The heir and regional director of Himeya Co.—one of the numerous Undine guilds that employ female gondoliers—Aika S. Granzchesta astonishes everyone by rejecting custom and declining to take over the company"s famed gondola. Her trainee, Azusa B. McLaren, cannot fathom her mentor"s sudden choice and confronts her directly, yet gains little. To grasp Aika"s motives, Azusa and the other Undines covertly arrange a private audience with her.
As the long‑anticipated winter approaches, set against Neo‑Venezia"s serene beauty, Aika reflects on the path that shaped her as an Undine and forged her into who she is today. Recalling those priceless moments, she believes they will continue to steer her toward an unknown yet limitless future.
