Chapter 28 Consuming Tashigi

When Mr.

Kaguya finally let go of her, Tashigi’s glasses were placed back on the bridge of her nose.

Only then did she realize that her hands had somehow tightly gripped Mr.

Kaguya’s lapels; she hurriedly let go, so embarrassed she almost buried her face in the cake.

“W-we should head back…”

She spoke stutteringly, standing up in a fluster, but accidentally knocked over a water glass.

Mr.

Kaguya caught the glass with quick reflexes and took hold of her frantic hand in the process.

“It’s getting late, so we won’t go back to stay.

Let’s find an inn in town to stay at.”

Tashigi looked at the bright sunlight outside, momentarily speechless.

It was clearly only five in the afternoon; how could that be considered late?

But she didn’t expose this obvious lie, only nodding gently with a flushed face.

Tashigi felt like a puppet being pulled by invisible threads, completely losing her usual logic and composure.

She followed behind Mr.

Kaguya through the bustling streets, her heartbeat so loud it felt as if the entire town could hear it.

The afterglow of the setting sun plated the cobblestone road in a layer of gold, and their shadows overlapped on the ground, stretching very, very long.

The inn’s proprietress greeted them warmly, her suggestive gaze lingering between the two of them.

Tashigi stared fixedly at the tips of her shoes, feeling as if even her neck was burning up.

The wooden stairs creaked, and with every step she climbed, her breathing grew a fraction more rapid.

Mr.

Kaguya pushed open the carved wooden door, and the sea breeze, carrying the scent of lilies of the valley, rushed in from the terrace.

While Tashigi hesitated at the doorway, she was suddenly swept up by her waist and, in a blur of motion, was gently placed onto a four-poster bed.

The gauze curtains swayed lightly with the wind as Mr.

Kaguya’s fingers ran through her scattered hair; the glasses he removed reflected colorful spots of light on the nightstand.

“Now.”

A breath carrying the scent of mint fell against Tashigi’s ear.

“You can take a good look at me.”

In her hazy vision, Tashigi caught the flickering flames deep within his eyes, a heat that reminded her of the forge when casting a famous blade.

As the shirt buttons were undone one by one, the cry of a seagull drifted in from outside, sounding as distant as if from another world.

She grabbed the bedsheets tremblingly, only to have her wrist suddenly caught by Mr.

Kaguya and pinned beside the pillow.

“Don’t be afraid.”

A dangerous tenderness was hidden within his smiling voice.

“I will teach you a lesson more important than swordsmanship.”

The sound of the tide drew closer, and in her dizziness, Tashigi recalled the feeling of holding a blade for the first time as a child—that shudder of both fear and anticipation was now sweeping through her entire body with a hundred times the intensity.

For the next three days, the two of them stayed together inseparably.

Tashigi even specifically requested her first vacation since joining the force from her superior for this.

Three days later, Mr.

Kaguya watched as a reluctant Tashigi walked into the Marine Base.

Only when Tashigi’s figure had completely disappeared did Mr.

Kaguya head towards the shipyard.

Two weeks had passed, and his ship, the riding the wind for ten thousand miles, had finally been successfully modified.

At the entrance of the shipyard, Mr.

Kaguya saw Nami and Nojiko, who had already been waiting for a long time.

Seeing Mr.

Kaguya arrive, Nami walked up quickly.

Her small hand naturally placed itself on his waist.

“Hmph!

You must have had a lot of fun these past few days~”

“Let go, let go.

Don’t be so violent.

Can’t you learn from Nojiko?

Look at how gentle your sister is.”

“Hmph!

Sister is just too gentle, that’s why she gets bullied by you.”

Although Nami said this, she still released her hand from Mr.

Kaguya’s waist.

Once Mr.

Kaguya drew near, Nojiko took his arm.

“Let’s go, let’s go see the modified ship.”

The three of them walked into the shipyard.

The person in charge, Thomson, immediately came forward to greet them.

“Mr.

Kaguya, your ship, the riding the wind for ten thousand miles, has completed its full upgrade according to your requirements.”

Thomson introduced enthusiastically, leading the three toward the dock.

Inside the dock, a brand-new warship was moored quietly.

The black-gold hull shimmered with a cold light under the sun, and the dragon-head figurehead at the bow was lifelike, as if it would take flight at any moment.

The cannons lined up neatly on both sides gleamed with a metallic luster, showcasing powerful firepower.

Boarding the riding the wind for ten thousand miles, Mr.

Kaguya stroked the hull with satisfaction, the solid touch of wood and metal transmitting through his fingertips.

He turned to Thomson and said,

“It seems you indeed did not disappoint me.”

“As long as you are satisfied.”

Thomson puffed out his chest proudly.

“We didn’t just replace the deck and reinforce the hull structure; the three masts have also been replaced with sturdier Glazed Gold Wood.

The sails also use the latest composite materials, capable of withstanding stronger wind pressure.”

Nami ran around the deck excitedly, her fingers lightly brushing over every detail.

“Wow!

The interior decoration of these cabins is just too luxurious!”

She pushed open the deck-level cabin door; what met her eyes were sofas covered in dark gold silk, carpets made of unknown animal hides, exquisite oil paintings hanging on the walls, and a crystal chandelier emitting a soft glow.

Nojiko, on the other hand, walked to the stern and was surprised to find a greenhouse garden here; although it was still empty, after returning to Cocoyasi Village, she could plant some vegetables here and even transplant a few tangerine trees.

This way, even if she left the East Blue in the future, she would still be able to eat her hometown’s tangerines.

“The deck level consists of the dining room, kitchen, lounge area, and entertainment room.

The layer above is the crew’s quarters, divided into twenty rooms in total, all equipped with independent bathrooms and toilets.

The top layer is the Captains Cabin and office area; the Captains Cabin is equipped with an independent kitchen, bathroom, toilet, entertainment room, and cultivation room.

As for the lowest level, the hold, it is divided into sailor dormitories, a weapons room, and a storage room.

Considering you might have long-term sailing needs, we have equipped the storage room with an advanced refrigeration system, which can store enough food supplies for half a year.”

Thomson continued to introduce, a proud smile on his face.

After following Thomson to visit every corner of the riding the wind for ten thousand miles, Mr.

Kaguya nodded with satisfaction.

This ship had completely exceeded his expectations; both in performance and comfort, it could be called perfect.

After Thomson finished introducing the riding the wind for ten thousand miles to Mr.

Kaguya and the others, he disembarked.

And those villager-sailors who had been waiting for a long time only then boarded the ship after Thomson left.

Looking at this brand-new behemoth, the sailors let out bursts of amazement.

The old helmsman Hank stroked the brand-new steering wheel, his rough fingers feeling the grain of the high-grade wood;

The young lookout Jack, meanwhile, couldn’t wait to climb the thirty-meter-high mainmast, excitedly waving his hat on the crow’s nest.

As the sun sank in the west, the riding the wind for ten thousand miles slowly sailed away from the dock; the golden afterglow spilled over the shimmering sea, and the riding the wind for ten thousand miles gradually disappeared into the twilight.