"Vivian, I brought you the ingredients you asked for, along with some fresh fruits…"
Domino said as she opened the metal box, revealing neatly arranged vegetables and meats. It was clear that she had put a lot of thought into fulfilling Vivian's request.
"But what are you planning to make with these ingredients? Can I stay and taste it?" Domino continued.
Without waiting for Vivian's response, she walked into the duty room, sat on Vivian's bed with her legs together in an inward stance.
Vivian: "…"
"I'm planning to make hot pot for dinner."
"Hot pot?" Domino blinked curiously. "What's that?"
"It's a type of cuisine, unique to my hometown. It's like a mixed stew…"
Vivian explained, then took the chicken soup he had been simmering off the stove, poured it into two porcelain bowls, and offered one to Domino. "This is my lunch. Would you like to try it?"
"Yes!"
Domino nodded enthusiastically.
Vivian filled a bowl with chicken soup, added a chicken leg, and handed it to Domino.
As the aroma wafted up, Domino took a sip and her eyes widened in surprise behind her sunglasses.
He can actually cook?
Although she had seen Vivian cooking for the prisoners on Level Six, she had always assumed it was some form of punishment, like making them eat terrible food.
But…
She took another bite of the chicken leg, chewed it a bit, and her cheeks flushed slightly.
It's… so delicious?!
"Isn't this delicious food a reward for that prisoner named Ace?" she wondered.
Meanwhile…
"Hey kid, do you think cooking will make her like you?" A prisoner shouted mockingly.
"Men are only attractive when they're fighting. Cooking is for wimps!"
"Why don't you unlock my shackles and fight me? If you beat me, maybe she'll fall for you."
"Hahaha."
The atmosphere in Level Six became lively.
Domino frowned, ready to pull out her whip and teach the prisoners a lesson, but Vivian stopped her.
"Ignore them. The more you react, the more they'll keep at it. They'll tire themselves out eventually," Vivian said.
He understood these troublemakers' psychology too well.
If you ignore them, it drives them crazy.
Sure enough, when Vivian and Domino didn't respond, the mocking prisoners became anxious.
"Hey, coward! Are you scared? Don't pretend you can't hear us!"
"Let me out and see if I don't beat you to a pulp!"
"Idiot, trash, loser!"
…
"Hey, new guard, I buried a treasure outside. Give me that pot of chicken soup, and I'll tell you where it is!" shouted a tall prisoner with a clown hat and a nose like a sausage stuck to his face.
After eating the bland prison food for so long, their mental state was already on the verge of collapse. Now, smelling such a fragrant aroma, he couldn't help but salivate uncontrollably. Changing his previous tactic, he began to use temptation.
Vasco Shot, 36 years old, 5.73 meters tall, nicknamed "Big Barrel," the future captain of the eighth ship of the Blackbeard Pirates.
"Treasures?"
Hearing this word, Vivian put down his spoon and turned to Shot, asking, "What treasures?"
"It's a batch of gold and jewels I looted as a pirate, worth about 200 million Berries!" Shot quickly said.
"200 million Berries?"
Hearing this number, Vivian seemed a bit tempted.
200 million Berries, trading a pot of chicken soup for 200 million Berries, what a deal.
But then he thought again.
What would he do with the money?
Even if he wanted to open a tavern in the future and needed startup capital, he still had decades until retirement. During this time, with his monthly salary of over 300,000 Berries, it would be more than enough.
While he was thinking this over, a prompt appeared:
[Option 1: Agree, give the chicken soup to Shot, and ask for the treasure's location. (Reward: Zanpakuto from the Bleach universe – Kinshara)]
[Option 2: Refuse firmly. (Reward: Random skill experience +1)]
Vivian: "…"
This reward… seems dangerous.
But why would it be so dangerous?
Vivian thought, glancing at Domino, who was enjoying her soup.
Could it be that this woman would report him to Magellan, causing him to end up in prison?
But I just took the blame for her, she shouldn't repay kindness with enmity, right?
After thinking it over, Vivian chose the second option.
"200 million Berries? Even if it's 2 billion Berries, it's dirty money stolen from others. I, Vivian, don't want that kind of thing."
With that, he took out another bowl, filled it with soup, and gave it to a white-haired dog kept in the prison.
Seeing the dog eating happily, Shot and the other prisoners became even more furious.
[You chose Option 2, reward: Cooking experience +1]
"Damn it…"
"That guy feeds the dog but not us."
"When I get out, I'll tear him to pieces!"
"Yeah, right, you think you can get out?" Devon couldn't help but laugh.
"There will be a chance." Shot spat on the ground, stubbornly saying.
On the other side.
Seeing Vivian speak so righteously, Domino, who had planned to turn a blind eye to Vivian's profiteering, couldn't help but feel ashamed.
Her cheeks flushed again, and after thinking for a moment, she stammered, "Vivian…"
"Hmm?" Vivian wiped his mouth with a handkerchief, looking at her in confusion.
"Why did you take the blame for me? Do you… do you like me?" Domino asked.
"What?" Vivian was stunned.
I like you?
Sure, you're pretty and have a better figure than Tashigi, but I'm not the kind of person who acts on impulse.
If it weren't for that damn system's follow-up task, I wouldn't have taken the blame and come to the sixth level for three months.
Just as he was thinking about how to answer, familiar options appeared again.
[Option 1: Answer "No." (Reward: Conqueror's Haki)]
[Option 2: Answer "Yes." (Reward: Random basic attribute +1)]
Vivian: ???