the tiny childlike figure was gone. In her place was Pil’s true form, an ethereal, impossibly alluring woman with cascading chestnut hair, her sheer, flowing garments leaving just enough to the imagination.

The transformation drew immediate attention. The handful of weathered fishermen in the tavern, previously focused on their drinks, now sat slack-jawed, their eyes following the nymph’s every graceful movement.

“There. Now I won’t stand out,” Pil said smugly, her melodic voice dripping with satisfaction. Then, turning to Li-Jua, she clasped her hands together and pouted. “Forgive me, Lady Li-Jua. Please don’t be mad! I just wanted to stay with you.” She floated closer, her golden-green aura shimmering softly, clearly angling for affection.

"Yeah, yeah," Li-Jua muttered, reaching up to ruffle Pil’s hair. It was like dealing with a clingy cat. "But if you really wanted to avoid drawing attention, I’m not sure this was the best way to do it.”

A rough, gravelly voice cut through the moment.

“You lot. Quit making a scene and get over here if you’ve got business with me.”

The voice belonged to none other than Kataude.

Seated at the bar, the old warrior barely glanced their way as he finished the last of his drink in one slow, deliberate gulp. Then, with a practiced motion, he grabbed an unopened bottle from the counter and stood. Despite his age and missing arm, he was an imposing figure, towering and broad, his every movement radiating the weight of experience.

Without another word, Kataude strode toward the far end of the tavern and took a seat at an isolated table, his unspoken gesture making it clear, he was willing to talk.

Without wasting a moment, the girls took their seats at the table with the old warrior.

Ishi took the initiative after a brief nod from Li-Jua, straightening her back in an attempt to exude confidence.

“Sir Kataude,” she began politely. Then, hesitating for a moment, she added, “Or perhaps Shigeru? I’m not sure how I should address you.”

Kataude didn’t respond immediately. He simply tilted his bottle of sake back and took a long, unhurried swig, his lone eye still shut as if he found the entire conversation beneath him.

“You’re very well-mannered, little princess,” he finally muttered. “But clearly, no one’s taught you proper tavern etiquette.”

From across the table, Li-Jua cleared her throat meaningfully. Uhum.

Ishi blinked.

Then it hit her, Li-Jua was subtly reminding her of how she had started a conversation back in Kita’s tavern.

Her face flushed red.

“Ahem… Uh… J-Just a moment!” she stammered, before practically shouting across the tavern, “B-Boss!”

The barkeep turned, raising an eyebrow.

“Th-three tankards! Of… of your best—uh, thing! Your best beer!” Ishi blurted, her voice shaking with embarrassment.

There was a brief silence. Li-Jua covered her mouth, barely holding back a chuckle.

The barkeep, unfazed, nodded and set to work. Moments later, three enormous tankards were slammed onto the table in front of them, their frothy golden contents sloshing slightly over the edges.

Both Pil and Li-Jua studied their drinks for half a second before seizing them with barely restrained excitement. As if in perfect sync, they each took an enormous gulp, draining nearly half their tankards in one go.

“Oooohhh!” they sighed in satisfaction, slamming their drinks down.

It was Ishi’s turn.

Kataude wasn’t going to take her seriously unless she played by the rules.

Gritting her teeth, Ishi lifted her own tankard, which was so massive compared to her small frame that she practically had to tilt her head all the way back to drink from it. She took a deep, desperate gulp—then another—and another—until nearly the entire drink was gone in one continuous effort.

The moment she lowered the tankard, a tiny, involuntary burp escaped her lips.

A small silence followed.

Then Li-Jua let out a soft chuckle.

“How cute,” she murmured with an amused smirk.

Ishi nearly choked.

Her entire face turned a shade of crimson as she realized she had just downed an entire drink, burped in front of everyone, and now Li-Jua was laughing at her.

She had been trying so hard to maintain a serious, negotiator-like demeanor, and now she just looked like a flustered little girl.

Regardless, Ishi did her best to maintain composure.

"Sir Shigeru..." she began.

"Kataude," the man interrupted gruffly, not even bothering to look up from his drink.

Ishi nodded, quickly correcting herself. "Kataude, then. We came to this town looking for you. We need your guidance in order to accomplish our mission." She paused briefly before continuing, measuring her words carefully. "I assume you know who I am. My father, Tsubasa-Genjou, consort of the Duchess of Veo-Lis, Li-Khang, always spoke highly of you. He told me of your many victories in battle and how much he owed to you. He made sure I understood the debt of gratitude he carried toward you."

At this, Kataude let out a deep chuckle, though his expression remained unreadable. He took a long swig from his bottle before resting it heavily on the table.

"Oh, I know exactly who you are, girl." His one eye studied her carefully, scrutinizing every detail as if he could read her soul. "You've got noble blood, but you reek of that boy Gen in every way." He scoffed, shaking his head. "A good lad, to be sure. Dumb as a rock, but at least he was amusing. No talent for battle whatsoever, and yet, being born into high status and chosen as the consort of a duchess, he had no choice but to throw himself into war time and time again." He smirked, reminiscing. "At the very least, he had the good sense to listen to those wiser than him. Few nobles ever manage to do that." He took another long drink, exhaling heavily before adding, "Seems to me you’ve inherited that same knack for surrounding yourself with the right kind of people. Of course, you’ve got other... ‘talents’ as well. And I know exactly what they are, girl."

Ishi stiffened slightly. She knew what he meant, he was referring to her ancient magic. Somehow, he was well-informed, far more than she had anticipated.

No point in delaying further. She sat up straight, gripping the edge of her mug before swiftly downing the remainder of her beer in one go. The bitter liquid burned slightly as it went down, but she didn't flinch. Setting the empty mug back on the table, she met Kataude’s gaze with unwavering determination.

"Very well, Kataude," she said firmly. "I won’t waste your time with pleasantries. I require your help."

Kataude raised a bushy eyebrow, tilting his bottle slightly as he studied her. Then, without missing a beat, he took another slow drink of sake and let the silence stretch before responding.

"For what?" he finally asked, his voice as rough as the years he had lived.

Ishi took a breath, steadying herself before speaking.

"We want—" she began, but before she could finish, Pil and Li-Jua loudly cleared their throats, lifting their oversized beer mugs into the air. The message was clear, their mugs were just as empty as hers, and in a place like this, certain priorities came first.

Kataude snorted in amusement as the bartender promptly returned, setting down three fresh, foaming jugs of beer in front of them, along with yet another full bottle of sake for himself. He poured himself a drink, took a deep gulp, and then, without looking up, addressed Li-Jua.

"You, Byakuren," he muttered.

Li-Jua slowly turned to face him, her expression unreadable. It had been years since she had heard someone call her that.

"So, you know where I come from," she said, her voice calm but laced with curiosity.

Kataude let out a dry chuckle, shaking his head as he took another sip. "How could I not?" he scoffed. "All the damn bastards from Seihara stink the same, like shit." He tilted his head slightly and squinted at her. "And you? You reek the most."

Li-Jua remained unfazed, taking a slow, deliberate sip from her freshly poured beer.

"If the little princess here," he jerked his thumb toward Ishi, "has the talent of wielding the most peculiar ancient magic in existence without truly understanding its burden, then your talent, Byakuren, is far simpler, you attract catastrophe like a flame draws moths. Wherever you go, calamity follows."

Li-Jua barely reacted to his words. Insults toward her homeland or her clan meant nothing to her. She had no attachment to either, no sense of belonging to Seihara or the Byakuren lineage.

Instead, she tilted her head slightly, watching the old warrior.

"If you knew where I came from," she mused, swirling her beer lazily in her mug, "then why did you let me deliver the killing blow to the Nippurufishu? You knew that I was a healer the moment I walked into the tavern. And yet, you didn’t hesitate."

Kataude grunted, shaking his head as he reached for his bottle. "A healer, my sagging old balls," he scoffed before taking another drink. "I let you fight because I could sense your spirit the moment you stepped through the door. I was curious to see what you could do against a beast that not even I could take down fifteen years ago. And if you died?" He shrugged. "Well, that would’ve been one less Seihara bastard in the world."

Pil’s eyes darkened as she slammed her beer mug onto the table. "How dare you, you senile old bastard!" she barked, her voice filled with fury at the insult toward Li-Jua.

Kataude ignored her outburst, turning his attention back to Ishi with a smirk. "Well then, girl. Are you finally going to tell me what you want, or are we just going to keep dancing around it?"

Ishi straightened up, gripping her mug as she took a determined sip. "Y-Yes," she said firmly. "We need your help, Master Kataude. I want to destroy my uncle’s empire. Mugen has caused enough suffering."

Kataude raised an eyebrow, swirling the sake in his cup. "Destroy it, you say?" His tone was laced with amusement, as if he had heard such grand declarations before. "And what then, little princess? Do you plan to take his place? Do you think you can change the world, reshape the status quo? Do you dream of building some kind of utopia?"

Ishi shook her head, her gaze unwavering. "No," she said. "You misunderstand. When I say destroy, I mean exactly that. I don’t want to rule. I don’t want to be an empress, a noble, or anything at all. When I say destruction, I mean total annihilation, of everything, if necessary. If that means tearing apart the world, then so be it. I will rebuild something new. A perfect world, as I see it. A utopia, yes. And if that means becoming a goddess, or simply another forgotten stone in the vast universe, then so be it. I have been granted a power unlike any before me, and I will wield it in ways no one has dared. I will change everything, whether it’s a kingdom, an empire, or the entire fabric of existence itself."

Kataude studied her for a long moment before scoffing. "Big words, girl," he muttered. He took another drink, shaking his head. "But I’ve heard this before. You’re driven by hatred and resentment, nothing more. You’re still a child, too blinded by your own pain to see beyond it."

Ishi’s jaw tightened at his words, disappointment flickering in her eyes. But she held her tongue, giving him space to continue.

Then, to her surprise, Kataude leaned forward, resting his elbow on the table as he poured himself another drink. "Alright," he said. "I’ll help you."

Ishi’s eyes widened slightly, but before she could speak, he continued.

"You’ll grow, girl," he said, swirling his sake. "Your dream will change. Or maybe it won’t. Who knows?" He took a sip, then set the cup down, his single eye darkening. "But if it turns into something that isn’t worth fighting for, if you become something that shouldn’t exist, then I’ll be the one to cut your head down before it’s too late."

A sudden shift in the air made both Ishi and Pil shudder. Kataude’s aura flared, turning deep red, a forceful wave of energy radiating from him with such intensity that it sent chairs tumbling and knocked both women back slightly. The sheer weight of his presence made it clear, this was not an empty threat.

But Li-Jua did not move.

She met Kataude’s glare with a look of her own, sharp, unyielding, unwavering. She did not speak, nor did she need to. Instead, her own aura rose to match his, a chilling wave of power that turned the very air around them ice-cold.

The unspoken message was clear: she would not allow his threat to come to pass.

Kataude smirked slightly, recognizing the silent challenge. Then, just as suddenly, the tension in the room eased.

Ishi took a deep breath, downing the rest of her beer before setting the mug down with a firm thud.

"Fine," she said, locking eyes with him. "Then I’ll prove it to you. Sometimes, you need to create chaos in order to build something better."