"Impossible! Once a month at most!"
"No way! At least once a day!"
"Don't even think about it! Once a month! I'm the Captain!"
"And I'm the ship's cook! It has to be once a day! Otherwise... otherwise I'll poison your food and kill you, you stingy Captain!"
Ripley leaned her large face close to Charlotte Linlin's, making a fierce-looking "threat."
"So you do know you're the ship's cook! Four times a month at most! No more than that! I'm the Captain, not your personal chef!"
Charlotte Linlin shot back, refusing to back down.
Ripley thought for a moment and decided to quit while she was ahead:
"...Fine, I guess."
She lay back down on the ground; after all, the other party was the Captain, so she had to show some respect.
Seeing Ripley stop pestering her, Charlotte Linlin secretly sighed in relief.
It wasn't that she disliked cooking, but it was mostly a waste of food—unless she had something to boost her luck, her cooking was a complete waste of resources.
The atmosphere quieted down, and as Charlotte Linlin watched the sky gradually turn orange-red, she thought of another figure.
"By the way, Ripley, do you know why Loki hates beautiful women so much?"
"How do you know Loki doesn't like beautiful women? Oh right, you've met that kid."
Ripley glanced at Charlotte Linlin, then retracted her gaze, resting her arms behind her head and casually crossing her left foot over her right, her tone carrying a hint of faint sadness.
"Loki, he..."
Ripley sighed and began to recount that heavy past.
"His tragedy was predestined before he was even born. His mother, Estrilda, was an extremely superstitious woman."
"She once received a prophecy stating that her husband—King Harald—would one day die at the hands of his own biological son."
"Just because of that prophecy?" Charlotte Linlin frowned slightly.
"There's more." Ripley shook her head.
"When Loki was born, he had eyes unlike those of normal people, with vertical pupils like a demon or a snake."
"Those eyes filled Estrilda with fear and loathing, leading her to believe he was the father-slaying demon from the prophecy."
"So, right after he was born, she heartlessly threw him into the abyss leading to the Underworld, while publicly claiming the child had died young. Thus, Loki lost his royal status and his mother's favor."
Charlotte Linlin listened quietly; she couldn't imagine how desperate Loki must have felt as a newborn infant, abandoned by his own mother and cast into the Underworld ten thousand meters below.
"But miraculously, Loki survived."
"It's said he not only survived that desperate situation but also fought off wild beasts, crying all the while as he stubbornly climbed up the legendary adam tree, trying to return to the home he had just left."
"That powerful will to live and strength shown even as an infant led some to speculate that he was born with Haoshoku."
"Did he succeed?" Charlotte Linlin asked.
"He successfully returned. But his return brought no warmth. He was still seen as an ill omen. His mother refused to see him even before she died of illness."
"Whenever a disaster struck the tribe, it would be blamed on him, called 'Loki's Curse.' He was handed over to his uncle to be raised, but suffered endless abuse."
"Finally, his eyes were blindfolded because rumors said his gaze would bring misfortune."
Ripley's voice lowered: "Later, after being blamed as the source of a disaster once again, a desperate Loki threw himself into the Underworld."
"It's said that coincidentally, Rocks led his Pirate Crew to Elbaf at that time, found him, and likely saved him."
Is that why Loki only wants to join the Rocks Pirates? Charlotte Linlin thought to herself.
"So, he loathes beautiful women because of his mother..."
Charlotte Linlin concluded; the Female Giant named Estrilda was undoubtedly beautiful according to the description.
"Mm." Ripley gave a soft response.
"He projected his fear and resentment toward his mother onto all women with beautiful appearances. I can understand his feelings because of this tattoo,"
She pointed to the winding dark pattern on her body,
"which has also made me experience some strange looks. It's just nowhere near as cruel and absolute as what he faced."
"I see. To treat one's own child like that because of a vague prophecy and natural appearance... no wonder Loki turned out this way," Charlotte Linlin remarked with emotion.
"What, hearing you sound so emotional, do you want to recruit him onto the ship? Don't tell me... I'm not your first choice anymore?"
Ripley suddenly dropped her sad expression, putting on a pitiful look and blinking her eyes at Charlotte Linlin.
"Yes, exactly! I do want to recruit him as my Crew member! You aren't my first choice!"
Charlotte Linlin deliberately put on a stern face; she had to teach this big girl who called her a housewife a lesson!
But seeing Ripley's eyes actually start to redden, her tone couldn't help but soften as she added,
"...But you are my only choice at this moment!"
Ripley immediately dropped her act of feigned grievance and said with a giggle:
"Is that so? Captain~ thanks for the comfort. But..."
"But what?"
"But I was lying just now! The sadness was real because I pity Loki's situation, but it wasn't because you went to find him first, hahaha!"
Ripley playfully stuck out her tongue.
Charlotte Linlin's cheek twitched, and she stubbornly insisted to save face:
"Hmph! I was lying just now too! You aren't my only choice!"
She, who possessed Observation Haki capable of sensing emotions, had actually been fooled by this Female Giant? Truly, women—even Female Giants—were all liars!
The setting sun dyed the sky a warm orange-red, draping a soft halo over the dilapidated training ground.
In this peaceful twilight, the two figures—one large and one small—continued their play and bickering. A new bond had quietly formed, witnessed by the sunset and the food...
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