This Ship Protection Voucher was the key to whether the Going Merry could be preserved in the future, so Amon had to explain it properly to Merry.
"What is that?"
Merry was still immersed in the excitement of the Going Merry's blueprints when he noticed Amon suddenly become serious. He immediately put the plans down.
"This is called a Ship Protection Voucher. It is extremely important. Its effect is very simple. Once you use it to form a contract with a ship, then if that ship is ever destroyed beyond repair, the voucher will automatically restore it and summon it back, completely intact."
Holding the voucher between his fingers, Amon spoke earnestly.
"You must keep this safe. When you finish building the Going Merry in the future, use this on her. That way, no matter what happens, you will not have to fear the ship being lost forever."
"Ship Protection Voucher... once used, it creates a protection contract with a ship?"
Merry's gaze turned solemn.
"All right, Mr. Amon, please rest assured. I will guard this with my life."
"When the Going Merry is completed, I will use it on her at once."
He accepted the voucher and nodded heavily.
He had no idea why Amon cared so much about this future ship, but Merry himself liked the design from the bottom of his heart.
Even without Amon's reminder, the first ship he built would have been the one he cherished most.
...
"Good. The last thing is this small white crystal. You can use it as a material for forging equipment, but you will need the proper blueprint. Keep it for later."
Once Amon got Merry's promise, he finally let out a breath of relief.
He had done everything he could. As for whether the Going Merry would truly be preserved, that would depend on fate.
"All right."
Merry nodded and carefully accepted the last item.
...
"Then let us eat. I am starving."
With the task here complete, Amon suddenly noticed that his stomach was starting to growl.
He had only eaten a little something at noon. By this time of night, he was absolutely hungry.
"In that case, I will call someone to prepare dinner for you."
Merry turned to leave, intending to have the servants make a proper feast.
...
"There is no need to trouble them. Just tell me where the kitchen is. I can cook for myself."
Amon raised his hand and stopped him.
He really could not get used to eating food cooked by others anymore.
With his level of cooking, his own tongue had become very picky. Ordinary dishes no longer satisfied him.
"It is no trouble at all. You are a guest, Mr. Amon. Preparing dinner for you is our duty. Having you enjoy their cooking would be a great honor for the servants."
Merry assumed Amon was just being polite and insisted that they should be the ones serving him.
"Really, there is no need. I prefer to cook myself. I am not used to other people's food."
Amon's tone was calm, but he meant every word.
With divine-level cooking skills, he simply did not want to suffer through poorly made food.
Of course, he could not say that out loud. At the very least, he had to let them save face.
...
"Uhh..."
Merry was put on the spot. He glanced at Kaya's father, silently asking what he thought.
"If Mr. Amon prefers to cook himself, then there is no need to trouble the staff."
"As long as he is happy staying here, that is all that matters."
Kaya's father did not see any problem with it. If Amon wanted to use their kitchen, then he was welcome to.
Kaya, on the other hand, was completely shocked when she heard that Amon knew how to cook.
She loosened her hold on Coco and stared at him with wide eyes.
"Sir, you can cook?"
"A little."
Amon smiled. One must remain low key.
"Wow, you are amazing."
Once he confirmed it, Kaya's eyes filled with little stars. She looked exactly like a tiny fangirl.
"Hahaha. Do you want to eat some too? Then I will make a portion for you as well."
Seeing her reaction, Amon's mood brightened considerably.
"Yes, I'm hungry too!"
She had not eaten much at dinner earlier. After the Marrow Cleansing Elixir and all that jumping, she was very hungry.
"All right. Then I will go make something delicious for you."
Amon reached out and gently pinched her flushed cheek, then followed Merry toward the kitchen.
"I am going to help you too, sir."
"Kiru."
"Coco, you want to help as well? All right. Then let us both go help sir in the kitchen."
Kaya picked up Kirlia and hurried after them.
...
Before long, they arrived at the villa's kitchen.
As the wealthiest household in the village, Kaya's family naturally had a very well stocked and spacious kitchen.
Amon took one look around, rolled up his sleeves and let his god-level cooking skills loose.
Since Kaya and Coco had insisted on helping, he did not want to dampen their enthusiasm. He assigned them the simple, safe task of picking and sorting vegetables.
It did not require any technique, but the two little helpers were having a fantastic time.
While they worked, Amon began to process the meat.
In this world, most chefs prepared meat by chopping it together with the bones and tossing the huge slabs into a pot. People usually just grabbed big chunks to eat.
Or they went the Western style route.
Tonight, Amon did not plan to do either of those.
He had something else in mind.
Japanese cuisine.
With its long history and deep emphasis on technique, Japanese cooking valued precision, balance, and respect for ingredients. To Amon, it was subtle yet profound, a kind of deliciousness that didn't rely on excess, but on mastery.
He decided to make a dish inspired by traditional Japanese cooking.
After days of nothing but grilled fish at sea, his palate was completely exhausted. Salt and smoke no longer meant anything to him. It was time to remind his tongue what real flavor was supposed to feel like.
Clean, savory and deeply satisfying.
...
"Clack clack clack..."
Amon's knife work was beautiful. The two chef's knives in his hands moved like a blur, slicing through meat with astonishing speed.
Under his blade, various cuts of meat were separated neatly in a matter of moments.
Kaya watched, utterly entranced, her eyes wide and unblinking as the blades flashed.
Once the meat was prepared, Amon washed the vegetables the two little helpers had plucked and then reached for the spices.
He grabbed a generous handful of chili peppers and tossed them into the pot.
Merry, watching from the side, almost said something when he saw that mountain of chilies dumped in all at once.
But Amon was the one who would be eating, and this was his way of cooking. Merry held his tongue and chose not to interfere.
...
Soon, the contents of the pot began to sizzle, and a rich aroma drifted out.
"So good... it smells so good."
Just a whiff of the fragrance was enough to make Kaya's mouth water.
Even Coco leaned closer curiously, peering into the pot. It probably would not eat human food, but it could tell something good was cooking.
"Haha, it will smell even better in a moment."
"By the way, Kaya, what would you like to eat? I will make something especially for you."
Amon was worried she might not be used to spicy food, so he asked about her tastes.
"Let me think... I want to eat fish."
Kaya thought about it seriously, then answered.
"Fish, huh? No problem."
Amon had eaten enough fish to last him several lifetimes, but he had no complaints about cooking some just for her.
He reached for a fresh fish and began to work with a speed and precision that made the knives sing.
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