Chapter 50
"I will take responsibility!"
Knowing the whole story, Shanks, who almost got his hair burned by Ace's fire, uttered a meaningful monotone. After calming down, you see the scene of Ace bowing his head and admitting his mistake, which brings the ambiguous topic back on track.
"There's no need to blame yourself so much... Ace just needs to be responsible for starting the fire. As for the ingredients, there should still be some that haven't been trampled, plus that unknown creature, there should still be enough for a three-person dinner."
After your tears washed away the tension, you felt much better. In contrast, Ace, who looked up at you, observed your reaction cautiously, like a child who had done something wrong observing his parents.
Normally, after Ace apologizes and offers compensation, he doesn't care how the other person feels. But in your case, Ace is exceptionally attentive. Even after your explanation, Ace tilted his head slightly and whispered, "You're really not angry with me anymore?"
"I wasn't angry at all. The crying was just a reaction to being startled by how suddenly things happened, so don't take it to heart."
As you sighed, Shanks, who was watching from the side, chuckled inappropriately and added a voiceover to the topic you brought up: "Oh yeah! I don't care about you misunderstanding that I almost got burned!"
After saying this, Shanks, under Ace's gaze, used his remaining hand to brush away Ace's nearly burned red hair, as if to show that he truly didn't care. And Ace, concerned for Shanks' safety, gave him a genuine, untroubled smile, just as Shanks had hoped.
"I knew Shanks wouldn't hold a grudge over something so trivial!"
You know Ace is the straightforward type, but from an outsider's perspective, you always feel there's something wrong with what he said? Similarly, Shanks' expression faltered slightly, then he let out a hearty laugh and moved on from the topic.
After that, with Ace's Devil Fruit power, starting a fire was no longer a problem; it was just a snap of Ace's fingers. As for dealing with the giant creature, Shanks cleaned it up in no time. If there weren't finished products right in front of you, you would have been fooled by Shanks's effortless manner, as if he had just gone through the motions. As for you, your job was to skewer the food with branches and grill it.
The three of them worked together, and soon they smelled the aroma of food, along with the unanimous sound of "Empty City Stratagem." The probability of everyone being hungry at the same time was probably too low; when you heard the sound, you instinctively looked at the person next to you, and finally, you laughed along with Shanks and Ace.
In a joyful atmosphere, you share the grilled skewers. Although your resources are limited and you don't have much seasoning, hunger is the best seasoning. When you take the first bite and the tender meat and juices burst in your mouth, you feel like you've come back to life.
Ace, who had finished a skewer in one bite, turned to look at you, a slight smile playing on his lips, still stained with a bit of oil: "How was it? Delicious, right? It's not as good as Sachi's, but it's not bad either!"
Ace's intention was to lighten the mood, but little did you know that in your eyes, his words and reaction sounded like a junior asking for praise for doing a good deed. Thinking about your own imagined scenario, you couldn't help but chuckle as you returned Ace's smile with an appreciative undertone.
"It's really delicious. Ace is not only a great fighter, but also a first-rate griller."
Ace, who was being gazed at with a smile, was slightly taken aback. It was hard to tell whether it was from the firelight or from not being used to receiving praise, but a blush appeared on Ace's face.
"Hey, now that you mention it, I think I've caught up with Sachi..."
"They're still different. Ace is Ace, and Sachi is Sachi."
Amused by Ace's reaction, you teased him back, only to be met with Ace's urging, "Hurry up and eat!" Still hungry, you naturally followed Ace's lead. As you took your second skewer, you were met with Shanks's meaningful smile.
You gave Shanks a puzzled look, and he chuckled and shook his head, offering no answer and turning his attention back to dinner. Seeing this, you didn't press Shanks for an answer and focused on enjoying your skewers. As dinner was drawing to a close, a rustling sound came from the nearby woods.
Perhaps because you have two highly skilled partners by your side, you, who are usually tense at the slightest sound, mistook the unusual noise for the sound of wind blowing through leaves. Before you even heard the sound, Shanks and Ace were already in a state of readiness for battle.
Meeting Ace's reassuring smile, you were a beat slow to realize the seriousness of the situation. Before you could react, the bushes that had made the sound rustled, and Ace, who was closest to you, instinctively shielded you behind him, while Shanks stepped forward, his hand on the hilt of his sword.
Seeing the atmosphere growing increasingly tense, Shanks, who was standing at the front, seemed to have noticed something. His hand, which was on the hilt of his sword, fell naturally, and he let out a pleasant laugh.
"Aren't these Mihawk and Izo? How did you find this place?"
The two whose names were called stepped forward. Izo, in the lead, clasped his hands under his wide sleeves, his gaze shifting from Shanks to Ace behind him. In Ace's delighted greeting of "Izo," he saw you behind Ace.
Perhaps because such a lineup is truly rare, the exquisite makeup momentarily lost its focus, and it was Mihawk, who was hiding behind her, who broke the existing atmosphere.
"We came here following the footprints."
Mihawk's answer stunned Ace, who was chasing the giant creature. Then Ace laughed a little guiltyly, "T-you're right, it's hard not to notice such a big footprint! By the way, we're having dinner now, why don't you join us!"
Following Ace's suggestion, the two moved into the circle you had formed. However, Mihawk and Izo had different opinions on seating arrangements. You could see that Izo's original seat was the empty space to your right, but Shanks, who was one seat away from you, happily patted the empty space and gestured for Mihawk to sit down.
"Come, come, sit here!"
Without hesitation, Mihawk walked straight to the open space to your right, but instead of sitting down, he looked at you silently, as if asking if you could sit down.
Even though you know Mihawk means you no harm, and that your relationship might be more than just friendship, from Mihawk's perspective, you still instinctively look in the direction of Ace and Izo, seeking their advice. Izo, sitting next to Ace, responds with an encouraging smile, as if to say he has no objection to the arrangement.
Understanding the meaning behind Izan's smile, you look up at Mihawk, gazing into his sharp golden eyes. Mihawk still doesn't sit down, even with Shanks urging him from the background; he's waiting for your reply.
This realization and reality put you under immense pressure. Mixed with this pressure, a strange yet familiar feeling makes you indecisive. Fortunately, you understand the current situation, suppressing your confusion, and give Mihawk an uncertain reply.
"Please have a seat?"
Mihawk sat down after receiving a reply, while you, who had approached the situation with a test mentality, were startled by the reality before you.
In your opinion, where you sit in the wild isn't that important; if you have an opinion, you should let your strength speak for itself. But in this context, Mihawk, who is superior to you in both strength and status, is forced to sit beside you and wait for your answer. What others might consider an "overreaction" only makes your already chaotic thoughts even more chaotic.
For no other reason than that you felt "respect" from Mihawk's treatment of you. This "respect" may have had ulterior motives, but you have to admit that Mihawk's actions, like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, stirred ripples in your tranquil heart.
And so, dinner for three became dinner for five, and the once quiet and deserted space became more lively with the increase in the number of people.
Sure enough, Ace and Shanks, who hadn't chatted much earlier, were now each pulling Izou and Mihawk aside to talk about their experiences along the way. The difference between them was that Izou would occasionally respond to Ace, while Mihawk would only reply with short, audible words to Shanks.
Meanwhile, you, who haven't quite adjusted yet, act as an eavesdropper, gleaning the information you need from Ace and Shanks. From their conversation, we know that both of them woke up on this island. The reason they only met in the evening is related to the fact that they were initially just wandering around in circles.
Spinning around in place?
As far as you know, this island intentionally separated everyone, yet it left Ace and Shanks stuck in the same place for an entire afternoon. From this perspective alone, you, who have been constantly changing locations and companions since waking up, are practically the perfect example.
Izang and Mihawk were transferred here from another place. According to Izang, before arriving here, he saw an old friend who shouldn't be here, which is why he fought with Mihawk when they met.
A confrontation?
Having extracted the keywords, you cautiously scanned Izou and Mihawk, confirming that there were no signs of a fight on their clothes or bodies. You couldn't help but become interested in their "fight," which successfully diverted your attention.
Just when you thought you could hear the two fighting, Ace, sitting to your left, looked at you and naturally steered the conversation towards you.
"By the way, how did you meet Shanks?"
Upon hearing this, the remaining three people's gazes also turned to you, following Ace's lead. Clearly, they were interested in the topic, but hadn't found the right moment to ask you.
"I almost forgot to ask if Ace hadn't mentioned it. What did you encounter before you met me?"
Shanks chimed in with his comments about Ace, and you, now the center of attention, glanced around to make sure everyone was waiting for you to speak and remain quiet. You then abandoned your plan to be a mere eavesdropper and joined the conversation.
"Before I met Shanks, I was preparing dinner on the beach with Marco and the others."
Starting from this point, you recount your encounters with Lem and Harta, and then with Marco and Beckman, selectively omitting some events that weren't good for you or them. Perhaps because your experiences were so convoluted, the initially relaxed atmosphere becomes heavy.
If we're talking about who has the most serious expression, it's Ace.
Perhaps thinking of the scene when he met you, Ace looked at you again with a worried and self-reproachful expression.
If it were me—
Based on what you know about Ace, he probably connects your many hardships with the fact that he failed to keep an eye on you. This is what you admire about Ace, and also what worries you about him.
You already bear pain that most people don't experience, and now you have to shoulder responsibilities that others don't. From your perspective, even if you team up with Ace, he has no obligation to protect you.
After clearing your mind, you interrupted Ace's conversation.
"Although the process was a bit tortuous, the fact that I was able to meet Ace and everyone here shows that I still have some luck."
Compared to Ace, who stood there stunned, the three of them smiled to varying degrees upon hearing this, with Shanks stroking his chin and muttering, "What you said."
"'Ace and everyone'..."
Your tone was filled with undisguised laughter, while Ace, sitting to your left and singled out by you, blushed and suddenly stood up, using the excuse of "I'm going to get water" to escape from the group of five, leaving the four of you to watch Ace's retreating figure and unable to suppress your laughter.
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