Water Elemental 

Water based body horror.

–Everything happens at a cost.
Livestock eat plants to live.
Humans eat them to live.
Forests are cut down to build houses, mountains are carved down to make roads.
It is the law of the world: to achieve anything, an appropriate “sacrifice” must be made.

Long ago, on this land that worshiped the fertility goddess “Nefeshé”, a great war erupted to seize her power.
That divine power, divided into four parts, manifested as Elementals and passed on to four girls, regardless of the goddess’s will.
The power of fire went to Avenius.
The power of earth went to Telseuras.
The power of wind went to Möwe.
And the power of water went to Salacia.
The girls became Sibyls, vessels for the Elementals.
Unaware of the overwhelming tragedy awaiting them down their paths, each girl continued walking, carrying their own ambitions.

“Rebuild a new country.”
Over a decade had passed since Salacia, the Water Sibyl, made that decision.
From the terrace inside the newly constructed castle, she gazed out at the cityscape spread below.

Tioquia, a city blessed with abundant resources, continued to thrive.
Once a city that maintained a false peace through a rigid class system and the relentless exploitation of its people under aristocratic rule, it was completely remade in a single night, by the hand of a single individual.
It was no mere rebellion. Through overwhelming power beyond human comprehension, the oppressive nobles were utterly annihilated, and Tioquia was literally reborn as a new nation.

Tioquia had a newly constructed castle.
A woman stood alone on its balcony, gazing down upon the town below.
Salacia, the new ruler of Tioquia, let the sunlight glint in her eyes.
Not a single cloud marred her view.
She believed she could lead her country toward a future brimming with hope with her own hands.

“The power of the Elemental resides within me. With this miraculous power…”

However, to achieve the country’s prosperity, appropriate “sacrifices” must be made.
Even the power of the Elementals, beings beyond human comprehension, cannot escape this principle.

The people of Tioquia continued to indulge in their peace, unaware of where the happiness bestowed upon them came from.
“Something” cannot be born from “nothing.”
Though hope burned within her heart, Salacia was the only one in the country who truly understood this…

Salacia sat at the head of a round table, surrounded by her vassals.
They were all former members of the rebel army to which Salacia’s late best friend, Sandia, belonged.
After overthrowing the nobles who had oppressed the people of Tioquia for their own selfish gain, and after the revolution sparked by Salacia’s hand, it was only natural that they would become involved in the monarchy.

“The newly established water and sewage systems are functioning without any issues. This should further improve the people’s lives. Plans for expanding farmland also seem to be progressing already.”
“Is that so? That’s good to hear.”
“This is all thanks to your efforts, Lady Salacia. Compared to the country back then, adorned with false wealth…it feels like a dream.”
“Hehe, so many years have passed since then. But it’s not me who has made Tioquia what it is today, it’s the Elemental. It’s only thanks to its power that the country could achieve prosperity in such a short time.”

The element that contributed most to Tioquia’s prosperity was water.
Even during the old aristocratic era, other nations recognized it as a wealthy country. This wealth was built through trade, thanks to Tioquia’s vital port on the continent.
The land’s inherent natural bounty and water sources went to the wealthy merchant nobles. The common people, lacking such wealth, received none of these benefits and endured harsh lives. To maintain their wealth, the nobility imposed oppressive rule upon the people.
This was the false wealth that once permeated Tioquia.
However, this was all wiped out by Salacia’s revolution.
Under the management of Salacia’s monarchy, systems were established to ensure the nation’s resources were appropriately distributed to the people.
Yet, a new problem arose.
Though Tioquia possessed high-quality water sources, the quantity was overwhelmingly insufficient to supply the entire country.
Her vassals were at a loss. But Salacia showed no signs of distress and performed Tioquia’s second miracle.
She constructed a new facility connecting water supply and drainage systems. From it, water gushed forth seemingly endlessly, filling the entire land.
Salacia wielded the power of the Water Elemental. Whether by chance or necessity, that power perfectly matched the problem Tioquia faced.
Water drenched the earth, nurtured plants, and the livestock that fed on them grew plump.
It was no falsehood; Tioquia truly became the richest country on the continent, in both name and reality.

“…That concludes the report meeting. Lady Salacia, please prepare.”
“Yes. It is an important ceremony, after all. I cannot be late.”

That day was a national holiday in Tioquia.
As the day the revolution was achieved, a ceremony was scheduled to take place in the afternoon before the royal castle, with the entire populace participating.
Immediately after the revolution, Salacia had proposed naming this day “Sandia Day,” after her former friend.
Since Sandia was the de facto leader of the rebel army and a beloved core member, none of the vassals objected.
The day of the revolution…was also the anniversary of Sandia’s death.

“Well, then, this year too… Let’s start with just us.”
“…Yes.”

Salacia and her vassals left their seats from the round table, gathered together, and joined hands to form a circle.
They all closed their eyes and murmured in unison.

“To Sandia, Mother of the new Tioquia. And to the noble souls who became its foundation. May your souls rest in eternal peace…”

It was a private ceremony in memory of their friends, held by those who had once worried for the country more than anyone else and stood at the forefront of the revolution.
It was performed without fail, year after year, decade after decade, even after more than twenty years had passed.
Even as their joined hands grew wrinkled, their backs hunched, and the color faded from their hair.
But in that small circle, Salacia alone remained unchanged, with her youthful appearance.
As the very first Sibyl, she did not know.
The moment she housed the Elemental within her body, she herself had become immortal.

One by one, Salacia’s vassals left the round table due to illness or old age.
While those left behind felt loneliness, they had developed a mindset to accept death as they aged together. In contrast, Salacia’s grief was indescribably deep.
To Salacia, her vassals were not only those who served her, but also friends with whom she shared the precious memories of Sandia.
She had lost everyone she could call family that day, so it was no exaggeration to say they were her current emotional pillars.
But now, the time for farewells had come once more.
Housing an Elemental within her did not fundamentally alter her nature.
Even after decades of varied experiences, Salacia’s spirit could hardly be called mature.
The Elemental’s power resisted change through immortality, while also suppressing growth.
Salacia remained, at her core, an ordinary girl with a slightly timid and delicate heart.
For her, time continued to stand still.

Meanwhile, time continued to flow for Tioquia.
As Salacia was crushed by grief after losing the last of her vassals and friends,
young people destined to bear the country’s new future were gathered around the round table.

“…Based on the reports, a severe water shortage is unavoidable. We must proceed with immediate action.”
“Yes, indeed…”

Decades had passed since Salacia ascended to the throne.
Tioquia’s urban expansion expanded at a staggering pace, leading to a population explosion.
While this was proof of the country’s peace, it also meant the water supply could no longer keep up with the growing population.
Even the power of the Elemental had reached its limit in meeting all the demands.

“Lady Salacia, what are your thoughts?”
“I have been considering it… But for now, there is no definitive solution…”

A small sigh, intended to avoid disrespect, escaped from somewhere.
Beyond her human knowledge, Salacia was just a girl. She had never possessed the talent to steer a country’s governance. As the one who sparked a revolution through miracles, she had relied on the wisdom of her deeply devoted vassals until now.
But they were no longer with her.
The young vassals present now knew nothing of the old Tioquia exploited by the nobility. They were born and raised in the peaceful Tioquia, where food and work were assured.
Learning the true nature of the queen revered throughout the land, they could not hide their disappointment.

“I cannot give you any specifics right now. But I will find a way. Can you trust me with this?”

Still, Salacia maintained her composure and addressed them all. Though they had their thoughts, the vassals could only nod in response to her words.
Over 80% of the country’s water supply was currently provided by the power of Elemental.
With Salacia being the sole being capable of wielding that power, they could not possibly interject.

“…Understood. We eagerly await your swiftest possible action.”

After concluding the meeting, Salacia left the round table.
Watching her leaving, the young vassals abandoned their formal demeanor and began whispering among themselves.

“Hey, is everything really okay? This water shortage could be a crisis that brings the kingdom to its knees.”
“The “Miracle Goddess of Tioquia” has spoken. There’s nothing we can do about it.”
“Hey, watch your language. We’ll be in trouble if she hears you.”
“Who cares? I’ll be as sarcastic as I want. Sure, I’m glad to her for creating the country we know today. But even as a queen, she only handles water supply. Her politics are utterly lacking, aren’t they?”
“That’s true, but… It’s only because of Lady Salacia’s water that Tioquia has prospered this far.”
“I know. The problem is that the queen has the final say in national affairs. She’s too moderate. We could bring even greater prosperity to the nation. If she doesn’t understand politics, she should just leave it to us.”
“Hmm…”

The miracle that sparked the revolution in Tioquia. Even those who witnessed that miracle are now drowning in the lukewarm bath of happiness, letting their memories fade away.
This was especially true for the youth who knew nothing of miracles.
These young people possessed a burning ambition.
But to realize it, Salacia’s power stood as an obstacle.

The core of Tioquia was no longer united.
Even Salacia sensed the ominous atmosphere filling the castle.

Tioquia’s water shortage crisis was resolved as declared in less than two months.
However, the measures Salacia publicly implemented amounted to little more than constructing a few additional water supply and sewage systems.
While it was clear she had utilized the power of the Elemental, when her vassals inquired about the specific measures taken, Salacia only gave vague answers and refused to elaborate.

Though the major problem was solved, a shadow settled over Salacia’s expression from that day onward, and she appeared increasingly worn out with each passing day.
Before long, the cracks in her vassal’s loyalty became so glaring that even Salacia herself could sense them. They were now calmly bringing up proposals that the Salacia of the past would have rejected without a second thought, such as excessive military expansion and aggressive national policies prioritizing profit.
These ideas were a far cry from the utopia Salacia envisioned. Though she felt a growing sense of urgency as the gears clearly began to grind to a halt, she steadfastly continued to shake her head in refusal.
As distrust from her subjects increased, one day a certain national policy proposal came before the council:

“I think the punishments for criminals are too lenient. With the influx of immigrants and our country’s large population, we must impose penalties severe enough to maintain order.”

Beheadings, whippings, and imprisonment, which is essentially a life sentence.
In the Tioquia once ruled by nobles, the people, including Salacia, lived in fear of these punishments, and that fear remained deeply ingrained within her.
There was also a blind belief that no one in the new Tioquia would commit a crime worthy of severe punishment, and thus, punishment directly leading to death had never been established.
But now, her vassals argued that it was time to reconsider.
Indeed, public order in Tioquia was deteriorating. Wherever humans gather, conflict inevitably arises. Making an example for the people to see is the quickest means to restore order.
Even so, the vassal who proposed this was half resigned. Surely this soft-hearted queen would never agree, he thought.

“…Very well. I permit the imposition of severe punishments on criminals, including death penalty. Compile the necessary measures: penalties for each crime, the construction of new prisons, and so forth.”

Salacia’s unexpected answer left her vassals stunned and bewildered.
Some sensed something amiss, yet they accepted it, unwilling to let this opportunity slip.
No one knew what change had changed within Salacia’s heart except for her.
But one thing was certain: in present-day Tioquia, Salacia’s change meant the nation’s change.
As her expression grew darker and more shadowed day by day, a heavy atmosphere began to permeate Tioquia.

Some time passed after the first execution was carried out.
A visitor from another country appeared before Salacia, who still never showed a bright expression.
It was a woman named Gerda, who was an outstanding candidate for civil service in Agidis, to study statecraft in the remarkably developing Tioquia.
Deepening friendly ties with Agidis, renowned for its exceptional craftsmanship, was a significant advantage for Tioquia, and the country decided to accept her.

“It is an honor to meet Your Majesty. Thank you for accepting me.”

Gerda knelt reverently before Salacia. Seeing her reflection in Salacia’s eyes, the queen’s eyes widened and was left speechless.
She had no sisters, or any relative in Agidis. It was impossible she had borne a child in secret. Above all, too much time had passed since that day.
Yet, that woman named Gerda had a certain appearance.
She bore an uncanny resemblance to Sandia, Salacia’s former best friend, to the point of being a spitting image.

From that day forward, Salacia kept Gerda by her side more than the attendants who looked after her.
Of course, Gerda would also be with her when performing her duties as queen, and eventually they even began to share meals and sleep in her room.

“Hey… Can you stroke my head? That will help me to sleep.”
“Of course. Hehe, you love being pampered, Lady Salacia.”
“D-don’t laugh…”
“I’m sorry. But you’ve shown me everything, so it’s funny that you’re talking like a child now.”
“…!! D-Don’t say vulgar things!”

They were on the bed. As Salacia blushed and turned away, Gerda pulled her close, then somewhat forcefully grabbed her chin to turn her face back towards herself.
As their lips met, Salacia offered no resistance, simply closing her eyes.

Happening every night, this was Salacia’s only time of bliss.
She had been suffering from extreme insomnia for some time, but now could only fall asleep only when Gerda was patting her.
Amidst the peaceful days she’d never known in the old Tioquia, Salacia craved to reclaim the memories she should have built with Sandia. Gerda continued to give her everything.
Before long, the two grew so close they seemed dependent on each other, forming a bond different from the one she’d shared with her lost friend.

“I feel scared somehow… I feel like this country is drifting away from my ideals… All I have is this power…”
“That’s not true. I’m sure everyone will understand.”
“But you already know, don’t you, Gerda? I’m just a girl who can do nothing but wield the power of the Elemental.”
“And that’s perfectly fine. No matter what schemes anyone plots, Tioquia wouldn’t exist without your power. Have confidence.”

The two of them wrapped themselves in a large blanket, completely naked.
Hearing those encouraging words, Salacia buried her face in Gerda’s chest like a child.

“When I arrived here, you had just resolved a critical water shortage. No one but you could accomplish such a feat.”
“…”

Salacia kept her face buried, her expression hidden. Yet, her body stiffened slightly.
Noticing this, Gerda continued, as if remembering something.

“I’ve been wanting to ask you this for a while now, but what kind of power did you use? I’ve heard of the greatness of your power, but to save an entire country is simply too much…”
“…I did nothing special.”
“So it’s a secret even from me. Could it be related to your occasional late-night outings alone?”
“…You’re being quite pushy today. Even though we’re close, you’re still from another country. There are things I cannot discuss as the queen.”

Sensing Salacia’s complete rejection, Gerda immediately forced a troubled smile to soften the atmosphere.

“Please don’t be upset. I just felt lonely that you kept it a secret, and I overstepped.”
“I’m not mad. But… Let’s not talk about it now.”

With that, Salacia slipped out of bed, stood up, and poured water into a glass from the jug on the side table.
She had once again used her miraculous power to alleviate the water shortage. Salacia had revealed nothing about what it truly was to anyone, including Gerda.
Carrying that secret was a heavy burden for her, and the very cause of her mental exhaustion.
In truth, she wanted to tell someone.
But if she did, everything might come crashing down.
Caught in a dilemma, Salacia drank the water in one gulp, as if forcing back the words threatening to spill from her mouth.

Six months later, the shady atmosphere that had been pervading Tioquia finally became apparent.
Wherever a country flourishes in prosperity, those who seek to exploit it for evil emerge.
Immigrants from other countries entered Tioquia every day, banding together to commit crimes.
Tioquia, naturally, did not let them run wild. They were swiftly captured and subjected to measures like imprisonment under the previously tightened penalties.
Crime had increased, but balance was maintained by appropriate measures. Though uneasy, the people accepted this.

But one day, the situation changed completely when the homelands of the imprisoned immigrants demanded their release.
While there was no issue with Tioquia judging crimes committed within its own borders, refusing outright offered no diplomatic advantage. The country concluded it was wiser to comply with the demand if it meant the prisoners would be guaranteed deportation.

A man sent by Salacia’s vassals walked through the dark, squalid prison with a list of criminals to be released.
There were about twenty individuals targeted this time. To identify the criminals to be handed over should have been a simple task.
But no matter how much he searched the prison, not a single immigrant from the target list could be found. Worse still, several of their own prisoners had mysteriously vanished.
It was as if they had been spirited away.

“This is a grave matter. We were forced to abruptly renege on our demands. Though small now, this could easily become a spark for war.”

One of the vassals seated at the round table declared emphatically.
It was true that several other nations were watching Tioquia with greed, just as the immigrants coveted its wealth.
There were still reasons for concern. Naturally, these eerie incidents had spread throughout the country, and the anxiety and distrust among Tioquia’s people were growing day by day.

“The punishment of criminals falls under Lady Salacia’s direct oversight. Have you no idea what caused this!?”
“We’re investigating thoroughly, but nothing…”

The vassals no longer hid their disappointment.
Their faces clearly show anger, born of disappointment and dismay at the incompetence of their queen.
They had long since reached their limit.
At some point, they began repeatedly discussing a single hypothesis.

“If only we could harness the power of the Elemental for ourselves.”

If they could wield that power at will, according to their own schemes rather than the whims of an incompetent little girl, the country would surely prosper.
But that would simultaneously mean ending the life of their sovereign, Salacia.
Stealing the mighty power of the Elemental may seem like an absurd plan, yet it wasn’t entirely impossible.
The power of the Elementals spilled from Nefeshé. In the land of Luthra, blessed by the Earth Elemental, a certain event had caused her powers to be passed on to another – such an event had been passed down as history among those close to the Sibyls.

That event was…despair.

If one could plunge a Sibyl into despair so profound she would wish to cast away her own lives, it would be possible to transfer her miraculous power into another vessel.
Like a tiny fray in yarn unraveling rapidly with just a little force, something dark swirling in the vassals’ hearts rapidly began to boil.

The group was careful not to reveal these thoughts, and the day’s several-hour council came to a close.
Theoretical debates have their limits. While continuing to investigate the cause, they agreed to prioritize thorough recurrence prevention and transfer authority over the criminal’s management from Salacia to the vassals.

That evening, Salacia must have been extremely exhausted, since she fell asleep instantly in Gerda’s arms.
Tears welled up in her eyes as she was in such a deep, sound sleep, her breathing inaudible.
After being sure, Gerda reached for Salacia’s neck and slowly removed her necklace. A small key dangled from it.
She then slipped out of bed and inserted the key into the lock of a small box sitting on the dressing table.
There was only one thing inside the box. A bunch of keys, each larger than the one she’d just used, linked together through an iron ring.
Gerda slipped out of Salacia’s room and walked without hesitation.
The engineer must have been waiting in front of the castle. Once she had the key’s mold, making the duplicate itself could be done slowly. Putting everything back before Salacia awoke would be easy.

An inviolabe secret.
Where had Salacia been sneaking off to every night? The answer had already been found.
The place where Salacia was heading, blending into the moonless darkness with a wagon full of something ghost-like staggering about.

Something must be there…

A faint smile played on Gerda’s lips as she held this conviction.

A few days later…
All of the vassals gathered together on a small hill slightly outside the center of Tioquia.
Before them lay a building preserved untouched since before the revolution, excluded from the city expansion plans by Salacia’s orders.
It was the remains of an orphanage that once functioned as a secret base for the Aterima faith. Though preserved, it was not maintained. The building was now beginning to decay in places.
Even so, it was likely a solid structure originally. It still seemed capable of providing shelter from the wind and rain.

Climbing over the surrounding wall erected to deter vandalism and trespass, they reached the orphanage’s entrance. One of the vassals pulled out a set of keys.
He inserted one of the keys into the keyhole, and the door slid open with a click.
Stepping inside, they were met with a scene of utter desolation, bearing no trace of its former status as an orphanage.
Broken everyday furniture like tables and chairs lay toppled over, candlesticks and glassware scattered across the floor. As if embodying the damp air, moss had even begun growing in various spots throughout the room.
Amidst what could only be described as a ruin, the light from the vassals’ lanterns illuminated something.

“There are clear signs someone passed through here… And not just once or twice…”

There was a path there, seemingly cleared of moss, dust, and broken glass, like an animal trail emerging through the vegetation.
The path led deep into the heart of the orphanage. Following it, the vassals reached a door.

“What’s this door… It shouldn’t be here, it looks brand new…”

Feeling a chill, yet half-thinking “Why not,” they took out the keyring.
First key.
Second key.
Third key.
The locks on the door, secured with excessive care, opened with surprising ease.
There was no doubt. Salacia’s secret lay there.
Though they felt a dreadful unease at stepping into a place of utter rejection, the vassals still advanced beyond the door.

A long, long corridor, too dark for their lanterns to illuminate fully.
Structurally, this passage was carved into the hill behind the orphanage, and it was clearly not part of it.
Eventually, they unlocked the final door awaiting them at the dead end.
The sight that unfolded beyond left the vassals speechless.
Only one managed to mutter something, his voice barely a whisper.

“This is…”

A vast room, hollowed out as if molded into a perfect circle.
Surrounding it were not walls, but a structure resembling a glass-walled aquarium covering the entire room.
Tubes spaced at regular intervals extended from the aquarium, continuously feeding water into a hole in the center.
At a glance, its design indicated that it served as a water tank.
However, there was something puzzling about it.
To function as such, it would need water to store in the tank, from mountain streams or rain. Despite this, the water level never dropped, and it continued to flow endlessly.
It was clearly a phenomenon defying the laws of nature.

“What is that…?”

In the dimly lit room, only lit by the vassals’ lanterns, several things could be faintly seen floating within the tank.
It was no kind of fish. The texture felt familiar, recognizable as biological organic matter.
One determined vassal cautiously approached the tank.
He raised his lantern to shine light into it, peering through the glass.

“…EEEEK!!”
“W-What’s wrong?!”

The others rushed over in panic, each holding their lantern up to the tank in turn.
The light illuminated the floating objects in the water, making their shapes stand out.
For a moment, the vassals couldn’t understand what they were.
Because they looked so different from anything they knew.

They were…human corpses.

They could be so certain that they were corpses because no human could possibly survive in this state.
Each of them had lost most of their flesh.
They weren’t hacked off with brute force, but carved away smoothly and unnaturally, like ice pressed against a hot iron plate.
The head, limbs, and half of the body were sliced diagonally as if in a cross-section.
There was no discernible pattern. Yet despite clearly missing parts, blood didn’t spill. The exposed flesh and bones were impossible to ignore.

“Hey! There’s still one intact!”

In front of the man who spoke in a trembling voice stood a figure floating upright, still retaining a human-like form.
While the vassals hesitated about rescuing it, the thing slowly rotated in the water, following the current.
They never saw its back.
There lay a corpse, split vertically down the middle, exposing the entire cross-section of its back.

One of the vassals, staring dumbstruck, unable to comprehend, couldn’t hold back the rising nausea and vomited all over the floor. One by one, others followed suit.
It was a hellish sight.
No nightmare could show such a scene. It was beyond the realm of imagination and fantasy.
But this was the undeniable reality. Believing that there must be some meaning to it, one of them began to observe carefully, suppressing the burning in his chest.

“The corpses…are producing water…?”

Looking closely at the cross section of the flesh, he noticed tiny bubbles forming.
The corpse was producing something.
An endless stream of water.
It was a phenomenon beyond human comprehension…the power of the Elemental.
It didn’t take long to realize what this scene meant.

Through the power of Elemental, the corpses were dissolving into water. Being transformed… into water.

The face of the corpses, their heads still intact, looked familiar. They were the disappeared prisoners.
The resolution of the water shortage, Salacia’s vague words, everything began to tie together.

“We…and our people…used this water to farm, cleanse ourselves, quench our thirst…”
“It seems so. How horrifying…”
“Has the queen gone mad? This is no human deed!”
“No, she is not human. A human would never choose such a method…”

They were surviving by consuming water born from rotting flesh. This was deeply unethical.
Yet, this also presented an opportunity for the vassals.
To drag the girl wielding the Elemental power from her throne and seize that power for themselves.

“How did you manage to reach this place?”

The vassals all turned around to see Salacia standing in front of the door.
Her eyes held no light, as if she had resigned herself to an inescapable fate.

“Queen…please explain!”
“…There was no other way. The amount of water needed exceeded the power of the Elemental.”
“But why-“
“I simply controlled the water veins flowing through this land of Tioquia. Something cannot be created from nothing. The same holds true for the power of the Elemental. Just as one must stoke the fire to keep it burning, or slaughter an animal to fill one’s belly, a sacrifice is always necessary to accomplish anything.”
“And you chose humans as that sacrifice!? Was there truly no other way?!”
“Water is the source of life. The mother and foundation of all this earth. The brilliance of a human soul’s moment of ascension, the wisdom etched into their flesh… As compensation, as payment, this was the only fitting sacrifice…”
“Ascension of the soul…? Then these people were alive when…”

Only then did Salacia lift her head, her expression tinged with sorrow.
Even though they were criminals, they were still living humans used as sacrifices to create water.
That was an undeniable fact.

“Even so, how can such an act be forgiven?!”
“Then what should I have done?! We’ve reached our limit of putting strain on the water veins… All of Tioquia’s water is already being supplemented by this chamber’s supply!!”

Salacia paid no attention to her vassals, who were horrified by the shocking truth.
She let out for the first time the anguish she had been carrying alone.

“Should I have told the people to starve to death?! That it was a mistake to have been born in Tioquia?! To give up?! You only care about solidifying your own power through state affairs… Aren’t you the ones who forced me to do something I couldn’t do?!”

Salacia, usually so calm, even appearing timid at times, spoke these words.
The vassals, who had thought of her as nothing more than an ignorant young girl, fell silent, realizing their true feelings had been seen through by the queen.
The frayed thread had already completely unraveled.
Was it a knitted toy? Or a cardigan? It was no longer clear what it was being weaved.
All that remained was mere thread, scattered on the floor, shapeless.
At the peak of this heightened friction and tension, Salacia spat out her final words.

“I sentence you all for disrespecting the queen. You are surely happy to receive the severe punishment you desired.”

Her words made the blood of the vassals frozen.
No one could stop her now.
At that very moment, one of them was about to bring a dagger down behind her…

That day, there was a rare snowfall in Tioquia.
At the execution ground set up before the castle, there was only an execution block, surrounded by the citizens of Tioquia.

“Move! You criminal!!”

At the guard’s command, Salacia appeared at the execution site, her bound hands pulled forward by the ropes.
She wore ragged, filthy cloth barely worthy of being called clothing, the blood spreading across her back now dark and congealed.
The people gasped in shock and sorrow at the sight of their pale-faced queen walking barefoot across the cold wooden planks.

“People of Tioquia! As already announced, our former queen has committed an unforgivable crime!”

The people of Tioquia had already heard the rumors.
Queen Salacia had favored certain merchants for her own selfish gain, and unjustly imprisoned those who opposed her, just as the nobles who once ruled this land had done.
Furthermore, it was said she had kidnapped prisoners to please wealthy merchants with grotesque tastes, staging cruel spectacles that toyed with human lives.
Yet most of the people still couldn’t fully believe the announcement.
They couldn’t abandon the thought that the gentle, kind queen who had saved this country could be capable of such things.
To confirm the truth, almost the entire population had gathered here.

“Even for us, laying hands upon the Miracle Goddess is an unbearable agony! But! We cannot stand by and watch the nation rot under this woman’s rule! Please understand that this is a heart-wrenching decision”

As one of the vassals shouted, a guard roughly pushed Salacia’s back.
With each heavy step she took, cries of anguish rose from the crowd.
When she finally reached the execution platform, her head was forcibly lowered and placed into the notched wooden block.
Above her head, a massive blade hung from ropes, emitting a dull gleam. A terrifying blade, forged solely for severing human heads.
At that moment, Salacia, who had remained silent until then, cried out for the first time.

“I…! I have committed no such crime!!”

Without changing expression, a vassal replied.

“You say this is a false accusation?! Then, we shall grant you one final chance to plead your case! Speak before the people gathered here in your memory!”

Though spoken to, Salacia stammered.
Seeing this, the vassal’s lips curved into a faint smile. He approached Salacia and whispered into her ear.

“Why don’t you tell them the truth? ‘I was simply providing water made from human corpses for the people.’ ‘I have committed no crime.’ Of course, you understand what impact those words would have on this country.”
“…!”

Salacia couldn’t say anything more.
It was easy to imagine the chaos that revealing the truth would cause, the tragedies it would bring.
There was nothing else she could do.
It was already decided the moment her vassal betrayed her with his deadly blade.

“Nothing to say?! People of Tioquia! This girl has now admitted her guilt!!”

There must have been some mistake. The people who believed this were deeply disappointed.
Simultaneously, their anger at Salacia’s betrayal, who was their target of worship, flared up with ease.

Kill her.
Kill her… Kill her…
Kill her… Kill her…!
Kill her! Kill her!! KILL HER!!!!!

The people’s cries for condemnation echoed like a great, swelling wave.
In Salacia’s eyes, her beloved Tioquia was no longer reflected.
The utopia she had envisioned – one saved from tyranny, made prosperous, where all could live in peace and tranquility.
It was nowhere to be found.
An ugly evil filled with only deception and rage erupted.
After losing the ones dear to her, Salacia literally sacrificed herself, and all she could achieve was this sight.
Summoning the last of her strength from her breaking heart, she spoke in a voice barely above a whisper.

“Please…let me see Gerda…at least one last time… Then I can surely go without any regrets…”
“Very well. We’ll grant you that as a parting gift.”

As the vassal spoke, Gerda appeared at the execution site, as if she had known this moment would come.
She approached Salacia and crouched down to meet her gaze.

“Oh, Lady Salacia… How pitiful…”
“Gerda… You came… I haven’t seen you since then, I wanted to see your face one last time…”
“It’s an honor… But-“

Before she could finish, Gerda flashed a mocking smile unlike any she’d ever shown before. Ignoring the surprised Salacia, she continued.

“I’m rather astonished. I knew you were a naive little girl, but I never thought you’d be this foolish.”
“Gerda…?”
“Who do you think helped them to get the orphanage keys? It was me, me. Ah… Somehow, I feel no sense of accomplishment.”
“Th-that can’t be…”
“My name, my origins, everything was a lie. Even my face was made to your liking. You’ve been caught in their trap for a long time. Those Tioquia people have a nasty way of doing things.”
“…”
“Did you have a good dream? Oh, one last parting gift.”

Suddenly shifting, Gerda flashed a gentle smile before delivering a blow to Salacia worse than decapitation.

“‘Salacia. We’ll always be friends!’ …What do you think? Did I resemble that woman named Sandia?”

Something that made Salacia who she was crumbled away with a clatter.
At that moment, her heart was torn apart by sheer despair.
She let out a final scream, mixed with wailing.

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!”

A muffled voice echoed in her ears, as if through a membrane.
Then, almost immediately, a sound like something slicing through the wind was heard, and Salacia’s body was split cleanly in two.
Neither her family from the orphanage nor Sandia came to greet her.
In the moonless midnight, as if the candle’s light had been blown out, only darkness signaled the end.

“Oh… oh…!!”

At that moment, a servant cried out at the change occurring in Salacia’s lifeless body.
Instead of blood, a clear, transparent liquid was bubbling from her severed neck.
The liquid gathered into one mass, gradually forming a shape like a jellyfish, then transforming into the form of a young girl.
Smiling, yet seeming to pity.
Although its appearance was human, no biological emotion could be read in its expression.
Its eyes locked straight onto Gerda beside it, then began to merge with her body.
The Elemental, having abandoned Salacia’s body through despair, had made a choice.
Gerda was its new vessel…and the next Sibyl.

“Behold, people of Tioquia! The Elemental has cast aside this body tainted by greed and chosen Gerda as the next Sibyl! The Elemental’s blessing will never fade!! The future of Tioquia will be secure!!”

A deafening roar of cheers echoed throughout.
It was also the moment Tioquia’s Sibyl became the country’s eternal puppet…

Subsequently, a new monarchy was established under the leadership of former vassals, and they effectively took control of the country.
They then promoted the spread of the once heretical Aterima faith, and suppressed emotions such as desire under the principle of honorable poverty.
All to protect their status as royalty.
To ensure that the power they had seized was their own for generations to come.
Though the form changed, it was no different from Tioquia before the revolution.
Salacia’s dream of creating an utopia vanished, never to be realized…

Some time passed after that. Gerda, who had inherited the Sibyl role by circumstance, lacked the talent required. After Salacia’s death, she could not maintain the water supply essential to Tioquia.
As if its former prosperity had been a lie, the poor starved and began to die, and many abandoned the country.
By the time the chaos began to calm down, Tioquia had fallen into a state that could never be called prosperous.
However, those in power did not simply accept this.
To restore Tioquia to its former glory, to build the ideal country they envisioned.
They waited for that moment.

–A vast brick structure, newly built on expansive land under the nation’s direction.
Within its courtyard, a ceremony celebrated its completion.
Amid the festive banquet, figures who had once been Salacia’s subjects now held the nation’s sovereignty.
Leaning close, they whispered without breaking their smiles.

“An academy for training Sibyls… With this, everything is in place.”
“Yes, our plan is going smoothly…”

Unlike the accidental occurrences involving Salacia and Gerda, the inheritance of power and the training of worthy individuals would all be managed by the state through a facility called the academy.
This meant that it was not the Sibyl who wielded the Elemental power at will, but that the country essentially held that right.
But the academy’s purpose extended beyond that.

“Speaking of which, she possessed the innate talent of a Sibyl… We could never have devised such a method ourselves.”
“A price, huh? We can finally reach that state…”

In the near future, many lives would be lost within this academy.
Joy, sorrow, hope, desire, and despair. Every human emotion mingled and clashed, birthing an ugly yet beautiful chaos in the space between life and death.
In the moment they scatter, souls become the purest offering imaginable, nurturing the Elemental’s power into something more formidable. Powerful enough to bring about a miracle that could fill the entire country with water once more.
That’s what Salacia left behind for Tioquia.
Sacrifices are necessary to accomplish anything.
And a life can be saved by using another life.

–How much time has passed? Tioquia was bustling with the same vitality as before, its streets filled with smiling faces.
At the harbor, a tanned, cheerful fisherman nods contentedly at today’s catch.
A shepherd laughs while playing with his dog, and a farmer’s daughter helps her parents sow seeds.
Women gather at the well to gossip animatedly, while students sprint by.
A peaceful everyday scene that everyone takes for granted.
Today, everyone continues to sprinkle, bathe in, and drink the water of Tioquia that brings that peace.
It is the high-quality, beautiful, clear water of life.
And it would continue to be so, far into the future.