Shrouded Seascape

As Lily slowly walked along the path to school, her mind lingered on her father's words from earlier: What do you want to do in the future?

Her initial purpose in enrolling in the academy was to seek the answer to this very question. Yet, even with graduation just around the corner, she still didn't have a single hint of direction.

What do I want to do in the future… Be like Maya, find a stable job, and live a peaceful life? Or should I follow what Mommy did, marry an ordinary man, and have kids of my own?

The mere thought of such a future made Lily shake her head vigorously. That was definitely not the life she wanted.

Should I use my powers to protect Hope Island? Become everyone's guardian? But the seas are calm now. The biggest commotions are just minor disputes between the island governors. The Explorers Association can easily mediate those situations. There's no place for me…

As her mind raced with various thoughts, she soon arrived at the academy gates without realizing it. She hesitated for a moment before stepping inside.

The knowledge that she had gained in the academy was useless when it came to finding her life's purpose. She had to seek the answer using other methods.

As such, she headed straight to the library, hoping to find an answer. Hope Island's library had almost a copy of every published book in the Subterranean Sea. Save for a few prohibited texts; nearly every single title could be found.

She firmly believed that there would surely be one book that could resolve her dilemma.

Lily spent a long time in the library that very day. She skipped meals and poured through book after book. But none of them provided the clarity she sought.

Perched on a ladder high above the ground, Lily scanned the thick tomes in search of her next book when she heard a confused voice from beneath her.

"Lily? What are you doing here? I've been looking for you all morning."

Lily glanced down to see a familiar face staring up at her in surprise. It was her friend, Maya.

"Oh, nothing much. Just trying to figure out my future," Lily answered as she slid down the ladder. She then began to share her problem with Maya.

"In the past, I never gave this question much thought. Mr. Charles invited me onto his ship and made every decision for me along the way. Even up till the very end, it was he who made the decision to turn me back into a human.

"I didn't have to think about anything. All I had to do was follow.

"For close to ten years, my only goal was returning to my parents' side. And now that I'm here, I realize there's no one guiding me anymore. I don't know what to do next.

"Simply put, I don't know what the purpose of my existence is. Maya…I feel really lost," Lily concluded with a hint of bitterness marring her visage.

If Lily was still her past self, perhaps the future she wanted would be to simply live happily ever after with her parents, enjoy delicious food and wear beautiful clothes every day.

However, she was no longer the same Lily who had a simplistic mindset.

Gaining knowledge had reshaped her way of thinking. She was no longer immature and was pushed to grow up and realize that relying on her parents would not work out.

Yet, even after all this time, she still hadn't found the answers she sought.

Even though Maya couldn't understand some of the details Lily mentioned, such as turning back into a human, she could still get the general gist of her best friend's dilemma.

"So, that's what it's like to be rich? You're beautiful and wealthy, yet you still feel like life has no purpose? Honestly, I'd trade places with you in a heartbeat so you could see just how fulfilling a poor person's life can be," Maya said with a teasing smile.

Lily rolled her eyes in Maya's direction before tugging the latter toward the library doors. "Can't you help me figure it out? Aren't you my best friend?"

"As your best friend, I need to remind you that graduation is right around the corner. Your only goal and purpose now is to pass the finals."

Realization dawned upon Lily as her chest tightened. "Yeah, there's still finals. That's the most important thing right now. Let's go! We need to start revision right away!"

The two girls had barely taken a few steps when Lily felt the faintest shift of movement behind her. She glanced back to see a hunched old man shuffling past with a heavy stack of books.

Lily recognized him—he was Sarthe, the library's caretaker. His scarred forehead left a distinct impression on Lily.

"What's wrong?" Maya asked, her arm linked with Lily's.

Lily shook her head in response. "Nothing…must've been my imagination."

With that, they left the library together.

The old man stopped at the table where Lily had been sitting moments ago and picked up the book she'd been reading—How to Find Your Life's Purpose.

He looked at the title and lifted his head to look toward the door where Lily had disappeared. He then climbed a nearby ladder and returned the book to its place among the shelves.

As graduation loomed closer and closer, Lily seemed to have found a temporary purpose. Passing the finals became her sole goal, leaving her no room to ponder over some existential crisis.

As finals week approached, every student was tense with the academic pressure on their shoulders. Everyone knew the weight of being part of the first graduating class.

If they successfully graduated, the Governor had promised a bright future ahead of them.

But on the other end, if they failed to pass the finals, it would leave an indelible mark—a stain on their records that would shadow their future prospects. No one wanted to carry that burden.

Soon enough, the nerve-wracking days of testing were finally over. After the public peer grading of each others' papers, the results were finally out.

When Lily and Maya discovered that they had both passed, they threw their arms around each other in relief and joy.

Hearing the students' cheers of jubilee, the officials from Hope Island's Ministry of Education mirrored the same delight on their faces.

The Governor's investment in this program had finally started reaping its rewards. Once these graduates entered the workforce, Hope Island's technological advancements would undoubtedly leap forward to new heights. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

That very evening, the academy hosted a farewell banquet. The year-long grueling study and pressure finally released its grip on the students.

Fueled by the effects of alcohol, the dining hall transformed into a chaotic festival. Laughter and cheers filled the air, with some students embracing and even kissing in their excitement.

However, Lily didn't join the celebration. Instead, she returned to the library once more. Her gaze was filled with longing as she looked at the seats she'd occupied so often and those books that she had spent countless hours pouring over.

She would be graduating soon, and she might probably never visit this place again. All of a sudden, a sense of longing rose within her.

"Child, are you feeling lost now?" an aged, gravelly voice sounded from behind Lily.

Startled, Lily whirled around to see that it was the library's old caretaker, Mr. Sarthe.

Lily bent her knees slightly and dipped into a graceful curtsy. "Mr. Sarthe, why aren't you at the banquet?"

"That's the young folks' territory. I'd like to keep my bones intact for a while longer," the old man said with an amicable smile as he moved to stand next to Lily.

Tapping the scar running across his forehead, he asked, "Do you know what this is?"

Lily regarded the grotesque scar with curiosity before she answered, "Mr. Sarthe, was that from any injury?"

Sarthe shook his head. "No, child. There used to be a white inverted triangle here."

Lily's eyes instantly widened in shock. "You were a follower of the Light God?"

She had always thought that Linda was the last remaining believer and had never expected there to be another remnant.

"Used to," Sarthe admitted as he eased himself into a nearby chair. He continued to recount the past and said, "Do you know how lost I felt when I learned that the god I believed in had died?

"I even thought about ending my life to follow Him. However, thanks to a friend, I didn't succeed. But I descended into a deep confusion. I was lost, just like you are now."