It was said that strange phenomena had been happening frequently in the port city of Melren lately.
The sea level would suddenly rise, the waves would grow exponentially higher, and the number of fish being caught would drop sharply.
Melren hurriedly began an investigation, but found nothing, so they had no choice but to ask Orario for help.
Loki accepted the request faster than anyone else, and so—
"Uhehehe!"
"We're going to have a barbecue. Want some?"
"Oh! Got any booze?"
we ended up taking a group vacation.
The Loki Familia had borrowed the entire nearby beach from Njord and enjoyed a rare day at the sea.
"Kya~"
"Don't overdo it."
I didn't especially like swimming, so I grilled barbecue on the portable grill I had brought along.
"That grill's pretty big. Can you control the fire properly?"
"It's fine because I have Urus."
[You'd be the second person to use a spirit for fire control.]
Urus adjusted the temperature just right and grilled the meat to perfection.
The sharp stares from the surrounding elves were annoying, but I'd just ignore them.
"Who's the first?"
[Crozzo.]
"..."
[Come to think of it, Crozzo is you too, so maybe it'd be more accurate to say you're the first?]
"I guess so..."
I stuck the failed work I'd brought into the ground and added wire, cloth, and other materials to make a parasol.
"Nice..."
The sunlight was hot, but the parasol made it a little more bearable.
And because we were near the sea, it was cooler than Orario.
[What is the sea like, seeing it for the first time?]
"Nice... though I don't plan on going in."
[Yeah, good call.]
The first sea I'd ever seen felt like...
just a salty lake stretching on forever.
"What are you doing?"
"Just resting."
As I stared blankly at the sea, Aiz came over in her swimsuit.
"Want to come with me?"
[Sorry, but you can't because of me.]
"...Why?"
[I hate the sea. Other rivers and lakes are fine, but not the sea.]
"Why?"
[...Because of Ariel.]
"Who's Ariel?"
[I can't tell you, so go on ahead.]
"...Okay."
Aiz headed back to the others with a deeply downcast expression.
"...Want some firewood?"
[Give me one that's thoroughly dried out.]
I tossed some firewood to Urus.
[...What was this called again?]
"Marmiard Wars."
[I'll be inside for a moment...]
Urus seeped into Marmiard Wars.
"...What exactly did you do?"
I picked up Marmiard Wars and swung it a few times.
Then—
"Go."
I threw Marmiard Wars.
Marmiard Wars flashed blue, then floated up on its own and easily pierced through the nearby trees.
"The power is... a little higher now."
The reason the high-performing Marmiard Wars was still considered a failure was that it was more like a magic tool than a magic sword.
Since it had been made using the method Hephaistos had suggested and with Urus's power, it hadn't been created purely by my own strength, and because it seemed more like a magic tool than a magic sword, I considered it a failure.
...Well, a magic sword is a kind of magic tool, in a way.
"Bellf-style! Bring some fire here!"
"..."
Using Urus's power, I lit a fire where Loki had asked for it.
"Thanks!"
"Yes... huh?"
Just now... did a raindrop fall?
"Waaah! A wave!!!"
When I turned toward the source of the scream, a wave as tall as a high-rise building was surging in,
and at the same time, rain began pouring down.
The clear sky was instantly covered in dark clouds,
"What the—"
[■...■■■...]
and from the sea, a familiar presence began to be felt.
"...A spirit?"
[ㅇ...ㄹ...]
The voice coming from the sea gradually became clearer.
[Urus—!!!]
"...Why do spirits keep getting tangled up in my life?"
I let out a sigh as I sliced apart the crashing wave with Marmiard Wars.