"What do you all want to eat?" Ron gestured toward the menu in his hand.
Most of the dishes listed were made with local ingredients, consisting mainly of fish, octopus, shrimp, and crab from the surrounding waters. There were a few fruit options, mostly coconut and mango, and very few vegetables—though there were some seaweed-based dishes.
Misty swam over from the sea, and Shizuku walked up behind Ron.
"I want this one."
"Mango sorbet looks good."
"Salmon with yellow mustard."
The three began chatting noisily over the menu. Ron passed it to the staff, and compared to the tense atmosphere of the Heavens Arena, he felt noticeably more relaxed at this moment.
Soon, the food was served. A small table floated with the sea's motion, gently rocking back and forth, though the specially made utensils remained steady thanks to their design.
Ron ate slowly, glancing around as he did. Most of the passengers aboard this cruise ship were either wealthy or influential—without enough money, they wouldn't even be able to afford a ticket. Some were families, some were couples, and others were groups of young people. Some sat quietly enjoying the view, while others had themselves become part of the scenery.
After eating, Shizuku was pulled into the water by Sally's invitation, joining her in the sea. Misty came over to Ron and quietly asked,
"Big brother, you said before that I was still too young… but actually, I'm not that young anymore."
As she spoke, Misty even puffed out her chest deliberately.
Ron's brow twitched slightly.
"When I said young, I meant your age."
"Then how old do I have to be before I can fulfill a wife's duties?"
"At the very least, you need to be an adult."
Misty's face showed clear disappointment. In this world, the definition of adulthood came earlier than in Ron's previous life, but for Misty, it would still take some time.
"Then, big brother, can you tell me what those duties actually are?"
"That night, what did Sister Ponzu do with you?"
Misty was brimming with curiosity. Ron didn't know whether to laugh or sigh.
"Misty, you're that interested in a wife's responsibilities?"
"Mm-hmm." Misty nodded repeatedly.
"Alright, come with me."
Ron stood up and took Misty back to the deck. The two of them leaned against the railing, looking down at the water.
Ron pointed in a direction. "See over there?"
"That couple is probably romantically involved." A young man and woman were embracing each other passionately, clearly caught up in the atmosphere and ignoring whether anyone else might see them. Their lips met, sticking together. The young man's hand slid up and down the woman's back, while her arms clung tightly to his waist.
Misty's eyes widened, trying to get a better look. But the longer she watched, the more her face began to flush. Her heart beat faster, and after another glance at the couple, she couldn't help but sneak a look at Ron.
"Big brother..."
Suddenly, another woman stormed over angrily and began shouting curses at the couple, hurling objects at them in a fury.
Misty froze.
"Big brother, what happened to them?"
Ron: "..."
He had thought they were just a normal couple—but now it looked more like someone had been caught cheating, and it had been exposed on the spot.
"It's nothing. They just made a mistake."
In different worlds, the severity of such mistakes varied. Ron himself couldn't accept that sort of behavior, but in his past life's world, some people viewed it lightly, and even the law didn't always see it as a crime.
"Let's go. The break is over."
The cruise ship began moving again. The platforms that had been lowered to the sea were retracted, and everyone returned either to the deck or inside the cabins.
"Captain." Shizuku walked up beside Ron. When he turned to look at her, his eyes paused briefly, unable to immediately shift his gaze away.
The tight white short-sleeve shirt she wore outlined her figure beautifully. Her jeans hugged her legs perfectly, and with her glasses, she gave off a soft and slightly absentminded charm.
Ron had to admit that when choosing team members, appearance and gender had been factors—aside from Nina, who had joined purely out of Ron's sympathy for her past and the unresolved grief he still felt over the Nina from Fullmetal Alchemist.
But the reason he had brought back Shizuku was twofold: first, because he knew her talent was enough to qualify for the Phantom Troupe, which meant she was far from weak, and second, because she happened to be one of Ron's preferred types—excellent looks, a perfect figure, and a cute, slightly dazed demeanor.
Previously, Ron hadn't developed his relationship with his teammates into anything romantic mainly due to age differences. But now, he wasn't so young anymore, especially after what had happened with Ponzu—and Misty's earlier words had stirred his thoughts again.
"Captain, have you seen my notebook?"
"No." Ron shook his head. "Your notebook's missing? When did you notice?"
"Just now."
"Did you go anywhere earlier? Let's retrace our steps and look for it."
If Shizuku's notebook was truly lost, it wouldn't be hard to find. She was a Nen user, and since she always carried that notebook and wrote in it regularly, it would carry traces of her aura—making it completely different from an ordinary object. With Gyo, it would be visible.
Ron's expression turned serious. Shizuku's notebook wasn't just important to her—it also contained information related to Ron's team, and it wasn't something that could be casually lost.
"Let's search together."
"Okay, Captain."
Just as the two were preparing to set off, a small figure came running toward them.
"Sister Shizuku, is this your notebook?" Misty waved a notebook in her hand.
Shizuku's eyes lit up instantly.
"Yes! It's mine!" She quickly took it, flipped through a few pages to confirm, then hugged it to her chest with a huge sigh of relief.
"That's great. Thank you, Misty."
"You're welcome, Sister Shizuku."
A steam whistle blew—"Toot, toot, toot!"
Everyone's eyes turned toward the sound. In the distance, an island had come into view. It was none other than Gourmet Paradise. Even from afar, the rich aroma of its culinary world could already be felt in the air.