The waves sense change from the world.
And they try to adapt to the changing world.
News that Vulcanus, Emperor of the Ignis Empire, had deferred his decision on Empress Drian’s proposal had not yet reached the Aqua Empire.
Empress Nereia, emerging from her fortress, approached the black dragon Marinus, who still remained in Nereis.
She gently laid a hand on Marinus’s body.
As if speaking to Marinus, she murmured to herself.
“Within, we have strengthened our unity through deepening. Yet outside this deep sea, it seems there are still many unknown spaces.”
Marinus turned his head and quietly looked at Nereia.
Nereia also looked up at Marinus.
“If only you could tell us what Terramont said to you.”
Unfortunately, Marinus was incapable of communication through language.
The same was true of the other dragons.
Nereia spoke again.
“As you know, Terra, located at the center of this world, is our enemy nation. They seem to be staying still for now, but there is no telling when they might suddenly ruin our sea. Seeing how Terra approached us a short while ago and then turned back after seeing you, it seems they may fear you as well.”
“Haaah……”
Marinus sprayed a burst of water into the air from his mouth.
Droplets fell like rain upon the surface of the sea.
Nereia continued.
“You likely know that a dragon that once appeared from Terra invaded our deep sea, and yet you do not move. There is no need to hurry. Though we suffered damage at Terra’s hands, we have grown far stronger than we were then. And now, are you not also guarding this deep sea together with us?”
“Haaah……”
“The same goes for Silva. Before Montanus appeared, their forest was damaged by Metallum, and in the end they reached the point of asking Ignis for help. Because of that, we could not look kindly upon Silva’s attempt to draw closer to Ignis, another of our opposing elements. But that threat has now grown distant, and we have met again. It seems the appearance of Montanus, who had tried to divide our borders, has instead bound us even more tightly together.”
With a faint smile, Nereia stroked Marinus’s body.
Marinus, too, likely understood Nereia’s words.
“Now, Silva has moved to attempt dialogue with Ignis once again. It is not a serious matter. According to them, it is for the sake of new growth, and in the end, it may be good for us as well. In truth, Terra handed the wave core they stole from us over to Ignis without permission, so would it not be only fair for us to possess their core as well? It seems Silva will likely be the one to deliver that core. Whether Ignis will obediently exchange cores with Silva remains to be seen. Let us wait together to see what news returns.”
Marinus raised his head and looked south.
Its gaze was as cold and calm as the deep sea.
Marinus was now reading the world.
Not only Silva and Terra, but even the movements of Metallum and Ignis.
And the conclusion it reached was that, for now, it must protect Aqua.
After watching Marinus for a moment, Nereia said,
“I know there must be a reason you do not leave our deep sea now. It must be because no dangerous situation has yet approached us. I do not know what Terramont said to you, but if someday you come to move, I will look forward to seeing what role you play for Aqua.”
At that moment, Levian approached them.
“Your Majesty, it appears that Metallum has recently drawn closer to the center.”
Nereia looked at him.
“Metallum has? You mean they have drawn closer to Terra?”
“Yes, that is correct. We will have to confirm the reason.”
Nereia moved.
“Understood. Let us go and discuss it further.”
Nereia and Levian headed to the fortress.
Inside the fortress, Nereia and her retainers gathered.
Her voice rang out.
“Is it true that Metallum is approaching Terra?”
Naus answered.
“Yes. However, their borders have not met each other. The distance between the two empires has become closer than before.”
Levian added to his words.
“I am concerned that they may be attempting to make contact with Terra little by little. Those whose alliance had been severed may reunite again.”
Nereia’s gaze turned southwest.
“A reunion with Terra, is it…… That is not welcome news for us.”
Metal was originally an attribute that aided water.
However, the relationship between the two had never once been good until now.
That was because water had joined hands with wood, and metal with earth, each with their own opposing element.
And Aqua’s relationship with Silva was still maintained.
Nereia rose from the throne.
“How about we go and confirm the situation ourselves?”
The retainers bowed their heads.
Levian answered.
“Yes, I think so as well. We should investigate Metallum’s movements.”
“Good.”
Nereia took the lead, and the retainers followed behind her.
They headed southwest, toward Metallum.
For once, it was a flow not toward Silva, but out beyond the deep sea.
Levian glanced back toward Marinus.
Marinus was still holding its position.
“……With Marinus not moving, it is difficult to decide the direction of the current.”
Muttering to himself, he followed behind Nereia.
Nereia, her retainers, and a small number of troops approached Metallum.
It was the area where an ownerless lake discovered by the Metallum Empire and the Terra Empire was located.
Soon, the shadow of Metallum came into view.
“It seems they are busy with something.”
Sian said.
Levian also sensed something.
“Strangely, it feels rather familiar. Does it not seem as though an energy that matches ours is lingering over there?”
As they drew a little closer, they could tell what kind of region Metallum had occupied.
Naus cried out without realizing it.
“It is w-water energy! The same energy as ours…… But why on earth……?”
As Nereia’s party approached the lake, the Metallum side also sensed their presence.
Metallum’s researchers, Keldren and Renma, along with several other researchers, looked at them.
Nereia asked them,
“What are you doing here?”
The Metallum researchers hesitated to answer one another.
Keldren said bluntly,
“We cannot tell you. This is confidential.”
Nereia’s gaze turned cold.
“From what I see, the same water energy as ours flows here. Then do we not also have the right to know?”
“T-this is our territory!”
Keldren stepped forward to block them.
“We discovered this lake. It is true that water energy exists here, but I do not believe that means it can belong to Your Majesty’s territory. His Majesty Oruma will be arriving here soon.”
There was no yielding in Keldren’s attitude.
A moment later, a massive figure appeared from the Metallum side.
It was Emperor Oruma of the Metallum Empire.
Oruma glared at Nereia.
“Now it is you? What business do you have?”
Nereia asked him,
“This lake flows with the same energy as ours. What are you doing around our water energy?”
Oruma answered in a tone that seemed faintly mocking.
“Well, you will find out if you wait anyway, so why not try waiting? It will be quite interesting.”
Nereia frowned.
“You dare lay hands on our energy?”
Oruma’s attitude remained firm.
“If it displeases you, then you should do the same.”
“What do you mean?”
“This lake possesses water energy, but since you only learned of its existence now, it cannot be called yours. In that case, would there not also be land somewhere in this world where metal energy like ours is emerging? I am telling you to go wherever you like and try to find such a land. Since we possess a land of another’s energy, even if you one day take possession of a land where our energy emerges, we will raise no complaint.”
Sian lowered his head deeply and shook it.
Nereia asked again,
“Do you think you will be able to properly utilize our energy?”
“That, too, you will find out if you wait.”
Oruma no longer seemed to care about the reaction from Nereia’s side.
“No matter how uncomfortable you may be, you cannot stop us. We are merely using the environment this world has given us. And I would prefer you not forget that matter either. I mean the fact that we extended our hand to you first, not once, but twice. The result of rejecting us both times has continued until now.”
Oruma turned to his researchers and said,
“Continue the research. There is no problem here.”
As he said, there was nothing in particular Aqua could do.
For Aqua, Metallum was currently closer to a neutral nation.
“We will now return.”
Nereia headed back toward the sea.
The retainers could not say a word.
Aqua possessed a means of attacking Metallum in the form of slime forces, but the fact that Metallum had taken possession of the lake and was researching its water energy could not serve as justification for war.
Nereia’s party quietly arrived back in their deep sea.
Nereia and her retainers gathered in the fortress once more.
Her expression was heavy and rigid.
Sian was the first to speak.
“Your Majesty, how about we do the same? As Oruma said, we should take possession of land where metal energy emerges.”
Naus countered his words.
“Would that become revenge for Metallum’s actions? The attitude Metallum showed earlier is the same as saying they have little objection to their core being spread throughout the world. That is why they took the stance that they would not care even if we found such a land.”
Levian spoke in a worried tone.
“The most unfortunate thing is that we cannot prevent our energy and the wave core from falling into others’ hands. That lake is likely not the only region where water energy remains. Somewhere in the world, another lake will exist, and we cannot know who has occupied that lake or who will come to occupy it. In the end, perhaps it is inevitable that our wave core will be abused by other empires.”
Nereia slowly rose from her seat and walked to the edge of the fortress.
She looked down at the deep sea.
“We, too, have no choice but to change now.”
Nereia spoke in a low voice.
“As expected, the world was made up of unknown domains. As Oruma said, lost energies remain all throughout this world, and if someone takes those energies, then there can no longer be anything that belongs only to us. It seems whoever takes possession of such energies first will come to guide the flow of this world.”
With Nereia’s words, the inside of the fortress was engulfed in silence.
They now waited for word from Silva.
However, the news Silva would deliver was not particularly welcome either.