Chapter 107

After the incident in Babel—no, Procyon. The Hero and I once again set out to travel across This World.

This time, our journey wasn’t about beating up strong Monsters but rather exploring the world with purpose.

When the Tower of Babel collapsed, the Hero seemed deeply shocked by their first act of killing…a Human. It was clear they were troubled in many ways.

For such a noble Hero, taking the life of another Human for the first time must’ve been quite the shock.

Thus…

“The ocean!”

I had brought the Hero here to see the vast Sea.

“What is this sudden talk about the sea?”

“Hmm. Look at that vast ocean. Doesn’t it make you feel like your heart opens wide?”

The horizon where the Sky meets the Sea stretched endlessly, creating a breathtaking view that made one’s chest feel as if it could burst open with freshness.

I thought this scenery might help calm the Hero’s troubled mind.

“Well, it is somewhat impressive…”

“Isn’t it?”

It seemed to be helping a little.

Hmm. If this can ease the Hero’s mind even slightly, then bringing them here was worth it.

And besides, we’d already confirmed that the Diamond embedded in the Hero’s Sword wasn’t affecting them adversely. For some reason, it had been unusually quiet. Hmm…

Perhaps it’s because I’m nearby? Or maybe there’s some other reason? Hard to say.

“So, did you bring me here just to show me this ocean?”

“Not exactly…”

I picked up the Divine Body of the First Beast, which had transformed into something resembling a small Dog and was rubbing against my leg.

“I have somewhere to go.”

And with that, I hurled the Divine Body of the First Beast toward the ocean.

As it drew near the water’s surface, it changed shape into a sleek Dolphin. So, aquatic creatures are also considered Beasts, huh?

Wait, does that mean there could be Whale Beastmen too? Hmm… Let’s not dive too deep into that topic.

“What’s with this sudden…?”

“And one more thing.”

I snapped my fingers, and a wooden Boat magically appeared on the water.

In an age when most people only know how to build rafts or hollowed-out log boats, this should stand out!

We’ve got quite a distance to travel, and I don’t want to ride on a raft!

“That…is a boat?”

“Yes. I made it.”

Back during my travels, I met primitive humans who used rafts for navigation, but nothing as refined as this!

You might be seeing a proper boat for the first time!

Though, it probably won’t take long before other Humans figure out how to craft decent boats themselves.

“Why a boat all of a sudden…?”

“There’s someone we need to meet far out at sea.”

It’s about time we paid Thetis a visit.

Using the Divine Body of the First Beast as propulsion, we’ll cross the ocean!

I tied the now-gigantic Dolphin-shaped Divine Body to the boat with rope, letting it pull us forward. Even amidst rough currents, its speed and grace were truly magnificent.

With nothing better to do while aboard, I decided to try fishing. Though I could easily summon fish, there’s something special about waiting patiently for a bite.

“Ugh…”

Ah, but the Hero didn’t seem to share my enthusiasm.

“You’re suffering from seasickness, aren’t you?”

“I-I’m sorry… Ugh…”

Silently, I patted the Hero’s back as they leaned over the side of the boat, vomiting into the sea.

Hmm. On land, the Hero could cut down any Monster effortlessly, yet here they were rendered powerless.

Should I have left the Hero behind and come alone? If so, I could’ve visited Thetis and returned instantly.

Ultimately, all I could do was brew them ginger tea sweetened with honey. After tucking the seasick Hero into the cabin and putting them to sleep with Magic, I gazed out at the vast ocean toward Thetis’ location.

How has that lonely Child been holding up, isolated out here?

—

“Yeehaw!!”

A white trail of foam streaked across the blue sea. At first glance, it looked like a Fish…

No, a Human…

No, a Fish-Human.

That’s right—an Mermaid!

Mermaids swam joyfully around the boat. Their upper bodies were Human-like, while their lower halves shimmered like fish tails.

Oh, I hadn’t expected to encounter Mermaids here.

“What is this? What’s this thing? Whaaaat?”

“It’s hard! Not as hard as Black Rock, but still pretty solid!”

“There’s someone on top! They have horns on their head! Are all land-dwellers horned?”

These Mermaids were surprisingly lively. They giggled and laughed at every little detail. Based on their language, they seemed descended from Humans, though I’d need more information from Thetis to confirm.

“Move aside, I’m here to see Thetis.”

“Thetis?”

“Who’s Thetis?”

“Dummy! The Great Flow Lady!”

“The Great Flow Lady! The Great Flow Lady!”

Great Flow, huh? Well, since Thetis controls nearly all ocean currents, it’s not an inaccurate title.

Unfortunately, the Mermaids ignored my request and started chattering amongst themselves instead. This could take awhile.

There’s no choice…

“Thetis.”

“Eema?”

That was quick.

“Is that really you, Mom?”

“Yes, it’s me. Long time no see.”

At that moment…

“Waaah!”

“The current’s changing!”

“Everyone, run! The Great Flow Lady is moving!”

A massive current began pushing our boat. The Dolphin struggled to break free but was no match for the overwhelming power.

We eventually arrived at a swirling vortex—a manifestation of Thetis herself.

“Uh… Mom…”

Thetis, in her Divine Body form, addressed us through the vortex.

“G-gr… I have so much to say, but now that I see you, Mom… I just… Ugh…”

I silently observed Thetis for a moment before speaking softly.

“Have you been well?”

“Huh? Y-yes… I’ve been fine… During this time alone, I’ve thought a lot… Why couldn’t I stop the fighting? Why did I disappoint you? I kept thinking and regretting…”

Thetis’ voice quivered with moisture.

“I’m sorry, Mom… For disappointing you… For not doing better…”

Clearly, Thetis was filled with remorse and regret.

That’s enough. That’s plenty.

“It’s alright. You’ve reflected sufficiently.”

“Mom…”

“Now that my anger has subsided, I can’t stay mad at someone who’s truly repented.”

I smiled gently.

“Why don’t we catch up on old times?”

Let’s share some stories and ease the tension between us.

—

“Hmm… Something feels strange. Maybe it’s because it’s been so long since I’ve had a physical body… Feels awkward.”

Before me stood the Silver-haired Woman—Thetis’ Avatar.

“Even so, this form is preferable to existing purely as my main body.”

“Yeah, using only the main body makes everything difficult. Even slight movements can disrupt the ocean currents and cause chaos.”

“Too big to handle, huh?”

Exactly. Being enormous isn’t always advantageous.

“By the way… Mom, you look kinda cute.”

“Hmm. Yeah, I guess changing forms lets me appear as a small girl with horns and silver hair… Kinda inconvenient, though.”

Despite being able to alter appearances somewhat, I remain a small horned girl. Trying to force a different appearance would hinder my full power.

“I think you look cute.”

“Hmm. Thanks for saying that, at least.”

“Sincerely.”

Thank you for trying to comfort me.

“In any case, I’ve taught you everything about creating Avatars.”

“Seems I was the last student after all.”

“Hmm, not everyone gets easy access to me.”

Being located in the middle of the vast ocean certainly doesn’t help.

Though I could’ve come alone, I figured showing the Hero the sea was worth it. Ah! Speaking of which, the Hero!

I rushed into the cabin to bolster the Hero’s Vitality, which had dried up like preserved food.

“Wow, a Human?”

“Hmm. A Human I’ve carefully raised.”

Since the Hero’s asleep, I can speak freely.

“Huh… So Mom really likes nurturing things, huh? Guess that explains why she raised us too.”

“Not particularly… But if I didn’t guide them, they might end up lonely and twisted.”

Absolutely not because I wanted to nurture them!