……………………Bonus Story. (2) Backstory_______________A few weeks later, Ichiro went to me, bringing him a bunch of papers in his hands. His exams were finished. Ichiro waved the dozen test assessments in his hand and flashed me a wide smile. I could still hear him even after his beam slowly vanished, but the joy in Ichigo’s eyes still remained. His voice also echoed inside the store.“I passed!” Ichiro shouted. I massaged the temple of my eyes and caught a glimpse of the people surrounding us. The moon had yet to rise above the clouds, and the sky was as clear as a lightbulb. It was just six in the evening. Guilelessly, people went in and out, and those consumers witnessed our friendly relationship between two students from different schools. I was still at work. But since I was talking to Ichiro, I used the only free time I had and viewed his examination results. “Eighty-nine… over a hundred. Ninety-three over a hundred. And would you look at that! Ninety fucking eight over a hundre

Back to the present._______________My goal for today was to create a dish made from the mackerel fish these pirates caught and cook enough meals for the rest of the week. I placed aside the meat and other unused ingredients for later. They were useless to me. And besides, beans and fish were a delightful combination for pirates and their famished abdomens.Without wasting another second, I picked up the pace and went to my stations. These five pirates then followed me. Surprisingly, they were cooperative. Well, after what Francoise had told them and what these pirates had introduced themselves to me, they didn’t have an option besides following my lead.“Sally, heat the oil in a medium-large saucepan. Put some garlic and rosemary and rustle them up!”“Yes, chef!”“You, Rudy, and Maxie, while you’re at it, make sure you add those tomatoes up and cook them! Pour some seasoning in there because it looks FUCKING RAW! Chop chop!”“Aye, aye, boss!”“Barbara and Odette. You two. Come with

It didn’t take long enough before the pirates asked for seconds. They all carolled about how tasty the food was and why we didn’t prepare any seconds. Those choruses turned into curses as they learned I was behind on the insufficient stock of meals for them. And Captain Israel was no exception. When she placed the spoon’s contents inside her mouth, euphoria entered her mind. She couldn’t think of anything besides enjoying her meal and devouring it like a hyena. I already anticipated it, considering these ladies were ravenous like sharks swarming around a poor soul stranded in the ocean. And that poor individual was me. After finishing our meals, Captain Israel requested another pack of Mackerel garlic dishes, which I bluntly refused. But the moment I shook my head, Captain Israel pointed her sabre at me and laughed like a queen belittling her knight.Captain Israel knew that killing me would activate the contract and take her life afterward. But the alcohol from her hand had taken awa

For the rest of the days - not a week -, Azure was the one who handed out my tasks. Captain Israel didn’t send me back to the galley. She said that I was too good for my own, and the resources they stacked were used exponentially. So it was better if the usual food was served, and the meal I could cook was for special occasions. “In that way, these pirates will look forward to tomorrow! You’re pretty useful, Arata! In the meantime, just, you know, have fun doing the chores of the ship! You’ll get help from the five pirates gals, since you’re already friends with them! MWAHAHA!” “And that’s what she said,” Azure explained, and mimicked almost perfectly Captain Israel’s voice and demeanour. I thought that bastard of a Captain was beside me for a second. Similar to what Captain Israel mentioned, Azure was the one who handed out the instructions and gave me the mop. We had to clean the deck’s restroom. And pirates… knew nothing about hygiene. It wasn’t because they were girls - gender wa

When Kirameki appeared, my body jerked, and I hopelessly tried snatching her before anything else. But I was too late. The moment I stepped too close to my sister, a tentacle popped up out of nowhere and destroyed the ship like it was nothing but paper. And as soon as the monster’s limb made an entrance, Captain Israel shouted at the top of her lungs, warning everyone present on the deck. “KRAKEN!” Every pirate who heard Captain Israel’s shout dashed everywhere, trying to find their weapons and cannons, and woke up other resting personnel. Even so, our numbers were futile. The tentacle remained firm no matter how hard the pirates slammed their kitchen knives and shovels. It cannot be destroyed that easily. The moment Captain Israel yelled those words, every hair follicle from my skin went upward. And every cell inside my body told me I needed to run away. But I couldn’t. There was no way for me to leave this place without grabbing Kirameki with me. And if I had the chance to do so,