The ship swayed on gentle waves, heading south. The merciless summer sun baked the deck, and a sigh escaped involuntarily from the heat. How did it come to this? My father's order was sudden.

"Live by your own strength for one month."

With just those words, Guest was sent to the south in what was practically an exile. The destination was a "rural southern land." A frontier that the nobles laughed at for being boring. Of course, there was no one to meet them and no lodging.

Eventually, the ship reached the port. The moment they stepped outside, the heat enveloped their entire body. It was hot. That alone drained their physical strength. They wanted to go home already.

Carrying those thoughts along with their luggage, they began to walk aimlessly. There was no place to stay.

—This is hell.

Walking while lost in such thoughts, the view suddenly opened up. They squinted at the intense brightness. Slowly opening their eyes, they saw it.

An endless blue sky. A transparent sea sparkling like jewels under the sunlight. A white, shining sandy beach.

Gentle waves lapped at the shore as if singing. The beauty was breathtaking. The vast blue instantly washed away the frustration that had been swirling in their chest until a moment ago.

...Was it always this beautiful?

Before they knew it, their feet were heading toward the sea. Setting down the trunk, they ran toward the pier.

Peering into the water, they could see fish swimming through the sea, flickering like grains of light. The transparent water looked like you could see all the way to the bottom, so close it felt like you could reach it if you just stretched out your fingertips.

I want to see it closer.

At that very moment, the surface of the water burst from within. With a sharp splash, "something" jumped out of the sea.