Elder Luton

It was shortly after I became White Cloud Watchman to today.
I begin each day by climbing this lighthouse and gazing out over the mist and the valley before me.
It's a view I've seen every day for decades, and it's one I've grown accustomed to...
"It's always a beautiful view."

A thousand years.
A thousand years, and the mist that has blocked the end of the White Ocean still shows no sign of lifting.
The light of the lighthouse that once shone beyond the mist has also been unable to lift it for a thousand years.
It's said that long ago, the ancestors guided visitors from other worlds and watched over anything that might pose a threat.
A thousand years later, the same is true for our generation.
Even if the mist clears before our eyes, our job remains the same.
To keep an eye on those who might pose a threat to peace and harmony. Because that's what we've been doing, and that's what we need to do.

Yet, despite our daily reflections, we have yet to answer the question of what to do when a thousand years of silence is broken and a new visitor arrives.
Should we rejoice in the arrival of our first visitors in a thousand years and gladly welcome them?
Should we antagonize them, preparing for an invasion from an unknown enemy beyond the mist?
Or...
"Hah hah. I'm getting old. I'm worrying for nothing, even though I already know what I need to do."
It doesn't matter what you think.
You know what you need to do best.
I organized my thoughts and started to walk down to the valley.
Suddenly I sensed a strange energy beyond the impenetrable wall of mist.
When I looked back at the mist, I saw with my own eyes an unbelievable scene.

A thousand years.
After a thousand years of the mist separating the two worlds, a new visitor had finally come to Seon.
At that moment, I realized.
I had longed to reconnect with the world beyond the mist, and that I rejoiced in being able to fulfill my duties as White Cloud Watchman.
But I couldn't simply rejoice in this. I must now discover the purpose of this visitor after a thousand years.
It doesn't matter whether it's a visitor from a thousand years away. If they seek to harm the harmony of Seon, I will stop them with my life.

Shortly after the visitor's arrival, the mist filled the place again, as if nothing had happened.
After gathering my thoughts, I summoned the messenger and spoke to all the White Cloud Watchmen.
"The time has come for us to fulfill our duty."

 

 

Shume, the Keeper of the Land

"Hmm~."

A girl with blue hair hummed a tune while sitting at the overlook of White Cloud Valley. Behind her, a man with neat attire and ash-colored hair seemed lost in deep thought as he listened to the girl's humming.

"Cladis, do thou consider...?"

The girl suddenly spoke while using her hands to play with a small turtle, Woomu, but the man referred to as Cladis either didn't hear the question or chose not to respond.

"Cladis! What art thou ruminating about so deeply?"

As if just hearing the girl's unanswered question, Cladis looked at her with a slightly surprised expression. When Cladis met her gaze, the girl let out a dry cough before speaking again.

"I have always been slow to the mark. The Keeper of the Sky of a Thousand Seas has been waiting for me to become ready all the time."

Cladis looked at the silent girl for a moment. When there was no response, she continued.

"It took me quite some time to realize what I wished as one born from this land, and I was sluggish in deciding to become a Keeper of the Land, and even slower to become one! Haha!"

The girl looked up at Cladis.

"For that reason, no one had faith in me. Accordingly, they did not assign me important tasks."
"But now you are the Keeper of White Ocean, aren't you? Perhaps you should have a little more confidence, Shume."

"...?"
"The faith of others is not the most important thing."
"But the other followers besides thou... do they not speak the same?"

Shume, the girl addressed, bowed her head.
A face lacking in confidence. One could tell without asking how much pressure this child had grown under.
How big might the burden be that she had to bear on those small shoulders?
Cladis knelt down, meeting Shume's gaze.

"Shume, you eventually found what you wanted to do, and ultimately, didn't you become a Keeper of the Land?"

Shume held her breath. There was never a situation more difficult for one who was not used to receiving support than having to accept it.
Knowing this, Cladis continued gently.

"Slower, maybe, but eventually, you achieve what you set your mind upon, don't you? I believe you are that kind of person."
"Is that... so? Hmm..."

Shume absentmindedly rubbed Woomu's head, who was beside her, which caused him to happily spin in midair.
Fumbling with her words, Shume glanced away, laughing faintly while continuing to gaze down at the beautiful scenery of the White Cloud Valley. The sound of her hesitant laughter faded.
Was "faith" really that precious?

"I..."

Shume managed to continue speaking.

"I thank thee."
"What do you mean?"
"For trusting me, Cladis. Since thou put thy faith in me, I too shall trust Cladis no matter what happens!"
"You'll trust me... no matter what happens...?"

Cladis looked as if lost in thought, following Shume's gaze to a distant place.
Beyond the valley, there was a sea full of white mist.
In the myths, mist is often depicted as auspicious, essential, and warm, but sometimes it obscured the path forward.
The mist they saw seemed like a huge curtain covering the entire White Sea continent.

"But Shume, may I ask you one thing?"
"Oh! What might that be?"

For once, Shume looked at Cladis. But once again, she couldn't meet his eyes for long.

"At first, you were a bit awkward about it, but now you call me Cladis quite easily. When addressing others, don't you still call them Lords? You even say Lord Woomu."
"Oh!"
"Why aren't you comfortable with speaking with others more casually?"
"Well, that is...!"

Shume couldn't answer immediately and averted her eyes.
She was not tactful enough to casually answer when asked by someone special to her of why they were receiving special treatment.
Seeing Shume unable to respond again and resuming to clear her throat, Cladis smiled gently.
 

 

 

White Cloud Watchman Largo

 

"Largo, why did you become a Watchman?"
"You want to ask me that after seeing how I just got in trouble again?"
"Well, it's not the first time you've gotten yelled at by Erlich for straying off in the middle of a mission."
"...What is this? A test from the elder one? Or an excuse to make before you kick me out?"

Largo looked at the man, feigning fear, and the man shook his head in confusion.

"Wait, what? No. It's just a simple question of my own. Honestly, I think you're pretty good and capable, except for the fact that you often disappear in the middle of missions."
"Hah hah. Thanks for the compliment."
"..."

 The man was silent for a moment as Largo smiled broadly in appreciation, though it certainly didn't seem to be a compliment.

"...I was wondering why you joined the White Cloud Watchmen, instead of remaining a traveler. If you were a traveler, you could have been free to roam around without any rules or discipline, as is your nature."
"Aha."

Instead of answering, Largo turned the question back to the man.

"Then, why did you join the White Cloud Watchmen?"
"Huh? Me? Because I was born and raised here in the valley. A home I love, a faith and belief that everyone has held for a thousand years. I was so moved by that spirit that I became a Watchman."
"Hah hah. That sounds like you."

Largo laughed and clapped his hands.

"I'm kind of like you, in that I learned about the Watchmen while traveling and decided I wanted to live with the same mindset."
"And yet, you keep wandering off to different places when you work."
"...I guess it's a habit of being a traveler. Hah hah hah."

At the man's incredulous gaze, Largo smiled awkwardly and scratched the back of his head.

"In that case, wouldn't you rather be a traveler again?"
"Oh, not really, I think being a Watchman has allowed me to learn more about White Ocean."
"..."
"Well, there are pros and cons to everything, aren't there? It's not like I haven't thought about it from time to time... but I don't regret becoming a Watchman, because I'm really enjoying my life now."
"...I see. I know that must have come out of the blue, and I'm thankful for your answer."
"No, it's my fault for not acting too reliable. Hah hah."

After that, they exchanged some more small talk and parted ways.

"Hm, hm."

Afterward, humming lightly, Largo turned in the other direction and disappeared into the crowd.

 

 

Valley Manager Relle

 

Beyond the trees, the sound of the valley's water echoed.
And above them, low hoofbeats beat a steady beat.

"Taqual, shall we rest for a while?"

The hoofbeats stopped at the sound of a gentle voice, and soon, she descended from the back of an Espaqual.
Espaquals are Sacred Beasts that normally live on the Horned Deer Plains,
but this Espaqual had been given the special name Taqual by his rider and was with her.
She stroked Taqual with a touch as affectionate as her voice, then perched on a nearby rock.
Truthfully, the patrol was an excuse; she just wanted to find a quiet place to find the answer to the question.

"Relle, if the Bluehawks have other intentions, what will you do?"

It was an unexpected question, coming from the Elder's mouth a few days ago.
They had appeared in Clearmist that day, when the mist was especially thick.
To Relle and the Watchmen, they were obviously unwelcome guests.
But Luton, the Elder who led the Watchmen, found a reason from them.

A reason.
Over the course of a millennium, the duties given to Relle, the Watchmen, and their parents, and their parents to them, were clear.
To protect the White Cloud Lighthouse and the Valley from harm.
To be a beacon to the lost and show the way.
To welcome visitors from far and wide if they came one day.
For a people who lived by these clear duties and promises, it was a strange thing to ask why.

Sitting on the rock, she held the bow in her hand high. Between the bow and the bowstring, she caught a glimpse of the calm sky.
Suddenly Taqual's face popped up and blocked the view. The bowstring glowed blue in response to Taqual's power.
Relle snapped out of her thoughts and looked at her surroundings.
The green meadows beneath the round clouds. The sound of the water in the valley. The cries of the Sacred Beasts echoing through them. And Taqual's eyes.

She could see everything she had been protecting.
Her grip on her bow tightened.

"If the Bluehawks have other intentions, I trust they will be revealed one day. Until then, I..."

She rose from her seat.

"As I have always done, Taqual, I'll protect this place with you. That's my duty as the manager of this valley."

Again, the sound of low hoofbeats echoed over the rushing waters of the valley.

 

 

White Cloud Messenger Erlich

 

The girl loved the water.
There was something so soothing about the water, so clear and transparent that everything could be seen through it.
She liked the way it could flow calmly, and then turn into a storm, depending on the situation. She liked the way it could be anything.

That's why she loved watching the waterfalls in the valley most of all.
She listened to the calm sound of the water, the melody of the irregularly falling drops, and the majesty of the stormy cascade.
She enjoyed how the same water could flow differently, depending on the situation.
The girl was fascinated by water, and she wanted to be like it.

But the girl had a cold temper.
Unlike the calm flow of water, she was sharp and her consistent behavior was not as flexible as water.
Her observation and analysis, which she was good at, was not accepting and hurtful to others.
So, she was always on the periphery of others.

'...What's wrong with me?'

She didn't know if she was born with this personality or if she was too ambitious.
But what she did know was that she couldn't achieve what she wanted.
So, disappointed, she crouched down and stared at the waterfall as she always did.

"Piii?"

A small, high-pitched cry reached the girl's ears.
Turning her head toward the source, she saw the Sacred Beast, whose form was that of a water serpent made of water.

"Piii!"

The Sacred Beast blinked its big, clear eyes and slowly flew toward the girl, landed on her shoulder, and then slithered away.
For a brief moment, a cool sensation washed over her, accompanied by the refreshing smell of water.
The girl smiled weakly to herself. Then, cautiously, she spoke to the Sacred Beast.

"...Hello. My name is Erlich."

The Sacred Beast responded by spinning once on the spot.
Erlich raised one hand in response, but hesitated to say more.
She wanted to say something more, but she was afraid that if she did, it would leave again.
As she hesitated, the Sacred Beast moved closer to Erlich again and landed on her raised hand.

"Piii!"

With each movement, the Sacred Beast emitted a fresh scent of water.
Bright sunlight filtered through its transparent body, filling Erlich's vision with sparkling light.
Gingerly, she ran her fingers over the top of the Sacred Beast's head, and it rubbed its head affectionately.
Erlich felt her heart skip a beat, as if she had received a strong signal.
This was the first time she'd ever had a creature so casually approach her and take a liking to her.
So, Erlich mustered up the courage to ask.

"...Can we be friends?"

That was the first meeting between Erlich and Pulsy.

 

 

Rugaloo, the Watchman of the Valley

It was late afternoon when the sun's scorching rays began to fade and the mist began to thicken.

In a dark cave deep within the Cloudy Rain Waterfall, something as massive as a house rose to its feet.

It was Rugaloo, a Sacred Beast called the Keeper of the Valley.

Rugaloo emerged from the cave and wandered around, surveying the White Cloud Valley.

Wherever Rugaloo passed, the flowers, trees, and grass grew fresher.

The other Sacred Beasts, instead of being intimidated by Rugaloo's enormous size, seemed to be comfortable around him, and would even playfully greet him.

 

"Hey, Rugaloo. Are you looking around the White Cloud Valley again today?"

 

The valley keepers of the White Cloud Watchmen greeted Rugaloo in a friendly manner, as if they were used to seeing him roaming around the valley.

 

"Kwwwnngg!"

 

Rugaloo bellowed in greeting, just as happy to see them.

 

"Hah hah hah. Rugaloo, you're full of energy as usual! We're going to a different area. Keep up the good work!"

 

The White Cloud Watchmen asked Rugaloo to patrol the valley.

It was a favor that transcended the relationship between a Sacred Beast and a man, and made him an ally they could trust to watch their backs.

Rugaloo continued to carefully survey the White Cloud Valley, and found nothing out of the ordinary in the valley today.

By now, the sky was turning red and the sun was beginning to set over the high hills of the valley.

Rugaloo moved to a familiar place to end his day.

He arrived deep in the valley.

A red-haired woman waited for him, watching the sun set through a cascading waterfall.

 

"Rugaloo, thank you for helping us again today. Good job."

 

She thanked Rugaloo in an affectionate voice, as if she knew what he'd been doing all day.

 

"Kwwwnngg!"

 

Her warm words of appreciation lifted Rugaloo's spirits.

Seeing that, she smiled and gently stroked his back.

 

"Yes, I have faith in you, Rugaloo. You're stronger than anyone else, and you love the White Cloud Valley. You're its keeper."

 

Rugaloo felt the warmth of her hands caressing him, and all the fatigue from his travels through the valley seemed to melt away.

Rugaloo and the red-haired woman sat side by side and watched the sun set over the waterfall for a long time.