Chapter 111 - 109: The Lighthouse That Shouldn’t Have Been Built

Chapter 111: Chapter 109: The Lighthouse That Shouldn’t Have Been Built

The lighthouse was supposed to be thirty centimeters tall.

That was the original agreement.

Arin remembered it clearly because he had been present when Luna proposed the idea, Lyra approved the budget, and Lucan volunteered to supervise construction.

Somehow, by the following morning, the lighthouse had become a three-meter-tall wooden structure standing beside the family’s sandcastle.

Arin stared at it.

Then at Lucan.

Then back at the lighthouse.

"Explain."

Lucan folded his arms.

"Structural improvements."

"It’s three meters tall."

"Excellent visibility."

"It’s supposed to be part of a sandcastle."

"Now it’s a landmark."

Arin closed his eyes.

Lyra stood beside the structure wearing a construction helmet several sizes too large.

"We expanded the project."

"Without asking me?"

"We held a meeting."

"Who attended?"

"Me, Luna, Uncle Lucan, and Victor."

Arin slowly turned toward Victor.

The former Player smiled.

"I voted for a bigger lighthouse."

"Of course you did."

Luna tugged Arin’s sleeve.

"Big Brother, look!"

She pressed a button on a small control box.

A warm golden light appeared at the top of the tower.

Then began rotating.

Arin stared.

"Where did you get that?"

"EVE helped."

He looked toward EVE.

She smiled pleasantly.

"It uses a low-output household mana crystal. The housing is weather-resistant, and the electrical components are fully enclosed."

Arin sighed.

"You built an actual lighthouse."

"Technically," EVE replied, "it is a decorative coastal beacon."

Lucan nodded.

"Much better name."

The structure immediately attracted attention.

Children gathered around it.

Fishermen stopped to inspect the rotating light.

Several tourists asked whether the beach was hosting a festival.

And one elderly woman offered to buy it.

Lyra’s eyes lit up.

Arin intercepted the conversation before she could negotiate a sale.

"It’s not for sale."

Lyra looked wounded.

"But Big Brother—"

"No."

"She offered silver!"

"No."

Lucan leaned toward Victor.

"He’s crushing entrepreneurship."

Victor nodded solemnly.

"A tragic day for commerce."

Arin ignored them.

Then Captain Elsen arrived.

She examined the lighthouse.

Walked around it.

Checked the foundation.

And looked toward Arin.

"Who built this?"

Arin pointed at Lucan.

Lucan pointed at Lyra.

Lyra pointed at Luna.

Luna pointed at EVE.

EVE looked toward Arin.

"Collaborative effort."

Elsen stared.

Then laughed.

"I should have known."

The morning’s amusement ended when a messenger arrived from the harbor authority.

Elsen read the message.

Her expression changed.

Arin noticed immediately.

"Problem?"

"Possibly."

She handed him the report.

A coastal freight vessel had arrived overnight from the northern ports.

Its captain reported severe delays along the eastern trade routes.

Not because of monsters.

Not because of storms.

Because of missing navigation markers.

Arin frowned.

"Missing?"

Elsen nodded.

"Several offshore buoys have been damaged or removed."

EVE examined the report.

"Locations?"

"Mostly along the northern approach."

Arin studied the chart.

The affected markers were outside Blackwater Hollow’s restricted zone.

They marked ordinary shipping channels.

Without them, vessels unfamiliar with the coast could easily drift into dangerous waters.

Lucan folded his arms.

"Accidents?"

"Maybe," Elsen answered. "But too many in one week."

Arin looked toward the sea.

"Then someone needs to inspect them."

Elsen nodded.

"That’s why I’m here."

The inspection began shortly after midday.

Arin accompanied Elsen aboard a harbor maintenance vessel.

EVE joined them, along with Rian and two local technicians.

Lucan remained ashore.

Not voluntarily.

Arin had assigned him to supervise the lighthouse.

Lucan had protested.

Then Luna had declared him Chief Lighthouse Guardian.

He accepted immediately.

Victor became Deputy Guardian.

Arin suspected that Seabreak would regret this.

The maintenance vessel traveled north along the coast.

The sea was calmer than the previous day.

The sky clear.

The wind steady.

Elsen stood beside the captain, studying the navigation chart.

The first damaged buoy appeared after forty minutes.

It floated at an awkward angle.

Its light was broken.

And its anchor cable hung loose beneath it.

Rian examined the structure through binoculars.

"Looks like impact damage."

Arin nodded.

"From a ship?"

"Possibly."

EVE deployed a small inspection drone.

The underwater camera revealed deep scratches along the buoy’s lower housing.

Several metal components had been bent inward.

The anchor chain was severed.

Arin frowned.

"That’s not ordinary wear."

Elsen nodded.

"No."

The second buoy was worse.

Its upper structure had been completely torn away.

Only the submerged anchor assembly remained.

The third was missing entirely.

EVE mapped the damage.

Then highlighted a pattern.

"All three markers were located near shallow reef passages."

Arin studied the chart.

"Could the same creature have damaged them?"

"Possible. But the impact directions differ."

Rian frowned.

"What does that mean?"

EVE displayed the first buoy’s scratches.

Then the second’s broken supports.

"Some damage is consistent with external force. Other damage suggests deliberate removal of components."

Elsen’s expression hardened.

"Salvage thieves."

Arin looked toward her.

"People steal navigation equipment?"

"People steal anything that contains valuable metal or mana crystals."

Arin sighed.

"Of course."

The fourth marker provided the answer.

It was still standing.

But a small fishing boat was tied beside it.

Two men were removing the buoy’s mana-crystal housing.

Arin stared.

Elsen stared.

Rian stared.

One of the thieves looked up.

For a moment, nobody moved.

Then the man shouted something unpleasant.

The fishing boat’s engine started.

Elsen folded her arms.

"Well."

Arin smiled faintly.

"That simplifies the investigation."

The thieves attempted to flee.

Unfortunately for them, their small fishing boat was considerably slower than the harbor maintenance vessel.

Arin did not need to fight.

Elsen’s crew intercepted them within minutes.

The thieves surrendered after discovering that the harbor patrol carried considerably more authority than they had expected.

One tried to throw a stolen mana crystal overboard.

EVE’s drone caught it before it hit the water.

Arin looked impressed.

"Nice."

EVE smiled.

"Thank you."

The thief stared.

"That’s cheating."

Arin raised an eyebrow.

"You’re stealing navigation equipment."

The man looked away.

"Fair."

The captured men admitted that they had been removing valuable components from offshore markers.

They had sold several crystals and metal fittings through an intermediary operating in a nearby coastal village.

But they denied responsibility for every damaged buoy.

Elsen questioned them carefully.

The men were frightened.

Greedy.

And apparently not particularly intelligent.

Arin believed they were telling the truth about at least one thing.

They hadn’t damaged all the markers.

The scratches on the first buoy remained unexplained.

By late afternoon, the maintenance crew had replaced two damaged lights and installed temporary warning markers.

The missing buoy would require a new anchor assembly.

Elsen reviewed the repair schedule.

"Three days, if the weather holds."

Arin nodded.

"Can Elysium help fabricate the replacement?"

"At a fair price."

Arin smiled.

"Of course."

Elsen looked relieved.

Then suspicious.

"You’re not going to build another giant machine, are you?"

Arin considered.

"No."

She narrowed her eyes.

"Promise?"

He smiled.

"Probably."

Elsen sighed.

Back at Seabreak, the lighthouse had become a minor attraction.

A small crowd stood around it.

Children were taking turns ringing a decorative bell.

Lucan had somehow acquired a chair.

Victor was selling refreshments.

Arin stared.

"Why are you selling refreshments?"

Victor looked offended.

"Because people are thirsty."

"That’s not your shop."

Victor pointed toward Lyra.

"Partnership."

Arin turned.

Lyra smiled.

"Temporary concession."

Luna nodded.

"Uncle Victor pays rent."

Arin slowly closed his eyes.

He had been gone for five hours.

Five.

That evening, the family gathered beside the lighthouse.

The sun was setting.

The sea reflected shades of orange and gold.

The little beacon began rotating automatically.

Luna watched it with obvious pride.

"It’s working."

Arin smiled.

"Yes."

Lyra folded her arms.

"Best lighthouse ever."

Lucan nodded.

"Architectural masterpiece."

Victor raised his cup.

"To the lighthouse!"

Arin laughed.

Then EVE approached.

"Arin."

He looked toward her.

"Yes?"

"I’ve completed the analysis of the damaged navigation markers."

His smile faded slightly.

"Anything interesting?"

"Yes."

She displayed the underwater footage.

The scratches on the first buoy were deep.

Curved.

And spaced in a repeating pattern.

Not tool marks.

Not ordinary collision damage.

Arin frowned.

"Claws?"

"Possibly."

EVE enlarged the image.

Several fragments of pale material remained embedded in the metal.

She had recovered one during the inspection.

Its composition was unusual.

A hard biological substance containing trace mana-reactive minerals.

Arin studied it.

"Marine creature?"

"Likely."

"Ribbonback?"

"Unlikely. The dimensions do not match."

Lucan leaned forward.

"Another giant fish?"

Arin sighed.

"Please stop calling everything a fish."

Lucan smiled.

"No promises."

The following morning, the harbor authority received another report.

A fishing vessel had encountered a large creature near the northern reef passages.

It had not attacked the boat.

But it had torn apart a floating marker.

The crew described a broad, armored body with powerful forelimbs and a long tail.

Arin listened carefully.

Then looked toward EVE.

"Sounds different from the Ribbonbacks."

"Agreed."

Elsen rubbed her forehead.

"How many enormous things live in this ocean?"

Old Renn, who had been listening nearby, laughed.

"More than you want to know."

Arin smiled.

"Fair."

The harbor authority decided to establish a temporary monitoring zone around the northern reefs.

Arin offered limited drone support.

Elsen accepted.

But she made one condition clear.

"No unnecessary fighting."

Arin nodded.

"Agreed."

Lucan looked disappointed.

Elsen pointed at him.

"Especially you."

Lucan sighed.

"Everyone’s against me."

The next afternoon, the monitoring drones detected the creature.

It emerged from a shallow underwater cave.

Its body was broad and heavily armored.

Four powerful limbs extended from its sides.

A long tail trailed behind it.

Its head was covered in thick plates.

And two large claws projected from its forelimbs.

EVE estimated its length at twenty-eight meters.

Arin studied the image.

"Interesting."

The creature approached a damaged buoy.

Then gripped the metal housing.

With one enormous claw, it tore away the remaining structure.

Rian stared.

"Why?"

EVE analyzed the footage.

The creature carried the metal piece toward its cave.

Then disappeared inside.

Arin frowned.

"It’s collecting them."

Lucan smiled.

"Treasure-loving sea monster?"

Arin considered.

"Maybe."

The drone followed at a safe distance.

Its camera illuminated the cave entrance.

Inside lay a collection of objects.

Broken anchors.

Metal chains.

Ship fittings.

Navigation components.

And several large pieces of polished stone.

Arin stared.

"That’s a lot of scrap."

EVE scanned the arrangement.

The objects were not scattered randomly.

They formed a rough circular structure around a central depression.

Arin leaned forward.

"A nest?"

"Likely."

The creature placed the buoy housing beside several other metal objects.

Then carefully adjusted their positions.

Rian blinked.

"It’s building something."

Arin nodded slowly.

"Yes."

Then the camera revealed movement within the central depression.

Three smaller creatures.

Each approximately four meters long.

Covered in pale armor.

Their tiny claws gripping the surrounding metal.

Lucan smiled.

"Babies."

Arin nodded.

"Looks like it."

The explanation became clear.

The enormous creature was collecting hard materials to reinforce its nesting area.

Metal.

Stone.

Shell.

Anything durable.

Unfortunately, the navigation buoys contained exactly the kind of materials it preferred.

Arin leaned back.

"So it’s not attacking ships."

EVE nodded.

"It’s collecting construction materials."

Lucan laughed.

"An underwater contractor."

Arin smiled.

"With terrible procurement practices."

Captain Elsen listened to the findings.

Then stared at the footage.

"So the creature is stealing our buoys to build a nursery?"

Arin nodded.

"Apparently."

She closed her eyes.

For several seconds, she said nothing.

Then she began laughing.

Not politely.

Not quietly.

The exhausted laughter of someone who had spent weeks dealing with missing ships, damaged equipment, frightened merchants, and increasingly ridiculous problems.

Arin smiled.

"At least we know why."

Elsen wiped her eyes.

"Wonderful. Our navigation system is being dismantled by a mother trying to raise her children."

The solution required cooperation.

Not with the creature.

With the harbor authority.

Arin proposed relocating the vulnerable navigation markers farther from the nesting cave, replacing their exposed components with less attractive materials, and installing temporary floating barriers around the most important approaches.

Elsen approved the preliminary plan.

Rian began redesigning the buoy housings.

EVE adjusted the coastal navigation charts.

And Arin authorized fabrication of replacement components.

The creature remained undisturbed.

Its young remained safe.

And the harbor could restore its navigation system without turning the nesting grounds into a battlefield.

That evening, Arin returned to the beach.

The lighthouse still stood.

Its warm light swept across the sand.

Lyra and Luna were sitting beside it, counting the day’s earnings.

Arin approached.

"How much?"

Lyra smiled proudly.

"Twenty-four copper!"

Arin raised an eyebrow.

"From what?"

"Refreshments."

"And?"

"Souvenirs."

"And?"

Lyra hesitated.

Then smiled.

"Lighthouse viewing tickets."

Arin stared.

"You charged people to look at a lighthouse?"

Lyra folded her arms.

"Maintenance costs."

Lucan laughed.

Arin sighed.

Then Luna looked up.

"Big Brother?"

"Yes?"

"Can we build a real lighthouse someday?"

Arin looked toward the small wooden tower.

Then toward the distant harbor.

He considered.

A real lighthouse.

One that guided ships.

One that helped people return home.

He smiled.

"Maybe."

Lyra’s eyes widened.

"Really?"

"Yes. But if we do, it won’t be a private shop."

She looked disappointed.

Arin laughed.

"It’ll be something everyone can use."

Luna smiled.

"Good."

Later that night, EVE stood beside Arin on the observation deck of the Civic Exploration Platform.

The sea stretched beneath the moonlight.

Seabreak’s harbor lights flickered in the distance.

The little lighthouse on the beach glowed faintly.

EVE looked toward the water.

"I’ve been thinking."

Arin smiled.

"That’s usually expensive."

She laughed.

"Not this time."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Really?"

"I think the ocean is teaching us something."

Arin considered.

"What?"

"That not every problem is caused by an enemy."

He looked toward the harbor.

The dangerous currents.

The enormous creatures.

The missing ships.

The stolen navigation equipment.

The nesting mother.

He nodded slowly.

"True."

EVE smiled.

"And sometimes, understanding something is more useful than defeating it."

Arin looked at her.

Then smiled.

"Exactly."

For a while, they stood quietly.

The wind carried the scent of salt.

Waves broke against the shore.

And somewhere beneath the dark water, a mother guarded her young inside a nest built from stolen metal.

Arin laughed softly.

EVE glanced toward him.

"What?"

He shook his head.

"Nothing."

Then he smiled.

"I think I like the ocean."

Chapter End