“Hmm mmm….. Hmmm…. mmm…

I have always found it hard to breathe in the salty sea

Drowning in water that taste like tears

I thought you were there to pull me up to the dinghy

But it was actually you who would push me to the abyss”

The person singing had a masculine voice, and he was strumming a lute to accompany his baladic way of singing.

He sang in a language that was native to Ogygia before it merged into Sephyrine. So only Ronin could understand him. But that doesn’t matter.

Even the other two who couldn’t understand his words can understand his emotion. He sang of regret and pain from someone, someone who he believed he could trust.

None of them could bear to knock the first. They wanted to let him stop singing, but it felt like his sorrow was endless and he continued repeating and repeating the same verse and chords.

“Hmm mmm….. Hmmm…. mmm… I have always found it hard to breathe in the salty sea….. You boys are going to come in or not?”

They snapped out of it when he called them out at his 13th repetition. Ronin cleared his throat and knocked on the door.

“May we come in, sir? We’re travelers and we were told that we could ask you for help in this location we’re looking for?”

There was a click at the wooden door as the man untangled the chain, and smiled at them. “What location are you looking for?”

All of them were struck by his purple eyes that have a bit of reddish tint at the edges. His skin was smooth and white as a pearl, and he was strikingly beautiful for a middle-aged man.

They could see the resemblance to Calla Lily, but there were also a lot of differences. What she shared was the other half that was pure white, but also the part of her face that smiled widest.

This man had plump lips that were thin at the edges, looking playful yet also sensual. He must be in his late 30s or early 40s, but he still has the youthful aura of a young lad their age.

The three were speechless for a while, as even the gods they encountered weren’t this…. ethereal.

“You boys look like you have seen a siren or something. Haha!” He chuckled, and extended his hand.

“Hyacinth Naehmnaid.” He introduced himself. “How may I help you?”

Cermin stammered a little as he answered. “A-Ah, we were looking f-for c-caves…. and… uh….. a p-pretty— I mean, a person that could maybe t-take us in.”

Just like the daughter, the father managed to confuse the poor guy’s mind. Except that the confusion made him embarrassed, since it was one thing to be baffled by Calla Lily.

It was another to be affected by her literal father.

“Ah, are you staying on the Island for a while?” The man asked. “Hmm, why are you boys looking for caves at a time like this?”

Ronin explained better, but he was also noticeably talking faster. “We were looking for a cave that may be related to gods… sir.”

Meanwhile, Kai stayed quiet and observed his features like it wanted to ask Mr. Naemhnaid if he could pose for a painting.

Hyacinth rubbed his chin. “A cave related to gods…. Well, you have to be more specific than that. Why don’t you all come in first?”

They weren’t expecting to be invited in so fast, but Calla’s father really does seem like the friendly type.

He was wearing thin clothes much like everyone, and he was inside the house so he only wore the linen undershirt with ruffles and unbuttoned except for the last one.

“I’m sorry for the mess. It has been a while since anyone else came into my humble abode. My daughter has not returned from the Academy and I have been worried.” He sighed.

Cermin gulped nervously. “We actually know your daughter, sir….. Calla Lily Naehmnaid?”

His eyes widened. “Is she alright then? Are you two friends?”

“Not really. But the last time we saw her, I….. I’m not so sure…..” Cermin rubbed his forehead.

Ronin answered. “She was able to escape, from what we’ve heard. But we don’t know where.”

The man nodded. “Ah… Thank the gods then. My prayers must not have been ignored. I have light up candles to both the Goddess Seelie and the Goddess Nereid.”

He went to make them drinks as they sat down in his living room. “My Calla….. She’s very precious to me, you see. Ever since her mother died, I don’t know if I would be able to raise her.”

He then chuckled. “Hah, but it ended up with her raising her deadbeat father instead. She had always been more level headed than me.”

Ronin noticed it now. Covered by his black hair with long bangs…

Was a circular mark on his forehead.

A mark from a golden branding iron for exorcism.

Ronin could not read many thoughts besides the ones he already spoke out loud. Sir Hyacinth seemed to be the type to openly speak his mind the moment he thought it.

The drinks he prepared were similar to margaritas, with a hint of fermented coconut flavor and a different kind of lime. But he thought Kai was a kid so he gave it a glass of fresh coconut juice instead.

Kai didn’t really mind, as it really does prefer the sweet taste of coconut than alcohol.

“Well, may I know your names and how you came to know my Calla?” He asked. “All of you met her in the Academy, I assume?”

“Yes. We know her because we watched her performance and as a young professor.” Ronin said. “I’m Ronin Willowe, this is Prince Cermin Drychspiel, and Kai.”

“Kai Li.” Kai said.

Ronin and Cermin were a bit surprised, since ‘Li’ was a Chinese surname. So it remembers its surname now?

“Kylie?” Hyacinth raised a brow.

“Well, all of you have quite unique names. Meanwhile, I just picked the name for my Calla Lily because of the flowers her mother and I saw on a nearby cove.”

“That cove is what we call the Sleeping Giant’s Cove, because it’s shaped like a giant man curled up and sleeping by the sea.” Hyacinth explained.

“There’s a cave where his chest should be, like his heart has been hollowed out. That was the first thing I thought about when you mentioned it, because of my dear girl.”

Ronin and Cermin looked at each other. A sleeping man without a heart. It really would be so obvious as the location for Aurion.

But they tried not to get their hopes up too much.

Cermin asked. “Could you take us there, sir?”

Hyacinth nodded. “Yes, though preferably in the morning. The tide rises at night, and it’s dangerous to go out at high tide. You would be waist high in water if you visit the cove at night.”

Ronin nodded. “Alright then. Can you tell us more caves that we could be interested in? Or religious books we could read?”

“My wife have a study upstairs, though I have never visited it ever since….. It just brings some painful memories.” He smiled sadly. “But if you don’t mind the dust, you’re free to peruse it.”

Ronin nodded. “Thank you, sir. And sorry about your wife.”

Cermin also joined in. “She must be a wonderful woman.”

“She was. She’s an Emerald from the upper class of Sephyrine. But she had always been humble and cared for everyone.” Hyacinth sighed. “I can’t help but miss her a lot.”

Kai then asked. “You must sing for her a lot. We heard you sing earlier, you have a great voice.”

“Thank you. And yes, I do make many songs in honor of my wife.” Hyacinth said. “But that song earlier…..”

His face went grim. “That was not for her. You boys weren’t supposed to hear that song.”

Ronin knew what it was about, and already had an inkling on who it was for. But he didn’t really expect that Hyacinth would hold such heavy feelings for the one who betrayed him.

He never thought that they would be friends.

After all, that person was a Monk, and as Calla mentioned many times, Monks and Artisans don’t mix. That person also seemed to hold a great hatred for Artisans…..

So why did Hyacinth say that “I thought you would be there to pull me to the dinghy?”

That he thought he would save him from sorrow, not make him drown in it?

But then again, he learned from his own life that it was the ‘friends’ we have that hurt us the most, not our enemies.

He bore no ill will back when Cermin was just a hero for him to fight. But knowing his past now, he could no longer say he’s as apathetic as before.

They all continued to talk as the sun started to set on the beautiful beach of Ogygia. Hyacinth invited them to watch it by his front porch, as he played music for them.

And when the night comes, he lets them take his daughter and wife’s old room. Calla’s old childhood room, though, so the bed was small.

“The little child can stay in Calla’s room, and you boys could share.” He handed them the keys. “The winds can howl a lot, so I hope you don’t mind that.”

They all said they don’t mind. They bid goodbye, but then….

“That’s good. One last reminder before we all go to bed.” His jolly tone then shifted to something grim.

“Don’t leave your rooms at night.”