"That sounds extremely similar to my idea. Isn't your telepathy just plagiarizing my words? ... Well, it's perfect either way. Prepare yourself, we'll be off as soon as possible."
Cacophony turned on her heel before exiting the room and taking a left. I could hear the taps of bare feet against the wooden floorboards as she walked into the bathroom. Then came the click of the bathroom door as it was shut.
I waited a second, but didn't hear the sound of the faucet being turned on or of water rushing. I didn't know what she was doing inside the bathroom, but I wasn't focused on that anyway.
Left alone on my bed, I couldn't hold back the dread on my face.
'Ah! Why did it have to be fishing of all things!'
There were very few activities in this world that tested the very foundational nature of man in the way that fishing did. It was an activity that served a valid, express purpose that anyone would agree with in theory, but showed its true terror when put into practice. It was the ultimate exercise in futility. You stare for hours and hours into the murky blue abyss, waiting for a simple-minded creature to clamp its gluttonous maw around your hook.
That was already bad enough, but there was no way of being certain that you would be able to eat the damnned thing! Half the time—no, at least three quarters of the time, you're forced to let it go!
It was all so dumb and stupid and idiotic and... my vocabulary isn't quite large enough to keep going, but even so I'm going to throw out one more! It's all so dull-witted!
Rumble!
Cutting off my train of thought was a loud growl from my stomach.
"Arg!"
I flopped backward next to the still-open lunchbox, limbs sprawled in defeat. My ceiling stared back at me, blank and indifferent, as if silently mocking my suffering. The gentle sounds of the waves' ebbs and flows caressed my ears, and the softness of my mattress caressed my skin. I relaxed and allowed all this money and food talk to wash away. I never enjoyed thinking about this kind of stuff in the first place. It was just one of the many cons that came with living as a human being in this low-tier dimension.
The softness of the bed and the sounds of the waves engulfed me. But then came the dull ceiling to dampen it all.
"If only I got to see something good as well. Then I'd have a trifecta."
I exhaled through my nose as I got off the bed. In that same motion, I scooped the metallic red lunchbox off the bed and placed the top back on. After I sealed it, I moved toward the gap between my bed and the wall before crouching down.
The air under the bed smelled faintly of salt and old wood, a reminder that no matter how tightly I sealed my home, the ocean always found its way in. Dust clung to my fingers as I slid the box into the gap. Placing the box back into the crevice, I put the loose floorboard back on top, doing my best to make it look unnoticeable.
Once finished, I got up and took a few steps back to review my work.
'Seems all good to me. No one would ever guess that there's a stash of money hidden here.'
I dusted my hands off and nodded in satisfaction. Hiding money under a floorboard—truly, the behavior of a refined gentleman and scholar. I could already imagine the local authorities finding it one day and calling me "the mad recluse who buried treasure in his bedroom." I might even have novels written in honor of my genius. What a dignified legacy to leave behind.
I grabbed a pair of socks before heading out of my bedroom. I walked toward the front door and picked up a pair of beat-up black tennis shoes. I put on my socks, and without needing to loosen the laces, I slipped the shoes on my feet.
Behind me, the bathroom door clicked open, and I stood at attention.
Cacophony emerged from the bathroom in a different outfit than she had on when she'd entered. Now, she was adorned in a beautifully woven black dress interwoven with red accents and dazzling gems of a bloody hue. It was the same dress that she'd created shortly after awakening from her slumber. While she wore it, her commanding presence and beauty magnified tenfold.
Her eyes met mine, and the corners of her mouth lifted ever so slightly. "I assume you've finished your preparations."
"I—ah, yes," I said, straightening up immediately. "I am prepared for our fishing trip in the neighboring star system! Shall I call up my martian allies for our escort?"
"No. We don't need to go that far out. We're surrounded by water already. I don't see why we can't begin fishing right outside. That said, I have a terrible ache in my chest telling me that you've been withholding something vital."
I scratched my cheek.
'Have I been withholding something..? Hmm... I guess I haven't mentioned that one detail just yet.'
I raised my index finger. "Quite impressive, once again, you've bypassed my 432-layer mental barrier and seen through me. Now, this is just word from an interdimensional fiend that I may have crossed paths with once or twice, but it could be considered vital information. Basically, we aren't allowed to fish here."
Cacophony blinked, her faint smile freezing mid-expression. "…We aren't allowed?"
"Yes, yes. Technically speaking, it's illegal. A criminal offense of the highest degree," I said, crossing my arms with the gravitas of a world-weary philosopher. "The government has some ridiculous nonsense about 'environmental protections' and 'preserving marine habitats.' They say it's for the good of the ecosystem due to past environmental damage, but personally, I think it's all just propaganda to keep the common man from discovering the true depths of the ocean's bounty."
Her gaze narrowed. "So you suggested fishing, despite knowing it is forbidden?"
"Correction. You were the one who suggested it. And, to be fair to you, it's not a terrible idea."
I continued, emphasizing the word as if it were cursed. "There are designated fishing zones, each regulated by the Ministry of Maritime Preservation—oh, how I despise that name. They act like the ocean belongs to them, when in reality it's just wet property no one wants to pay taxes on."
Cacophony's arms folded neatly, her expression unreadable. "Designated zones?"
"Yes. Approved areas where citizens can cast their lines without invoking divine or governmental wrath. Lucky for us, our floating district does have one such zone."
"Then we will go there."
"…Just like that?" I said, half expecting an argument. "No imperial outrage about restrictions on your sovereign right to fish wherever you please?"
"I am not unreasonable," she said, tone smooth and cool. "If these zones exist for a reason, we shall make use of them. Though," she added with a faint curl of her lip, "the notion of protecting the environment over the well-being of your own citizens is a tad absurd. Especially considering that people are struggling to even eat."
"It's to keep the deep sea devils happy and at bay."
She ignored the comment and moved past me toward the door. The light from the window caught her dress, scattering faint red reflections across the walls. As she walked, I took note of her lack of footwear.
"Can't you use your weaving spell to make something for your feet?"
She shrugged her shoulders. "That might be possible, but I prefer to go barefoot."
I guess she did go barefoot throughout the entirety of our battle with the ghost. At that time, she was walking over rigid pavement and jagged rocks. There must've been all kinds of dirty things poking her as she walked. Actually, she ran too. There's no way that could've been comfortable, right?
'What a weird preference to have. Maybe I should try to get her to put on some modern shoes. It might change her outlook on footwear.'
As I made that mental promise to myself, I nabbed my key off the table and stuffed it in my pocket. Cacophony was already waiting for me at the door; it seemed that she wanted me to do the honor of twisting the doorknob and stepping out first.
Since I was technically her guide, I obliged her silent request. With a swift movement, I twisted the doorknob and opened the front door.
As we stepped outside, the humid air pressed against my skin like a damp towel. The salty breeze carried the faint scent of seaweed and metal, a strange blend that suited this place perfectly.
Cacophony followed close behind, her bare feet making soft, deliberate sounds on the polished wood. The wooden walkway beneath us was surprisingly solid and held firm without any unpleasant noise or protest. Ahead of us, the walkway connected to one of the main walkways, which then connected to a tangle of other branching paths that linked the floating platforms to one another.
The patchwork of shoddy homes sprawled before us, each its own unique blend of metal and woodwork. There wasn't any unity in their designs; the only thing that connected them was a combined sense of cheapness.
Out in the endless blue, the water shimmered with lazy ripples that reflected the afternoon January sun. Here and there, bits of an older era's civilization jutted out from the water's surface. Half-submerged rooftops, the tips of old lampposts, and other structures that used to be part of the sunken neighborhood. In the distance, small boats bobbed idly or zipped across the water, leaving thin white trails in their wake. The sound of their engines echoed faintly through the air, mixing together with the calls of seabirds that circled above everything.
Cacophony took in the sight with a slow sweep of her eyes. "The other day, you were too tired to give me a proper introduction," she said, her voice calm but expectant. "Now that we're finally outside, I assume you can do so properly."
I gave a theatrical nod, pressing one fist to my chest as I gazed over the water's horizon line. "Then allow me to extend the courtesy I should've long ago." I spread my arms wide, nearly tripping on my own foot in the process.
After regaining my balance, I stood with arms wide. I took a deep breath and flashed a large grin. In return, Cacophony looked at me with curiosity and wonder.
"This is the final refuge for all those who were left behind by the world. All sorts of vile scum from every walk of life converge in this place to die a desperate, worthless death. Yet, somehow, this wreathed district on the water drowns all who enter into the ocean of its memories. As the motto says: To those set adrift, the seabreeze remembers. Those were the words of the Goddess of Swordsmanship and Purity as she descended into the sea, and they hold true in the hearts of mankind. You should be grateful to have witnessed this place before it's been swept beneath the waves."
I balled my palms into fists. "This is the Dark King's current slice of paradise. Welcome to the fifth floating district, the Aquatic Graveyard."