• Deeper Lore ◦ Black Sea: is a large inland sea in real life. It’s oxygen rich on the surface, but lacks it deep down. ◦ Orb that symbolizes the city Full Transcript: Chapter 01: The Blaec Sea is about to devour the world. 1 Humanity's last ark, the city of Romirro, is perched on a solitary island. "There shall be a lunar eclipse, and at the end of the third night, Romirro will be annihilated as it sinks below the ocean's waves." 1 The Tome of the Sea God, which has foretold all worldly changes, announced the day in which humanity will be submerged during the first night. The Sea God has abandoned us. He has abandoned everyone! Angry Crowd: The Sea God is the one who will make the ocean devour Romirro. He wants to destroy us! Angry Crowd: At the edge of the harbor, which had suffered years of erosion because of the sea winds, desperate people push the Sea God statues they carved with their own hands into the abyssal waters. Temples have been abandoned, their altars smashed. Precious collections of books and scrolls are naught but ashes and smoke. Over the centuries, the people's faith in the Sea God and everything that's associated with Him were swallowed by rising tides. It was only a matter of time before they were abandoned and forgotten... The Bride of the Sea God suffered this fate as well. The second night is already here! It won't be long until Romirro is submerged. It will be just as the prophecy says! Minister: The citizenry is mired in unrest. Should this continue, chaos will inevitably unfold. My lord, we must find a way to soothe them... Minister: It's only an eclipse. There's nothing to worry about. In fact, gather all the citizens and tell them— Hawkern: Hawkern: The Tome of the Sea God has revealed a new prophecy. We must hold the Wavear Ritual and have the Bride of the Sea God make an announcement! 1 Did you hear that, Bride of the Sea God? Hawkern: The guards grab my arms and throw me to the ground. I stare at the intricate patterns that dot the hem of the castellan's robes. The situation is ironic, and it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. In the past, he was Romirro's minister whose loyalty to the city was unmatched. Yet he's now a cruel individual after the prophecy appeared in the Tome of the Sea God. Protagonist: Didn't you say the Tome of the Sea God spreads lies and leads people astray? Not only is it untrustworthy, but you sealed it away in a temple. 1 Hmph. These matters are of no concern to you. Hawkern: "Romirro shall be reborn under the current castellan." Hawkern: You will make that stone tablet reveal something and then recite those words. Hawkern: Everything is at stake here. But you're still obsessed with your power as the castellan... How pathetic. Protagonist: Hawkern: Foolish lass. Do you think you'd still be alive if someone else could converse with the Tome of the Sea God ? 1 Play your part. You know very well what will become of you if you don't. Hawkern: After hearing the heavy lock bind the door, I'm once again left alone in the tower. Suddenly, a gentle breeze sweeps in. The blood on my face is wiped away. 1 You're the Bride of the Sea God... Why are you letting humans mistreat you? (When did He appear...?) Protagonist: Protagonist: That title is nothing more than a pair of shackles. Why can't you be the Groom of Protagonist instead? 1 I don't remember when it started. At first, I thought the voice was a hallucination born from my lengthy imprisonment. But time passed, and the seagulls brought me seashells with strange patterns. That's when I became certain of His existence. He claimed to be the Sea God, but His voice was too youthful, too mysterious. I couldn't trust Him. However, I found myself involuntarily anticipating His appearances. If anything, it'd make my time here a little more bearable. And like a person who was fascinated while watching a goldfish in a bowl, He approached me. He tested me, tempted my heart to yearn for freedom as it sat in a pit of despair... 1 Don't you want to escape? Tonight is your only chance. ...?! Protagonist: ??: When the eclipse hangs high and the tides flow back... You only need to remember two things... What are you talking about? Protagonist: The sea breeze flips through the tattered pages on the table. It stops, and there I see a page covered in mysterious, intricate symbols. ??: The Sea God's Summoned Staff... The Sea's Ritualis Hymn... ??: When the time comes... I will answer your call... The last traces of His voice are buried by the horn. I look outside to see an anxious crowd gathering under the dilapidated tower. What do you mean? What do you want me to do? Protagonist: Are you still there? Protagonist: Silence falls over the tower. I squeeze my eyes shut and force myself to stay calm. (His proposal is too sudden. It could be a trap as well. I'd be foolish not to question it.) Protagonist: Protagonist: (...Even if it is a trap, does it matter? Is there anything more hopeless than being imprisoned here forever?) 1 (...I might as well take this gamble!) Protagonist: Rejoice, everyone. Hawkern: Atop the tower, Hawkern raises the orb that symbolizes Romirro. His gaze sweeps over the port's towering embankments and the ships with their black sails. 1 Do not fear this lunar eclipse. It heralds a new hope, a new future for Romirro. We will not crumble under the waves. Hawkern: We've cast aside the Sea God and left behind our hollow faith. Now our centuries of sacrifice have changed the ancient prophecy! Hawkern: You will see the truth with your own eyes. Hawkern: The sea of people are like ants. They're restless. A guard shoves me, and I stumble to the edge of the tower. In that instant, the gazes below me—filled with disgust, fear, anxiety, and cold indifference—pierce me like arrows. ... Protagonist: Protagonist: My lord, the power within the Tome of the Sea God has faded. I need to use the Sea God's Summoneo Staff to make the prophecy's words manifest again. 1 The Wavear Ritual doesn't require a sacred staff. Do not lie to me. Hawkern: Tonight is the lunar eclipse. Without the Summoneo Staff to protect us, should any signs resembling "calamities" appear... Protagonist: I deliberately lower my voice. At that moment, lightning tears through the clouds. The sea churns, and massive waves crash onto the shore. 1 ... Hawkern: A moment passes. The Sea God's Summoneo Staff, its old age apparent, is given to me. (According to Him, I need to...) Protagonist: I brush away the dust from the staff and raise it toward the Tome of the Sea God. "Our silent universe awakens in the faint light where dusk and dawn meet and merge—" Protagonist: "The young and pure Sea God descends upon the first wave's surge." Protagonist: The ancient lyrics flow from my mouth as the staff slowly traces a totem-like pattern in the air. Suddenly, mysterious singing drifts through the biting sea wind. With my voice, it echoes from afar. ??: ... (He's here.) Protagonist: Good, He didn't lie to me. A slight feeling of relief washes over me as I face the wind and sing even louder. 1 "He who commands the cycles of the sun, the moon, and the tides, He who guides souls to rest in distant realms..." Protagonist: She's singing the Sea's Ritualis Hymn... That forbidden song! Guards, seize her! Hawkern: The guards lunge at me, but the staff emits a dazzling blue light that repels everyone. "The Sea God wields fire in the darkness. He is the blazing sun who ignites the lost night!" Protagonist: Thunder crashes down upon the sea, and enormous waves manifest. Heavy rainfall descends as the storm engulfs all of Romirro. Terror and chaos erupt around me. I clutch the staff tightly and continue to sing until a beam of light appears. It points to something under the towering waves. I brace myself before I leap into the ocean. Cough, cough... Protagonist: (...He said He would greet me, but this is a little too violent for my liking.) Protagonist: Black seawater twists into a massive vortex and carries me away. Disoriented, I stop swimming and let my body sink deeper into the ocean's depths. 1 I lose track of time before a magnificent yet ruined structure gradually appears. ??: ...You're here at last. A voice as cold as frigid seawater drifts toward me. Ghostly light sweeps across the crumbling ruins. Like moonlight, it's reflected in my eyes. Before me is a slowly swaying fishtail. It's so magnificent that everything I have ever considered beautiful in my life suddenly feels plain and unremarkable. A human body with the tail of a fish and the power to control the ocean... Are you the Sea God? Protagonist: ??: My identity is of little importance. Several heavy chains are wrapped around his body. Powerful runes, barely visible, keep him immobilized. I've saved your life. Now then... Release the seals that bind me. Why would the Sea God be imprisoned in a place like this? Protagonist: I could be lying. Sea God: I can help you... But I can also let you drown in these abyssal waters to keep me company. Sea God: If I die, then no one else will save you. Protagonist: I see you're unaware of... Sea God: What you've awakened. Sea God: The legends say the Sea God bears a special mark. Where is it? If you truly are the Sea God... Protagonist: The seals on your body are incredibly powerful. Breaking them won't be easy. Protagonist: Your power alone is no match for these. Sea God: "It's scale is as cold as the lonely moon. At dawn, it shall pierce your heart." Sea God: The Sea's Ritualis Hymn you sang... That is the answer. Sea God: Aren't you afraid I'll take your scale and disappear without a trace? Protagonist: You shall find no hiding place wherever the sea flows. Sea God: (This power feels familiar...) Protagonist: This is the mark you've been searching for... But it was also a "seal" in another form. Sea God: The voice of the storm... Come to me. Sea God: Again. Sea God: ??: Call out to me from the fathomless depths of the sea... ??: Bestow... the inextinguishable Flame of Vengeance. The Sea God's Revival has been completed. You've rewritten the fate of these waters. Sea God: Starting from this moment, you are bound to me. You cannot turn back. Sea God: Chapter 02 The storm's roar filters through the seawater and resonates as whales' distant songs. My body feels impossibly heavy, yet scenes from my dreams gradually come into focus... cannot be wrong. Protagonist is the Sea God's bride and our only hope. We need her if Romirro is to survive. Previous Castellan: The Tome of the Sea God She will be Romirro's future castellan, protect the land in the Sea God's stead, and change the prophecy. Previous Castellan: There's still over half a year until your coming-of-age ceremony, yet the gifts are already piling up. We've run out of space to store them. Everyone truly admires you from the bottom of their hearts, my lady. Maid A: She's the Sea God's bride and was raised by the castellan. Her knowledge and abilities are exceptional. Maid B: She is kind and approachable. A wonderful person deserves all the best things in life... Maid B: Look at what our foolish devotion to the Sea God brought! Death, disaster, and the prophecy that Romirro shall be submerged more quickly! Hawkern: The Sea God will never save Romirro! Hawkern: The Bride of the Sea God is nothing but a farce! She and the Sea God will destroy Romirro. Angry Crowd: Run, my lady! Don’t let them catch you—! Maid B: Can you hear them? Everyone is asking for you to die. Hawkern: And yet you're the only one who can communicate with the I won't let you suffer a miserable death. Hawkern: Tome of the Sea God. Hawkern I'll spare you so long as you obey me. How does that sound? ...! Protagonist: I open my eyes. Brilliant white lightning dispels my chaotic nightmare and illuminates the scene before me. Rainwater flows through the window frames. It makes the carvings and murals gradually reveal the lifelike faces of gods. Are you awake? Sea God: The Sea God looks at me, His beautiful tail having transformed into human legs at an unknown point in time. Protagonist: (He can walk on land...?) I have prepared a gift for you. Sea God: He lifts me up and directs my gaze to the steps below. Hawkern, his most trusted minister, the tower's guard captain... Those who had bullied and abused me are now on the ground. Bound, they crawl and struggle, their eyes filled with fear and despair. Their lives are in your hands. Would you like to deal with them one by one... Sea God: His hand covers the back of mine. He guides me to raise my hand, and lightning gathers in my palm. Debris scatters, and the castellan's crown clatters to the ground. The puddles on the floor bloom crimson. Or would you rather finish them all at once? Sea God: My palm is quickly held again. Out of nowhere, raging waves rise in the center of the temple and engulf everyone. Watching them struggle as they suffocate, I feel a sense of satisfaction. However, an indescribable emotion wells up. The Sea God already has a terrible reputation. Won't this make the people hate you more? Protagonist: Lower your hand, then. Sea God: I pause before I hold His hand even tighter. I hear Him chuckle as the illusory waves shimmer with rippling light. They reflect a cold emptiness in His eyes. The faith of humans is nothing more than self-interest. They worship when they need something and curse when they don't get what they want. Sea God: Why should I care about reputations? Sea God: As if He had His fill of watching their death throes, He releases my hand. The water vanishes. They claimed I've abandoned this world. Very well. I'll let them be a witness to true annihilation. Sea God: This is only the beginning. Don't you dare become merciful too swiftly. Sea God: ...You're overthinking it. I would never. Protagonist: The dying castellan struggles to prop himself up. His gaze burns with a fury that could shoot flames. You... If it weren't for me... You would've been executed... How dare you repay my kindness with betrayal! Hawkern: So the lamb penned for slaughter is obligated to thank the butcher? You're insane! Protagonist: I pick up a sword from the ground and hurl it at him. The blade stabs his shoulder blade. Don't forget, your life... is still in my hands. If I die... you will be cursed to perish in agony! Hawkern: Then we'll die together. Does it look like I'm scared? A swift death is better than living as a caged bird forever. Protagonist: A curse? Sea God: The Sea God lifts my chin and strokes my cheek. Tentacle-like, bluish-green runes slowly appear. You're referring to these crude patterns? Sea God: He curls His fingertips. His movements are gentle, yet the runes are being torn away from my cheeks. It hurts... Protagonist: Stay still. Sea God: Indeed, it's an ancient curse... But it's far too weak to control my bride. Sea God: Close your eyes. Sea God: I hear an eerie sound as something is destroyed with the pain. What a terrible attempt of a trick. Sea God: When I open my eyes again, wisps of murky mist still linger in the air. Nearby, the castellan is suspended in midair. A water tendril tightens around his throat. These magicks can't be wielded by humans. Tell me where you found it. Sea God: Ha... Hahaha... What right... do you have... to judge me... Hawkern: I won't tell you anything. You don't need to worry about asking again either. Sea God: Aren't you a god? Why are you destroying everything? Lemuria, Whalefall City... Now you want to destroy this island! Hawkern: Protagonist: (Lemuria? Didn't the legends say the Sea God lived there...?) In the sky, golden lightning freezes. ... Sea God: Dark-colored waves surge. When the waters recede, the castellan and the others have vanished without a trace. Where have you taken them? Protagonist: They're in a more appropriate place. Sea God: Why didn't you just kill Hawkern? Protagonist: A bloodstained crown flies into His hand. It immediately crumbles to dust. You were imprisoned in his cage. How many years? Sea God: ...It's been a long time. I don't remember. Protagonist: If the hatred from that time could be offset by him dying instantly, I would happily grant your wish at this very moment. Sea God: ...You wouldn't offer me a "gift" without a reason. What is it that you want? Tell me. Protagonist: You are my bride, aren't you? Sea God: He touches the pearls in my hair before He lowers His gaze. Removing unsavory elements from my bride's life is my duty. Sea God: As I debate whether I should confront Him or try to extract information more subtly, a thunderous crash resounds outside the window. The storm has destroyed a distant embankment. Seawater rushes in like a roaring beast as it flows directly into the city. What is happening? This is only the second night. Romirro shouldn't be sinking now! Protagonist: The Tome of the Sea God has been returned to the temple. I run there, and I'm shocked that the words of the prophecy are emitting a faint glow. This future was predetermined long ago. Whether it's the second or third night makes little difference. Sea God: You knew this day would come. Why are you surprised? Sea God: Option A: I've only just completed my escape, and I have yet to taste a day of freedom. I don't want to die like this! Protagonist: If I perish along with Romirro, you'll be the Sea God with the shortest marriage in history. Protagonist: ... Sea God: You are my bride. Of course I want you to live a long life. Sea God: But it hasn't been long since I was awakened. My powers haven't fully returned yet. I have the will, but not the strength. Sea God: Why don't you tell me your other wishes? I'll try my best to fulfill them for you. Sea God: Option B: ...This place is still my sanctuary. Regardless of what happens, I can't stand by and watch it be destroyed. Protagonist: Legends say the Sea God is all-powerful. He can overturn oceans and move mountains. So you can save Romirro, yes? Protagonist: The fate of this world is predetermined, and legends are just legends. Sea God: In any case, it hasn't been long since I was awakened. My powers haven't fully returned yet. Sea God: Why should I risk my own life for a city that despises me? Mind you, I would have to defy a prophecy in the Sea God: Tome of the Sea God. What if you regained your powers? Protagonist: ... Sea God: Give me your hand. Sea God: A cold glint flashes as He cuts both our palms. He intertwines His fingers with mine, and our blood mixes. It drips onto the Tome of the Sea God. Golden light rises from the Tome of the Sea God like threads of silk. They unfurl in midair and weave together to form poetic words. Lemurians who seeketh Absolute Power, Combat the treacherous tides, Dive into The Deep for pearls, Find a true love. There were hidden prophecies in the Tome... Protagonist: It makes sense now. Despite the fact I've conversed with the Tome of the Sea God many times, I could only decipher fragments and incomplete phrases. Yet what's more shocking is the meaning contained in these words. I struggle to grasp the most crucial line. "To find a true love"... That means... Protagonist: The Sea God appears more composed as He raises His hand to brush away the text and heal the wound on my hand. You already know the answer, my beloved bride. Sea God: You knew you needed me to restore your power. That's why you gave me those "gifts." Protagonist: You're more clever than the humans I'm familiar with. Sea God: Now that I understand his intentions, I feel oddly relieved. According to the Tome, you'll regain your power and stop the sea from swallowing Romirro if we fall in love? Protagonist: As things stand, this is your only option. Sea God: But falling in love doesn't happen instantly. All the while, the threat of this land sinking below the waves looms over us. Sea God: Option A: Mustering up some courage, I wrap my hands around His neck and kiss Him without any hesitation. ...! Sea God: A god's lips are warm. Before He can recover from His surprise, I quickly pull away. Well? Has your power been restored, even just partly? Protagonist: ... Sea God: He grabs my arm, pulls me close, and bends down to return my kiss. The intensity is so overwhelming that I wince and draw in a sharp breath. A simple kiss is far from what anyone would call "love." Sea God: It's still better than sitting and waiting for death. Protagonist: Do you remember how you awakened me? Sea God: As long as I'm here, death wouldn't dare to visit you. Sea God: Option B: I will love you forever. Until I breathe my last breath. Protagonist: ... Sea God: Under my divine gaze, a human's life is but the blink of an eye. A fleeting moment is too brief. Sea God: Would you rather have this love disappear early or have a moment last a little longer? Protagonist: I deliberately emphasize my words, but I already have an answer. He won't let me die since He needs me. I see. I'll have to extend your lifespan. Sea God: Do you remember how you awakened me? Sea God: ...The Summoneo Staff and the Sea's Ritualis Hymn. Protagonist: He places the staff in my hands. I'm not sure when or how He got it. This can temporarily awaken some of my powers, but we need one more thing to stop the storm. Sea God: He turns over my hand as He traces letters on my palm. I can't help but open my mouth. Ra...fayel... Protagonist: Remember it. That is my name. Rafayel: Recite my name in your heart with the utmost devotion. Then sing the Hymn for me once more. Rafayel: He suddenly dives into the storm, and His legs transform into a brilliant fishtail as He soars above the terrifying waves. The Summoneo Staff emits a light to accompany my song. I sing with all my strength and stare at His figure. He glides along the top of the waves. Lightning from the tip of His Tidebreaker Trident strikes the heavy storm clouds. Streams of golden light swirl across the sea's surface. The rain stops, and winds cease as the subdued tides transform into millions of transparent fish. They stir up sand and gravel as they slowly retreat to the Deep Sea. At the base of the damaged statue, people kneel in the muddy waters. Yet they see the sun rising behind the Sea God. He turns around. His gaze passes through the lingering mist and lands on me. Chapter 03 Protagonist: Hawkern and his henchmen are imprisoned in a water cage under a waterfall. They receive my thorough "care." I know that Rafayel didn't spare Hawkern just to let me have my revenge. For Him, Hawkern might have some value. I tried to ask Him about it, but Rafayel wouldn't give me an answer. As the heir to the previous castellan, I become the new ruler of Romirro. Unexpectedly, some rumors begin to spread throughout the city... "The Sea God's bride awakened Him. Now He carries out her orders without question." "If she can command the Sea God to calm the storm during the eclipse, then surely she can command Him to drown Romirro!" "She put twelve venomous sea snakes in the water prison. They drink the former castellan's blood every day, and the water below Mosen Waterfall is now a bright red..." I pay no attention to their gossip. After all, I have no interest in ruling a city that once abandoned me. What matters is that I must fall in love with Rafayel. Lady-In-Waiting A: Dear with it yourself. Your Highness, the city plans to erect several new statues of the Sea God... Lady-In-Waiting B: You don't need to ask for my permission. Protagonist: After shutting out those annoying voices, I search the temple for any sign of Rafayel. This place has become the Sea God's residence. To fall in love with Him sooner, I spend most of my time here. Protagonist: The problem is... He's always somewhere else. How am I supposed to fall in love with Him? What is this? Protagonist: You forgot about the scale already? Rafayel: The scale I held in my hand had transformed into a blue seashell. It now hangs from a delicate, silvery-white chain. Is this a token of affection? Protagonist: At the very least, it's not a token of hatred. Rafayel: The necklace is put around my neck, and the seashell is like a crystalline mark over my heart. Keep it safe. It's a piece of my heart. Rafayel: It will let me know where you are and what you're doing. Rafayel: He can track my every move, but I have no idea what He's up to. It's not exactly fair. Protagonist: In the center of the temple, several springs converge into a deep, mysterious pool. The waters churn, and the currents with white sea foam are connected to the Deep Sea. Around the pool stand twelve broken statues, their damaged torsos holding candleholders of solidified whale oil. Their heads are solemnly lowered toward me. He took the time to build a pool... I've learned something, however. He likes to soak in the water. Protagonist: Bored, I pick up a few silver leaves from a nearby box and skip them. They bounce across the water. I don't know if the citizenry is trying to curry favor with Rafayel and me. But people have sent numerous gifts while keeping their distance. Is He not here? Protagonist: There is no response under the water. I'm about to give up when I catch a glimpse of an unusual light flashing below the surface. Curiosity compels me to dive into the water to get a closer look, but someone suddenly grabs my wrist. It's impolite to enter my bedchamber without greeting me first. Rafayel: Rafayel floats to the surface, His long hair spreading out along the water's surface. I can barely see His tail. It's like a streak of cold yet beautiful, multicolored sunlight you'd see during a sunrise or sunset. I supervised the renovation of this temple when I was fifteen. If anything, this place should be mine. Protagonist: You are correct. I shouldn't have stopped you. Rafayel: He tries to drag me into the water, and the churning currents instantly transform into a ferocious beast. It approaches me with its open maw. I use His momentum to grab His arm and quickly wrap my arms around His neck before the water can engulf me. ...It's cold! Protagonist: Yes, and you could have avoided this. Rafayel: I was afraid you’d vanish again when I wasn’t looking. How are we supposed to learn more about each other and fall in love if you’re not here? Protagonist: Is clinging to me like an octopus part of your plan to fall in love with me? Rafayel: Cuddling can be used to gain affection. But there's also another reason— Protagonist: A cold water droplet slides across the tip of my nose. I sneeze multiple times. ...Why are you so delicate? Rafayel: The water in your bedchamber is too cold! Why is it freezing? Protagonist: Is there a problem? Only humans have a habit of parboiling themselves. Rafayel: It's called taking a hot bath—Achoo! Protagonist: ... Rafayel: The current carries us to shore. Rafayel's tail transforms into a pair of legs as He steps onto stone tiles inlaid with seashells. You say you don't want to die, and yet you jump into frigid waters. Your desire to survive is rather wanting. Rafayel: You say you need to fall in love with me, and yet you're nowhere to be found. Do you actually want to get your powers back? Protagonist: I never believed an intangible emotion such as love could serve a purpose. Rafayel: He sets me down as a ball of flame rises from His palm. I flinch and pull away, but He places it in my hand.