"Ah! It's Unicorn! It's lunchtime. Seeing you hadn't returned, I was just about to ask Zuikaku and Shokaku to go out and find you. I didn't expect you to come back on your own. That's great." Azuma said happily.
Looking at the table full of food, and Zuikaku, who couldn't start eating because she hadn't returned, and Shokaku, who was hitting Zuikaku with chopsticks for trying to sneak a bite, Unicorn said a bit apologetically, "Ah! Sorry, I'm back late. But let me tell you! There's a reason I'm late. It's because there's a Gold-Plated Ship Girl who wants to sign a soul network with the Admiral."
"Who is that person? Let me guess, is it the one behind you?" Azuma pointed at Yukikaze, who was hiding behind her.
Unicorn immediately pushed Yukikaze out from behind her and introduced her to everyone, "Exactly! She's the Gold-Plated Ship Girl I was talking about. She's from the Sakura Empire, a Destroyer named Yukikaze."
Seeing everyone looking at her, Yukikaze took a deep breath and said seriously, "Hello, I am called Yukikaze. Please take care of me."
"Oh! Yukikaze! I've heard the Admiral tell that story, saying Yukikaze is a Ship Girl who can tenaciously survive battles with countless Abyssals. It's wonderful to have you join our Naval Base!" Azuma covered her mouth, a bit surprised and excited to see Yukikaze here.
"Hello there! Yukikaze! I am Shokaku of the Fifth Carrier Division, and this is my younger sister Zuikaku. It's a pleasure to meet you." Shokaku greeted Yukikaze very gently.
"Hello! I'm Zuikaku. I say, now that we've met each other, can we start eating! I'm so hungry I can't take it anymore." Zuikaku rested her head directly on the dining table from hunger.
"Zuikaku is right. If there's anything to say, let's finish eating first! It's no good to be too hungry to have any strength! Come on! Everyone, sit down!" Azuma called out, ushering everyone to their seats.
On the table were seven dishes and one soup, neither too much nor too little, just enough for six people. Azuma took off her apron and, seeing Yukikaze standing there dazed, thought she was shy. She said to Yukikaze, "Yukikaze, don't just stand there! Come over and eat! I made a lot of delicious food today; it'll definitely be a treat for your palate."
Unicorn pulled Yukikaze's hand and led her to the seat beside her, saying gently, "Come on! Yukikaze-chan, sit next to me. Don't be shy; this will be your home from now on. I just don't know if the food here will suit your taste."
"If there's any dish you want to eat, you can tell Sister Azuma. She's the best cook among the Ship Girls in our Naval Base; she can make anything! She's easily as good as chefs in five-star hotels—no, she far surpasses them! Her cooking is so delicious and tasty; I'm sure once you try it, you'll fall in love with Sister Azuma's food."
Azuma was very happy that Unicorn acknowledged her culinary skills, but she said modestly, "Unicorn is exaggerating. I just have a bit of experience with cooking; I'm not as amazing as she says!"
"A-Actually, I don't have many requirements for food; as long as it's edible, it's fine. But if I had to say what I want to eat most, I'd like to have stir-fried eggplant with tomatoes," Yukikaze said softly to Azuma after sitting down.
"Stir-fried eggplant with tomatoes? That's unexpectedly common. But if that's what you want most, I'll make it for you next time. However, the more common a dish is, the less simple it is to perfect. I'll have to prepare properly!" Azuma looked eager to try, almost impatient to make it for Yukikaze right away.
"Well then, let's eat!" After Azuma gave the word, everyone began to use their chopsticks and eat the delicious meal.
Yukikaze picked up her chopsticks and reached for a dish that looked like braised fish. She picked up a piece of meat from the fish and placed it between her cherry-red lips, savoring it slowly. After a moment, a delicious and refreshing sensation spread through her mouth, making it so tasty that she wanted another piece.
Yukikaze tasted the other dishes as well, and all of them were incredibly delicious. Each one made her want to keep eating, fearing she might not have the chance to taste such wonderful delicacies again.
Yukikaze said to everyone with a sigh of admiration, "These dishes are truly too delicious. I travel often and have eaten countless delicacies in five-star hotels. Back then, I always thought the food made by those chefs was the best."
"But now that I've eaten Sister Azuma's cooking, I know I was wrong—outrageously wrong. As they say, there's always someone stronger, and there's always a higher mountain. Their culinary skills aren't even worthy of carrying Sister Azuma's shoes!"
"Really? If it's that good, then eat more. I'll make even more delicious things for you in the future." Hearing Yukikaze's words and having her cooking recognized, Azuma said very happily.
After all, as a Free Ship Girl, Yukikaze had traveled often and eaten countless delicious dishes; her palate had long since become picky. Under such circumstances, for her to still say the cooking was excellent and delicious meant it truly was.
In Azuma's eyes, she already considered Yukikaze one of her own! Any Ship Girl who appreciated her delicious cooking was family to her.
Without knowing it, Yukikaze's unintentional actions had maxed out her favorability in Azuma's heart—it could even be said to have gone off the charts.
Seeing the joyful Azuma, Zuikaku looked at Yukikaze with admiration. To be able to build a good relationship with Azuma right after arriving... One had to know that when she and her sister first arrived, they weren't given any warm welcomes. If it hadn't been for Illustrious's tireless efforts to mediate, it would still be unknown if they could even sit together for a meal.
Shokaku was a bit surprised; she hadn't expected Yukikaze's methods of winning people over to be so formidable. "Well played, Yukikaze! You look small and cute, and I thought you were harmless, but it turns out you're a calculating bitch."
"It seems she also wants to compete for the position of Wife Ship. Hmph! Fat chance; that spot is already mine! You might be able to fool that big-breasted monster Azuma, but you can't fool the clever and witty Shokaku Zhuge. Just watch! I will never let you have your way; the position of Wife Ship will only be mine, Shokaku's."
In her heart, Shokaku had already listed dozens of schemes to plot against Yukikaze, thinking of picking one to use. Sometimes having too many plans wasn't good, as Shokaku had so many stratagems she didn't know which one was best.
Unknowingly, Shokaku emitted a dark aura that surged toward Yukikaze.
It felt as if a chilly wind had blown past Yukikaze's back. As someone who had fought countless Abyssal enemies, this feeling meant... someone was trying to set her up. Who was it? She had only just arrived at this Naval Base! She didn't remember offending anyone here!
This feeling was Yukikaze's miraculous sixth sense, which had brought her countless benefits and always allowed her to escape death in several near-fatal battle encounters.
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