A dimension, somewhere in the world.
In this mysterious realm, the colors of the world shifted from violet to blue, then to green, and finally to red. At the center of this enigmatic space floated a large circular table and chairs.
Although the round table had no defined seat of honor, Fawn Prevernal Moon sat confidently in a position anyone would consider the most prestigious, arms crossed and eyes closed.
Behind him stood statues… a robed mage and a massive dragon. Their presence in this strange space was a mystery to all but Fawn Prevernal Moon himself.
Whoosh!
A part of the space rippled, and from it emerged a young man with azure hair and a young girl with violet hair… Azure Spring Moon and Purple Winter Moon.
Fawn Prevernal Moon opened his eyes and turned to look at them.
"Ah, Fawn Prevernal Moon. You've arrived early."
"…Indeed."
Azure Spring Moon spoke leisurely with a cheerful smile, to which Fawn Prevernal Moon replied curtly.
Feeling uncomfortable with their interaction, Purple Winter Moon quickly ran to a chair on the opposite side of the table and sat down.
'Ugh. The vibe here is the worst!'
She pulled a candy out of her pocket and popped it into her mouth.
Not long ago, Azure Spring Moon had caused a major incident by hijacking the Dragonwave Fleet of the Eastern Sea to lure Eisel, though it was not something Fawn Prevernal Moon had intended.
Although the event had occurred in the middle of the ocean, far from any continent, it wouldn't be long before the entire world became aware of it.
This meant humanity would learn that the Twelve Divine Moons were interfering in worldly affairs. A development Fawn Prevernal Moon wasn't fond of. Yet, for some reason, Azure Spring Moon had acted on his own.
'…Well, he did it for me.'
The truth was, the one who wanted to make Eisel a vessel wasn't Azure Spring Moon but Purple Winter Moon.
Despite her appearance as a girl no older than ten, Purple Winter Moon was a fearsome member of the Twelve Divine Moons. She wielded an absolute lightning force which was capable of piercing through anything with terrifying precision.
Even Purple Winter Moon couldn't recklessly use her powers without a proper vessel, which was why Fawn Prevernal Moon wanted Eisel to be brought in.
After Scarlet Summer Moon suffered a significant defeat at the hands of Baek Yu-Seol while attempting to make Hong Bi-Yeon their vessel, Fawn Prevernal Moon had urged caution and postponed the plan to abduct Eisel. Yet…
'Who would have thought that Azure Spring Moon, the one among us who seemed the most cautious, would act so impulsively?!'
Purple Winter Moon lowered her head, trying to hide the sound of her teeth grinding together as she watched the tense standoff between Azure Spring Moon and Fawn Prevernal Moon.
Despite possessing the most destructive power among them, she had no confidence in defeating either of them in a confrontation.
Azure Spring Moon carried an impenetrable shield, and his meticulous and calculated nature made it impossible to predict his moves. Meanwhile, Fawn Prevernal Moon… No one needed to say it aloud… he was universally acknowledged as the most powerful of all the Divine Moons.
'Ugh. I miss the quiet days when I lived peacefully…'
Unlike the other Divine Moons, who hid themselves in secret lairs, Purple Winter Moon had wandered from one rural village to another, disguised as a human child, living a modest and quiet life.
Of course, she could hardly use her powers, and taking on the form of an adult was impossible without them, so it wasn't particularly enjoyable… but she found contentment in such a simple life.
She had no ambitions, no greed, and no goals. The only reason she was here was because she feared Fawn Prevernal Moon's threats.
Still, she had thought that whatever Fawn Prevernal Moon planned would be resolved quickly, given his efficiency. Yet…
'That Baek Yu-Seol or whatever he's called… I hate him so much!'
Why did he keep interfering with Fawn Prevernal Moon, throwing him into such a foul mood?
Couldn't humans act like humans and quietly accept the will of the Divine Moons? That would make things so much simpler.
"Azure Spring Moon."
"Yes? What is it?"
"I won't ask your reasons. But from here on, no matter what happens… You will bear full responsibility."
"Of course. That's only fair."
Azure Spring Moon smiled brightly.
It was a twisted smile, hiding his true intentions.
After finishing what he had to say, Fawn Prevernal Moon turned his head away and closed his eyes again. Meanwhile, Azure Spring Moon approached Purple Winter Moon and sat beside her, whispering rapidly.
"Are you sure this is going to work? Really?"
"Well… I can't say for certain, but there's no other way to bring Eisel Morph here. She's Baek Yu-Seol's most treasured vessel."
"Baek Yu-Seol's treasured vessel? So he planned to use her himself? What if taking her like this causes him to retaliate? Are you ready for that?"
No one was present to criticize their casual conversation about treating humans as mere tools.
"That's precisely why I used this method. Admiral Halicevale is a Class 9 grand mage, known for his fierce love for his child and crew. He's bound to offer Eisel as a sacrifice."
"A Class 9 grand mage? That's quite strong for a human, isn't it?"
"Yes, which is why it was difficult to act while he was around."
If Admiral Halicevale had been present, Azure Spring Moon's whirlpool wouldn't have even had the chance to manifest. A Class 9 human grand mage wasn't weak enough for the Twelve Divine Moons to disregard. If Azure Spring Moon had tried to wield such power in his presence, Halicevale would have intervened immediately to stop it.
So, they waited for his absence.
Without their admiral, the fleet couldn't resist the Twelve Divine Moons. By the time Halicevale arrived, everything was already over.
Though he could theoretically dispel the whirlpool with magic, the moment he made any such attempt, Azure Spring Moon had threatened to sink the entire fleet into the sea. This prevented Halicevale from acting rashly.
"That human is strong. Fighting him would certainly make for an interesting match."
"... But you'd still win in the end."
Using the unique powers of the Twelve Divine Moons, no human could hope to defeat them.
'What a cunning bastard.' Purple Winter Moon thought so to herself.
It was clear that Azure Spring Moon avoided a direct confrontation with Halicevale, opting for underhanded tactics instead.
'...It's for my sake, after all. I'll just turn a blind eye.'
If they could secure Eisel as a vessel, perhaps they might even be able to deal with that arrogant human, Baek Yu-Seol.
"Still… Are we really just going to sit back and let this play out?"
There were very few mages in the human world capable of facing Admiral Halicevale one-on-one. But in the unlikely event that…
"Of course, we're not just waiting idly."
"Then…?"
"This is, in reality, nothing short of blackmail against Baek Yu-Seol," Azure Spring Moon said. "He will eventually find out about this incident. However, even with his abilities, it's impossible for him to destroy my whirlpool. He'll be forced to make a choice."
"A choice? Oh… Now that I think about it, Baek Yu-Seol is known to act for the sake of saving others, right?"
"Exactly."
Azure Spring Moon patted Purple Winter Moon on the head as though rewarding her for answering correctly. She shook her head in annoyance to shrug him off, but it didn't change the situation.
"Fawn Prevernal Moon may not approve, but this incident won't stay quiet. The world will know. And they'll know the choice he makes."
The world would see Baek Yu-Seol forced into a dilemma.
Would he save the countless lives of the members of the Fleet, the protectors of the sea?
Or would he save his precious friend, Eisel Morph… the last of the Morph lineage, which was forever branded as a traitor?
Either choice was fine.
Even if they failed to make Eisel a vessel, it would be enough if Baek Yu-Seol chose to abandon the fleet.
"He won't be able to act as he once did. After all, if he sacrifices countless lives to save a single traitor, he'll never be trusted again."
"..."
What a cruel bastard.
Purple Winter Moon thought this sincerely and turned her head away to hide her expression.
She could only hope that this incident wouldn't drag her down with it.
***
Meanwhile, Eisel and Flame, following Hong Bi-Yeon's summons, met with Admiral Halicevale to hear his account of the situation.
"The Twelve Divine Moons, and no less than Azure Spring Moon, the overseer of the seas, resorting to blackmail..."
It had already been a month since the incident, with two months left until the deadline.
Eisel lowered her head, her face pale.
'They… want me?'
The idea that the Twelve Divine Moons had taken the renowned Dragonwave Fleet hostage and were blackmailing a Class 9 grand mage just for her was overwhelming, even for someone as confident as Eisel. Her heart sank.
"Stay calm. Don't act foolishly."
Eisel bit her lip nervously.
"You've been through something similar yourself."
"...That's true."
"But… this is different."
In her case, it had only been her own life at stake, and Baek Yu-Seol had been by her side to protect her.
This time, it wasn't the same.
If Eisel didn't give up her life, countless others would suffer.
And because Azure Spring Moon had threatened Halicevale not to involve Baek Yu-Seol, even though the admiral knew Baek was an expert on the Twelve Divine Moons, he had refrained from contacting him.
"What should I do…?"
Buzz!
As the three girls and Admiral Halicevale sat in deep concern, Hong Bi-Yeon's communication orb suddenly began to vibrate.
Calmly, she picked it up and answered the call. A panicked voice came through.
— Princess Hong Bi-Yeon! I beg your pardon for this interruption, but please pass the device to the Admiral!
"This voice… Is that not Chief Navigator Kaln? I'm listening. Speak."
— Admiral, we have a serious problem! The Closer, a cruise ship sailing near the Eastern Sea, witnessed the massive whirlpool where our fleet is trapped… And now, it's all over the newspapers!
"What?! What did you say?!"
Admiral Halicevale shot to his feet.
He knew it would be impossible to keep such a massive whirlpool a secret, but he had done everything in his power to control access to the area. However, during his brief absence, a cruise ship with many witnesses happened to pass through the vicinity, revealing the existence of the whirlpool to the entire world.
"Damn it. If Baek Yu-Seol learns about this, Azure Spring Moon will accuse me of violating the terms and could retaliate with who knows what kind of threats…!"
But that wasn't the worst of it.
— Admiral, there's more… Someone managed to escape from the whirlpool alive. That survivor has told everyone aboard the cruise ship what happened inside.
"Th-then, could it be…!"
Halicevale's shock was palpable, and Eisel, listening nearby, felt as if she wanted to scream.
— Yes, Admiral. The whole world now knows. They know about Azure Spring Moon, one of the Twelve Divine Moons. And that the ruler of the sea desires only one thing: Eisel Morph.
Eisel's hands trembled uncontrollably as her lips turned pale. Flame held her hand in an attempt to comfort her, but she couldn't find the words to offer solace.
"My god…"
Hong Bi-Yeon pressed her hands against her temples, feeling the weight of the situation crush her.
If only Baek Yu-Seol had known about this a month ago…
He might have been able to suggest a solution in advance.
"…Maybe that's exactly what they intended."
Flame bit her lip hard as she spoke.
"It was only a matter of time before Baek Yu-Seol found out. But Azure Spring Moon wanted the world to know before Baek Yu-Seol could act. To make the situation extreme and deny him the time to come up with an alternative plan..."
Now, the world knew.
The choice was clear:
The life of one person, Eisel Morph.
Or the lives of tens of thousands aboard the Dragonwave Fleet, the protectors of the seas, tirelessly eradicating pirates and sea monsters.
"Ah…"
Eisel shut her eyes tightly, feeling as if she might faint.
'If only all of this were just a bad dream…'