Vermillion

On a pale, clear lake surface, a sheep cloud reflecting.

The early summer sun is high and burns the skin with stiffness.

As comforting as it was, a cool breeze blew through.

Sunlight splashes brightly on the various waves of water.

Then.

In the meantime, there is one boat that goes undressed.

"Kay, it's a little turn to the right"

"Mm...... you know what?

"No, the other way around! Look at me, right!

Eileen pointed to Kay's left hand side. While struggling with the treatment of unfamiliar oars, Kay consciously puts his strength into his left arm.

A heavily pushed oar creates thrust as it swirls the surface of the water. The boat slowly reoriented as it made a bouncing sound of water and bubbles.

"……… oops, straightened out"

"Hmm, that's pretty hard to do."

Without resting his hand rowing the oar, Kay squeaked smugly. All-row is not a great exercise if you simply look at it as a job, but it is a great deal of mental fatigue because it continuously moves muscles you don't normally use. Besides, it was more stressful than I thought to not see the direction of travel while rowing.

"Are you still tight?

"No, it's not tight. Because it's unfamiliar work."

Shake your head and answer the slightly worried Eileen question instantly. I don't want them to feel sorry for me, so I answered in a slight way, but as for Kay, I'm not lying. Though it felt like my arm muscles were tense, I could have rowed for hours at this rate.

By the way, this kind of hand rowing boat is supposed to be something that moves the upper body rather than the arm and rows across the body, but there was no skilled person here to point that out.

"There's no hurry. Take it easy and have fun."

This is not bad, Kay's expression is flattering. Eileen, who sat down slightly on the back of the boat, also loosened her smile and cheeks.

"Right! … but I'm a little hungry."

So Eileen caught a shopping bag with Gasagoso. Approximately as Kay continues to row, remove the still slightly warm cheesy buckwheat powder crepe (garret) and make it look pungent.

"Mm-hmm, it's good!

Eileen looks happy with her hands on her cheek. Makes a really yummy face. I think I'm even going to hear the sound of the effect of Poya Poya.

"Ah, flying..."

"'Cause I'm hungry"

From near the dock to the middle of the lake, the cargo ships were dangerously crossed, so we talked about getting near the temple and then starting eating. but have you decided to forget about that already, not at the level of a "bite pinch," Eileen is starting to eat guts.

"I think I'll eat, too."

Kay hasn't spoken a word since she woke up. It's only a matter of time before the belly bug beeps louder.

"Hehe, unfortunately I can't do that!

but Irene with a mean smile pulls herself toward her when she drifts her shopping bag.

"Kay damages without rowing"

"Uh..."

"'Cause it's dangerous if you're boggling around in a toco like this, huh? Look, while I'm telling you, pack up and turn this way."

Eileen points to Kay's right hand side with the hands of those who don't have a garrett. Large cargo ships are approaching from the front as soon as they swing back.

Compared to the shopping bag and Eileen, Kay looked like a dog who had taken care of her and had no choice but to row the oar.

"I'm hungry too..."

Kay bullies and complains of hunger, unlike a cargo ship. Irene stuffed her own garrett in her mouth and shrugged her shoulder, "Oh, man,"

"I can't help it. You can have Kay, too."

Fish a shopping bag with your mouth full. And "Ta Ta Ta Ta!," he mumbled the mysterious sound effect, taking out another garret and offering it softly to Kay's mouth.

"Yes, here."

"Oh, thank you."

Hit the garret (feed) in front of you without any thought.

"Mmm, yummy!

"Hehe, right?

Irene breasts well, as if she had made it, to Kay, who accidentally eats two or three bites and goes on.

However,

"Huh! You're so hot!

"You're gonna show it to me!

To a sudden chilling voice, we both stopped moving.

If you look at it, the luggage boat just slipped away earlier.

The sailors pushed him at the stern and looked at him as if he were going to embark on it. The moment Eileen looked back, her beauty overheated her voice.

"Is that a date? You're young!

"My lady! No tea with me later!?

For a moment, they were two people who looked at each other properly, but - immediately, realizing "how we are being seen today," they turned away.

Irene sits back in the back seat. Kay restarts all rowing in silence. Due to their relative speed, the noisy sailors (galleries) quickly moved away.

…………

Such silence is left on the spot, as they swim their eyes in the direction of the day after tomorrow, while exploring each other's conditions.

Kay was looking at the clear surface of the water while keeping Eileen in sight.

"…… the water is really beautiful here."

I groaned as if I were talking to myself.

"Well, I was thinking the same thing."

It looks very natural, and Eileen hammers too. I stepped out of the barge and peered into the pale lake everywhere.

"It looks like it's clear to the bottom..."

Every swinging surface of water - when Kay stops the oar, it's like a mirror. There, Irene's face floats. A boat that proceeds slowly with inertia and spreads ripples.

"If it was Kay's eye, would you see the bottom?

With her face up, Eileen asks innocently.

"Until just now, I saw it, but I can't see it anymore. I hear this one's deep."

"Oh well. About how many meters does it look?

"I felt like I'd seen it, and the last place I saw it, it seemed like it was eight meters deep."

"Heh. It's so deep."

Talking about such a lack of other love, the boat had only ever reached the side of the island. A short distance from the dock, the point where you can admire the White Ash staircase leading to the temple, spreading food to the bottom of the ship for a late lunch and a sprinkling.

"Speaking of which, Marie's wife said it before. Legends of Lake Schnapeia"

Irene said, cutting raw ham thinly with a knife.

"Legend?"

"Yes. Anything,"

Pour the meat in your mouth with apple liquor (seedle),

"Somewhere in this lake, a ship seems to be sinking. It's loaded with gold and silver treasures, too."

"Hmm... an accident or something?

"No, he said he was sunk by the water spirits."

Long ago, the inhabitants who lived on the banks of Lake Schnapeia continued to pollute the lake by using water in our faces and discarding garbage or drooling sewage.

But one day, the spirits of water, who had become impatient with the filth of the lake, wreaked a vortex on the lake in anger.

The boats and boats that were crossing the lake were swallowed by a vortex from one end and dragged straight down to the bottom of the water.

The water, which further backflushed the waterway for use, pushed the fields away and said it had wasted all its crops.

"The inhabitants, whose crops were hit and who suffered from hunger, swore to their hearts that the lake would never be tarnished since. And to quell the wrath of the Spirit, he built a temple on an island in the middle of the lake and worshipped it - it seems."

"So, there was this guy in the boat, loaded with treasure,"

"Right. The old lady said that the water spirits got angry and the boats in the lake sank about 200 years ago, and it seems to be a fact in the history books. However, there is no accurate record of whether or not there was a ship loaded with real treasure."

"Well, that's what legends are for."

She shrugs her shoulders small, takes Irene's apple liquor in hand and moisturizes her throat.

"But don't feel romantic. I'm not that interested in the gold and silver treasure itself…… the word 'treasure hunt' sounds good"

"I agree with you."

Uh-huh, and the two of us snort together in arms.

Originally Kay and Irene both love these dreamy stories. If I pinched a rumor in my ear that seemed interesting from the time of the game, I would not dare to storm the ground. Of course, that hurt, but it was the style of the two of us to enjoy things even if they were somewhat inefficient.

"Can't you do something with Kerstin's magic?

"I was just thinking the same thing right now. If we [explore] the bottom of the lake, we might find the wreckage of the ship."

Kerstin is the spirit of shadows. If you let the shadows in the water be depicted in [Exploration], you can grasp the topography of the bottom of the water with no less precision than the latest scansoner.

"The question is the amount of catalyst and what to do where you find it."

"Mm-hmm. Crystals would be enough for a lake as big as this, if we had five kilograms."

Irene looked around the lake as she grabbed the sawdust.

"But assuming we find it, how do we pull up the wreckage of the ship"

"If it's a game, dive without question.... No, it's possible over here, right?

Peeping into the bottom of the water, Kay. Reinforced by the "crest," it was a statement considering the specs of his own body, but at the same time it was a reckless idea because he was unfamiliar with swimming. "No," Eileen denies immediately.

"At the bottom of the lake, the water seems very cold. I've heard stories of people swimming in lakes getting hit by cold water streams and dying of hypothermia. Shouldn't we stop doing this in real life?

"Is that so… First of all, I don't know the depth. There is no machine for work, and there is no such thing as submersible clothing..."

"If he's also a magician of the water system, I don't know what to talk about..."

"The Temple of the Spirit of Water" attracts nature and the gaze of the two.

"……… Are you there, mage?"

"Hmm. But as far as Irene's 'legend' is concerned, the water spirits here are like superior spirits. Not very much, but it's a contract..."

"Yes, sir."

Two people pointing their mouths at each other in disgruntlement.

In [DEMONDAL], the Spirit was divided into three levels, from lower to higher, in a large number of clutter, but the Spirits, basically considered 'upper', were no longer close to the NPC, coming up with impossible challenges because of the contract instead of appearing in a defined position. It was essentially a less than median spirit that players could contract, and even the games presented by the top spirits were on tough terms - holding up ten eyeballs of "Feilong (Wyburn)," or so - but I don't think I can achieve it for the inhabitants of this world.

Incidentally, Sheave, whom Kay contracts with, is classified as a medium spirit and Kerstin, Irene, as a lower spirit.

"Well, if there was a user of the water system, they would have pulled it up a long time ago."

"Sure. In the first place, I didn't always find the remains where I [explored]."

"There was no treasure... what a reminder on the day I found out. Legends are better left as legends, I have dreams."

"Right. Don't, don't."

As we talked about it, Kay and the others were completely eating up all the food they had. Rubbing a swollen stomach, they both get sloppily disfigured so as to make room for their stomachs.

"Ugh... I'm hungry... I can't eat anymore..."

"I ate it. Delicious."

Kay's words snort with a sense of grandeur.

Meals while talking to Eileen. Unlike last night's lonely dinner, Kay's heart was full of happiness that it was' delicious', even though he was more focused on the story itself than on the flavor.

Again, if this is not the case with the meal - and taste the last remaining apple liquor one by one.

"Nemei...... Phew"

Eileen yawns elegantly and falls asleep on the bottom of the boat.

"Yawning is infectious."

Kay stretched her back and looked up at the sky as she bit out the gushing drowsiness.

"It's a beautiful day."

"Right.... Hey, Kay, can you even see the stars during the day?

"Yeah. I can see it."

"Seriously. Fine - what does it look like?

"Whatever you say... Do you feel that the white dots are bumpy? Not so pretty, and I don't see little stars like at night"

"Heh, 'eyesight enhancement' is awesome......"

As she falls asleep, Eileen puts her hands over her head and stares into the blue sky. That's how Irene kept looking at the unseen stars for a while, but gradually her eyelids dropped, and at the end of the day,

"... ku"

Start snoring small.

For a while, Kay was watching it with his cheek cane on it - which is what B is - even though it was too late, I reconsidered and rocked the boat at all costs.

"Ha.... I was asleep!?

Irene rises up with a face like a pigeon eating a bean cannon.

"He seemed to be upset for about a few minutes... but was it good to wake him up?

"Yeah. Thanks. I almost went to bed completely."

I look toward the temple, stretching my back like a cat.

"……… Time to go?

"Right."

Nodding, Kay took the oar in his hand.

†††

Getting closer still doesn't change the impression of a 'small island'. Coast the pier made of wood while being instructed to do so by the lead Irene.

A new pilgrim must have visited while Kay and the others were eating. There was a large boat docked at the dock, and the head of the boat with the pipe seemed free to soak up smoke. Secure the boat with a rope on the landing strip pillar as you salute the bow that looks at you with a frigid eye.

"Well, here's the thing"

"I don't think they'll steal it, but if it gets flushed by the wind, it's not funny."

"…… at all."

Although I said earlier that I dived and searched for treasure, if I could, I didn't want to swim in a place without legs.

Walk from the pier and up the stone steps of White Ya. The shape of the island is close to that of the hill, as if it were on the lake, with a little hill giving its head.

"This... Did you carry it on a boat and build it?

Irene stepped on the white stone of the stairs with her pompous feet.

"I guess so. I do it well, though, to quell the wrath of the Spirit."

"It's all manpower, isn't it? It sucks............"

Is it about the height of a two-story house? At the same time as you finish climbing the stone steps, you're not like the pilgrims dressed in robes.

All that's left is a cool, quiet space.

"Wow……………."

Irene raised her admiration in the sight of the sight spreading there.

White temple - a wooden roof like a whole ship flipped over in a series of simple stone columns reminiscent of that in Greece. Sometimes it means a temple dedicated to the Spirit of the Water, or the shape of the roof is intentionally made to resemble a ship. The dragonbones running through the center and the rare streamlined shape as a roof are somewhat unrealistic, creating a unique atmosphere similar to functional beauty.

From the stone steps to the temple, it was paved in a straight line with white cobblestones of marble. The white stretching path and the surrounding green trees make a nice, touchy sound of leaf rubbing to the wind.

Floating on a pale lake, the island was, as the saying goes, an unusual space cut from the world. In a soothing tranquillity, a gentle, yet spine-stretching, strange air flows. Exactly this is a sanctuary, which made me feel that way.

"That's amazing."

The pompous and grunting words are simple, but true, but therefore not false.

To put it badly, Kay was licking this temple. I was only thinking that even if it were a one-country temple, it would be enough to have a stone temple at best.

But actually, try to come - I am overwhelmed by what is supposed to be the beauty of the Spirit.

"…… I see people come all the way here on pilgrimage"

"Right...... let's go inside too!

Wherever the wind blows, such as the harsh atmosphere, Irene is drawn to the excitement and steps into the temple.

Consisting only of stone columns and roofs, it was an open space everywhere. Undecorative tile floors spread, and in the middle of them rested a white marble statue.

A statue of an elderly beauty with a feather coat on a large pedestal like a handful. The light is pouring out of the window for lighting, illuminating its cool grin. And there was a crate in front of the statue that looked somewhat heavy, and there was a rope hanging from the ceiling, just up to the height of his hips.

"I wonder if that rope is the guy who says, 'Wish Bells Come True'!?

Tension-high Eileen went all the way to the front of the statue on a small run and pulled the rope without hesitation.

The sound of the bell rings from above.

"Oh, this is it. This is it!

Happily shaky Eileen. Somehow, Kay associated himself with the Japanese first sight.

"Do you have a wish?

"We're almost there!

"What did you wish for?

In Kay's casual inquiry, Eileen smiled niggly and profoundly,

"Himitsu!

As it were, I turned my back on Kay. And I just laughed at Kay for teasing me and said nothing more.

"So? What about Kay? What are we gonna do?

Slightly forcefully, as if trying to shed light on the subject, now Eileen asks. It is pure curiosity that comes to mind in its face, and nothing else can be read. Irene's attitude was strange, or puzzling, but Kay, flushed with a good idea, puts her hand on her chin and thinks.

"Wish, or…………"

I often wonder what to do.

…………

But I can't think of anything.

(No, no, you have something)

Though I think so.

…………

Again, I can't think of anything.

(Wait, wait. There must be something, something……)

I see this one with my crushed eyes. Feeling like something in a hurry, I turn my thoughts around.

What I recall is, about two weeks ago. Still, the times I was playing in the [DEMONDAL] of the game.

(What I was aiming for... yes,)

"I want the bow to be extreme" - you think?

"I want to break through 2000 kills" - you think?

"I want to complete all types of bird wings" - you think?

"I want Dragon Scale Armor too" - you think?

(…… there is no such thing as locks)

As I do, I get a dry grin. I just don't want to do it in real life because I want to extremes the bow, and I don't want to do anything else. Brilliantly, I was only thinking about [DEMONDAL].

- No.

Should I say that I was trying not to think about anything other than the game?

"…… well."

So far, Kay noticed.

What I had hoped for until about two weeks ago.

♪ I want to live ♪

"Just for a second, I want to live longer"

True, sincere, then, like squeezing a mourning voice. Such thoughts.

Of course this is not a longevity wish.

A positive, yet giving up dream of keeping the lights of life that are about to disappear, a little longer, a second longer, just wanting to maintain -.

But now.

Kay is here.

I'm here with no more healthy flesh.

(Well, my wish is no more -)

- Was it coming true?

Like now, Kay laughs.

But that's why you don't wish for anything more, which is different.

I'm in a transition.

Looking back at myself in the past, I thought so.

Until now, I have always been obsessed with 'living' itself.

But we have to get a healthy body and look for something else than 'living normally' allowed.

No, I want to find out what it is.

Instead of just caricaturally 'living', we explore 'how to live' - we can explore it, that's when it came.

(But you're in trouble. I can't think of anything like that right now...)

At the very least, I thought about it before it came...... but until I invited Eileen, I also recall that it wasn't the other way around.

Eileen.

Second, I looked up.

"…… Hmm? What?"

Staring at me, leaning down on my little neck, one beautiful girl...

(…… well)

Kay's mouth is burning.

You don't have to think hard, but right now, you have one wish.

Instead, he reached out and pulled the rope hard.

From - teasing teasing, the bell rings high.

"That was a long thought, wasn't it? What did you wish for, Kay?"

To Eileen's intriguing inquiry,

"…… a secret."

Kay just laughed.

†††

Afterwards, we realized that the box in front of the stone statue was actually a coin box, we explored each other's "wishes" somewhat, it developed into a chase because of it, but the speed type Eileen had no chance of winning and Kay was caught casually, and the two of us were surprised and embarrassed to be witnessed by the janitor's jerk, but the day began to tilt, so the Kays decided to go back to town.

"It's good to be here today."

She's getting used to it a little bit, and Kay squeaks as she rows the oar.

Temple of White Asia to be dropped off in the distant view. Without that place, you wouldn't have made up with Eileen so smoothly. With sincere gratitude, Kay softly prayed to the Spirit of Water.

"Yeah, I really enjoyed it."

Eileen is satisfied with the hammer. Between the two of us, there was no such thing as sneezing air.

…………

In silence, not strange and painful, only the sound of water sounds quietly. A distant island, a boat crossing the lake, a sky that was gradually dyeing in the sea - all gentle and serene.

Two eyes meet each other on a regular clap.

Gaze intertwined, shy away, and yet again, stare at each other.

Still illuminated by the bright sky colors, only Irene's face floats brightly. Kay felt that the pale eyes that shone a shimmering light - more beautiful than the stars in the night sky.

"Hey, Eileen."

"Yeah?"

Kay opens his mouth naturally. Smile and Eileen responds.

I thought about it after I said what to say, but still my mouth moved naturally.

"Me - actually"

"Iri- - Nhhhh!!!!"

suddenly, resounding,

A familiar husky voice.

As played, Kay and Irene look.

About a few dozen meters away. A crossing with a large number of pilgrims on board.

In it, a young man waves toward us.

"Eileen! You're in such a tight spot!!

Shouting out loud was nothing else, Alexei. "" Shh! "" Kay and Irene's voice unison.

"I've been waiting all morning! It's a flirtatious affair. Yeah, Irene, dude!

With that said, Alexei, who shouts with an uncontrolled smile somewhere, has a red face if you look good. The hella young people around it - the caravan apprentices - were similarly, apparently drunk.

"Chikushi - Far away! It's far, Eileen! I'm going that way now!

Alexei, with a good smile and a disturbing statement, said that she would or that she would wear pointy clothes on the spot.

"Wah! Wah! Wow!"

"What the fuck is he? He!

Irene turns her face red and turns away, by the time Kay returns to me and grips the oar, Alexei is royal on board as she was born,

"Ayilli - Nhh!!!

I shouted and then jumped into the lake with a stunning form. Zappan and rising blisters.

"Iri-Ng!!

And as it is, with a swimming method that is infinitely close to the butterfly, I pack the distance as I see it, calling Irene's name between breaths.

"Kay! Run!

"I don't even need to be told!!

Kay also rowed the oars with all his might.

In the wake of serious Kay's arm power, the oar produces explosive thrust. but still, Alexei is slightly faster. It's like a butterfly dancing through the universe, glittering droplets, gradually narrowing the difference between him and me.

"Fuck him. Fast!

"Kay, we're gonna get caught up like this!

"Iri-Ng!!!!

"Isn't the water in the lake cold!? What about hypothermia!?

"I don't know that!!

"A-Y-LI-NH!!!!

The pilgrims at the crossing and the crew of the surrounding luggage were laughing off at how it was going, but Kay in particular didn't even realize he was being laughed at, not the other way around.

"Why are you out here?"

Kay rows the oar desperately with a bright red face, Alexei keeps swimming as she calls out Irene's name.

Eileen, who had a screaming voice at first, laughed at the two of them approximately, only with her belly.

At the end of the lake at dusk, one boat and one figure disappear -.

Results.

It was Alexei who eventually caught up with the boat, but he got it straight to Kay's all-out (...) head and was stunned with a blow, so he stayed put.

... It was a peaceful day.