After confirming that the Deep Sea King wouldn’t return to attack, Icey returned to the deck of the Infinite Dream.
“Well done, King,” he said, patting King’s shoulder.
The timing and accuracy of that cannon shot had been impeccable. Although the precision required in video games differed significantly from reality, getting it right on the first try was beyond Icey’s expectations.
Maybe developing King’s skills as a cannoneer or sniper could yield surprising results? Icey pondered this idea.
“I was just lucky. Honestly, before firing, I had no confidence since I’d never tried it before,” King admitted, scratching his head shyly.
“Stop being so modest, King! Not only are you strong, but you’re also great with cannons!” Aqua expressed her unabashed admiration.
She hadn’t noticed King struggling to lift the cannonball earlier, as her attention was fully on the Deep Sea King.
“And Aqua, your buffs were perfectly timed,” Icey added, turning to Aqua and shaking the seawater from his head.
Ignoring that she was the cause of the trouble and the comedic moments in between, the quick resolution of the Deep Sea King incident owed much to the dumb goddess’s contributions. This was their first coordinated battle, and it went well.
“Hmm? Icey, can I take that as a compliment?” Aqua was initially taken aback, then proudly straightened up, basking in the praise.
“I must say, your vocabulary is quite limited. If you’re going to praise a goddess, you should use more expressive language and a more sincere attitude! At the very least, you should say, ‘You are truly the most outstanding Aqua-sama of the divine realm!’”
“As my number one loyal follower, Icey, I think it’s necessary to teach you the basics of being a devotee, so that people won’t look down on you, which would be so embarrassing…”
Seeing the goddess getting carried away with a little praise, Icey realized his mistake. Apologizing to her had been a bad move.
Having no intention to engage further, he and King, who shared the same sentiment, pushed the heavy cannon back to the storeroom and walked downstairs without looking back.
“Hey? Where are you going?!” Aqua yelled, realizing they had left. She followed them, grumbling all the way.
“Aqua, dry my clothes,” Icey requested as they returned to the first-floor restaurant, pointing at his soaking wet clothes.
For the water goddess, this was an easy task.
“Hehe, this is one of my special skills, just like Hanami and Tsukimi. I shouldn’t display it casually,” Aqua said, still smug from her earlier feat. “Of course, Icey, if you humbly…”
“Stop talking nonsense!”
“Yes, Icey-sama!”
Aqua hurriedly placed her white hand on Icey’s chest.
Hum~
A faint blue glow appeared, and the seawater in Icey’s clothes evaporated visibly. In a few seconds, they were as dry as if they had been aired out.
Indeed, when it came to insignificant tasks, the dumb goddess always showed remarkable results…
With peace restored, the Infinite Dream continued its journey towards Loguetown. Feeling the strain from loading the cannonball, King resumed his workout with renewed vigor, lifting his ten-kilogram dumbbells with determination.
Meanwhile, Aqua, mistaking King’s training for some kind of relaxing exercise, joined him for three minutes before laziness got the better of her. She then grabbed some snacks and was about to find a cool spot to relax when Icey, inspecting the ship, assigned her to repair the deck.
During the earlier clash, the Infinite Dream’s side railing had been damaged. Aqua, being the culprit and possessing excellent crafting skills, was tasked with the repair. She could even leave intricate carvings while mending a broken wall!
With no room to argue, Aqua donned a white work outfit and a sun hat, grabbed a toolbox, and headed to the second deck to start the repairs.
Their long but not boring sea voyage resumed. At one point, a group of sea merchants visited the restaurant. Impressed by Icey’s crew’s heroism against pirates, they paid generously for their meals and left behind some exquisite jewelry as gifts. Although not worth much, it was a kind gesture.
Icey thanked these kind-hearted merchants. This was the joy of sailing the seas—you never knew who you would meet or what delightful surprises awaited!
For example…
“Help! Please, help me!”
Shortly after the merchants left, a hoarse cry for help came from outside the restaurant. Not far from the Infinite Dream, a frail, battered man clung to a broken plank, bobbing up and down in the waves.
Icey, standing at the bow, recognized the man and decided to stop the ship and bring him aboard.
“Thank you, thank you so much!” The young man, around twenty years old, sat at a table in the restaurant, repeatedly expressing his gratitude. He had visible wounds on his cheeks, arms, and legs.
“Aqua, get him some water,” Icey said, placing an empty cup in front of the man.
Understanding, Aqua opened a fan she had in her hand.
Whoosh~
Clear, pure water flowed from the fan, filling the empty cup. The man, astonished by this display, momentarily forgot to drink. It wasn’t until Icey reminded him that he grabbed the cup and gulped it down.
“Tell us, who are you, where do you come from, and how did you end up drifting alone at sea?” Icey asked.
Hearing this, a look of terror flashed in the man’s eyes. Slowly, he began to recount his harrowing experience.
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