Forgotten Sea: Chapter 2

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Retranslation

: Is she dead?

Girl: Can a dead person be used for research?

Boy: Her body is still warm, there’s breath from her nose, but why won’t she wake?

Girl: Stupid, didn’t they talk about it in human studies class? Their bodies aren’t built exactly like ours.

Boy: Oh yeah, right, it must be hypoxia caused by lowered intracranial pressure… right, record this observation result into the next report…

Girl: If she’s really dead, we’ll ask Rafayel if we can take her for study. The Academy hasn’t seen a fresh human specimen in a few hundred years…

Boy: She—she’s awake! Her eyes opened!

MC: What is this place…

MC: …am I… in the ocean?

??: Get a little further away from her, she bites.

Boy: !!!

The shadowy figures before me immediately back away a few meters.

MC: …

MC: (This… what do they plan on doing to me?)

The youth they called “Rafayel” moves a little closer. Now that I can see his face clearly, this is a beautiful young … man of Lemuria.

The corner of his mouth is a little swollen, and the skin near the middle of his Cupid’s bow is split. Our gazes meet, and his gaze grows fiercer.

I gulp, unsure what this hostile Lemurian is planning.

MC: May I ask… where is this place?

Rafayel: As you can see, Lemuria.

Rafayel: Bandage her wounds, and give her some clean clothes. I’m going to tell Elder Amund, I’ve found a candidate for my follower.

MC: About that, just now you saved me, I haven’t had a chance to say thank you–

Once the beautiful Lemurian youth finishes speaking, he leaves without a backwards glance.

Girl: Don’t be afraid. When Rafayel brought you back, you for a long time.

The girl who’d hid to one side is the first one to stick her head out, sitting down by the bed, half curious and half excited.

Girl: I’m Algie, he’s Konche. You are the first living human the two of us have ever met!

Algie: Of course, there were those who floated down by themselves, but it’s just that there was no way for them to open their mouths to speak like you…

Konche: Sis, you’d better not scare the human. Her hands are already trembling…

Algie: Sorry, sorry, I didn’t do it on purpose.

MC: Then, if I may ask, you me and brought me here because…

Algie: It’s a long story, we’ll talk on the way.

Algie said, in the depths of the ocean fissure, there is a forgotten continent—Lemuria, the kingdom where humans say the mythical Sea God lives.

The Sea God protects every piece of land touched by the ocean breeze. Besides the creatures at the bottom of the ocean, he also depends on the belief of humans.

He needs his most devout follower to offer on his behalf a unique heart . Only then can he obtain the power to protect Lemuria, and become a god acknowledged by the entire ocean.

Legend has it that the one who will become this generation's Sea God was born in the flames where dawn and dusk collide, the only person in the kingdom of Lemuria who can wield the power of fire.

In the temple of Whalefall City, there is a flame that has been burning for many millennia. It is the , and it represents Lemuria's prosperity and decline.

The prophecy in the Tome of the Sea God says, if this flame were to ever go out, Lemuria will lose its light, and sink into deep slumber for hundreds of centuries…

MC: So, your Sea God needs a human follower, in order to ensure this flame won’t go out?

Algie nods.

I always thought this was just a beautiful myth spoken of in legends, but I never imagined…

Algie: We’re here! This is Whalefall City.

Looking up, not far away, rising from the layered coral reefs, is a beautifully magnificent city, with countless slender spires towering high above.

Schools of fish and jellyfish swim freely through it. It looks gorgeous and splendid.

Algie brings me through the huge, pencil-straight arcade, and we step onto the long stone staircase leading up to the enormous palace at the very center of the city.

Passing through , a heavy door appears before our eyes. We’ve arrived at the huge circular hall under the dome.

Algie: The Guardian of the Temple, Elder Amund, said that only the most devout and purest faith can awaken the Sea God’s power and keep the Sacred Flame alive.

MC: But why must it be a human? Can’t it be a Lemurian like you?

Konche: Because humans are the greediest and most selfish living beings in the world.

MC: …

Konche: But if they can offer their heart, offer their love, and even offer their life for something, that is the most precious faith in the world.

Konche: The Tome of the Sea God also says that Rafayel is Lemuria’s last Sea God, so…

Rafayel: Konche.

Rafayel pushes open the doors to the temple and calls the young boy’s name.

Konche: Suddenly remembered I haven’t finished the schoolwork assigned by my teacher, so, so I’ll head out first!

Rafayel raises his chin, motioning for me to follow him in.

Konche said this place holds the Tome of the Sea God, which records Lemuria’s long history and the prophecies of past generations; it also holds Lemuria’s most precious Sacred Flame, which represents the continuation of civilization.

Rafayel: That suitable candidate I spoke of has already arrived.

An old man wearing long robes stands in the middle of the temple. Inside the niche that hangs high up in the center is a gentle, soothing flame.

From afar, it looks like a sun that isn’t very dazzling.

MC: (What’s the meaning of this? They can’t be planning to directly toss me into it as a sacrifice…)

Elder Amund: This is the human carefully selected?

Rafayel: I had just gone up to take a look above the sea when she came

Elder Amund: We’ll set aside the issue of you burning the guards’ hair and going off on your own—have you really decided to form a with a human?

Rafayel: If this is the way to let the Sea God’s Ceremony run smoothly, I will think of a way she can become my follower.

Rafayel: But before that, first we have to pull out all her teeth. Oh, and her nails—in case she bites or scratches people again.

MC: … that, that’s !

Elder Amund: …

Elder Amund: Once a Lemurian forms a bond with someone, it’ll be impossible to go against their will.

Elder Amund: This also means she will have the power to give you orders and control you.

Elder Amund: Do you really dare to place your greatest weakness in the hands of a human of ?

Uneven flickering light dances across Rafayel’s face. Rafayel lowers his head, as if seriously considering the answer to the question.

After Elder Amund leaves, only Rafayel and I remain in the temple.

MC: … If you haven’t decided, how about letting me go? I promise not to speak of what happened today.

Seeing that he hasn’t spoken for a while, I carefully open my mouth, feeling him out.

Rafayel: Forget it, it’s been an eventful day, I’m also a little tired.

He sits down on the floorboards, finds a comfortable position, and lies down.

MC: … what are you planning to do?

Rafayel: Sleep.

MC: Sleep?!

Rafayel: Wake me when it’s almost dark.

MC: Hey! You…

Rafayel ignores me, leans against a marble column, and quickly closes his eyes.

But there are guards outside the temple. I can only shrink into a corner, sitting on pins and needles, thinking of how to escape.

Rafayel: …

MC: … he really fell asleep?

MC: Rafayel, Ra–fa–yel–

Rafayel doesn’t react, but a translucent fluorescent little blue fish squirms out from somewhere, circling his shoulder.

MC: Where did this little fish come from, it’s rather cute…

I poke the fish, asking without any real expectation of an answer.

MC: Little fish, little fish, do you know the way out?

The little fish swims in a circle and then gently nudges my finger.

MC: You understood? Then can you bring me out of here?

It flicks its translucent tail fin, and swims towards the stained glass window behind the niche.

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