The morning sun glinted off the waves, making the sea sparkle like a giant mirror. Euryale, now thirteen, stretched, feeling the stiffness of his muscles. Another year of training had left him sore—but stronger.
"Today," he muttered to himself, "I will finally control my water magic properly."
Lyra, perched on a rock with her legs swinging, rolled her eyes. "Last time you said that, you flooded half the garden and blamed it on Silas."
Silas, still wearing pajamas and swinging a stick like a sword, shouted, "I was definitely involved in that chaos!"
Euryale groaned. "I'm serious. Today: no accidents. Calm. Polite water. Like Velin taught me."
Velin's words echoed in his mind: "Water doesn't respond to force. It responds to respect."
Euryale knelt beside the stream and lifted his hands. The water shimmered, wobbled, and then—splash!—hit him square in the face.
"Respect water, remember?!" he yelled, dripping wet.
Silas dove behind a bush, laughing. "It's the polite rebellion!"
Lyra clapped her hands. "Maybe it just needs a compliment. Try telling it it's pretty."
Euryale muttered apologies and tried again. A thin ribbon of water curled above his hand. It wobbled, then flopped, splashing onto Lyra's hair.
"Eww! Euryale!" she shrieked. "I wanted polite, not soaking!"
Silas laughed so hard he fell over. "The chickens won't survive your polite water either!"
Euryale wiped his face. "One day, it will listen."
Kaelen, the Celestial Academy scribe, had been hiding at the cliff's edge, scribbling notes.
White Core Bearer. Strong potential. Extremely funny training progress.
Then Euryale's foot kicked a loose stone, sending it rolling down the cliff. It struck a hidden cave entrance, hidden behind vines and moss.
"What's this?" Euryale whispered, brushing the plants aside.
Inside, he found chests, old crates, and boxes. Dust floated like tiny stars in the sunlight. His heart raced.
Lyra leaned over his shoulder. "Treasure?"
Silas's jaw dropped. "Treasure! Like pirates!"
Euryale carefully opened the first chest. It was full of gleaming gold coins. The next chest held silver rings, gemstones, and small jewelry crafted from rare metals. One box even had a heavy, jewel-encrusted dagger, perfectly balanced.
"Wait… all of this could actually make us rich," Silas whispered.
Lyra's eyes sparkled. "We could buy candy forever!"
Euryale held a coin in his palm, feeling its weight. The water near his hand rippled, curious, as if it recognized the treasure's importance.
"Maybe… maybe the sea led us here," he said softly.
Lyra jumped up and down. "Then the sea likes us! Or at least, you."
Silas picked up a coin. "I'm rich! I'm rich!"
"Hold on," Euryale said, laughing. "We shouldn't touch everything. This isn't just for spending."
Lyra pointed at a rolled parchment, sealed with red wax. "What's this? A map?"
Euryale carefully unrolled it. Inside were intricate symbols—waves, spirals, and currents—similar to what Velin had drawn in the sand during training.
"It's… ancient," Euryale said, tracing the lines. "Maybe it's instructions for water magic, or… maybe it's a map to more treasure."
Silas frowned. "Is it cursed?"
Euryale laughed. "If it is, it's a polite curse. Not like last time when water tried to drown me."
Lyra shivered. "I'm staying back. Treasure is scary."
Pa called from the top of the cliff. "Euryale! Lyra! Silas! Breakfast!"
"Treasure!" Silas shouted.
"Not exactly ours yet," Euryale said, smiling. "We need to understand it first."
Kaelen, still at the cliff, scribbled furiously. White Core Bearer unusually attuned to hidden currents. Found valuable treasure. Observation continues.
Euryale carefully lifted a few gold coins with polite water. They floated, spinning gently, and landed in a neat pile on a flat rock.
Lyra gasped. "Whoa! You didn't even touch them!"
"Polite water," Euryale said proudly. "I just asked nicely."
Silas shook his head. "Does water always find treasure?"
"Not usually," Euryale said, brushing his hair back. "I think this treasure found us."
The three explored the cave further. They found gold nuggets, silver coins, gemstones, and a few scrolls. Everything was practical, valuable, and heavy enough to be sold—or used later if needed.
Lyra picked up the rolled parchment again. "I call dibs on the map. It looks more fun than shiny rocks."
Euryale smiled. "Fine. But remember, learning is more important than spending all the gold on candy."
Silas groaned. "No fair! I already have plans for at least ten cakes!"
Euryale laughed. "You'll have to wait. First, we figure out what the map and symbols mean. Then, maybe the gold can help us later."
Outside, the tide rolled gently against the shore, almost as if nodding in approval. Euryale held a gold coin in one hand and let a small ribbon of water float above his other.
Polite water. Hidden treasure. Ancient lessons. And a little bit of mischief from his siblings.
For the first time, Euryale felt calm—not perfect, not powerful, just… ready.
"Maybe the sea is training us already," he said, smiling.
Lyra and Silas cheered. "Hooray! Polite treasure!"
And far out in the waves, something deep stirred, sensing the boy who could listen to the sea—and perhaps one day, make it trust him completely.