Vol. 1 - Ch. 2 - Meeting at the Beach

"Thanks, old man."Ash told the boatman after jumping from the boat to the pier.

Perhaps, not expecting to be thanked, the boatman blinked with a surprised look on his face, but soon his mouth relaxed into a smile.

"Good luck, and be safe."

"I will."

They both extended their hands and shook firmly.

Their hands were as craggy as rocks.

The boatman seemed capable of overpowering an average man, but even he wasn't able to come out on top against his wife.

(In this world, one can never be certain about the strength of others.)

While Ash pondered this, the boat returned to the open sea.

No other islands were in sight.

Crossing such a vast ocean in such a small boat seemed unimaginable by nature, yet strangely, there were no waves in the sea.

(Could this also be attributed to Dural Island?)

Ash didn't know the answer, but regardless, it was an island under God's patronage.

It would be foolish to question anything here.

"Well then, I suppose I should also be on my way." Ash said.

He picked up the bag of goods he had set aside and turned around.

The landing area was simple, consisting of only one pier.

In addition, the pier was ragged, and the bottom could easily fall out if someone stepped on it.

On the other side of the pier, there lay an unblemished white beach.

Further in, a dense forest stretched out.

The scenery resembled that of the tropics, but the temperature remained moderate.

Humidity wasn't too pronounced, and comfort was the prevailing sensation.

This too, perhaps, was the work of God.

It was convenient, but the climate issue still lingered.

(Where am I supposed to go?) Ash pondered

No one was there to greet him upon landing. Sᴇaʀch* Thᴇ n0vᴇl(ꜰ)ire.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

He had heard that a guide would be waiting on the island when he arrived, but it seemed that information was either inconveniently incorrect or deliberately misleading.

Though, that hardly mattered right now.

(Given the scale of the island, I'll eventually stumble upon someone.)

With that thought in mind, Ash scanned the area and easily spotted someone. 

A woman sat alone at the edge of the beach.

"She doesn't appear to be sunbathing. Just what is she doing?" Ash wondered.

Regardless, he decided to approach her.

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The woman sat quietly, her gaze fixed on the ocean.

Her eyes bore a sense of melancholy, making her appear somewhat mature, though she and Ash were probably of similar age.

She appeared to be about 20 years old, or perhaps even younger.

She wore a light blue and white outfit, resembling a dress but designed for ease of movement.

It appeared so lightweight that it seemed like it could flutter in the sky.

Yet, something even more extraordinary than her clothing caught Ash's attention.

Her golden hair, tied back in a single knot, cascaded down to her waist.

It shimmered more brilliantly than the white sand in the sunlight, possessing a sheen that seemed otherworldly.

This was only the second time in Ash's life that he had been so captivated by someone.

As he indulged in his nostalgic feelings, the woman gave him a quizzical look.

"You're a new face."

Ash, extending his hand, replied, "I just arrived. I'm Ash Brave. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"I see."

She responded with a brief acknowledgment and then returned her gaze to the ocean.

Ash felt somewhat at a loss, unsure of what to do with his hand.

"Given that you're here, you should've seen me arrive just now." Ash remarked.

"I'm sorry, but my eyes don't see things I'm not interested in," she replied coldly.

"That's quite the convenient pair you've got there then."

"It is. Thanks to them every day is a bliss."

The girl said, running her fingers through her wind-tousled hair.

Ash moved around to stand in front of her, bending down so that their eyes met.

"At any rate, I'm glad you're showing interest," Ash said.

"Move aside. I can't see the ocean," she replied, glaring at him.

"I'm sorry, but I'd like to talk to you for a minute."

"But I don't want to talk to you." she retorted.

"Like I said, I just got here. Can you please tell me where I should go from here on out?" Ash inquired.

The girl stared at him, as if evaluating his worth.

She eventually sighed with an indifferent expression on her face.

"Didn't you see a Milma?"

"Milma?" Ash asked.

"The Messengers of God. Those who support the challengers on this island."

"No, I haven't seen her. What does she look like?"

After a moment's pause, the girl stood up.

"She has a cat-like tail, and her ears stick out like this."

She said, bringing her hands above her head, shaping them like an animal's ears for clarity.

It was an easy to understand explanation, however, Ash couldn't help but let out a laugh.

"W-What are you laughing at?!"

"I'm sorry. You just didn't strike me as someone who would do something like that." Ash explained.

She had given him the impression of not being very outgoing, yet she had suddenly stricken a cute pose.

Ash felt somewhat terrible, however, he just hadn't been able to hold himself from laughing.

The girl glanced at her hands, which resembled a pair of cat ears, and quickly hid them behind her back.

Her face turned bright red as she protested,

"T-This... I only did this so that you could understand!"

"I know. I apologize for laughing."

Ash offered a sincere apology, but her mood didn't seem to improve.

She turned her face to the side and puffed out her cheeks just a little.

Ash scratched his head, feeling at a loss for how to respond.

However, just then, out of the corner of his eye, Ash noticed someone running from the pier.

"Um, her ears look like this, right?"

"If you're going to harass me, I'm going to shove sand down your throat."

"I'm sorry, but I'll have to decline. Isn't that person running over there, Milma?"

Ash inquired, gesturing toward the approaching figure.

The girl looked in the direction Ash was pointing with a pout and then threw away the sand she was holding with regret.

The one running here was undoubtedly Milma.

"Sorry for the delay, rookie!"

Milma exclaimed loudly, just before stumbling and falling with a loud thud.

"Whoa, she fell down."

Ash remarked. Despite being a Messenger of God she seemed surprisingly down-to-earth.

A relatable sensation washed over Ash.

He got up, wanting to help her, and as he did the young girl also stood up.

Ash figured she'd go with him, but to his surprise, the girl turned to face the other way.

"Where are you going?" Ash asked.

"I can't see the beautiful ocean today, so I'm leaving," she replied and began to walk away.

"If you ask Milma, she'll tell you about most things." she added, offering some advice that, though blunt, seemed genuinely helpful.

"Thank you, Cat Ears."

"Lapis." she corrected Ash, stopping dead in her tracks and turning around to glare at him.

"My name is Lapis Kia Balkish. It's not, Cat Ears."

With those words, she left.

(Lapis, huh... Quite the intriguing one she is.)

With that thought in mind, Ash headed over to help Milma.