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The players were on their way to Oceina.

The journey wasn't long—especially with the military carriage—but it wasn't exactly short either.

And, at the end of the day, it was still a carriage, not a car.

So, whether they liked it or not, they had time to pass.

And they spent it the only way they could—by talking.

This time, though, Arlon participated.

At first, it was subtle. A nod here, a short response there. But to the others, it was noticeable. Arlon, who was usually reserved, was actually engaging in conversation.

It felt strange to most of them.

But June?

She had already figured it out.

She knew Arlon wanted to be their friend. He just didn't know how to act like one.

So, she forced him to talk.

Constantly.

She pestered him with questions, dragged him into discussions, and made sure he had no choice but to respond.

And in the end, even Arlon—the one known for having the hardest shell—began to open up.

Since this was their last time together for a while, he decided to put in the effort as well.

Laughter filled the carriage, playful teasing was exchanged, and for the first time in a long time, Arlon felt something close to ease.

But then—

The carriage came to a stop.

Arlon had seen a familiar face.

He leaned out of the carriage and called out, "Are you heading to Oceina?"

The man on the road nodded.

"Then hop in," Arlon said without hesitation.

The players inside the carriage exchanged glances, curious about this new addition.

As the man stepped inside, Arlon introduced him.

"This is Merlin. He cooks great food."

Merlin scratched the back of his head, laughing humbly. "Ah, thanks for the introduction, but the food I make is just okay."

But the players weren't convinced.

They had spent months sharing meals together—eating the same, familiar dishes day after day. And now, Arlon, of all people, was recommending someone's cooking?

That alone was enough to pique their interest.

Some were even drooling.

Noticing this, Merlin chuckled and pulled something from his inventory.

"I can't cook anything properly right now," he said, "but I have some fast food with me. Feel free to take some. And as thanks for bringing me along, I'll cook something real for you all tonight."

A chorus of cheers erupted inside the carriage.

And just like that, their journey continued.

***

"Merlin, what are you doing these days?"

Merlin leaned back, stretching. "I just finished traveling through the nearby villages, tasting different dishes. I think I'm ready to do something big, but I don't know what."

"Have you leveled up enough to get the Cooking skill?"

"Yeah, I finally unlocked it."

"Perfect. Then, I have a suggestion for you."

Hearing that, Merlin perked up his ears.

Arlon hadn't realized this, but he was in front of a player without a mask, though his face was magically altered.

This was a weird thing for Merlin. He would definitely be writing about this in the forum.

He had already taken the screenshots with the whole gang.

This was the dream team. Almost all of the top 10 of the leaderboard were here, in a military carriage together with himself.

And number one on the leaderboard was giving him advice.

Of course, he would be listening to it and sharing photos on the forum.

"When you go back to Istarra," Arlon said, "pick up Alchemy."

Merlin blinked. "Alchemy? What does that have to do with cooking?"

Arlon smirked slightly. "The food in Trion is closely tied to alchemy. If you learn it, you can make food that boosts stats."

Merlin's eyes widened. "What?!"

That was huge.

"Wait," Merlin said, his mind racing. "You're serious?"

"Dead serious. But wait until you return to Istarra. When you do, go to the Moonlight Alchemy Shop and find Shirl. Tell her I sent you—she'll help you out."

Arlon wasn't using Shirl for his own benefit. He knew this would be a good deal for both sides.

Merlin stared at him for a moment before breaking into a grin.

"Thank you, Mr. Arlon! I don't even know what to say. You had this information all this time, and you just—gave it to me?"

Arlon shrugged. "Let's just say I want to invest in you."

Merlin looked down at his hands, gripping them into fists.

This was an opportunity he wouldn't waste.

And with that, they continued their journey, Merlin's voice filled with endless gratitude as he repeatedly thanked Arlon.

---

The carriage rattled slightly as it passed over the final stretch of road. The scent of salt and sea breeze drifted in through the windows, growing stronger with each passing moment.

And then—

They arrived.

Oceina.

The port city stood proudly before them, its streets bustling with life. Sunlight shimmered off the white-stone buildings, reflecting the bright blue of the endless ocean stretching beyond.

For those who had seen it before—Arlon, June, Zack, Pierre, Lei, and Carole—it was still as breathtaking as the first time. No matter how many times they laid eyes on Oceina, the sight of the ocean never failed to stir something within them.

And for the others—
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It was something else entirely.

Evan, Carmen, and Maria stepped out of the carriage first, their eyes widening as they took in the view.

The sea.

Evan had seen it once before. So had Carmen.

Back in Esia.

But at the time, they hadn't had the luxury of admiring it.

Their minds had been occupied—burdened with a heavier thought.

Is it really okay to kill intelligent monsters?

Back then, the ocean had been nothing more than the backdrop to an approaching battle. They hadn't been present enough to take in the sight, to let its vastness sink in.

But here, in Oceina—

For the first time, they truly saw the ocean.

Waves stretched endlessly toward the horizon, glistening beneath the sunlight like liquid sapphire. The sound of water rolling against the docks, the cries of seagulls overhead, the crispness of the air—everything felt alive.

Carmen took a slow step forward, her boots crunching against the sand near the dock.

"It's…" she started, but no words came.

Evan exhaled, crossing his arms. "So this is what the sea is supposed to feel like."

Carmen glanced at him. "What? You mean wet?"

Evan snorted. "No. Peaceful."

For once, he wasn't thinking about what he had to do.

He wasn't thinking about monsters, about moral dilemmas, about whether or not their hands were too stained with blood to return to normal lives.

Here, there was no war. No battle waiting for them the moment they stepped forward.

Here, it was just… the sea.

Maria, standing beside them, smiled. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

Neither of them responded. But they didn't have to.

They felt it.

Meanwhile, Merlin had just stepped out of the carriage as well.

The moment his foot hit the ground, his breath caught.

The ocean.

He had never seen it before.

Of course, he knew about it. Read about it. Seen pictures, even.

But this?

No image, no book, no description could have ever prepared him for the sheer scale of it.

His mouth hung open slightly as he turned in place, taking in the ships lining the harbor, the waves that stretched beyond his vision, the way the sky and water seemed to merge at the horizon.

"This is insane," he muttered.

Pierre, who had been watching his reaction, clapped a hand on Merlin's shoulder with a smirk. "Not bad, huh?"

"Not bad?!" Merlin wheeled around. "This is amazing!"

Pierre chuckled. "Glad to see someone still has a sense of wonder. The first time I saw it, I almost walked straight into the water."

Merlin laughed, shaking his head. "I wouldn't even blame you. I mean, look at this!"

June grinned. "Oceina does have that effect on people. That's why we came here for sightseeing, after all."

As the group slowly gathered near the docks, Maria turned to Arlon.

"So, what's the plan? Are we heading straight into town, or do we have some time to explore first?"

Arlon, who had been silently observing, looked at her.

He, then, turned his gaze back to the ocean, watching the waves roll in and out, steady and endless.

"Let's take our time," he said.

The others looked at him in mild surprise.

And they let themselves enjoy the moment.