Little Pink Starfish

Amon’s steps headed toward the lakeside. Each time he moved, fireflies fluttered up into the air, flickering brightly. Priests followed the two from a distance, holding lanterns. Then, when Nyne gestured, they quietly stood still and waited in place.

When the wind blew, Amon’s hair swayed this way and that. Light from a magical device set up at the lake flowed along Amon’s facial lines. Nyne stared at Amon’s face for a moment as if entranced. It was a face so unreal, as if it would remain there unchanged even after a thousand more years passed in the world.

“Amon-nim, the breeze is cool and pleasant.”

“Is that so?”

Amon again said his usual, formulaic “Is that so?” The ambiguous answer, neither yes nor no, showed his indifference toward the world. Nyne was used to it by now, but surprisingly, Amon’s words continued.

“Perhaps it is.”

Nyne’s heart pounded. Hearing a type of reply he had never heard before made his heart flutter. Could it be that Amon was changing, even just a little? It felt like a well-polished marble or gem was faintly taking on a trace of humanity—he wished it wasn’t just his imagination.

As Nyne smiled, Amon gazed at the graceful curve of his mouth without blinking once. After looking at each other for a while, Amon turned his head toward the lake. As Nyne followed Amon’s gaze and watched the moonlight ripple over the water, he asked something he had been curious about.

“Amon-nim, do you trust Ossen Iyad?”

At the question, Amon looked at Nyne. A flicker of amusement crossed his golden eyes, as if he found the question entertaining. It was almost a sneer.

“I trust that?”

Ossen Iyad was someone who worshipped Amon the most and had dedicated his entire life to serving him. Nyne was surprised by how cold his voice was toward such a person. There wasn’t even a trace of warmth.

“You ask such a cute question. Nyne, can you trust something like an ant?”

Unintentionally, Nyne’s gaze fell to the grass under his feet. How could you trust an ant? It wasn’t even a being one could properly communicate with. To humans, insects were incomprehensible. For the priests, they were seen as soulless, shattered fragments of something wicked. Amon continued.

“From the beginning, I do not understand the concept of trust.”

In this conversation with Amon, Nyne again felt a sense of alienation. Was it because the other was a god? Just moments ago, he had been so happy, and now something cold rattled inside his chest. It was because he realized: to a god, humans might be no more than ants. Even if the person in question was someone Amon disliked, this kind of treatment didn’t feel pleasant.

“But don’t you still attend the banquets and ceremonies?”

Nyne knew that just Amon’s attendance gave Ossen Iyad great authority. Because Amon did so, Nyne too was obligated to attend those events. Amon, watching the fish splashing in the lake, spoke.

“That is because it is a deal between me and the Iyad family.”

Nyne’s eyes filled with curiosity at this unfamiliar explanation. A deal between Amon and the Iyads? Up until now, what he had heard from the priests was only that Amon, out of pity for humans, had bestowed grace upon Trastasa. Nowhere was there mention of a deal between god and man.

Of course, Nyne now knew the priests had told embellished stories. Amon was not someone who pitied humans. Compassion did not suit a merciless god of war.

“In exchange for participating in a few troublesome events, that one takes care of the even more troublesome matters.”

Only after hearing that did Nyne understand why Amon attended Ossen Iyad’s ceremonies and banquets. Certainly, for someone ruling over such vast land, Amon was unusually free. You couldn’t rule Trastasa with just stamping a few documents now and then. If those documents needed Amon’s authority, it made sense.

Then… if humans are just a necessity to Amon…

Nyne erased the dangerous thought forming in his mind. Amon had remained in Trastasa for over five hundred years. According to historical records, it was only after Amon descended that the river began to flood and fertile land formed, and the lakes were created. He was also the one who hunted the beasts that invaded Trastasa every month, protecting humans.

Instead of thinking further, Nyne turned his attention to the fireflies flying around. Their glow was beautiful and fascinating. They didn’t look like remnants of evil, as the priests claimed. One flew close and landed near him. Staring at it quietly, Nyne grew curious and slowly reached out.

He grabbed quickly, but the firefly flew off faster. Nyne glanced at the priests standing far away. Hopefully they hadn’t seen. Even if they had, they would pretend not to. Nyne acted like nothing happened. But there was someone who definitely had seen what he did.

Amon stepped forward, extended his hand, and snatched a nearby firefly. He did it with ease, no effort.

“Your hand.”

Startled, Nyne reflexively held out his hand, and Amon dropped the firefly into his palm. Fearing it might fly away again, Nyne quickly closed his fingers. In his hand, the firefly glowed a soft green light. Without even thinking to look at it up close, Nyne blankly muttered thanks.

“Thank you, Amon-nim.”

“If you want more, say so at any time.”

Nyne answered a moment late, too absorbed in the firefly’s glow. Looking closely, the way its belly shimmered blue-green was even more fascinating. It blinked on and off as if trying to say something in morse-like signals.

“The fireflies are beautiful, Amon-nim.”

As he spoke and looked up, Amon stared intensely at Nyne’s face. Only then did Nyne realize he was smiling freely and brightly. Feeling a bit self-conscious, he looked back at the firefly in his hand. Amon, watching the flickering green in Nyne’s eyes, said:

“This is getting a little boring. Tell me something.”

Nyne was worried Amon might demand entertainment like Ossen Iyad’s revelry, but when he asked for Nyne’s own stories, he was relieved. After a bit of thought, he recalled something that had happened at the Lotus Pavilion.

“Recently, I received a request to mediate a dispute at the Lotus Pavilion…”

As he told the story, Nyne intentionally left out the Leshas’ names. It was because of Gwen. He still clearly remembered how Amon had shown interest in a Lesha for the first time. Regardless of his fondness for Gwen, the shock of that moment still lingered like sediment in his heart.

Amon didn’t comment or show particular reaction, but Nyne could feel that he was listening. A faint smile naturally formed at the corners of his lips. The gentle lakeside breeze, rustling leaves, and fireflies flickering like lanterns…

After the story about the Lotus Pavilion, Nyne spoke of the leopard Napa, and then of a book he had recently read. Amon’s gaze drifted toward Nyne’s head. Thinking a firefly had landed there, Nyne let him reach out. Amon touched his hair for a moment and then lowered his hand.

“It’s late. Time for rest.”

Nyne, having just run out of stories, agreed. The priests’ banquet would likely continue until dawn, but there was no obligation for him to stay. With a signal, Nyne’s attendants quickly called for the palanquin. Before boarding, Nyne gently released the firefly he had been holding.

As he rode back in the palanquin after bidding Amon goodnight, they had barely moved away from the lakeside when Lu, yawning sleepily, made a sound.

“Huh? Lord Nyne, when did you put that feather ornament in your hair?”

“Feather ornament?”

Nyne looked at him in confusion. He had come out already wearing feathers all over his body, hadn’t he? But the feather Lu plucked from his hair was clearly different from the blue kingfisher feathers he had worn. Nyne took it and examined it.

At first, he thought it was a crow’s feather. But in the temple—especially near the First and Second Gates—crows were rarely seen. Combat priests considered their appearance and cries unlucky and shot them down with arrows on sight.

More importantly, the feather’s sheen didn’t resemble that of any normal bird. Under the priest’s lanterns, it gleamed faintly with golden luster. Popo, who was well-versed in new ornament materials, and even Yiwu, who had once hunted birds, both said they’d never seen anything like it. And considering how deeply it was stuck in his hair, it hadn’t simply fallen from the sky.

“Sha Nyne, if you give it to me, I will dispose of it safely,” said Seinka Hoan, stepping forward warily.

Nyne, who had been unable to take his eyes off the feather and was turning it this way and that, slowly replied:

“No… I think Amon-nim might have placed it there earlier.”