Tick, tick, tick.
The wooden cutting board made a rhythmic sound as it was struck by a kitchen knife.
Rorschach's movements were swift as he skillfully and methodically chopped the large pile of vegetables and fruits stacked on the stove, placing them into dishes.
He knew how to cook from his previous life.
Because most of the time, he was alone at home, he had to take care of all his own needs for food, clothing, and shelter.
Now, Hibari stood to his right, in front of a large pot, busy tossing ingredients in and starting to cook.
The stove in this kitchen somewhat resembled the traditional stove in Rorschach's countryside home from his past life.
It was made up of three pots, arranged on the left, center, and right.
The fuel used was coal, meaning there was no need to constantly add firewood.
The three pots were lined up side by side, with the two on the left being slightly larger, while the one on the right had a slightly smaller diameter, though it still measured about one and a half meters.
Hibari's small size next to the large pot made him look even smaller.
In the world of pirates, everyone has massive appetites, and this kitchen reflected that.
As Rorschach continued chopping the vegetables, he tried to probe his curiosity, "So, I say, does this courtyard belong to Uncle Sakazuki…?"
Hibari raised his head, wiped the sweat from his forehead, smiled, and nodded, "Yes, this is my home. It's my father's house in Marineford, and since he's an admiral, he was able to get a private courtyard."
He pointed towards the three-story building opposite the kitchen.
"Look, that's my father's residence, and my room is on the top floor of that building."
Rorschach stopped chopping the vegetables.
Her room was on the top floor?
Indeed, that small room resembled a girl's room, with a faint scent similar to the fragrance from Yonshoku.
Rorschach began to feel uneasy.
How did he end up sleeping in Admiral Akainu's house, in Hibari's room, no less?
If Akainu returned and saw him, wouldn't he attack him with his Hellhound skill?
Imagining himself being pierced by Akainu's powerful attack sent a shiver down Rorschach's spine.
Who was trying to set him up?
Hibari seemed to notice Rorschach's changing expression and asked curiously, "Is something wrong, Rorschach?"
Rorschach unconsciously replied, "I want to know why I slept in your room… Ah."
He immediately regretted saying that.
"Ah?" Hibari blinked in confusion, her wide eyes sparkling, before her face quickly turned red.
The girl bit her lip, turning her head to the side, and softly said, "It was Dos who brought you back here… and… I asked him to… to put you…"
The girl seemed to be boiling, whether from the cooking steam or for some other reason.
In any case, she couldn't finish her sentence, and the atmosphere in the kitchen became tense.
"Surely this is the work of that damned Dos!" Rorschach thought angrily.
At the same time, Rorschach's grip tightened on the knife handle, almost crushing it.
Was Dos trying to get him killed by sending him to Hibari's room?
An angry father could do anything.
Especially Akainu, with his volcanic temper.
He made up his mind! He'd train with Dos later and show him the consequences of his actions.
Rorschach's expression turned sinister, causing Hibari to become confused, "Are you angry, Rorschach?"
He quickly responded, "No! I'm extremely happy, how could I be angry?"
Rorschach snapped out of his thoughts of revenge on Dos when he noticed tears welling up in Hibari's eyes and quickly reassured her.
"Happy?" Hibari hesitated, her face growing even redder.
Rorschach covered his face with his hand.
"What am I saying? Happy?! That room is the daughter of the strongest man in the Navy. If Akainu thinks I'm some kind of pervert, my life in the Navy could be as black as volcanic ash."
Rorschach decided to change the subject.
"By the way, where is Akainu? Isn't he in the base?"
Hibari answered as she continued to cook.
"My father left for the New World some time ago, and Uncle Adrela went with him. It's been half a year since they set off. But I heard from Grandpa Sengoku that they'll be returning soon."
"The New World? We just came from there, sailing across the calm sea for a month."
"The calm sea? Did you see the giant sea kings? Aren't they amazing? Bigger than the Castle of Justice in Marineford."
"Yes, we saw them, and it wasn't just one, but hundreds of giant sea kings, all coming out to bask in the sun."
"Really? That's incredible. When I, Dad, and Dos went to the North Sea through the calm sea, we didn't see anything like that. I'm jealous."
"Jealous? Our submarine was nearly destroyed by those sea kings…"
The two continued to chat and cook together, busy sharing their memories.
Despite their young age, they found in each other someone to share their experiences with.
Rorschach, although he only lived 15 years in his previous life.
And in this life, he's only lived 13 years so far.
He hadn't gone through the experiences of adults, but he had endured a difficult childhood and darkness in both lives.
But in the end, he was still a young man, not fully matured.
Now, he found someone his age to talk to, and that made him very happy.
As they were happily chatting, a sudden voice interrupted them from the kitchen door.
"So, who's this boy who's caught Admiral Akainu's princess in his net? Is he seeking death?"
Rorschach and Hibari quickly turned to see Dos standing at the door, holding a bottle of wine, with a smirk on his face.
Hibari blushed with embarrassment, turning her face towards the pot, unable to look at anyone.
"Dos, you're the reason for all this!" Rorschach angrily exclaimed, setting the knife aside and clenching his fists, approaching Dos with a threatening smile.
"Wait, what are you planning to do? This is Admiral Sakazuki's house, if you break something here… Ah!"
One punch made Dos bend over, and Rorschach smiled as he dragged him out of the kitchen.
"Ro… Rorschach, I was helping you, and you're hitting me?! This is how you repay kindness, ah, don't hit my face!"
"You're serious? Fine, don't blame me for hitting back!"
"Ah… what's with your body? How did you get so strong, and with electricity too? I didn't realize you've grown this tall, almost as tall as Admiral Sakazuki. Have you been eating special food? Stop!"
"Stop! I surrender, I'm sorry, it was my fault…"
(End of Chapter)
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