Seashells on the Blue Beach

Stranger, I live in Mankalis. I am a true-born Mankalisian.

My homeland, Mankalis, is separated from the interior by a magnificent mountain range. Thanks to those mountains, the sea's moisture keeps the region from becoming bitterly cold. It's always warm here, but if you can't stand the humidity, there's really nowhere else to go. The glaciers of ages past left their mark all along the coastline, and the fjords are truly beautiful. At least, that's what I think.

There are no fussy formalities here, and even the air is fresh.

I didn't always think so. After Dad took me to Kenlensti, where a servant taught me how to bow to the Great Emperor, and after I visited Greenwood Fontaine, where people of all ages looked down on me for running barefoot into the woods, I realized I was a barbarian from Mankalis. I argued with them, but they just laughed dismissively and walked away, their skirts trailing hems thicker than I was. I never told anyone about it. I felt embarrassed, furious, and powerless.

All right, let's talk about something more interesting.

Mankalis isn't just a country on the sea. We've also built cities beneath the waves. Using the continental shelf, we've built a city that rises almost vertically from the seafloor to the surface. The abundant energy beneath the sea has made us an industrial hub. Our former Industrial University, now the University of Technology, draws people from all over the world to Mankalis and spreads our influence across the globe. Here, you can see ancient wooden oarboats bringing in their catch, while cruise ships from all over the world sound their horns as they enter the harbor. We're open-minded, too. In a teahouse, you might find locals like us, elves from across the ocean, vampires, beastfolk, and people from all sorts of countries. In short, we have a wonderfully diverse population.

If you come here as a tourist, do be careful. It's crowded and there's all kinds of people about, though we've done our best to improve public safety.

Oh, by the way, my name is Anastasia. Just call me Asia.

And finally, I hope you have a happy life.

This is the letter Asia plans to put in a message bottle. She plugs the glass stopper into the bottle and tosses it out with all her might. A small ripple appears in the distant sea, and the bottle rides the waves toward the horizon.

Asia had an ordinary childhood and lives a carefree life in a fantasy world. As she grows up, the truth about the past comes to light.

A slice-of-life story, though not quite so ordinary.

Theme: Living an easygoing life