PC05A

The remaining entities have all returned to sea. Is everyone okay?

It was just like our last skirmish.

Sea Terrors that had surrounded the ship returned to sea even before the battle came to an end.

And their retreat felt too orderly and deliberate to be just... running away.

It's almost like they're making a tactical retreat...

We're doing peachy, but... what about the ship? Fau, is the ship okay?

Minor damages to the hull, but nothing that will impede the ship's operational capabilities.

<Phew...>

So... I noticed during the battle - I might be wrong, of course, but...

I think I noticed how, around the end of the battle, those monsters were starting to go after the manager...?

You're probably... right, actually.

I noticed, too. At some point during our battle, those monsters realized that it's the manager who's commanding the rest of us.

I sensed the very same. Their movements were fluid and adaptive, as though they were learning our behavior.

Why does the Church of the Deep worship… monsters like them?

That ain't much of a question, innit? They must've all gone mental.

I'm sure they have many reasons, but…

Seaborns are beings of infinite potential. So much so that there's no superlative big enough to properly convey the scale.

As organisms, they can endlessly evolve and adapt. Every time they encounter a new environment or a new element, they transform themselves and other Seaborns.

Maybe... maybe that's their draw.

That fascination may be an attitude most befitting a researcher - yet, the transformation of fascination into idolatry is... If I may be frank, not entirely positive.

I find them pretty uncomfortable. They just remind me of Whales.

Hmm~ Then, can they adapt to learn a language to communicate with us?

<Wh-what?>

Going by everything we heard, I think they sound really smart.

Mayors's eyes went round at Hong Lu's suggestion. She brought her hands to her mouth, surprised.

It… sure was something.

I heard that there was a Seaborn who could… talk.

If non-humans speak the language of humans, regardless of its testament to their intelligence, I can only think of two possibilities as to why they would.

One, to communicate with humans. The other… to deceive humans.

More often than not, it's the latter.

<What about Distortions? Some of them already know how to speak.>

Distortions are phenomena in which 'humans' transform into monstrous forms, first observed after the White Nights and Dark Days incident.

Therefore, that example is irrelevant to Outis's supposition.

White Nights… and Dark Days…

She whispered quietly, but as we were standing rather close to her, we all caught on to the hint of joy in her voice.

The pillar of light in the City, did it really…

… How have you come across this knowledge, Miss Mayors?

Oh, that's…

Ain't it obvious? We've got the culprit right 'ere, the storyteller lass who's been gabbin' on with no end.

Yeah… she's been talking non-stop all morning about all kinds of stories, hasn't she?

Hoh? Yet I have not gotten that fa -

You again?! You didn't get so lost in your own stories that you blabbed all about our company secrets, have you?

N-nay! Fie, I would simply not!

As Don Quixote was subject to yet another round of scolding, Amiya stared out toward the sea, wary that Sea Terrors might start crawling to the surface once again, before turning toward us.

I wonder which of the two the… Seaborns are?

Their sense of self is really, really faint, so I don't think they'd be in either category.

I think it's possible that… they learned human language out of instinct that the power of speech might help them survive.

It appears that you, Miss Mayors, are quite the expert on the subject of Seaborns.

Your knowledge of them goes beyond what fear for one's survival may yield, thereby suggesting a different means of acquisition. Do you, by chance, worship the Seaborns?

I don't worship Seaborns.

Seaborns… don't have any hopes or wishes. Just… desire for survival.

Miss Mayors, does that mean… if Seaborns were somehow able to hope…

Maybe so.

… Is that so?

The repairs are complete.

As we were conversing, Faust descended from the ship with a neatly organized set of tools borrowed from the village, repairs completed.

<I'm guessing repairs are done done?>

Yes. The ship is ready to set sail.

Did you have a departure time and date in mind? I would prefer if we could depart as soon as possible...

We don't have a set time or anything, but... I think we should be able to set sail this late afternoon at the earliest.

That soon?

As you've seen... we don't have a lot to bring with us. Ha ha...

By the way, how far out to sea do you guys need to go?

<We need to find this... dimensional door of sorts...>

I could see the dimensional door's light from the beach at night.

It was faint, but given how the light's strong enough to break through the sea fog... we should be able to determine its location somewhere around the coastal waters.

So... we can go back tonight?

The first order of business is to relay this news to the villagers.

<Yeah. Back to the village for now...>