Chapter 21 : Things that sank beyond (1)

The view from the car window is of the ocean.

Kilometers away, calm waves roll in from the horizon, crashing against black, jagged rocks and shattering into white foam. The dazzling sunlight illuminates the surface of the water, and fluffy clouds drift gently above, adding to the picturesque scene.

Anyone who saw this sight wouldn’t be able to deny its romanticism. In reality, this place, built for tourism, was well-maintained.

However, those gathered here know well. This is but a momentary calm before the storm. It’s the ocean’s deception, harboring an abyss deep beneath the surface. This is the place where an incomprehensible being, beyond human understanding, will descend.

This is the east of the archipelago.
The target: the coast bordering the Pacific Ocean.

“We’ve arrived. Everyone, please disembark.”
“Thank you.”

I thanked the Association’s driver who brought us here and got out of the car. As the jeep drove away, kicking up dust, we looked around at the bustling surroundings.

“One meter more to this side! Stop! Perfect!”
“Wow! Look at this mess! Who did the mana coating on the joints of walls 77 and 78?! Redo it!!”

The first thing we saw were the steel walls being assembled along the coastline. In front of them, several technicians and workers operated heavy machinery, constructing a massive defense line. Their movements were precise and in unison, and the sight of the huge steel walls being erected one by one was almost magical.

“Anyone want to bury mines? They said they’ll give extra pay!!”
“Seniors who haven’t had dinner yet! Please come to the command center!!”
“Newcomers, come over here and give your affiliation and number!!”

Looking further, the area within the defense line was a vast open space, carved out of the surrounding terrain. There, ability users from various countries were gathered, installing all sorts of equipment, setting up tents, and busily carrying out their respective tasks.

Their clothing was also diverse. From simple casual wear to uniforms, light armor, plate armor, robes, and even, oddly enough, dresses. The scene was a mix of countless backgrounds and styles, mesmerizing to behold.

Noisy, but human.
Honestly, I was expecting a disciplined, military-like atmosphere.

“That’s strange… I was told someone would meet us when we arrived…”
“Yeah, we’re students and don’t have registration numbers yet. There’s nothing we can do.”

As Yu-ha and Seok-jun, nominally our group’s leader and vice-leader, talked, Si-eun and I looked around. In this crowded space where everyone was focused on their own work, there was no one in sight to greet us.

After a few minutes, a man in a suit emerged from the crowd. He looked more like he belonged in an office than here. He looked around and, spotting us, approached.

“Sorry I’m late. I’m Dyke from the command center’s observation team. Students from Seoul, correct?”

As he wiped the sweat from his brow, Yu-ha tilted her head and asked, puzzled,

“That’s fine, and yes, we are. But… none of us are detection-type ability users.”
“We won’t be having you do our work. Observation is the key to this strategy, so we requested a protection team from the higher-ups. So, you’ll be guarding us.”

The four of us nodded at his explanation. So this is what they meant by deploying us to the rear.

Sending students directly to the front lines wouldn’t look good. They’d likely face public backlash. But leaving high-value A-ranks completely unprotected is also tricky. The Association’s solution was simple: deploy them to essential facilities within the lines, not the front. Perhaps students from other schools are also scattered around like this.

“You all haven’t had dinner yet, have you? Get boxed meals being distributed over there and get a good rest at the temporary quarters next to the observation team until tomorrow. You can’t miss it; just follow the antenna on top of the tent.”

Looking where he pointed, a large antenna indeed stood out among the tents. Judging by the faint mana I sensed, it wasn’t an ordinary piece of equipment. Examining the subtly spreading mana waveforms, I could see it scanning the entire surrounding area. A mana-based terrain-scanning radar?

“See you tomorrow then.”

Seemingly busy, the man turned and headed back the way he came. With less than a day until its expected appearance, he must be quite busy. I could sense the weight of the world on his shoulders as he hurried away.

“Let’s go eat!”

…That’s his problem. We have our own to attend to. Right. Dinner.

*

By the time everyone finished eating, dusk had begun to settle.

Watching the lengthening shadows of the tents, we moved to the large tent next to the observation team’s. Honestly, I hadn’t expected much, but the inside of the tent was quite comfortable. The walls were rounded, seemingly inspired by traditional Mongolian yurts, and it was spacious enough for three people to stay comfortably. There were even slightly creaky cots.

“Everyone, put down your luggage and belongings. Seok-jun, you can unpack in the tent across from us.”
“Yes!”
“…Okay.”

At Yu-ha’s direction, Seok-jun and Si-eun moved around with their bags. Of course, I didn’t bring any luggage. What’s the point of a bag when I can just take things out of my inventory?

With nothing to do, I sat down on a cot and tried lying down experimentally. However, I immediately frowned and sat back up.

The cot was as hard as lying on a rock. The rough, stiff khaki canvas and the hard metal frame were incomparably uncomfortable to the soft bed I used at home. How could anyone use this? It might be better to just float and sleep.

While pondering the importance of a good bed and how I was going to sleep here, Si-eun, having finished unpacking, approached me hesitantly, clutching her silver staff.

“What’s up?”
“Um… I practiced magic all night yesterday. Could you… take a look?”

It was a question that made me hesitate. I had already taught her everything I could yesterday. Unnecessary interference might negatively impact her magic formation. Well, I could at least take a look.

“Alright. Let’s go out in a bit.”
“…Th-thank you.”

Si-eun’s clouded expression brightened a little. She probably felt a little bad. A reversed senior-junior and teacher-student relationship… Come to think of it, I remembered something I wanted to tell her.

“Oh, right. I’m actually nineteen.”
“…Huh? What?”

Her expression immediately changed, as if she had just stumbled upon a bomb. Amused by her reaction, I chuckled.

Si-eun’s voice trembled, her bewilderment evident.

“R-really…?”
“Yes, I even have my ID here.”

My freshly issued ID, from two weeks ago, was transferred to Si-eun’s hand. While she examined it with trembling eyes, I grabbed a bottle of water from the corner and took a drink.

“See? Nineteen.”
“I was completely fooled… You look like you could be my younger brother…”

I hadn’t intended to tease her. However, Si-eun’s usual air of absentmindedness and constant worry had been bothering me, so her genuinely surprised expression was quite striking.

*

“Huff… Huff… How was it…?”
“You’ve certainly been working hard.”

At her request, I switched to informal speech. With a flick of my finger, starlight flowed out, erasing the traces of magic and cleansing her sweat-soaked body.

“You’re ready for actual combat now.”

I acknowledged her rapid growth. Though learned through the ‘notes,’ her magic was more developed than I expected. If the mages of that world saw her growth rate, they might clutch their chests and collapse. It must be her unique ability, ‘Star’s Favor,’ contributing to such improvement.

“The ratio of mana converting to star magic through your mind is appropriate, and the result of visualizing your image doesn’t need any correction. You’ll be fine if you keep this up.”
“…Really?”
“Of course.”

Baek Si-eun’s face lit up. However, I felt uneasy. I knew that this magic system, the further one delved into it, wouldn’t end well.

Of course, the probability of her surpassing the magical knowledge in my ‘notes’ was zero. It would probably take her a lifetime, and even then, she wouldn’t master it all. Still, there’s always a ‘what if.’ No one can predict what kind of destructive miracle misplaced desires and excessive obsession can bring about.

So, I wanted to ask her. A cliché question, but important to me. To understand these diverse and unique beings, asking questions is always unavoidable.

“…Let me ask you one thing. Why do you want to become stronger, Si-eun?”
“Um… Well…”

Si-eun’s face became thoughtful. She realized the seriousness of my question. Various thoughts seemed to flash through her eyes.

Finally, as if she had found the answer, Si-eun spoke, her voice equally serious.

“…It’s probably for my younger siblings.”
“Siblings?”
“…Yes. I’m the head of my household…. Thanks to my awakening, we can at least make ends meet.”

The weight of being the breadwinner. Providing for her family. For her siblings. A noble cause. At least, that’s what I thought. It seemed that her somewhat gloomy and anxious demeanor stemmed from this background. To her, the world probably appeared as a tempestuous sea of waves and storms.

I felt like I had learned something new again today. Si-eun probably feels like she learns more from me, but does she realize that I also gain something from her?

After sending the tired Si-eun back to the tent, I looked up at the sky.

Stars, eternally unreachable by humans, filled the night sky.

Looking up at those stars, I felt the thirst that I hadn’t been able to quench for three years being satisfied once more.