15,015
After dinner, gathered around the campfire, Newgate began recounting tales of adventure to the young boy.
The girl, still the same as ever, would only catch the first fifteen words of the story before falling into a baby-like slumber.
But now, she could sleep on a clean wooden bed, resting her head on a pillow, though misshapen, soft and comforting, wrapped warmly in a thick coat.
Two companions were beside her.
Newgate’s voice was deep and resonant, yet at this moment, he deliberately softened it. The flames burned quietly, and the stars above blinked at them.
Every so often, gentle breathing could be heard as Kaido leaned against a tree, lost in deep slumber.
Newgate smiled.
Though known as a fearsome pirate of the seas, with days full of peril and adventure, Newgate found the tranquility of this little island to be a rare and precious kind of peace.
—
The night vanished in the blink of an eye; another day passed within the game.
The girl still had two pelts left to process.
The two little creatures seemed in no hurry to venture out to sea, never uttering a word of promptness. She even wondered if, by simply not building a ship and delaying indefinitely, they might remain on the island and become her island residents by default.
But since the quests had led her here, so close to completion, she decided to finish them.
Better to make use of the animals while they were still around and get everything done.
With Kaido assisting in the hunt (which raised the question: how does a herbivore hunt carnivores so skillfully?), and Newgate helping to fell trees to gather materials for her pioneering efforts, the girl enjoyed a leisurely time, able to stay indoors at the camp, experimenting with cooking and crafting sails.
Within that day, she concocted four new dishes:
[Green Herb Porridge] (R rank)
[Mud-Mixed Grilled Fish] (R rank)
[Half-Cooked Mushroom Braised Chicken Leg] (SR rank)
[Charcoal-Grilled Kidney] (SR rank)
As usual, dishes that enhanced abilities were shared with the animals first.
She truly was a kind player, sharing her good fortune!
Handing the dishes to the two creatures, the white bear merely uttered a curious “Hmm?” before she eagerly said,
“See? You noticed it too, right?”
The white bear in the game twitched its ears: “Your cooking…”
From the initial inedible, dark mess, over just a few days, it seemed she had finally grasped what constituted edible human food. Her recent creations even had some semblance of form!
Newgate hesitated, pondering whether to praise her, but the girl proudly puffed out her chest:
“Yes! You’re right!”
The girl—completely unable to taste food, indifferent to appearance, caring only about effects, a purely strength-focused player—declared: “The additional effects of my dishes have improved!”
Previously, no matter what she made, no matter the attributes, only a maximum of 5 points could be added.
But now, whether due to increased proficiency or the use of higher-quality ingredients—Kaido, finding little joy in chasing small insects outside the forest, ventured deeper into the woods to bring back rare beasts—the dishes she made in recent days boosted stats by 5, then 10, then 15 points.
Kaido had noticed but said nothing, silently bringing her another helping.
The white bear, utterly confused by her words, paused: “...”
For Newgate, with his already formidable base stats, the slight boosts from food were barely more than a placebo.
He retracted his words and pondered silently: did these dishes have any additional effects?
Hopefully, they wouldn’t cause a stomach upset...
Unaware of the white bear’s thoughtful expression, the girl proudly continued her culinary experiments.
[Congratulations! You have acquired an SR-rank dish: [Surprisingly Not Burnt Grilled Rabbit Head]!
—
[Description: The fact that the rabbit head isn’t burnt—does this mean your cooking has improved? No, because it’s just a grilled rabbit head.]
[Effect: +30 attack, +10 satiety.]
Ignoring the usual sarcastic remarks in the description box, just looking at the stats, this newly made dish was indeed a breakthrough, boosting attack by a full 30 points!
…And, incidentally, increasing satiety by 10 points.
Due to a shortage of the rare ingredient [White Rabbit], only three portions were made.
Proud of the stat boost, she handed two portions to the animals, wearing an expectant look, waiting for praise.
Newgate, tasting it, raised an eyebrow for the first time, no longer wearing his usual expression of reluctant disdain. Though judging by his face, the dish was still far from what one would call “delicious.”
Either the appearance lacked aroma and taste, or it had aroma but lacked flavor… One or two elements of color, aroma, and taste were always missing, but Newgate believed she had improved tremendously.
With the encouragement one gives a child, Newgate said with difficulty, “Hmm… Progress.”
The girl puffed out her chest with pride, her chin nearly touching the sky, making Newgate smile somewhat.
“Keep it up.” The white bear’s broad paw gently rested atop her head.
Though he hadn’t yet grasped the power hidden in her cooking, Newgate simply spoke from his heart:
“Your cooking carries the power to warm the heart.”
He wasn’t one to force himself to eat disliked food merely to spare a young girl’s feelings.
Strangely enough, though her dishes looked crude and somewhat unsightly, eating them never sparked any aversion in him.
Though the appearance was far from pleasing…
Truly, they were not visually appealing at all…
Newgate understood why Kaido never refused her food. Because even Newgate himself never thought to refuse.
Smiling sincerely, Newgate said, “When you grow up, the dishes you create might astonish the world.”
“Really?”
The girl’s eyes lit up as she ran over to the white bear, grabbing its paw, beaming:
“Have my dishes finally satisfied Newgate?”
Newgate twitched his mustache, about to say, “You’re still far from satisfying me!” but caught the expectant look on her face and let her continue:
“Then, as a reward…”
She asked, “Can I touch your mustache?”
“...Hmm?”
The white bear, Newgate, bore a curved, crescent-moon-shaped white mustache, curling upward.
Upon hearing the girl’s somewhat presumptuous request, he lowered his head slightly and looked at her.
She gazed at him with sparkling eyes.
The bear curled his lips. Just as he had left an impression of gentleness and gentlemanly grace on her, Newgate was indeed a kind and refined white bear. Unsurprisingly, he said:
“Alright.”
He easily agreed to her request, and the girl joyfully hopped in place.
In the portrait frame, the bear’s small eyes seemed filled with great affection, his expression still honest and warm.
The girl reached out her hand, and the bear cooperatively bent down.
The curved white mustache was within reach, seemingly so close she could easily touch it.
What would the texture of the bear’s mustache feel like?
Full of anticipation, she extended her hand—
Closer and closer.
Almost within touch.
Just as she was about to make contact, the bear suddenly lifted his paw.
—
Then, without ceremony, he playfully tapped her on the head.
An exclamation mark appeared above her head: “You said I could touch your mustache!”
But she hadn’t even brushed the mustache, yet was given a sharp tap on the head that sent her stumbling backward three paces.
She looked at the bear in a daze, unsure if this was a refusal. If it was, why agree first and then push her away? Her mind couldn’t quite process it.
“Gulalalala!”
Newgate laughed more like a child than the girl:
“Little girl, do you believe everything people say? How naive! Gulalalala!”
The bear straightened up, completely uninterested in letting her touch his mustache, and turned to leave. Before going, he left a parting remark:
“You want to touch my mustache? You’re a hundred years too early! Gulalalala!”
…So it was just a prank played on a child?
Though he looked mature and honest, this fellow was mischievous?
So childish!
Just to tap me on the head?!
The girl was shocked and incredulous. As the white bear’s back grew distant, she finally realized it was intentional.
Newgate—or rather, a creature like the white bear—seemed naïve and clumsy on the surface, but thinking carefully, it was indeed a top predator of the Arctic…
Damn, the bear’s appearance was so deceptive that she had completely trusted it! But it wasn’t a kind and gentle bear at all!
Unwilling and indignant, she decided to pull out her trump card.
Her expression shifted.
Thus, on the screen, the girl’s face changed from naïve joy to shock, and now to tearful, on the verge of sobbing.
Because it was a game, though the character normally wore a poker face, when required to express emotion, her transitions were more Oscar-worthy than most actors.
With a “woof,” she burst into tears: “Wah, my head hurts! I got a concussion from the tap, I’m going to become an idiot!”
She cried as if grievously wronged, tears streaming, moving one to pity.
Though facing away, the bear paused, and a bead of cold sweat appeared on his portrait.
Game dialogue:
Edward Newgate (whispering): “Wait, why is she crying? I didn’t use that much force, did I?”
The girl sobbed uncontrollably; the bear slowly turned back, stiffly approaching her again.
Edward Newgate (muttering): “Could it be I underestimated a normal child’s endurance and accidentally hit too hard?”
Sweat poured down Newgate’s brow: “You... I... uh...”
The girl frantically tapped the crying expression, utterly sobbing.
Newgate anxiously paced around her, then gritted his teeth and stooped slightly:
“Hey! Don’t cry, don’t cry, it’s nothing.”
Whether he saw through her little ploy or had long anticipated it, the bear nonetheless leaned his head toward her:
“Fine, you can touch my mustache.”
…Alas, this was a game; she couldn’t physically touch the white bear or his mustache.
She thought once more.
Still, being able to touch it in-game was already quite something.
Her expression instantly brightened. Without hesitation, she reached out and gently stroked Newgate’s mustache.
The bear glanced at her once, allowing her to touch his mustache, then sighed deeply, as if bearing a heavy burden.