"Hey, girls, want a bowl of fish soup?" Captain Jack leaned into the cabin, his pipe dangling from his lips. "A lucky fisherman just landed a big tailless trout." "Thanks," Tilly Wimberton nodded. "We'll be right here." "Another fish soup," the captain sighed after leaving. "What's so special about this bland, fishy stuff?" "You could add more salt to the bowl," the gentle breeze chuckled. "Pepper works too, but this stuff's pricey—Mr.Jack probably won't let you have it." "Nothing at all brings out the true flavor. It tests the food's quality," Andrea combed her pale golden hair elegantly. "Tilly, let's go to the captain's cabin." "As long as it's hot," the shortest one, Savi, muttered. "My toes are freezing." The group climbed the stairs from the cabin floor of the Charming Beauty to the stern deck. Jack the One-Eyed stood by the window, watching the white ripples spreading behind the ship.
"What the hell is this weather? Why did it suddenly turn so cold?" He spat out a wisp of smoke. "Good heavens, it's only mid-autumn now." "Maybe God just dozed off?" Ash shrugged.
"Pfft, you can't say that on the high seas," Captain Jack grinned. "The Sea God watches over us," he said, making a blessing gesture on his chest. "Enough of that. Let's warm up with some fish soup." To enjoy the hot meal in the captain's cabin, he had a large hole drilled in the floor, placed a brazier in the center, and filled the space with sea sand to insulate it from the heat and prevent the fire from spreading across the ship.
A large pot of fish soup was bubbling on the hearth, making a gurgling sound as the aroma filled the entire room.
Six people removed their shoes and gathered around the fire pit, their feet buried in the warm, fine sand. The cool toes touched the gravel, soaking up the warmth from the glowing embers.
Tilly took the fish soup from the captain and gently blew on the steaming bowl. Unlike the milky white broth made from blacktail fish, this soup was a deep golden hue, with oil slicks shimmering on the surface.
When she noticed the occasional specks of greenish-white floating in the broth, she knew the old captain had retrieved all the cargo from the hold—after months of sea voyages, the crew rarely had access to fresh vegetables or fruits. These tender green onions were clearly preserved with ice and salt, their crisp aroma neutralizing the fish's natural fishy smell. Paired with ginger slices and a hint of malt liquor, the dish became a rich, full-bodied delight.
Tilly sipped the fish soup slowly, pausing briefly each time the temperature approached her tongue to take several deep breaths. With each small mouthful, she could distinctly feel the soup flowing like a warm current down her throat to her stomach, warming her abdomen thoroughly.
The chill quickly faded, and she even felt a slight warmth in her body.
"Try adding some chili," Jack said, pointing to the earthenware jar of spices by the fire. "It'll make the flavor more distinctive and especially warming—more effective than wine." "While the original flavor is the essence of food, I must say these additions are perfectly balanced and the taste is just as good," Andrea remarked approvingly.
"Don't you drink?" Tilly looked at the ashes.
The latter waved his hand dismissively, "Better not. I simply can't stand the pungent smell of seafood." At first, Tilly found it hard to accept the fjord dwellers' voracious love for fish—every meal featured an array of varieties, from the usual grilled, boiled, and fried to unconventional dishes like fish jelly, fish sauce, and caviar. Yet after forcing herself to try them a few times at formal banquets, she discovered they were surprisingly palatable. Once accustomed to the sea's distinct aroma, it accentuated the food's natural freshness. Even the pungent flavors of sun-dried fish, grilled squid, or even fried stinky fish now became tolerable to her.
"Our 'Ashes' has been spoiled by Border Town's crude cooking methods," Andrea covered her mouth. "It's a shame—spices and salt have not only stripped her of her ability to taste good food, but now she seems to have lost even her courage." "What do you mean?" Ashes shot a glare at her.
"What, is that not the case?" Andrea burst into a series of laughter. "Just a whiff of fishy smell makes you back away? You're as capricious as a little girl. How can you expect to step up when Lady Tilly needs you?" "So... you seem eager to challenge me to a duel," Ash's tone suddenly softened. "Give up. Border Town has a terrifying weapon far more powerful than your arrows. Even so, I won the duel. If you want to take Lady Tilly's bodyguard position from me, you'll need to train for years..." She paused. "Maybe even a lifetime." "You—" Ash curled her lips. "And the delicacies Your Highness Roland invented aren't just spices and salt mixed together. Try them yourself and you'll understand. But remember not to let any spilled saliva drip on your clothes—Lady Tilly wouldn't be able to face that." "Nonsense, that's you!" Tilly couldn't help laughing. These two were the most formidable witches on Sleeping Island, often locked in fierce battles over who was the strongest. Yet she knew both Ash and Andrea were her best subordinates. When danger arose, they would fight side by side without hesitation, jointly building the unbreakable walls of Sleeping Island.
The argument between the two heated up the room. Seeing this, Tilly couldn't help but think of the five witches sent to Border Town—how were they doing in her brother's territory?
Just then, the Qiaomeiren suddenly began to rock violently without any warning.
"Caution!" Ash yanked the Fifth Princess away, sending the iron pot from the fire basin tumbling to the ground. The boiling liquid doused the embers, scattering fish and meat all over the floor.
Then the sharp whistle sounded outside the cabin.
"Enemy attack! An enemy attack!" A sailor rushed into the captain's cabin, his voice trembling with alarm. "Captain, the mutated sea monsters are here! More than one!" Sea monsters... wasn't that the name for those evil creatures? Tilly froze in shock. How could they possibly be in this place?
A group of people rushed out of the stern tower, only to find over a dozen fish-bodied, crab-legged creatures on the deck, with more climbing up the Qiaomeiren from both sides of the ship's struts. They moved with lightning speed—six legs thrashing like a giant cockroach, while human-shaped arms swinging wildly on either side of their heads could snap sailors' necks with such force.
"Since you're not up for the challenge, let's see who's the real boss," Andrea snapped, snapping her fingers. A golden arc shot out between her fingers, coiled into a bow she gripped tightly. "Who kills more monsters, that's the real boss." "Fine," Ash drew the oddly shaped giant sword from behind, "I'm in."