Chapter Two: The Name of the Fish Tank

The fish in the aquarium are fond of those black berries, which remain abundant even in the Age of Sorrow. Humans cannot eat them—they are poisonous and cause severe diarrhea—so they are useless in staving off hunger. I feed them to the fish merely by chance, as the fish seem interested in them.

I do not believe the fish depend on these berries for survival. After all, they have lived for many years without eating or drinking anything.

The aquarium is a perfect cube, and there are five fish in total. The red one I call "Courage"; the white one, "Purity"; the golden one, "Faith"; and the sky-blue one, "Kindness." For a long time, we did not notice the last fish, as it was black and the water in the tank had a dark hue. It hid in the corner, unseen by anyone.

This black fish chills all who see it, though none can say quite why. Perhaps it is its color, or the way it glides through the water, or those unfathomable eyes; perhaps it is its ghostly elusiveness, making people dream at night of being devoured by this spectral black fish. Whatever the reason, it fills people with unease.

We named it "Hunger," though no one recalls who first gave it that name. The villagers consider it a kind of dark humor, since it so often consumes people in their dreams.

It was the arrival of "Hunger" that toppled the aquarium from its place of reverence, turning it into something everyone shunned. That is how it came to be mine.

But what are these fish, really? Why are they so resilient? At first, I thought the secret must lie in the aquarium's black water, but the village apothecary discovered that the water was ordinary, apparently darkened by "Hunger" itself.

For now, the aim of Waterless Village is survival; scientific study is not a priority. I keep the fish for amusement, though in truth they have no need of me. They simply exist, relying on nothing and no one.

If I were to drain the aquarium, would the fish die? It's hard to say—but I would never do so, nor let anyone else try.

I spread the magazines and newspapers I had gathered along the way on the floor, and opened the cabinet. It was filled with books from the last century, their pages worn thin from my reading.

But the true secret lay behind the books.

Locking the door tightly, I moved the books outside, revealing my stash: dried meat, canned goods, snacks, compressed biscuits, and ready-to-eat rations from airlines—a year's worth of supplies, my private collection.

If Orchid were to find out, I would not only be punished, but everything would be confiscated. As a scavenger, I already received more food than others, and everything I brought back belonged to the village. Hoarding is a crime—profiteering at the expense of all.

Every scavenger secretly keeps a small hoard; it is an open secret among us, even someone as upright as Milsena... Well, perhaps not him, but he never stops us.

Still, no one has a stash as large as mine—enough to last three months.

I have been doing this since Milsena left.

Dahlia knocked at the door, calling, "Lanki! Orchid wants to see you!" She turned the handle, but fortunately, I had locked it.

I hurriedly stuffed the magazines back into the cabinet, blocking the secret compartment, then opened the door. Dahlia surveyed me with a look of mild irritation—her pretty face neither warm nor cold, neither distant nor close. She asked, "What were you doing? Why did it take so long?"

I smiled awkwardly. "Just some personal matters."

She frowned, as if about to say more, then simply said, "Hurry up."

We walked along pathways, platforms, and stairs made of steel plate, arriving at a glass room—Orchid's office, the cleanest place in the village. It had once been the foreman's lounge for the old mine.

Orchid, Newt, and Maze were all there. The other two had been Orchid's subordinates in the Shield and Sword Society; after their retirement, they followed him here. Both were seasoned warriors and Orchid's trusted friends. Newt was a silent, burly man, while Maze was eloquent and quick-witted.

"I've brought him!" Dahlia said. "Father, may I go now?"

"Of course," Orchid replied. After she left, he said, "Lanki, we've discovered a hidden door."

"A hidden door?" I asked.

"Yes. This place was once a mine, but we suspect that was just a cover. The ore has long since been exhausted, so someone must have hidden something beneath it."

"Father, give the order and I will uncover whatever secrets lie beyond that hidden door."

Orchid sighed, "You're now my most capable aide—clever, strong, and in your prime. Without you, I truly don't know what I would do."

I felt a surge of pride, but immediately recalled that these were words once spoken to Milsena. Now that Milsena was gone, it was my turn.

The four of us left the glass house. The hidden door was behind the cultivation chamber. Passing through the mushroom fields, I noticed one bed of mushrooms was not thriving; they were small and lacked their usual plumpness. I had worked those fields myself, and such poor growth was rare.

Further on, I saw they had pried off a large section of wall, revealing an iron door now forced open with crowbars. Beyond it was a long ladder descending into the depths below.

They must have known of the hidden door for some time, judging by the precision with which they removed the wall panel—none of the surrounding panels were disturbed.

Orchid handed me a coil of rope, fastening one around himself as well. "The air below is poor, but you and I should be able to endure it. Just in case, wear an oxygen mask. Newt, Maze, keep watch. Don’t let anyone else come in."

"Father, I can handle it alone," I insisted.

He clapped my shoulder. "No, we work in pairs. You look out for me, and I look out for you."

Gratitude and pride welled within me. With Milsena gone, Orchid finally acknowledged my worth. In that moment, my ambitions began to waver.

We climbed down twenty meters of ladder into a tunnel, thick pipes running along its sides. I could hear water flowing within.

"Could these be part of the mushroom bed’s internal circulation system?" I asked.

Orchid was unperturbed. "Perhaps. It’s a secret, do you understand?"

They clearly knew the location of these underground pipes. Perhaps the previous village chief knew as well, but no one dared come here, as the mushroom fields were vital to everyone’s survival and no one wanted to risk damaging the tanks.

"Is there something wrong with the mushroom fields?" I asked.

"Nothing serious, just a concern. Best to check," Orchid replied.

I decided not to probe further and resolved to trust my adoptive father. He was right; sooner or later, we had to understand how the tanks worked. If they failed, we needed to know how to repair them—we could not live forever in ignorance, relying on luck.

After a stretch of silence, Orchid said, "I once asked Dahlia whether she would marry you."

His words left me speechless.

"When you and Milsena were both here, I admit I favored Milsena. You are both exceptional—far better than the other young people here. He reminded me of myself in my youth: brave, but reckless. I know you often felt inferior to him and perhaps sensed my bias. But do you know? Of you two, you are the one I trust more."

"Father, I have no complaints. I only—"

"You’re resourceful, creative. In a true crisis, you always find a way—whether it’s perfect or not, you get through. Milsena has strength but cannot leave the soil that suits him. You are different—a survivor, the greatest survivor I know."

I cried out, "Father, your praise leaves me at a loss for words."

"That’s why I sent Milsena away and kept you here. Of course, he’s better suited to the rules of the Shield and Sword Society. But I believe you are the better heir."

He stopped, turned, and embraced me. "I will make Dahlia your wife. I have told her so, plainly."

"But... Dahlia is unwilling—her heart has always belonged to Milsena. Haven’t you noticed how downcast she’s been since he left?"

"Nonsense. I make the decisions here. I will entrust her to you; you will protect her in my stead."

"I believe we must respect Dahlia's wishes," I replied.

Orchid’s eyes were sharp as a hawk’s. "You refuse?"

In my youth, I longed to surpass Milsena in every way—to outrank him in the eyes of others, to win greater authority, to make Orchid proud and Milsena overlooked. Naturally, I wanted to win Dahlia’s heart, for hers was always drawn to Milsena. I tried every means to draw closer to her, to win her affection. If I saw a flicker of jealousy on Milsena’s face, I felt a secret thrill.

I brought Milsena and Dahlia to see my aquarium, naming the fish together. Yet even when Dahlia laughed, her eyes always sought Milsena.

I treated Dahlia as the symbol of my triumph. I even considered stealing from her the first kiss that should have been Milsena’s.

But deep down, I knew I did not love Dahlia. It was jealousy that drove me to such foolishness. Now that Milsena has gone, I no longer feel any need to pursue her.

I understand why Dahlia avoids me; Orchid has ordered her to marry me. She is unwilling, believing I manipulated Orchid and took advantage of her pain.

Heaven knows, I have long since moved past all that.

"Father, I am grateful for your trust, but everything should follow its natural course," I replied.

Orchid sighed. "I only wish... Ah, Lanki, do you not know how old I have become? Soon, I will be nothing but a feeble old man, no longer able to care for her or protect this village."

"I believe that one day Milsena will return, trained and ready to lead the village and wed Dahlia. They are truly meant for each other. You are still strong and healthy. There is no need to worry about such distant matters."

Orchid’s temper flared. "Why do you hedge and refuse my order? Do you have other plans?"