"What do you want to eat?"
Kaizen gestured to the menu in his hand.
Most of the dishes were made with local ingredients—fresh fish from the surrounding sea, along with octopus, shrimp, and crab. There were small portions of fruit like coconut, and while vegetables were scarce, a few seaweed-based dishes were available.
Tessia swam over from the water, while Shizuku walked up behind Kaizen.
"I want this one," Shizuku said, pointing. "The mango smoothie looks good. And the yellow mustard salmon too."
The three of them chatted casually as they browsed the menu.
Kaizen passed it back to the server.
Compared to the tension of Heavens Arena, Kaizen felt much more relaxed here.
Soon, the food was served. Their small table swayed gently with the ocean's motion. The specially-designed tableware remained fixed, no matter how much the ship rocked.
Kaizen looked around as he ate.
Most of the cruise passengers were well-off. Without a solid amount of money, you couldn't even afford a ticket. Some were families, others couples, and some were groups of young people. Some stared out at the scenery, while others had become scenery themselves.
After the meal, Shizuku dove into the water at Sally's invitation.
...
Tessia approached Kaizen, her voice low.
"Kaizen… You said I was too young. But I'm not that young."
She puffed out her chest slightly, trying to appear more grown-up.
Kaizen frowned.
"When I said young, I meant your age."
"Then how old do I have to be to be... a proper wife?"
"At the very least, an adult."
Tessia looked visibly disappointed.
In this world, adulthood came earlier than in Kaizen's previous one, but for Tessia, it was still a ways off.
"Then… what is the duty of a wife?" she asked, blinking. "What did Ponzu and you do that night?"
Kaizen nearly choked.
"Wait… Tessia, are you really that curious about being a wife?"
"Uh-huh." She nodded eagerly.
"Then come with me."
Kaizen stood and led her toward the deck. The two of them leaned on the railing, peering down at the ocean below.
"See that?" Kaizen pointed.
A young couple stood nearby, wrapped in a passionate embrace. Apparently caught up in the mood, they ignored the crowd around them. Their lips were locked, hands roaming—his moving up and down her back, hers clutching his waist tightly.
Tessia's eyes widened, trying to get a better look. But as she stared, her cheeks flushed red, and her heart pounded faster.
She glanced up at Kaizen. "Kaizen…"
Suddenly, another woman stormed onto the scene, shouting furiously. She hurled something at the couple—it hit with a wet splat.
Tessia froze. "What happened?!"
"…"
Kaizen sighed. "Guess someone got caught cheating."
"Oh..."
"Don't worry about it. They made a mistake."
Back in his old world, things like that were treated very differently. In some places, even the law didn't care.
"Come on. Let's head back."
...
The cruise ship began moving again. All the platforms that had been lowered earlier were pulled back up. Passengers returned to the deck or disappeared into their cabins.
"Captain."
Shizuku came up beside Kaizen.
He turned to her, but his gaze faltered. His eyes drifted slightly downward—her white short-sleeved shirt clung to her figure, and her jeans hugged her legs just right. The glasses gave her a slightly bookish charm.
Kaizen had to admit—when he picked his teammates, appearance had been one of the factors.
Except for Nina. That was different. He took her in out of sympathy. What happened to Nina in that world—one with steel alchemy—was hard to forget...
But Shizuku?
He had two reasons for recruiting her.
First, her talent. Anyone who could be a member of the Phantom Troupe was no slouch. Her abilities made her an ideal support-type Nen user.
Second… she was exactly his type. Great looks, solid build, cute personality.
Before, Kaizen hadn't tried to turn things romantic with his teammates—mainly due to age. But now that he was older… and after what happened with Ponzu… and Tessia's comments earlier...
"Captain, have you seen my notebook?"
"No." Kaizen shook his head. "It's missing? When did you last have it?"
"Just a moment ago."
"Did you go anywhere recently? Let's retrace your steps."
If Shizuku really lost her notebook, it wouldn't be too hard to find. She was a Nen user, after all. That notebook had been with her for a long time and was full of notes. It would definitely carry traces of her aura—different from an ordinary item. With En or Gyo, they could easily spot it.
Kaizen's expression turned serious. That notebook wasn't just important to Shizuku—it also contained details about their team.
This wasn't something they could afford to lose.
"Let's go find it."
"Okay, Captain."
...
Just as they were about to set out, someone ran toward them.
"Shizuku! Is this your notebook?"
Tessia waved the notebook in the air.
Shizuku's eyes lit up. "Yes! That's it!"
She rushed over, snatched the book, flipped through a few pages, and held it to her chest with a relieved sigh.
"Thank goodness… Tessia, thank you!"
"You're welcome, Shizuku!"
...
A sharp whistle pierced the air.
Beep! Beep!
Everyone turned toward the sound.
An island appeared on the horizon.
A gourmet paradise.
Even from this distance, the scent and atmosphere of delicious food seemed to waft toward them.
Kaizen narrowed his eyes.
It was going to be an interesting stop.
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Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (1047 chapters in total)