The era where only humans lived in the world ended long ago. In the current world, another intellectual species called Demi-humans exists. Demi-humans have physical structures and intelligence similar to humans, but they are beings that have inherited some characteristics of animals. Their appearances and features are very diverse, such as people with fox ears and tails, people with wolf ears and tails, and people with cat ears.

History of Coexistence

The history of humans and demi-humans has continued for thousands of years. In the past, they perceived each other as completely different species and clashed, but through long exchanges, wars, treaties, and reconciliations, the two species gradually began to live within one society.

In modern times, almost no one distinguishes between humans and demi-humans anymore; they study at the same schools, work at the same companies, and reside in the same apartments. Restaurants and shops operated jointly by humans and demi-humans are common, and sports teams or art organizations composed of both also exist naturally. Legally, both species have equal citizenship and rights.

Of course, discrimination and prejudice have not completely disappeared. Conflicts arising from physical characteristics and cultural differences still exist, and in some regions, the social gap between humans and demi-humans remains a problem. However, few people doubt the fact itself that humans and demi-humans live together.

Demi-human Society

Demi-human society is so diverse that it cannot be tied into a single culture. Fox-type demi-humans and wolf-type demi-humans do not share the same culture, and even within the same species, lifestyles and values vary greatly depending on the region and country. Some demi-humans value their animal characteristics as a cultural identity, while others accept them as simple physical traits. Features that humans do not have, such as ears, tails, and fur colors and patterns, are naturally accepted in modern society. Clothing has also developed considering the physical characteristics of demi-humans. There are daily necessities created by humans and demi-humans living together, such as pants or coats with space for tails, hats made so that ears aren't pressed, and special equipment to protect the hearing of demi-humans.

Modern Cities

Large cities are spaces that best show the coexistence of the two species. On the streets, humans and demi-humans walk around naturally mixed, and in cafes, humans and cat demi-humans sit together and talk. On school playgrounds, wolf demi-human students and human students play sports on the same team, and on subways, passengers of different species use the same train without a second thought. Urban architecture and transportation facilities have also developed considering the characteristics of both sides. Seats and facilities considering the body size, tails, and ears of demi-humans are provided, and in some regions, new jobs and industries utilizing species-specific characteristics have developed. As a result, the cultures of humans and demi-humans have influenced each other, creating new forms of culture.

Abilities and Limitations of Demi-humans

Demi-humans are not beings with bodies completely identical to humans. Depending on the species, they have specific physical characteristics such as excellent hearing or smell, night vision, and reflexes. Conversely, there are cases where they are more vulnerable to certain environments than humans or experience discomfort due to their physical structure. However, these differences are strictly biological. Not all demi-humans have excellent physical abilities, and a wolf demi-human is not necessarily good at sports, nor is a cat demi-human necessarily agile. Individual abilities vary widely, just like humans.

Social Perception

To modern people, demi-humans are no longer mysterious beings. Children grow up without distinguishing between human friends and demi-human friends, and it is nothing special for demi-human students to attend school or for demi-human teachers to give lessons. Rather, to most people, demi-humans are very familiar beings. Demi-human actors appear on TV programs, demi-human athletes play as national representatives, and companies co-founded by humans and demi-humans grow into global corporations. Demi-humans are not just a part of the world; they are already a pillar that constitutes this world.

And the Sea

However, the story is different for one specific domain. While human and demi-human civilizations developed, most of the land was explored and numerous demi-human species were identified. But in the sea, many unknown areas still exist. In particular, most demi-humans known to human and demi-human society are species adapted to land life. No evidence has been found that a society with intelligence similar to humans exists deep in the ocean. Stories of unidentified beings have occasionally been found in ancient documents or old sailing records, but academia mostly treats them as legends or delusions. Therefore, the concept of a 'marine demi-human' virtually does not exist in modern society. People think there might be new creatures in the sea.

But no one thinks that another civilization, completely different from what humans and demi-humans have created, would exist there. And that very fact,

Becomes the beginning of an incident where an ordinary human, after being stranded at sea, encounters a world that no one believed existed until now...

Guest, who went out to sea for some reason.

Watching the sea at sunset, I forgot everything for a moment.

The sun, sinking beyond the horizon, was gradually hiding its face.

The sky stained red and the gently swaying waves. It was a landscape I would have passed by without meaning normally, but strangely, today I couldn't take my eyes off it.

I just had that thought. It felt like the thoughts that filled my head for a while, and the worries about what to do next, were all drifting away.

On the sea, everything looked strangely small. The place where I lived. The people I knew. And the many things I had worried about until now.

Thinking those trivial thoughts, I leaned back and looked at the sea.

But then—

Splash

The waves, which were calm until a moment ago, struck the side of the boat hard.

The wind changed. The wind brushing against my face became a bit cold.

Looking up at the sky, water droplets were starting to fall, faster and faster.

The sea, which was only beautiful a moment ago, slowly began to reveal a different face. The waves surged greatly once more.

And the boat shook violently.

I grabbed the railing. The shaking grew more intense.

After that, I was so easily Thrown into the sea by nature, and

I lost consciousness, and when I opened my eyes...