Behind her stood a man with black hair, probably uncut for a long time, falling damply over his shoulders.
But what truly commanded attention was his sharply chiseled, handsome face.
His deep red eyes appeared mysterious, dangerous, and even held a hint of bloodlust.
The milky moonlight struck him, complementing the deep night and his dark attire, making him seem like a grim reaper harvesting lives under the moon.
Only his unshaven stubble, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, and the world-weary lines of experience could make one realize that this was a man in his thirties or forties.
Of course, even as an older man, he was a handsome one, like Takeshi Kaneshiro.
Sules’s eyes widened in disbelief, her breathing almost hitched.
After a moment, she asked incredulously, “Adolf?!” Adolf was used to her reaction, tilting his head and scoffing, “What? Don’t recognize me?”
Hearing the familiar tone, Sules was silent for a moment, then sighed, “I just suddenly realized, you really are one to waste things.”
Whether it was wine, looks, or talent.
Adolf shrugged, neither confirming nor denying her words.
He walked to Sules’s side, gazing at the moon with her, then after a while, he asked, “What did you put on that pen?”
Sules knew what he was talking about and softly replied, “Fish wax.”
Fish wax was unique to Mercury, made from the oil of a specific type of fish.
Its effect was similar to wax on Earth.
Sules had smeared it on the charcoal pencil tip, making it unable to write.
When she met someone she deemed suitable, she would wipe off the wax with her hand, allowing it to write again.
As an old hand, Adolf had long seen through this, which prompted his question.
Sules rubbed her temples, then turned and pointed at the bed.
“This is your bed. We’ll formally assign rooms when everyone arrives tomorrow.”
With that, she turned to walk away.
“I’m going back. Good night, sweet dreams.”
“How did you know about me?”
Adolf suddenly asked.
Sules’s steps paused for only a fleeting moment before she continued walking.
“The Sea God told me.”
***
Lying on her own bed, Sules eagerly opened the system panel.
Sure enough, in the crew section, she saw five new names, each with a “click to view” button next to it.
She clicked on Adolf’s first.
Crew: Adolf Bernard (Contract) Position:
Fisherman Loyalty: 30
Potential: 3-7 (Previously suffered a significant drop in potential and ability due to injury. Can be restored if Dragon Eel Gallbladder is obtained. The better the quality of the Dragon Eel Gallbladder, the better the recovery effect.)
Abilities: Fisherman (Level 5), Sailor (Level 2)
Evaluation: Despondent and self-indulgent. But perhaps something can restore his hope?
Remaining time: 364 days 21 hours 35 minutes 16 seconds Sules first saw his potential value.
When she saw that Adolf’s potential ceiling could reach 7, she clearly showed a surprised expression.
As mentioned before, the maximum potential value is 10. If a person has great potential, it means they can easily level up if they pursue the right profession.
Others might need years of continuous experience to level up, while those with high potential might only need a few months.
And with a potential value of 7 like Adolf’s, Sules was certain that his fishing ability absolutely should not be only Level 5.
His current state was undoubtedly due to the “injury” mentioned in the description.
As for what a Dragon Eel Gallbladder was, Sules genuinely didn’t know.
However, every ship on Mercury usually had a Marine Life Compendium (Nautical Atlas) that might have an introduction.
She would look for it when she had free time.
Speaking of which, Sules was quite surprised that Adolf’s loyalty to her was only 30.
Of course, she knew they hadn’t known each other long, so he wouldn’t be particularly loyal.
But a value of 30 was a bit too low, especially given that he had signed a full one-year contract with her.
Sules had initially thought that if Adolf was willing to sign a one-year contract with her, his loyalty would at least be at the passing mark of 60, but she didn’t expect it to be so low.
According to the “Return of Navigation” game settings, if a crew member’s loyalty is below 30, they are in a state where they could mutiny at any time.
30-60 means they will be relatively diligent on the ship but might be poached with high offers.
60-80 means they have developed affection for the ship and won’t leave easily.
And finally, 80-100 means it’s almost impossible for them to mutiny.
Adolf’s loyalty to Sules being only 30 actually explained some things; at the very least, he doesn’t completely distrusted Sules.
In that case, he was still willing to sign a one-year contract, which could only prove one thing—he had no intention of living!
Because Mercury was very dangerous, sailing on the high seas meant losing one’s life at any moment.
Choosing a ship one didn’t trust and signing a long-term contract was undoubtedly pushing oneself toward death.
Thinking of this, Sules sighed.
This Adolf, though powerful, clearly had serious psychological issues.
The system’s evaluation also clearly laid this out.
Well, if it weren’t for that, how could she have gained such a formidable figure?
The description said that Adolf’s potential and abilities had decreased due to injury, meaning it wasn’t just his potential; his fishing ability might have originally been higher than Level 5.
Such a person would undoubtedly have extensive sailing experience.
With him on board, Sules had essentially gained a stabilizing force.
Misfortune is often intertwined with fortune, and vice versa.
Sules understood the principle of gain and loss, so she wasn’t too bothered by Adolf’s personality issues.
She glanced at Claire, who was still sound asleep beside her, then clicked on the second crew member’s information.
The second person was Annabella.
As the third girl on the ship, Sules was quite interested in her stats.
Her gaze casually scanned downwards, then suddenly shot up, her eyes widening in disbelief.
Crew: Annabella Edis (Contract)
Position: Sailor Loyalty: 63
Potential: 5 Abilities: Martial Artist (Level 2), Sailor (Level 2)
Evaluation: A misguided simpleton, but it’s not too late to correct her path.
Remaining time: 364 days 20 hours 6 minutes 12 seconds
Wait?
What was this Level 2 Martial Artist thing?!
She rubbed her eyes and looked at the system panel again.
She hadn’t misread; Level 2 Martial Artist was still prominently displayed there.
Annabella said she was a sailor, so how could she have a Martial Artist ability?
And looking at the level, Martial Artist was clearly a better fit for her!
Sules finally understood what the system meant by “taking the wrong path.”
Of course!
She could reach Level 2 in martial arts without much practice; if she dedicated herself fully to it, she’d likely advance even faster.
Come to think of it, hadn’t the coachman mentioned it earlier?
This Annabella was the “kid king” of their street.
How could a girl out-compete others to be a kid king if her combat strength wasn’t high?
This was definitely a pleasant surprise.
Joy surged through Sules’s brows as she eagerly opened the system panels of the remaining three, hoping for more surprises.
However, reality was bound to disappoint her.
The attributes of the three were quite ordinary, with the highest being only Level 2.
Their potential was also a common 1.
Among them, Ryder, the younger brother, only had a Level 1 Sailor ability, clearly unqualified.
The system had this advantage: it couldn’t be fooled.
In this world, except for the Martial Artist profession, there were no levels.
People could only judge another’s skill based on practical application.
But with the system, she could intuitively see a person’s abilities and optimally assign them tasks.
It was a pity that only signed crew members could be viewed; otherwise, it would be even more convenient.
Sules closed the system and her eyes, no longer overthinking.
***
The next morning, Annabella arrived early, carrying a large bag.
A middle-aged couple, full of worry, followed behind her; they were undoubtedly her parents.
Towards elders, Sules still adhered to Earth’s customs, maintaining due respect, and immediately went down to greet them.
The Edis couple, seeing Sules in a captain’s hat walking towards them, instantly realized her identity and quickly walked a few steps faster.
Honestly, even though Annabella had told them in advance, after seeing Sules in person, the Edis couple still felt she was unreliable.
Too young, and a girl.
Could such a captain truly take good care of Annabella?
On Mercury, the most popular age for most professions was between thirty and forty.
This age group had experienced both calm and storm, remaining composed in emergencies, yet still strong and capable enough to endure the hardships of sea voyages.
A captain like Sules, at eighteen, simply didn’t inspire confidence.
Sules also saw the worry in their eyes and said with a smile, “I’ll probably be developing within the sea area assigned to me by the Siren Guild for now. I won’t be venturing out for a short while, so both of you can rest assured.”
Hearing her, Annabella’s mother visibly relaxed, feeling much relieved.
Sea monsters generally didn’t appear in guild sea areas, nor would other ships attack.
The only danger was natural disasters.
But usually, there were refuge-providing trading ships near guild sea areas, so as long as one made predictions in advance, there was no need to worry.
With this in mind, Annabella’s mother held Annabella’s hand and instructed, “If the air becomes oppressive…”
She had barely started when Annabella skillfully picked up the conversation, “Or if the sea is too calm, with cumulonimbus clouds in the sky and seabirds flying low… it’s likely a sign of a coming storm. We need to quickly seek refuge on a trading ship. Don’t worry, you’ve said this a thousand times, I’ve already memorized it.”
Annabella’s mother gave her a mock glare, then turned back to Sules with an apologetic smile.
“This child went out to sea once or twice with her father’s fleet before, but she’s never truly worked on a ship. I’m really afraid she…”
Sules nodded with a smile.
“I understand. Please rest assured, I will be responsible for the safety of my crew’s lives. I will definitely bring you back a complete Annabella.”
At this point, Annabella’s father suddenly spoke.
“I apologize, Captain Sulia. I know this might be impolite to ask, but please understand my concern as a father for my daughter. Do you have any plans for your future development?”
Sules hesitated for a moment, then said, “At least for now, I’ll definitely follow the guild’s arrangements. Later, I might have other plans. But rest assured, when that time comes, I’ll give Annabella a chance to terminate her contract.”
Annabella’s eyes widened when she heard this, and she immediately said, “I won’t terminate it! What’s the point of staying in the guild? I’m waiting for you to leave the guild and go adventuring!”
“You brat, shut up!”
Her mother hit her, then smiled apologetically at Sules.
“By the Sea God, thank you very much for your generosity, Captain.”
Annabella’s father was also much relieved by Sules’s assurance, nodding.
“Then Annabella is in your care, Captain Sulia.”
With that, he pulled Annabella’s mother, leaving without looking back.
Sules saw Annabella wistfully watching her parents’ retreating figures, her eyes welling up, and couldn’t help but feel a wave of emotion.
If her parents were still alive…
Alas, it was useless to dwell on it now.
She blinked hard, stopping the overflowing emotions, and smiled as she patted Annabella’s shoulder.
“Come on, let’s go aboard and see your future living environment.”
Annabella snapped out of it, nodded shyly at Sules, and followed her onto the ship.
Soon, the other three also arrived on the ship. Sules called all five new crew members, including Claire, to the deck.
However, at the sight of Adolf, she froze again.
At some point, Adolf had managed to hide his handsome face again; it was dark and dirty, indistinguishable from a beggar’s.
She took another look at him but didn’t intend to expose him.
As long as it didn’t affect her earnings, any image was acceptable.
After mutual introductions, Sules began to lay out her arrangements.
“With me, there are now seven of us on board. We have four bunk beds and three folding beds. Anyone volunteer to sleep on a folding bed?”
Ryan raised his hand.
“If I volunteer for a folding bed, can my brother Ryder have a bunk bed?”
Sules looked at the somewhat shy young man and ruthlessly refused.
“No, only those who earn a proper bunk bed by their own merit will get one.”
Hearing this, Ryan nodded understandingly, then looked at Ryder apologetically.
“Don’t worry, little brother, if a bunk bed has to be earned by fighting for it, I’ll definitely give it to you once I get it.”
Ryder nodded as if it were obvious, even a little disdainfully.
“Don’t talk big. It’s another matter if you can even get it!”
Sules couldn’t help but frown watching their interaction: one a doting brother, the other a giant baby who took his brother’s efforts for granted.
Both of them had significant issues.
Seeing no one else raise their hand, she finally announced her carefully considered allocation plan.
“Since no one volunteered, here’s how it’ll be. I definitely get one bunk. We have two fishermen on board—Adolf and Ryan. You two will fish separately. You can find help as long as it doesn’t interfere with others’ work. Whoever catches more, assuming they meet the daily quota, gets a bunk bed.”
Sules’s decision was a result of careful deliberation.
Adolf was a powerhouse; if he genuinely competed with Ryan, Ryan would surely have no chance at a bunk.
Over time, this would severely dampen Ryan’s work enthusiasm.
That’s why she allowed them to seek help. Ryan would definitely ask his brother for help, while Adolf, conscious of his status, would likely not seek assistance.
This way, the two could be somewhat evenly matched.
The mandatory daily quota was set to prevent Adolf from slacking off or them cheating each other.
Even if they cheated, as long as it didn’t hinder her profits, a little less profit was acceptable.
“What’s the daily quota?”
Adolf asked, frowning.
Sules answered without hesitation, “One hundred and fifty kilograms.”
The guild’s quota for her was one ton of fish per week, which was a little over 142 kilograms per day.
She directly stated 150, so no matter how much these two slacked, she would still make some profit.
“Fine,” Adolf responded lazily, turning and walking away.
“Hey! Where are you going? The captain hasn’t finished yet!”
Sam couldn’t help but ask. Adolf looked back at him, somewhat impatiently.
“I’m clear on my task. Why waste time staying here?”
“Hey, you…”
Sam tried to say more but was stopped by Sules.
“It’s alright, leave him be. He’s not wrong; as long as the task is clear, we only prioritize efficiency on this ship.”
“As for the rest of you…”
She looked at the others.
“Claire is tentatively the chief mate. She’s been on the ship longer and knows it better. If you perform well, you also have a chance to replace her. The chief mate gets a bunk. There’s one bunk left, which Ryder and Sam will compete for.”
“Huh? Wait?”
Before she could finish, Annabella couldn’t help but interrupt Sules.
“What about me? I’m a sailor too! Why aren’t I assigned?”
Sules explained, “I have other plans for you. We’ll discuss them later.”
Annabella nodded awkwardly, feeling uneasy, wondering what Sules had planned for her.
Sules ignored her and continued what she had been saying.
“You two sailors will follow the chief mate’s orders, and the chief mate will assign your shifts and bunk beds.”
“Huh?”
Claire was suddenly called out, her eyes wide as she looked at Sules in surprise.
Sules nodded at her, looking at her with an encouraging gaze.
“You’re the one I trust most on this ship right now. I feel most at ease with you managing them.”
Claire blushed slightly and nodded, saying no more, clearly accepting the arrangement.
After giving her instructions, Sules looked at the calm sea.
“Alright, get ready. We’ll be setting sail soon. Annabella, Claire, you two stay here for now.”
Soon, the boys left.
Sules looked at the empty deck and said, “You two fight here.”
“Huh?”
Claire and Annabella exclaimed in unison.
“Fight?”
Claire said, “I’m a Level 2 Martial Artist. I can beat ordinary people. Is it necessary?”
Annabella, who hadn’t been too worried initially, immediately lost her confidence and said, “How can I beat a genuine Martial Artist? I only manage to be a kid king and cause trouble usually.”
Sules vaguely explained, “I looked at your posture and how you exert force; both are very similar to a Martial Artist. I think you might also have talent in combat, so I want to see.”
Annabella hesitated, then nodded.
She was naturally a fighter and wasn’t afraid of pain.
Since Sules put it that way, she had no reason to refuse.
Claire, seeing this, also nodded.
The two began to fight in front of Sules.
Five minutes later, they were still evenly matched.
Sules clapped her hands, stopping them.
“Alright, the result is obvious. Annabella, you can fight Claire to a draw. In other words, you are at least a Level 2 Martial Artist.”
“How can that be?”
Annabella stood up, her eyes wide with surprise.
“I haven’t studied martial arts, nor have I received professional training. How can I be a Level 2 Martial Artist?”
The saying “poor in literature, rich in martial arts” wasn’t without reason.
Generally, ordinary families couldn’t afford martial arts instructors, let alone the many herbs needed for training.
Only children from large families and major guilds could become martial artists.
Claire could be a martial artist mainly because her father was one.
Claire took out her Martial Artist certificate.
“Don’t doubt yourself. See, my Martial Artist certificate is certified by the Sea God’s Temple; it’s not a lie.”
Sules smiled and nodded.
“It seems that you, without martial arts training, can be as strong as a Level 2 Martial Artist, which proves your talent in martial arts. So I plan for you to give up the fisherman profession and focus on developing as a Martial Artist.”
“I…”
Annabella clearly hesitated.
“But I don’t have a martial arts instructor, nor herbs for body tempering. It probably won’t work, will it?”
Sules raised an eyebrow.
“You know, your fishing skill is, at most, average, but your martial arts skill is clearly far beyond average. Are you really willing to give up such a good talent?”
Annabella’s eyes became dazed, and she murmured, “Then what should I do?”
Sules whispered temptingly, “You need to find someone to help you, to sponsor you to become a powerful martial artist.”
Her words clearly gave Annabella an idea.
She was already impulsive.
After only a moment’s thought, she looked at Sules with determination.
“Captain, I want to ask for your help. I’m willing to sign a contract with you for more years, as long as you help me become an excellent martial artist.”
Although impulsive, she wasn’t foolish.
Sules had made her intentions so clear; it was obvious she wanted Annabella to ask for her help.
Annabella still couldn’t quite see what kind of person Sules was.
However, Sules’s attitude towards Adolf, and how quickly she discovered Annabella’s hidden talent—which she hadn’t noticed in over ten years—made Annabella decide to be bold and bind her future to this person.
Sules got the answer she wanted and nodded with satisfaction.
“Alright, Uncle Lovelace, Claire’s father, is a martial artist, so Claire has experience in how to train a martial artist. So I plan to have her help you and be your martial arts instructor.”
She looked at Claire, and Claire nodded at Sules, indicating that she would handle it.
Sules smiled gratefully and continued, “As for the herbs for body tempering, we already have plenty prepared on the ship for Claire, enough for you.”
“What do I need to pay?”
Annabella asked.
She wasn’t foolish; she naturally understood that if Sules wanted to train her, she must want something in return.
Sules smiled confidently.
“Do as you said before: sign a contract with me for nine more years. Including your current one year, that’s ten years in total. In return, I’ll cover all your herb fees, including the martial arts instructor’s pay.”
Ten years…
Annabella was silent for a moment.
Putting aside the danger, she would be twenty-nine in ten years.
Was it really worth spending her prime years on this ship?
“But didn’t you promise my parents that you would give me a choice when you wanted to leave the guild?”
Annabella suddenly asked.
Sules nodded.
“Indeed, I will give you that opportunity. But if you accept my sponsorship and then choose to terminate the contract at that time, you will need to compensate me for the sponsorship fees during this period, at a market price plus ten percent.”
This was almost an exorbitant demand, but it put Annabella at ease.
Since Sules said this, it proved she was still a trustworthy person.
Secondly, having an opportunity to leave the ship, even at a high cost, was acceptable to Annabella.
She nodded.
“I agree. I’ll do as you say.”
Sules snapped her fingers, quickly drafted the contract, and re-signed with Annabella.
After signing, she said, “For the next period, you’ll train when needed and act as a sailor to help move things when not. Since you can’t create the expected profit for me in the short term, you’ve lost the chance to compete for a bunk bed and will have to sleep on a folding bed. Do you have any objections?”
Annabella, of course, had no objections.
The more normal Sules’s attitude was towards her, the less she would feel like she was living under someone else’s roof and being ordered around.
Seeing that this matter was settled, Sules entered the cockpit.
She first checked Annabella’s attributes; the loyalty field had already changed from the original 63 to 72.
***
She smiled contentedly, placed her hand on the helm, and announced through the cockpit’s loudspeaker, “Attention all crew, attention all crew, we are setting sail!”
Claire expertly inspected the entire ship, then reported, “Ship clear for departure!”
Then, she directed the two sailors to turn the rudder and herself raised the anchor.
Once all preparations were complete, Sules started the ship under the system’s control.
The sails billowed under the sea breeze, allowing the ship to move smoothly.
A white seagull perched on the bow, then quickly flapped its wings and flew away.
The early morning was a time for action, and many other ships at the dock were also heading out to sea, taking advantage of the morning.
Sules looked out from the cockpit’s glass, feeling a sense of a hundred boats vying for supremacy.
The guild had given them three days, meaning they just needed to reach the assigned sea area within three days.
Today was the second day, so there was plenty of time.
By evening, they had covered more than half the journey.
Sules left the cockpit, where she had spent the day, telling the crew to stop and rest.
At the same time, she announced, “To celebrate your joining, tonight I’ll make a grand meal for everyone!”
“Can you even cook?”
The first to question her was the giant baby Ryder.
His face was full of doubt; he almost explicitly said Sules’s cooking was unreliable.
Before Sules could explain, she heard Adolf say disdainfully, “What good can a little girl like her make? It’ll be a miracle if she doesn’t poison us. I’m not going to be a guinea pig; just give me some bread and salted fish.”
For him, salted fish and bread were standard at sea.
Adolf had no particular culinary desires; years of sailing had accustomed him to eating whatever filled his stomach and wouldn’t kill him, completely disregarding the taste of the food.
In fact, he had eaten plenty of biscuits that had been moldy for several days.
Sules tilted her head and asked, “Anyone else deciding not to eat? I won’t prepare your portion then.”
Ryder hesitated, and under Ryan’s warning gaze, he reluctantly remained silent.
Seeing no one else come forward, Sules shrugged regretfully.
“Alright, I’ll go cook now. You all get to work.”
With that, she turned and entered the kitchen.
The upgraded kitchen was no longer as simple as it was when she last entered.
It had a basic stove with two burners.
One held a black pot, the other a clay pot.
The clay pot was Sules’s own purchase, for making soup.
Various seasonings, all bought by Claire, were arranged beside the stove.
Sules had specifically learned about the food situation in this world during her previous conversations with Claire.
On Mercury, large captains were a minority; most were small captains like her, affiliated with larger powers.
For these people, including their crew, enjoying life was not a simple matter.
Sules and Claire’s parents’ original ship was a small warship, used for adventuring.
This was also Sules’s planned future development direction.
Even on such ships, which were barely decent, ordinary meals typically consisted of only salted fish and bread, with a little jam, bird eggs, or low-quality caviar added.
That was it.
Ordinary people didn’t care about cooking methods.
For them, a grand meal simply meant more flavors and more variety.
Sules’s Earth, however, placed great emphasis on cooking methods and had a more profound study of food.
This was the privilege of peacetime.
In such a perilous water world, even if a chef wanted to research more exquisite dishes, they would be powerless.
But Sules was different; she had transmigrated with Earth’s culinary culture.
Although she couldn’t cook like a master chef, two years of living alone were enough for her to handle this dinner.
It was hard to find special ingredients at sea.
For this meal, Sules had only prepared two fish, a large piece of tofu, and some edible kelp and seaweed.
Fortunately, the seasonings in this world were similar to Earth’s, though most grew in the sea.
Even if some things were missing, approximate substitutes could be found—like chili peppers.
The chili pepper in this world was called “Ma Teng,” but it actually looked like a chili pepper, not a vine.
The reason for its name was that “Ma Teng” sounded like “numb pain,” a name given by Mercury natives because eating it made their mouths numb and painful.
It was quite fitting.
Of course, for this reason, Ma Teng was not used as a seasoning or even an ingredient in this world, but rather as a sobering medicine and a cold-resistant medicine for winter.
Sules accidentally discovered this in the market and immediately bought a lot.
This surprised Claire, as it was generally something only stockpiled in winter.
This time, she planned to make braised fish and carp tofu soup.
Though these two dishes were as common as could be on Earth, commoners on Mercury had never eaten them.
Only nobles might have tasted similar things.
***
The method for braised fish wasn’t difficult.
The perch was cut with a butterfly knife and dusted with starch.
Oil was put in the pan, and after it heated up, the fish was placed in to fry.
Once fried, it was scooped out and set aside.
Green onions, ginger, and garlic were added to the pan and stir-fried until fragrant.
To enrich the flavor, Sules added some sea mushrooms and dried chilies.
Since she wasn’t sure about the crew’s tolerance for spice, she didn’t add too much, focusing mainly on enhancing the taste.
After a few stirs, the prepared perch was added, along with a little less than half a pot of water, soy sauce, cooking wine, a little vinegar and sugar, and a bit of dark soy sauce for color.
When it was almost done, a cornstarch slurry was added to thicken it.
Soon, a braised fish, perfect in color, aroma, and taste, was ready.
Of course, while waiting for the fish to cook, Sules wasn’t idle.
She started making carp tofu soup in the clay pot beside it.
Compared to perch, carp was much simpler.
Basically, every time the net was cast, there were always a few carp.
The carp was cut with slanted incisions, and the tofu was sliced into thick pieces.
Green onions, ginger, and cilantro were chopped into segments.
The pot was heated with oil, and as usual, the fish was fried first.
This step Sules had completed before starting the braised fish.
The next steps were easy: pour in water, add all the ingredients to the pot, then slowly simmer for half an hour.
It was crucial to use high heat for simmering; only high heat could create that milky white broth.
Low heat would result in clear soup, which looked nice but lacked some flavor.
During this time, Sules also made a cold dish with dried seaweed and chilies.
As she cooked, the aroma had already wafted throughout the entire ship.
Everyone on board felt a stir of anticipation, their mouths watering, wondering what deliciousness Sules was preparing.
However, because she had already declared that no one was allowed near the kitchen during this time, everyone could only discuss it on deck.
“Claire, what in the world is the captain making? I’ve never smelled anything like this, it’s so fragrant!”
The question came from Annabella, who was practicing her horse stance while chatting with everyone.
Claire, supervising her training nearby, shook her head.
“I don’t know. I didn’t even know she could cook before. But judging by the smell, it should be good. We’re in for a treat this time.”
Ryder, standing by, cheerfully said, “Good thing I didn’t say anything earlier; otherwise, I might have missed such a delicious meal.”
“Tsk!”
Adolf scoffed coldly from the side.
“I advise you not to get your hopes up too high. The aroma is there, but who knows what the final product will look like?”
Sam glanced at him, kindly advising, “A meal cooked by the captain with this kind of aroma probably won’t taste bad. Later, when the captain comes out, say something nice, and she’ll definitely let you eat it.”
He had a crew cut and the appearance of a humble laborer.
Speaking with such an honest face, he looked utterly sincere, without a hint of sarcasm.
But Adolf felt the sarcasm in his words.
His expression stiffened, then he said indifferently, “I don’t care about that. Even if it’s delicious, so what? If it’s truly delicious, I’ll find a way to eat it. Then you’ll be the ones who should be worried.”
As an “old-timer” who had sailed for many years, Adolf didn’t have excessive pride.
He would often resort to unscrupulous means to get what he wanted.
On this ship, except for Sules, whom he still couldn’t quite figure out, everyone else had long been analyzed thoroughly by him.
At the very least, their strength was far below his.
Sules, the captain, understood this and, one could say, was beholden to him.
He could completely use his favored ability to obtain food, unlike these people who waited for the captain’s charity.
Thinking of this, he lazily lay on the folding bed, crossed his legs, holding a bottle of beer, quietly waiting for dinner.
Ryder saw Sam’s kind reminder being mocked and immediately ridiculed him.
“Sam, you’re just a sailor catching fish, meddling. He’s so drunk he’s talking nonsense; how can he listen to your advice?”
In his view, Adolf’s claim of having a way to eat it was completely empty talk.
After all, he had just disrespected Sules; how could she possibly give him good food?
Ryan pulled his brother, headache-inducing as he watched his sibling draw the ire of two people, then offered an apologetic smile to Sam.
Sam didn’t mind the other’s words; he was twenty years old, the oldest among the others besides Adolf.
Naturally, he was much more magnanimous.
Earlier, because his mother was sick, he couldn’t catch the employment period in time.
When his mother’s illness finally improved and he could work, Sules just happened to catch him.
Claire, however, thought differently from Ryder.
She vaguely sensed Adolf’s unusualness from Sules’s attitude.
Hearing this, she was even more certain of what she had in mind, and a smile appeared on her face.
As a bound crew member, she was completely tied to Sules and this ship.
Naturally, the more capable the crew, the more she benefited.
As a captain, Sules gaining such a strong member made Claire happy from the bottom of her heart.
She directed Sam to set up the table on the deck, then raised her voice slightly and called towards the kitchen, “Sules, are you ready? Do you need me to help?”
Sules had already turned off the heat under the clay pot.
Hearing Claire’s call, she immediately responded, “Claire, come help me serve the dishes! Is the table set?”
“Everything’s ready!”
Claire said, getting up and going to the kitchen.
Seeing the three dishes Sules had prepared, perfect in color, aroma, and taste, a surprised expression appeared on her face.
“Honestly, just smelling it, I was already very excited, but seeing the real thing, I have to say, Sules, you’re amazing! How did you learn these dishes? I’ve never seen them before!”
Sules smiled and told her the explanation she had prepared.
“I’ve always been very interested in cooking and practiced secretly. It’s just that the ingredients are a bit expensive, and Mom probably wouldn’t let me experiment, so I didn’t tell you.”
This was true; all the dishes on this table probably cost around ten copper shells.
Ten copper shells might seem small, but one copper shell could buy ten pieces of black bread.
As ordinary commoners, most of their money was used for wages and shipbuilding.
Very little was actually spent on themselves.
Ten copper shells for one meal wasn’t much, but for an ordinary family, it was an extremely lavish feast.
“Huh? This thing is… Ma Teng?”
Suddenly, Claire lowered her head in surprise, pointing at the dark red substance on the plate.
Sules nodded.
“That’s right.”
Claire frowned in confusion.
“Ma Teng is a medicinal herb, and it’s used to refresh the mind. Why did you throw it in as an ingredient? Won’t it cause problems?”
Indeed, the world’s understanding of Ma Teng was limited to its medicinal properties; they had never considered it could be so delicious in cooking.
She snapped her fingers and playfully winked at Claire.
“Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.”
Claire hesitated, then nodded, and walked out with Sules, carrying the dishes.
“Everyone, dinner’s ready!”