Little Pink Starfish

The priest’s eyes wavered, clearly caught off guard by Nyne’s words. It was the first time in years that Nyne had sought out a specific Resha. Struggling to suppress his flustered reaction, the priest replied,

“Resha Gwen is currently in his quarters. If you permit, this servant will guide you.”

Nyne gave a slight, regal nod. The paths connecting the buildings of Yeonhwa Hall were shaded pleasantly by palm trees, yet the priest guiding him was drenched in sweat from nerves. With Resha Maz and Resha Idre recently cast out, the remaining priests were all on high alert.

“Are you going to punish Resha Gwen?”

Luga asked eagerly, barely hiding his anticipation. Unlike Nyne, Luga never hesitated to punish others—sometimes, he even seemed to enjoy it, especially if the person appeared to be favored by Nyne.

“No, Luga. I just have something to ask.”

Nyne answered firmly. Of course, if he wanted to punish Gwen, he had plenty of reasons: speaking out against a Sha, trespassing in Nyne’s chamber, daring to speak Sha Amon’s sacred name aloud. But that wasn’t the reason he refrained. It wasn’t because Gwen was beautiful. Nor because of his rare magical talent.

At some point, Nyne’s pace slowed. He looked inward, questioning why he was being so lenient with Lan Gwen.

It was… because he was different. He didn’t have black hair or eyes. A pink-tinted outsider from beyond Trastasa, the only one on this sacred land who did not worship Sha Amon.

Because he was irreligious…

“Nyne-nim?”

Luga called out curiously, noticing Nyne’s sudden stop. All the priests who had been walking ahead turned to look at Nyne. Popo cautiously checked his expression.

“Are you unwell?”

“No…”

Nyne was about to excuse himself, claiming a pebble had gotten into his shoe—when he frowned. His gaze had caught Lan Gwen digging with a shovel. The priest guiding Nyne turned pale, and Luga’s mouth dropped open. Nyne had seen Reshas perform songs or dances to delight a Sha—but never one digging in the dirt.

The white linen Gwen wore was covered in mud. He looked more like a slave than a Resha. Snapping to his senses, the priest of Yeonhwa Hall rushed over in a panic.

“Resha Gwen, what are you doing with such rough labor?”

Only then did Gwen notice Nyne. He smiled gently. He was half-undressed, likely from the heat, and beads of sweat clung to his exposed upper body beneath the loose kalasiris. His pale skin shimmered under the sunlight.

“A lovely servant greets Sha Nyne.”

“Resha Gwen! Mind your manners. How can you address Sha so improperly?”

The priest fussed without daring to touch Gwen. A Resha’s greeting must vary depending on rank—Gwen should’ve called himself a true servant, not a lovely one. From behind, Luga made a scoffing sound, but a faint smile briefly crossed Nyne’s lips.

“What exactly were you doing there?”

“The garden was messy, so I was tidying it up, Sha.”

Gwen replied with a fresh smile, wiping sweat from his brow. Luga let out another scoff. The priest, flustered, quickly took the shovel from Gwen. Just then, a crash rang out nearby. Pyra Sero, now in charge of Gwen’s quarters, had dropped a flowerpot.

“A devout servant greets Sha Nyne.”

Pyra bowed deeply to the ground. The guiding priest looked about ready to explode—how could a Resha be allowed to do such work? Quickly, he tried to fix the situation.

“Priest Pyra, assist Resha Gwen so he can properly welcome Sha Nyne.”

“Y-yes! Understood.”

Gwen-nim, please hurry… Sha is waiting… Pyra nervously pushed Gwen forward. Their interaction was surprisingly warm, unlike the usual stiff relations between priests and Reshas.

When Nyne stepped inside, the interior had changed since last time. While not as luxurious as other Reshas’ quarters, it now at least resembled a proper living space. As the priests of Yeonhwa Hall scrambled, Nyne’s personal attendants stepped in and straightened things up. One of them, eyeing the chairs with sharp scrutiny, brought in a new one—larger, more ornate—and laid a soft carpet beneath it. Once Nyne was seated, a small table appeared, set with his golden goblet and a cold water pitcher.

As Luga fanned him, Nyne drank a few sips. Shortly after, the priests returned with refreshments, more composed this time. As they weren’t permitted to serve Nyne directly, the attendants inspected the food with sharp eyes. Half was rejected. Only a fraction made it to the table.

“Nyne-nim, the pomegranate is especially sweet and tangy today. Won’t you try some?”

Luga’s voice was unusually sweet. As Nyne accepted a pomegranate seed, Gwen returned—freshly washed and dressed in clean clothes. He looked sincerely pleased as he greeted Nyne.

“It brings me great joy that Sha has graced my humble quarters with a visit.”

Compared to Nyne’s residence, it was indeed humble. As Nyne glanced around again, he found it barely acceptable for a Resha. Thick linen draped awkwardly by the doorway, not fluttering in the breeze as intended. Clicking his tongue, Nyne asked,

“Why is the garden in such a state? Is that priest the only one assigned to this place?”

Pyra flinched under Nyne’s gaze—a common reaction among those unfamiliar with a Sha.

“We beg your pardon, Sha. Due to earning Resha Jibaya’s dislike, full staffing was not granted. Thus, garden maintenance has suffered.”

Gwen casually tattled on another Resha’s bullying. This was a first. Nyne frowned at the rudeness but secretly found it refreshing.

“And who is this Resha Jibaya to dislike you?”

“Did I not quarrel with Resha Jibaya during the last offering ritual?”

Nyne raised an eyebrow, confused. He didn’t recall anything about Gwen arguing with a Resha named Jibaya—but given Gwen’s colorful behavior, it wasn’t entirely surprising. Gwen looked into Nyne’s eyes and continued with a gentle smile.

“Osen Iyad’s niece, Sha. She sat right beside me.”

“I do know Osen Iyad’s niece is a Resha, but I don’t know every Resha’s name. And you were sitting next to her during the ritual…?”

It was odd for Gwen—new, and without connections—to be seated beside someone of such status. Perhaps the priests had changed the seating because Gwen had attracted Amon’s attention. That would explain it—after all, no one besides Nyne had ever drawn Amon’s favor before.

Nyne tried to recall more from that day but couldn’t remember anything in particular. It had been just like any other ritual—blood of offerings soaking the steps, again and again. Gwen picked up the thread.

“Because Resha Jibaya and I argued, Sha Nyne made the offering himself that day. Didn’t the two of us die over the offering?”

“…I made the offering?”

Nyne furrowed his brow. Something flickered at the edge of memory. He turned, seeking confirmation. His eyes met Iu’s, who was staring at him blankly, then gave an awkward smile. Luga, always eager to keep Nyne’s favor, jumped in quickly.

“It was a normal ritual, Nyne-nim. Nothing special. Resha Gwen must have a poor memory.”

He spoke while ostentatiously instructing the priests: refill Nyne-nim’s goblet, remove the cold snacks, bring fresh ones. Gwen showed no sign of being offended. He simply smiled again after a brief moment of thought.

“So, what brings Sha Nyne to my humble abode? If I may be so bold—may I presume you came because you wished to see me?”

Nyne let out a small, incredulous laugh. You think I came just to see you? Where did this arrogant confidence even come from?

Wasn’t this visit driven by suspicion—that Gwen was a magician from the Labyrinth? Yet, as Nyne glanced around, there were no signs of the pink animals. Not a trace of pink fur. Perhaps they were hidden away, kept from prying eyes due to their rarity.