This little brat really was something else.
She learned fast. Too fast.
She had already mastered Reid's ultimate "technique." She understood perfectly the part where she wanted to stay by his side… but completely refused to understand why she couldn't sleep with him.
Reid raised a thumb proudly.
"My world. My rules."
A slipper seemed to fly in from nowhere.
What exactly are you proud of, you idiot?!
Looking at the girl's expression that clearly said I don't understand, and I don't care, I'm going in anyway, Reid suddenly felt like he was seeing an old acquaintance.
He rubbed his temples.
"Forget it. The kid just lacks a sense of security. That's understandable. Totally understandable."
Bang!
The captain's cabin door slammed shut without mercy, sealing the little girl outside.
"Go sleep on your own! I even put a blood-mist teddy bear in your room!" Reid's voice came from inside.
Silence.
Reid lay on his bed.
No sound came from outside.
He turned from side to side, unable to fall asleep.
His blood-mist perception told him everything.
The little one hadn't gone to the next room at all.
She was just sitting quietly on the floor outside his door.
Reid froze.
Ahhh… are you testing my resolve here? First it was that ridiculous purple egg staring at me, and now this…
"…Fine. Be stubborn then." he muttered, forcing his eyes shut.
Time passed slowly.
The silence outside never broke.
But he could clearly feel that small presence still there.
Reid groaned internally.
Ahhh…
In the end, he gave in first.
With a long sigh, he got up, walked to the door, and pulled it open.
Under the moonlight, the little girl was indeed sitting quietly on the deck, hugging her knees.
The moment she heard the door, she looked up.
Her ice-blue eyes reflected him clearly, shimmering with a faint but unmistakable expectation.
No… not expectation.
She had been waiting for him all along.
Reid scratched his head, stepped aside, and spoke in a tone full of helplessness.
"...I really can't do anything about you."
He paused, then tried to maintain what little dignity he had left as a captain.
"Fine. This is the last night. Starting tomorrow, you sleep on your own."
The light in her eyes brightened instantly.
She stood up at once.
Muttering something under her breath, she slipped past him without hesitation, climbed onto the bed, and took her usual spot on the inside.
She pulled the blanket over herself, leaving only her eyes visible as she peeked at him, as if afraid he might change his mind.
Reid looked at his "first mate" who had already occupied the bed.
He didn't know whether to laugh or get annoyed.
In the end, he just shut the door.
Fine.
Just this one last night.
The long voyage continued.
Day after day, sunrise and sunset repeated endlessly, the vast blue sea becoming the most monotonous backdrop imaginable.
Reid's initial excitement about exploring the Blank Century had long since been worn away by weak opponents and endless emptiness.
"Ahhh… this is so boring…"
For the nth time, Reid collapsed onto the deck.
He even started missing the days in the New World, fighting monsters.
At least back then, a single punch wouldn't instantly turn the opponent into fuel for his blood mist.
At least back then, there were screams worth hearing.
Just another day filled with nostalgia.
No… this was the Blank Century. A time countless people could never reach. He had paid a price to be here.
So he would endure it.
Annie stood quietly nearby, her ice-blue eyes fixed on the nearly visible aura of boredom surrounding her captain.
She still didn't fully understand the emotion.
Even after seeing it every day, she couldn't grasp it.
But she could tell.
Reid was reaching his limit.
Reid, internally: Not "almost." I'm perfectly fine.
After thinking for a while, Annie stepped forward again, preparing to offer her unique form of care.
But just as her hand was about to reach him
Boom! Boom!
Distant cannon fire suddenly shattered the silence of the sea.
Reid shot upright instantly.
His crimson eyes lit up.
Music to his ears.
"Oh? Something interesting finally?! Who's the unlucky guy getting chased? Hey, what do you think, will they just fire at us too?"
Annie answered simply,
"I'll protect you."
Reid chuckled and patted her head.
Smooth. Cool. Refreshing.
Not bad at all.
They both looked toward the horizon.
In the distance was a massive ship.
At first glance, it looked ordinary.
And yet… not ordinary at all.
Why ordinary?
Because it had a certain technological feel to it, but still within the limits of what Reid could accept.
But what made it abnormal…
Was that the entire ship behaved like rubber.
It stretched.
It bounced.
It rebounded across the surface of the sea in a way that completely defied reality.
Boing. Boing.
Yes.
It was bouncing.
A ship.
Bouncing across the ocean.
Behind it were several ships flying royal flags.
Reid couldn't even tell which of the many noble families they belonged to.
But when cannonballs struck the rubber-like ship
Thump. Thump.
They simply bounced off.
"Wow…" Reid whistled. "Now that's interesting. That ability… rubber? No… more like…"
From that ship came an incredibly loud, piercing, almost ridiculous laugh.
"Hahaha! Missed again! Try harder! Hahahahaha!"
The one laughing was a tall man, seemingly a giant.
Even from a distance, his overflowing energy and optimism were impossible to ignore.
Reid's eyes lit up completely.
"A gift from the heavens!"
"…Joy Boy…" he muttered, narrowing his eyes.
"Finally. Someone worth my time."
Royal pursuit.
Daily chaos.
What a rich and exciting life pirates had.
Truly enviable.
Reid sighed, considering whether to intervene or just watch.
But the royal ships made the decision for him.
Several stray cannonballs came hurtling straight toward Reid's tiny boat.
Reid's expression darkened.
"…Seriously? My ship is already this small, and you're still shooting at me?"
Annie looked at him, then spoke simply,
"Captain… we don't need to hide."
Reid ignored that for the moment and said,
"Come on. Let's review our ship's rule."
Annie tried her best to repeat it.
"…My… choice."
"Good. You're improving."
Her head swayed gently under his hand as he patted her. She closed her eyes slightly, enjoying the sense of comfort.
Reid curled his lips slightly.
One of the few ways he entertained himself now…
After dealing with these royal dogs, he would use a bit of illusion to observe them.
At some point
Reid had become something like a roaming "world police."
Wandering the seas.
Looking for anything that might relieve his boredom.
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