Old drifted along the very outskirts of the Sea Kingdom, just far enough from the main paths that no one would bother him. He wasn’t on an errand—he simply didn’t feel like dealing with anyone today. The Sea Kingdom was full of noise, movement, expectations… He wanted none of it.

The sand shifted under his feet as he dragged his heels, lazily kicking up clouds of silt. A tiny crab attempted to scuttle past him; Old, not watching where he stepped, nearly sent it tumbling head over shell.

Then something caught his eye.

A shimmer—bright, crisp, and unmistakably magical. Not the chaotic bursts Aounabara occasionally released when in a mood, and not the drifting residue of ancient spells embedded in the palace walls. This was something cleaner. Controlled.

It trailed through the water like a line of light.

Old clicked his tongue but followed it anyway. Not because he cared. He just didn’t have anything better to do.

Eventually the trail opened into a quiet cove, where the water settled into a calm, shimmering pocket of light. And there—

A wizard.

He stood tall, wrapped in navy fabric that floated gently in the water. His pointed hat—decorated with a crescent moon and stars—bobbed lightly as he leaned over the glowing magic in his hands. His cape spread behind him like the night sky unfolding across the sea.

Old had seen him before, always wandering the kingdom with that same composed expression. He knew people talked about him. Whispered about him. Old never bothered to learn his name.

But the way the man’s magic glittered—like stardust sinking into the ocean—made Old pause.

Meikai held the glowing mass close, its light reflecting in his soft gray eyes. His posture was calm, almost serene, as though the entire sea existed just to be cherished.

“…I’ll understand it all someday,” Meikai murmured, his voice gentle, carrying easily through the water. A small smile rose on his lips—warm, determined, painfully kind. “With this magic… I’ll protect everyone in this great blue sea.”