The Belfast's galley was quiet.
Only the soft hum of the engines and the lingering smell of chili and hot oil filled the air.
On the long wooden table, a single simple dish had been served:
Mapo tofu
—glowing bright red, warm, gently steaming.
Yuuto and Irene stood facing it.
Irene narrowed her eyes.
"What is this?"
"Mapo tofu," Yuuto answered casually.
"You served this for me? Is this really supposed to let me taste anything?"
Irene's tone was cold.
"Just try it," Yuuto said.
Then he pulled out a chair and bowed slightly like a noble's butler.
"Please have a seat, my lady."
Irene held back a snide remark and sat down with elegant composure.
"Don't disappoint me."
She reached for the spoon.
Her movements were calm—but the tips of her fingers trembled slightly.
Yuuto watched her from across the table.
Irene took one spoonful.
Silence. No comment.
Her head lowered a bit, red hair falling to hide part of her face.
Yuuto leaned forward, his voice gentle.
"Well? Can you taste it?"
Irene didn't answer.
She took another bite… then another.
Then faster.
Yuuto almost laughed.
"Whooo—easy, Irene, you'll choke."
But Irene didn't stop.
Her eyes widened slightly… her cheeks faintly flushed.
And finally—the plate was empty.
Irene pushed it toward Yuuto without a word.
Yuuto held back a grin.
"Hehehe~ want more?"
Irene nodded… very quickly.
Yuuto served more mapo tofu.
This time Irene ate more slowly—but her expression had completely changed.
There was something there.
Surprise.
And an emotion that had been gone for a very long time.
When the second plate was finished, Irene set her spoon down slowly… her hand trembling a little.
"H–How did you make this…?"
Yuuto smiled lightly.
"Good, right? I made it because I was sick of the usual mapo tofu I always got as a login reward, so I started making it myself.
And with Mama Emiya's cookbook helping me, I could make the flavor much stronger."
Irene slowly lifted her head to look at Yuuto.
Her red eyes… were shining.
For the first time.
After centuries of having lost her sense of taste, Irene felt flavor again.
And that made her voice crack, just a little, as she spoke.
"…damn it."
Yuuto raised an eyebrow.
Irene lowered her face slightly, a faint blush on her cheeks.
"How can… your food of all things… bring back something that was supposed to be gone?"
Her hand touched her lips, as if confirming the sensation was real.
"Stinging… warm… the aroma is strong… this—this is real taste."
She looked at Yuuto again, this time with no wall, no mask, no distance.
"This is the first time I've tasted food… since I became a dragon."
Yuuto stopped moving.
Irene closed her eyes for a moment.
"And… it's annoying."
"Huh?"
Irene opened her eyes.
"Because you're the only one who can make me feel this."
It wasn't praise. It was an admission.
"How did you make it?" Irene finally asked, voice quiet… but pressing.
Yuuto lifted the spoon and showed it.
"With reinforcement.
I amplified the flavor of the dish over and over."
He tapped the empty plate lightly.
"Your senses aren't gone, Irene. They're just dull. So… I made the flavor strong enough to break through that."
Irene stared at him—this time without anger or cynicism.
"Can't you do the same for other food?"
Her voice was soft.
Yuuto gave a small smile.
"If the food has a strong flavor to begin with, maybe. But I haven't tried.
I used every chili we had for this mapo tofu.
Right now… we're out of chili."
Irene stared at Yuuto like she was about to stab him with her eyes.
Then she answered quietly—with her usual Irene style:
"Idiot. Don't use up all the ingredients in one dish.
If I want to eat this again, we'll have to wait for an entire field of chili to grow."
Yuuto chuckled.
"Right, right. My bad."
He lifted the iron pan that was half-melted.
"I also had to reinforce the cookware.
Otherwise the pan would melt every time I make your special food."
Irene turned her gaze away, holding back the small smile that almost slipped out.
"Anyone else who ate this… would probably die in agony," Yuuto added, shaking his head.
"But you actually enjoyed it."
Irene folded her arms, hiding a slight red hue on her cheeks.
"…that's because I'm strong.
And because you're not completely useless, apparently."
Yuuto let out a small laugh.
But then Irene spoke honestly—for once. Quietly, but sincerely.
"Thank you, Yuuto."
Yuuto raised an eyebrow.
"No need to thank me.
Isn't it a man's duty to help a beautiful woman?"
He intentionally said it in a teasing tone.
Irene's face went red at once, her dragon ears twitching slightly.
"You!
Don't do that again!"
Yuuto just smiled—this time gently, not playfully.
He stood and walked closer to Irene.
Then he held out his hand.
"Come on. The others are probably waiting for us at the party."
Irene went quiet.
Her gaze dropped… to Yuuto's hand.
Large fingers, looking warm.
Slowly—without any exaggerated emotion—
Irene lifted her own hand and placed it in his.
"…fine."
Her tone was flat.
But her grip… was firm.
Yuuto smiled faintly, satisfied.
They walked out of the galley—still holding hands.
When the corridor lights fell across Irene's face…
her eyes softened a little.
For the first time, Irene wasn't needed as a weapon, a political tool, a monster, a queen…
but simply as Irene Belserion, a woman.
---
After two days sailing the Grand Line, the warship Belfast finally approached Jaya Island.
The midday wind swept across the deck; flocks of seabirds flew low.
In front of them lay Jaya's wide harbor, crowded with pirate ships of all shapes and sizes.
Loud drunken laughter, fights, and rough music could be heard even from afar.
---
"So this is Jaya Island, huh."
Yuuto stood at the bow, looking at the rows of pirate ships.
Kuroneko folded her arms, looking completely unimpressed.
"Yeah. A place strongly tied to Noland the Liar."
Miku leaned against the railing and pointed at the noisy harbor.
"Wow, Yuuto! Look, the harbor is packed with pirate ships!"
Irene stood next to Yuuto, eyes narrowed in assessment.
"Hmph. A place full of chaos."
Lady Avalon, however, smiled wide like a child in an amusement park.
"But it's so lively~ I like noisy places like this."
Kuroneko stared at her like she was looking at an alien.
"Lively? This place is crawling with criminals."
Yamato lifted her kanabo with barbaric enthusiasm.
"So, Captain! Are we gonna cause trouble here?"
Yuuto turned—his gaze calm, but sharp.
"Yeah… but first, we need information. We have to know whether the Straw Hat Pirates have arrived yet."
He faced Belfast.
"Belfast, dock as close to the harbor as possible. Try not to damage anything."
"Understood, Commander." Belfast bowed politely.
Kuroneko tugged Yuuto's clothes from behind, voice low.
"Are you sure about not hiding Belfast?
We could have Merlin disguise the ship with magic.
This thing is way too conspicuous—it'll attract attention like crazy."
Yuuto replied without hesitation.
"Kuroneko… why should we hide Belfast?
Why should we be afraid of attention? Did you forget who we are? We don't need to worry about them."
Yamato laughed loudly, resting her kanabo on her shoulder.
"Right! If anyone tries something, we'll bash them into the ground!"
Kuroneko could only cover her face with one hand.
After a while…
"Commander, the ship has docked," Belfast said, giving a formal salute.
Yuuto turned to his team.
"All right. Who wants to go into Mock Town?"
Lady Avalon immediately raised her hand first, eyes sparkling like a mage who'd just found a new toy store.
"Yuuto~ I want to see all the strange and interesting things on this island. There might be something I can use for research."
Miku followed with a sweet smile, both hands raised slightly.
"I'm coming too! I want to buy new clothes… and maybe some accessories too!"
Yamato thumped her chest proudly.
"Of course I'm going! I want to try food from the outside world. Even though I've had your cooking, Yuuto, I'm curious if other food is as good as what you and Belfast make."
Kuroneko raised her hand in the calmest, most analytical way possible.
"I'm coming. We need to buy detailed maps, several Log Poses, and maybe some Eternal Poses to specific islands."
Belfast stepped closer and bowed politely.
"Commander, I shall also accompany you. We need to restock water, spices, and general kitchen supplies. I will handle all of it."
Yuuto nodded, then looked at the only one who hadn't spoken.
"And Irene… are you coming too?"
Irene half-closed her eyes, her tone calm, like a high mage addressing a trivial matter.
"I'll come. This island… noisy as it looks, I'd like to see for myself what an Unruled Island is like."
She turned toward the harbor, red hair fluttering in the wind.
"And… who knows, there might be something interesting there."
"We'll see when we get there, Irene," Yuuto said.
Yuuto pulled out a large pouch of Berries, heavy enough to be felt just from the sound.
"All right, everyone can come.
We've got plenty of money from the Night Pirates' bounty."
Yamato gaped at the pile of cash.
"Can't believe his bounty was 70 million Berries… and the ship was 30 million."
Miku counted on her fingers.
"That makes 100 million Berries in total! That's a lot~"
Kuroneko frowned slightly.
"But if everyone goes… who's going to guard the ship?"
Lady Avalon lifted her staff.
"Relax. I'll put up a barrier.
Anyone who isn't part of our group won't be able to board this ship."
Kuroneko cleared her throat.
"…cheat magic."
Lady Avalon smiled proudly.