Vergo mounted his horse and rode off to handle his business. He needed to exchange stones, rent an alchemy rig for processing the dragon’s blood, restock supplies, and—at my request—dig up info on the Titan of Desires.

  The historian said that with so much to do, we’d have to spend the night in Lapreuse. Lucky for me, I could crash for free in the Association’s rest quarters.

  Tomorrow morning, my companion would swing by to pick me up, and we’d move on. But he forgot one thing… I still had to catch that damn cat! And it wasn’t as easy as it sounded. Especially with the storm clouds thickening overhead. Any minute then, the downpour would start, making the search a nightmare.

  So I wasted no time grilling the locals about the missing pet.

  I asked ten people, and each gave me a different lead. One saw the furball at the market, another near the temple, a third by the cemetery, and so on. So the cat was roaming the city—big help.

  “Hey, did your wife pack yet?”

  While scouring the bazaar, I overheard a conversation.

  “Think the tide’s unstoppable this time?”

  “Course it is! That lunatic poisoned himself with wine yesterday!”

  “Told you Jack should’ve stopped selling him booze!”

  “Once he’s drunk, the idiot always spins wild tales—that’s why Jack keeps him liquored up. Says he loves hearing ‘em.”

  I approached an old woman hawking milk.

  “Hey, what tide are they talking about?” I asked, jerking my chin toward the men.

  “Buy some milk first, maybe I’ll tell ya.”

  Clicking my tongue, I handed her five red Agni.

  “Where should I pour it?” She eyed my empty hands.

  “Nowhere. Talk about the tide.”

  “Ah! The tide’s ten red Agni.”

  I fished out my coin pouch again and slapped another five red Agni into her palm. She started counting them with a gnarled finger.

  “I said ten.”

  A vein throbbed in my forehead. I gave her what she wanted, and she finally spat it out. “Tides’re a regular curse ‘round here. If we didn’t stop ‘em, another chunk o’ the city’d drown.”

  “What about the drunk?”

  “That’s our local mage. Been here ‘bout a year. Knows water magic, so he helped with the tides. But the poor sod’s not right in the head—always muttering ‘bout treasures. Though we ain’t never had none here. Folks figured out quick he needed a leash, so we hitched him to Lily, our seamstress. Ugly girl, couldn’t snag a man otherwise. But recently, she ran off on him, can ya believe it?! Neighbors say he beat her bad, but I dunno! To me, he trailed after her like a pup while she turned up her nose, blamed us all! Anyway, it broke him. That’s when he hit the bottle. Seven days and nights cryin’ his eyes out once he realized he’d lost his happiness. I Thought the chickens’d flee the racket! Men like him shouldn’t touch a drop.”

  What a riveting tale…

  “Got it. Thanks.”

  “Hey, granny, pack up! Time for the temple! One, two hours, and this place’ll be underwater,” a panicked merchant from the next stall said, nudging me aside.

  No apology? Really? Of course! Q wouldn’t mind! Oh, but I did mind, you old bastard!

  “How can you tell?” I asked.

  “That the waves are coming? Look at the damn sea. If ya got eyes, you’d see how big they’re gettin’.”

  This all escalated way too fast. Should I warn Vergo? Nah, someone already did. People were running through the streets, shouting about the danger. Still had some time, though. Better keep searching for that cat.

  I descended to the lowest tier of the city. The rain was already pouring like a bucket overturned. The waves had indeed grown larger, faster. Just as I was about to turn back, I noticed someone. A young girl, sitting at the edge of a roof belonging to one of the flooded houses—though then it looked more like a pier.

  “Hey,” I said, carefully tapping her shoulder, where her black hair rested.

  When she turned, I saw she’d been trying to warm a black cat under her sweater.

  Well, there you are!

  “What do you want?” she asked in a gloomy voice.

  “Not afraid of catching a cold? Or worse—drowning?”

  “What’s it to you?”

  I sat beside her, legs dangling.

  “I was looking for the cat and stumbled on you. Just asking out of politeness.”

  “Wow, what an honest guy. I thought you’d start lying, telling me how worried you are.”

  “I’ve known you for ten seconds. Why the hell would I be worried?”

  “Dunno, but everyone in this city does that. Nothing but hypocrites here,” she replied, clutching the cat tightly to her chest.

  “Oh no… Who hurt you?”

  “No one.”

  “Spit it out. We’re all gonna die soon anyway,” I said, kicking at the water.

  “Huh?! We?!” She nearly jumped.

  “Yep. You, me, and the furball.”

  “Get lost! And take your stinky cat with you! I’ll die alone.”

  “Nuh-uh, I’m not leaving you.”

  “Are you insane?! What’s wrong with you?!” She stood up, glaring at me in disgust.

  “What’s the big deal? Why do you care if I die? We’ve known each other for… what, thirty seconds?”

  “Did Laurent send you?! That miserable coward!”

  “Who?”

  “Don’t play dumb! I’m talking about my ex!”

  “Ah, so that’s the issue…” I barely held back a laugh.

  “Wha—aaat?!” She lightly kicked me in the back.

  I could tell she wanted to hit harder but was afraid she’d knock me into the water.

  “What the hell are you laughing at?!”

  “Probably ‘cause you’re an idiot? Ready to off yourself over some guy. Man, the world’s going to shit…”

  “What’s wrong with that?! He promised to take me away from this rotting city! Said he’d buy me an expensive ring! Made up names for our future kids! He made me believe all of it—just to cheat on me with that cow!” With that, she shoved the cat into my hands.

  “Meow…” The confused creature stared at me pitifully.

  “Wow. Such a tragic backstory. I’m gonna cry,” I deadpanned.

  “You don’t get it! He literally cheated on me with a cow! Said he loved animals, the freaking bastard…”

  “Ah…” I was speechless.

  If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

  What the hell? Is she serious right then?

  “Why should I live if I’m worse than a cow in his eyes…” She wiped what might’ve been rain or tears and sat back down.

  “Well, that’s a new one. But it doesn’t change what I said. You’re an idiot.”

  “You’re the idiot…”

  “Who gives a damn what that cow-fucker said? Is he the center of the universe? You’re pretty enough. You’ll find someone else,” I said, patting her shoulder.

  “You’re just like the rest of them! Why lie?! I’m not pretty at all!”

  “Well… okay, maybe I exaggerated a bit. But—”

  I didn’t get to finish. The girl burst into tears.

  Alright, fine. I admit it—I don’t know how to talk to women. I wanted to sound cool and mysterious, but instead, I had no clue how to convince her.

  “Look… let’s be real. It’s your life. Do what you want. But I’d feel like shit if you died. And it’s not about whether I know you or not. Basic compassion doesn’t need a reason.”

  “Maybe you’re right. I don’t know…” She hung her head.

  “I get it. You’re hurt, sad, all that. The guy you loved with all your heart betrayed you in the worst way… But that’s no reason to die. Yeah, it sounds cliché, but there’s so much ahead of you. You won’t even remember that moron.”

  I stood and held out my hand. “Come on. Your parents must be worried sick.”

  Adjusting her wet hair, the girl grabbed my hand.

  While looking for a cat, I accidentally found another lost one. And honestly? Despite the awkwardness, I’m glad we met. Who knows what happens to people after death. Maybe they suffer like me, trapped in an endless cycle of rebirth. If so, then I’m doubly glad I saved at least one soul from that fate. Even if just for a little while. Oh, and I found the cat too!

  Oho-ho… Look who it is… Hic!” A man’s voice rang out behind us, and I spun around.

  A middle-aged guy, swigging wine straight from the bottle.

  “Why aren’t you kids hiding?”

  “You know him?” I asked the girl behind me, tilting my head slightly.

  “That’s our mage. But what’s he doing here? I heard he poisoned himself. Why’s he drinking?”

  “A big wave’s coming… Kaboom! But don’t worry… I’ll protect you… or not? Who knows?”

  He swayed, clutching his head, looking like death warmed over.

  But I couldn’t shake the unease creeping into my chest. This guy was dangerous.

  “No one’s supposed to see me use magic. Didn’t you know?” He drained the bottle and tossed it aside.

  “What, you got some secret technique your grandpa whispered on his deathbed?” I don’t know why I added extra details.

  “Maybe… Bwahaha!” He kept walking toward us, unstoppable.

  “Stay behind me,” I handed the girl the cat and shielded them both.

  “Mm-hmm…” She nodded.

  “Then we’ll just go. You have fun,” I took her hand and strode past him.

  “Not another step,” he said, his voice suddenly clear, and we froze.

  Had he been faking? No, didn’t seem like it.

  “Do you even know why this city floods?” the mage continued. “It’s because of a meteor that fell here centuries ago! Day by day, the water rose, erasing the history of a once-great empire! Gods! Titans! Heroes! They all abandoned this place! What you see now is just a pathetic remnant. All the ancient artifacts… all the treasures… They’re still underwater!” he roared.

  “Dude, tone down the drama. You’re turning into a bargain-bin villain!”

  “Shut up! Let me speak!” He cleared his throat. “This land is bound by the World Judge’s contract! If I’d dived into old Lapreuse without permission, I’d have been torn apart! So I tried negotiating with the locals—begged for official access! I destroyed the meteor lodged in the earth to earn their trust, but they still didn’t believe me! Even after the tides stopped, they refused!”

  “You done yet?” I yawned, glancing at my wrist. Too bad I wasn’t wearing a watch.

  “So I made the tides myself—and protected the city from them. Still, no one gave me permission! No matter what I did, they never accepted me! They never loved their hero! So I found another way… I will destroy the city, and the Serpent’s contract ends.” He spread his arms wide.

  "Is he serious? Sounds crazier than you," the girl muttered.

  "You finished?" I asked the drunk.

  "Yeah," he belched.

  "Then can we go?"

  "You don’t care about the town? About innocent people? Think running to the temple’ll save them?"

  "What do you even want from us? To stop you?"

  "Huh? I... dunno..." He faltered.

  The waves grew taller, the rain heavier.

  "If you wanted to be heard, congrats! I think you’re absolutely right. This town’s full of scum. Like the guy who shoved me earlier and didn’t even apologize, or the granny who scammed me dry! Though, gotta admit, there’s a cutie working at the Association who definitely doesn’t deserve death. Well, and the lost girl kinda fits into that category, barely," I glanced at the girl.

  "Jerk..." she whispered.

  Wait, do I only care about girls’ lives? Am I a sexist? Or the opposite? I don’t even know...

  "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" The mage clenched his fists, screaming, bending at the waist.

  From the old woman’s story, it was clear this guy wasn’t right in the head. Then I saw it firsthand. Like with the girl, I didn’t know the right move.

  Then something clicked.

  Was this, too, about... love?

  "Hey... That city you mentioned... Is it real, or just part of the legend?" I asked.

  "What?" He glared at me, wild-eyed.

  "There is no old Lapreuse. You just wanted to impress your wife. You destroyed the meteor and became the town’s savior to win her over. But she didn’t care. She wanted something else... Something you couldn’t give."

  "We’re fighting," he snapped.

  "Huh? Wait, hold on—"

  "I said we’re fighting now! And I’ll kill you! But first—how do you know all this?! Did you take her from me?!"

  "If I said I just took a wild guess, would you believe me?"

  "Of course not! You stole my Lily!"

  "Then let’s fight..." I sighed, accepting my fate.

  Damn, bad luck running into a crazy person... A powerful crazy person.

  "Slash!" The mage swung his hand.

  It felt like his arm was a brush, the water his ink, as a sharp surge shot toward us in the arc of his motion. I barely managed to shield the girl and the cat.

  The attack left a jagged wound on my back.

  "Well? Now you know how I felt losing her?"

  "Yeah... I get it," I said, drawing my blade.

  "Your back..." The girl gasped at the wound.

  "I’m fine. Just stay back. No idea what his attacks can do, so no guarantees. But I’ll try to save you. Promise."

  "Done whispering, lovebirds?"

  "We’re not together. Forgot? I’m already with Lily," I don’t even know why I said that.

  "You bastard!"

  I charged, but another slash cut into my thighs, then my chest, even grazing my scalp. Worst part? The pain wasn’t just physical. His magic was tearing at my soul.

  But I didn’t stop. His attacks came from all sides, carving me up. Most Nature mages can’t conjure water from mana—they borrow it from existing sources. In this case, he was manipulating seawater.

  I countered, but my swing only cut air as he dodged. Coating his fist in water, he punched through my stomach, gripping my intestines and twisting my blood. No clue what he was trying to do, but it wouldn’t end well, so I headbutted him hard enough to see stars.

  The mage staggered, then summoned another surge. The water split the cobblestones, then part of my face. I lost my left eye and ear. He formed a watery blade and slashed my shoulder.

  "Seriously? You can summon waves big enough to wipe out a city, but against me, you’re using a sword to cut my shoulder? Trying to cosplay Ichigo Kurosaki?"

  So disrespectful!

  "Why... Why aren’t you dead yet?" Fear flickered across his face. He stumbled, slipping and falling.

  Panicking, he launched another attack. A jet of water speared my chest, narrowly missing my heart.

  I stepped over him, raising my sword.

  "Do it! Kill me! I’ve got nothing left without her! It’s their fault! They made her miserable! Not me! They should die... They should all die!" He clawed at his hair, eyes bulging.

  Blood from my ruined eye dripped onto his face.

  Why can’t I finish him?

  Thunder cracked, lighting up all of Lapreuse.

  Do I not want blood on my hands? No... I’m not afraid to kill. But him... even after all this... Does he deserve it? He’s sick. It’s not his fault.

  I clenched my remaining eye shut, gritted my teeth... but couldn’t land the final blow.

  Just as I sheathed my sword, irony struck—a massive wave crashed over us.

  The mad mage was thrown one way, but the girl—clutching the cat—stayed close. I barely grabbed her wrist before the tide could rip us apart.

  Snagging a statue’s spear jutting from the water, I pulled her toward me. Her grip was slipping—any second, she’d be swept away.

  "Let go of the cat!" I shouted.

  "No! She’ll die!"

  "Then bite down on her!"

  "Huh?! Why?!"

  "There’s a stone on my glove! Turn it counterclockwise and grab the book!"

  She followed my instructions, and it worked. The book was bone-dry and, more importantly, fused to the glove by the Titan of Reality’s power. No force could separate them.

  "Your wounds! They’re healing!" she yelled, the cat still in her teeth.

  "Yeah! Don’t tell anyone!"

  "You say that like I’ll survive!"

  The waves battered us, but I held on.

  "You will survive!"

  "What about the mage?"

  "No idea!"

  "If he really caused the tides, they’ll stop once he’s dead!"

  "Less talking, more holding on! The cat’s stressed, hahaha!"

  The relentless waves tried smashing us against debris, but they failed.

  In the end, the girl who’d wanted to die minutes ago clung to life with a death grip.

  Miraculously, they both made it.

  The last tide buried another fifty percent of Lapreuse under the waves. The mad mage, for better or worse, was dead. I still don’t know how to feel about that. But at least the town won’t drown anymore.

  Dripping wet, holding the soggy cat, I stood at the Echo Association’s front desk.

  "Meow..."

  "Congratulations on completing the quest," the redhead said like nothing happened. "Here’s your one green Agni. Thanks for your service!" She flashed a fake smile.

  A drop of snot ran from my nose. After all that, I’d earned enough for maybe two glasses of milk. Probably not full. Probably not fresh. Probably from the same cow that girl’s ex screwed. Wow. Just wow.

  "Thirsty?" I asked the dark-haired girl.

  "I’ve had enough to drink, thanks," she said, wiping vomit from her lips.