Little Pink Starfish

When Nyne accepted Lu’s suggestion, the Lesha remained composed. But now, at this conversation, they widened their eyes in surprise. Though they quickly lowered their gazes, their eyes were filled with doubt and envy. Lu, too, suddenly turned gloomy again, as if his earlier bright expression had never existed—but Nyne feigned ignorance and looked away. As Gwen followed behind, he asked in a small voice,

“If you’ll permit it, may I offer you tea, Sha?”

Nyne hadn’t intended to enter Gwen’s quarters—he only meant to speak with him. The mysterious sights Gwen had once shown him were not things to be revealed lightly. But if Gwen was confidently offering tea, he must have taken care of that already. Nyne gave a nod of permission.

“Well… he is a mage.”

Gwen’s quarters were located on the outskirts of the Lotus Pavilion, requiring a fair walk to reach. By now, he could have taken a more central position among the Lesha, and yet he still insisted on a remote room—there must be a reason.

Perhaps because it was easier to conceal his identity as a mage in a place with fewer people.

Nyne recalled the fantastical scene he had once seen—but in the daylight, Gwen’s quarters seemed rather ordinary. Without the small lanterns hanging like stars in the trees, all that remained was a modest, neat garden that could be seen anywhere. A little disappointed, Nyne stepped inside, and his gaze naturally went to the door at the end of the hall. Gwen smiled softly and spoke.

“Sha, if you would permit it, may I offer a tribute?”

“…A tribute? Very well, do so.”

Nyne gave his permission without resistance, and surprisingly, Gwen walked toward the door at the end of the corridor. *He’s going to show *that* place here, where priests are around?* Pretending calm, Nyne was inwardly startled.

But when Gwen opened the door, what appeared was merely a normal Trastasan-style bedroom. There was no vast space or beautiful night sky like before. As Nyne stared fixedly into the room, Gwen returned, holding something wrapped in cloth.

“My apologies. This garden and room must seem unimpressive to your noble eyes. Please forgive me, Sha.”

Upon hearing this not-quite-apology, Nyne realized Gwen had purposely opened the door in front of the others to reassure him. The calm and confident smile on Gwen’s face said clearly—My private space will not be discovered by some accidental visitor.

“I shall accept your apology… Popo.”

At Nyne’s nod, Popo carefully received the tribute from Gwen and unwrapped the cloth.

Inside was a statue of Nyne. A small Nyne stood proudly atop a round base that resembled a grassy field, drawing his bow toward some unseen target. It was an incredibly detailed replica of the outfit he had worn on the first day of the Hunting Festival.

“You’re quite skilled with your hands.”

Nyne admired it—and involuntarily let out a slightly bitter smile. Despite his grudge against Gwen, Lu had greatly cherished the previous statue that had been offered as tribute. He used to dust it daily, gently comb its hair, and even adjust the flow of its garments. But now, he would no longer be able to do that…

As Nyne handed the statue back, Popo wrapped it carefully again in the cloth, ensuring it was protected. You would be hard-pressed to find such a finely crafted piece anywhere in Trastasa. Given the intricacy of the hair and clothing, it looked more like a doll than a statue. Just then, someone came hurrying over, almost stumbling in their haste.

“A faithful servant greets Sha Nyne.”

A priest Nyne vaguely recognized knelt and greeted him respectfully. Nyne nodded in acknowledgment, and the priest carefully rose and set the tea on the table. As the attending priests inspected the tea, Nyne stared at the priest’s face until he finally recalled the name.

“You’re Priest Paira Sero, aren’t you?”

The priest, fingers trembling slightly from nerves, widened their eyes in astonishment. Last time, they had worn only a simple lapis necklace, but perhaps due to being assigned to Gwen’s quarters, they now wore an extra ornament.

“Th-that you remember this servant’s name… I am beyond honored, Sha. I shall cherish this moment for the rest of my life.”

The unfamiliar family name suggested the priest wasn’t from a powerful house. Nyne drank the cool tea—the tart sweetness of pomegranate refreshed his tongue. He had hoped for cocoa, so he was a little disappointed, but the tea was still quite pleasant. After a few sips, he set the cup down and ordered:

“Everyone, leave—except for Iyu.”

“Yes, Sha.”

At the command, Iyu briefly flinched in surprise. But it was only momentary—soon, he quietly remained in place with one hand resting on his sword.

Aside from Lu and Popo, it had been a long time since Nyne trusted anyone or opened his heart. Much of his past was blurry, yet certain lingering feelings had settled like sediment in his heart. He vaguely remembered that he had already experienced countless losses. The more people he grew attached to, the more it only hurt Nyne.

Even so—just this once—he would make an exception for Iyu and Gwen. Both were too skilled to die easily. Leaning forward slightly, Nyne asked in a quiet voice:

“Are you certain… that it’s safe for me to favor you freely?”

“Of course, Sha. Your favor would be my greatest joy.”

Gwen’s eyes shone brightly with what seemed to be genuine happiness. His eyes and lips curved into smooth, graceful arcs. But instead of smiling back, Nyne sighed and asked again:

“I mean—are you truly confident that you wouldn’t die, even before Amon-nim?”

Then, before Gwen could even reply, Nyne shook his head. He recalled the mysterious doors that spanned space and the magic Gwen had shown him. It was enough to flee Trastasa at any moment—but not enough.

“If your life is in danger… run. And… never come back.”

“Sha Nyne… No—Nyne-nim.”

Knowing that no matter what he answered, he couldn’t give Nyne full assurance, Gwen gently called his name without permission. Yet Nyne wasn’t displeased. In fact, he felt more at ease with Gwen than with even Lu or Popo, who had been with him for far longer. The night of their first meeting, when he had been so on edge, now felt like a distant memory.

“Would you like to hear a story from another continent?”

A story, now? Nyne furrowed his brow but remained silent and listened.

“Long, long ago, there was an evil dragon. It knew no compassion or mercy. One day, this greedy, selfish dragon fell in love at first sight with a beautiful prince—and kidnapped him.”

“Prince? What is that?”

Nyne frowned at the unfamiliar word, and Gwen kindly explained.

“A prince is the son of a king.”

“The son of a king… A king of another continent, huh…”

Nyne knew the word “king,” even if “prince” was unfamiliar. According to legend, there had once been a king among the gods. The scriptures said the present gods were reincarnations of that god’s dead flesh. Since that god had given primitive knowledge to ignorant humans, he was respected and revered—thus, in this world, no one dared call themselves king. If one did, divine punishment would fall.

“The one I speak of is a human king. In worlds other than the continent I visited… the gods do not dwell on earth. It’s a place ruled by human kings and their children.”

“A human king… how blasphemous.”

Nyne answered reflexively, the scriptures ingrained in him. Yet part of him wondered—perhaps a world without gods who demanded human sacrifice was a better place to live. Even just for a few days, he wanted to go there and live in peace.

“Continue the story.”

“When the prince was kidnapped, a brave warrior heard the rumor and set off on an adventure. He crossed winding rivers and jagged mountains to reach the dragon’s domain. Then he defeated the evil dragon and lived happily ever after with the prince.”

At the overly simple and brief tale, Nyne couldn’t help but speak up, incredulous.

“How could a mere human defeat a dragon?”

“Do you… know what a dragon truly is?”

Gwen answered the question with another question, and his eyes sharpened. Nyne couldn’t answer right away. He hesitated—searching his memory.

Dragon… Where did I hear that word before?