"Hahaha! Come on, move it, everyone!"
"Bring out the sweets!"
"And the desserts!"
"Get the meat on the grill!"
"And the sake! Don't forget the sake!"
"But Linlin likes tea!"
"Mama, mama! Don't worry about that, Streusen," Linlin laughed. "Bring the sake. Today, I'll drink too!"
"That's the spirit, Ane-san! A drink before the wedding!"
"We've got to show everyone, we're the Charlotte Pirates! No one out on the sea drinks more than we do!"
"Oooooooooo!!"
"Then we, the Zechs Pirates, can't fall behind either!" someone shouted. "Rob! Cook! Bring out the best alcohol we've got! We'll drink until we drop, too! It's a matter of our captain's reputation!"
"Ooooooo, brothers!"
Clink… clink…
"Hey! Who stopped the music? An occasion like this needs singing and dancing! Our Ane-san isn't getting married every day!"
"Yeah! This is a once-in-a-lifetime celebration! We've got to make it grand!"
"Ane-san's getting married… I suddenly feel emotional. It's like watching a sister I have grown up with go off with another man… I'm tearing up…"
"What are you crying for? This is just the engagement celebration! We won't even reach Totto Land for another two or three weeks. The wedding's later. This is just a party!"
"Shut up! Let me cry tonight! Wooo~"
"Boss… you have to treat our Ane-san well!"
"Yeah, Ane-san is kind and soft-hearted. If you ever trick her or treat her badly, we'll come after you, even if she scolds us for it!"
"You guys…" Linlin looked at her crewmates with a flat expression.
"Fufu… Linlin, it seems your crew cares about you a great deal," Zechs said with an amused smile as he raised a cup of sake and took a sip.
At the moment, he was sitting comfortably on Linlin's shoulder, and she didn't seem to mind at all and just blushed upon hearing him laugh so close to her.
Still, Zechs was genuinely surprised by how protective and concerned her crew appeared.
'Isn't she supposed to be terrifying? Someone who goes into hunger pangs and destroys everything around her until she gets what she wants?' he wondered.
If that were the case, most people around her should have been constantly afraid of her losing control. In that state, she couldn't even distinguish between friend and foe. She might take the soul of whoever happened to stand before her, or worse, repeat something like what had happened at the Sheep's House, without even being aware of it.
But clearly… her crewmates don't seem to be that afraid of her.
'Maybe her hunger pangs are still under control at this stage,' he considered.
Or maybe it's because of Streusen. He probably makes sure she gets whatever she craves immediately… so she never reaches that point.
Whatever the reason might be, Zechs found it reassuring to believe that she wouldn't suddenly lose control of herself.
And with that relief, he lifted his cup and began drinking more.
The liquor burned pleasantly as it slid down his throat.
"Great! That's the spirit!"
Seeing him, Linlin also laughed. She lifted an entire barrel and drank straight from the rim. Her long pink hair swayed with the motion, giving her a wild, commanding presence as a few drops of sake spilled down her neck into her cleavage.
Watching the scene, Zechs swallowed unconsciously, catching the faint scent of alcohol and her natural fragrance.
He could feel his pulse quicken.
The banquet grew increasingly lively. Pirates tore into meat, drank freely, and sang wildly out of tune, their laughter and voices filling the deck with unrestrained celebration.
There was only one exception.
Streusen moved through the crowd with trays of exquisitely prepared dishes, but the smile on his face looked more strained than cheerful.
Each time he set a plate down, his gaze would drift toward Zechs, who sat comfortably on Linlin's shoulder. The jealousy in his eyes was impossible to hide.
Unfortunately for him, neither Linlin nor Zechs paid any attention to him. Both of them were busy eating, chatting, and drinking, making Streusen grit his teeth more.
As time passed, the music began to lose its energy. Linlin's crew kept repeating the same songs, and the mood slowly turned dull.
Zechs' crewmates, who were used to performing a wide variety of songs, soon grew restless and decided to step in.
"Come on, this is getting boring. Let us sing for a while."
"What did you say? Boring? How could my songs be boring?" the musician from Linlin's crew snapped.
"Just let us perform once," one of Zechs' men replied. "Then you'll see what we mean."
"Don't be ridiculous. Do you even know how to play?"
"What? Are you underestimating us?"
The exchange quickly turned into a heated argument, drawing the attention of both Linlin and Zechs.
"What's going on over there?" Linlin asked with a frown.
"Sister, this guy is saying my songs are boring!" Linlin's musician protested, clearly offended. After all, he considered himself one of the finest musicians around.
"Boss," one of Zechs' crewmates said, trying to explain, "I'm just asking to borrow the instruments for a bit. We want to perform some of the songs you taught us."
Linlin blinked in surprise. "Songs taught by Zechs? Zechs, you write and sing songs?"
"Ah… well, I wouldn't exactly say I write songs or—"
Before Zechs could finish, one of his crewmates cut in excitedly.
"Charlotte-san, the boss is just being modest! He knows so many songs it'll drive you crazy, songs you've never heard before, songs you wouldn't even imagine exist. I swear it!"
The others, who had sailed with Zechs for years, quickly joined in.
"That's right! Our captain is less like a captain and more like a musician who lives for songs and uses them to win over other women's hearts."
"Charlotte-san, since you're going to marry him, you definitely have to hear him perform too… I swear you'd fall in love with him instantly!"
"Oh?" Linlin's interest was immediately piqued.
And it wasn't just her; many of her crewmates leaned in with curiosity as well.
Only the musician from Linlin's crew reacted differently. He frowned, feeling a surge of irritation. 'Hmph. What would a pretty face like him know about music? Does he think writing songs is that easy?' he scoffed inwardly. 'I bet they're all nonsense. These people probably don't understand real music at all.'
Of course, he kept those thoughts to himself and said nothing out loud.
Meanwhile, Linlin, her curiosity fully stirred, turned to her future husband. "Then, Zechs… let me hear these songs you've written, the ones everyone is praising."
Zechs remained silent for a moment, then smiled and nodded. "Sure."
With that, he leapt down from Linlin's shoulder, landed lightly on a table, and tossed aside the Sake jug and held out his hand. "Guitar."
"Aye, captain," his crewmates grinned immediately. One of them snatched the instrument from Linlin's musician and tossed it toward him. Zechs caught it smoothly in a cool posture and began checking the tuning.
As he adjusted the strings, he glanced at his crew. "So… which song should we start with?"
At once, voices erupted from every direction.
"The sea shanty, Boss! Start with the sea shanty!"
"No, no—begin with Hoist the Colors!"
"I want to hear Drunken Sailor!"
"Don't forget Valhalla Calling!"
"Misty Mountains!"
"King of the World!"
"Onwards We Row!"
"Skull and Bones!"
"My Mother Told Me!"
"Feeling Good!!!"
"I want The Lion Sleeps Tonight!"
"Shut up! We're on a pirate ship, not in some jungle. Who wants a safari song?"
"Well, I do! And I also want Arabian Nights!"
"In that case, you'd better go to some desert island, since we are on a pirate ship, we'd be hearing pirate songs…"
People began arguing, each insisting that their favorite song should be performed first. As more titles were shouted out, Linlin's crewmates exchanged looks, their curiosity growing. They had never heard of any of these songs before.
The noise only grew louder as the debate intensified.
Zechs pressed his lips together, then raised a hand. "Alright, quiet. We'll start with the sea shanty. It was called out first."
The crewmate who had suggested it quietly pumped his fist in victory, "Damn right!"
Zechs lightly adjusted the guitar, then moved his hand away from the strings, focusing instead on the body of the instrument. He won't be needing to use the string for the Sea Shanty, and he began to tap his hand on the wood.
Tuk… tuk… tuk… tuk…
At the same time, he began tapping his foot against the table.
Tuk… tuk… tuk… tuk…
Then he began to sing.
"There once was a ship that put to sea,
The name of the ship was the Billy o' Tea—"
His crew quickly joined in, their voices rising with his as the rhythm spread across the deck.
"The winds blew up, her bow dipped down,
Oh, blow, my bully boys, blow.
Soon may the Weller man come
To bring us sugar and tea and rum.
One day, when the tonguin' is done,
We'll take our leave and go—"
Gradually, the noise on deck faded as everyone focused on the song. Those who knew the lyrics sang along with Zechs, while the rest tapped their hands or feet to the rhythm, drawn in by the energy and letting the music carry them.
Even Linlin watched him in amazement. She tapped her foot to the beat, her eyes never leaving him as he played and sang with complete focus and enjoyment.
Music had a way of lifting spirits, and those who could perform naturally drew attention, especially from women. At that moment, Linlin was no exception. As she watched Asmodeus Zechs, she felt he was far cooler and more handsome than she had first thought.
A small smile formed on her lips, and her heart began to race.
The same reaction spread through her crew. Even their musician, who had looked at Zechs with skepticism earlier, now stood frozen with his mouth slightly open. 'This… this is…'
He had expected nothing special. Instead, what he heard was powerful, infectious, and unforgettable. To him, the song already stood alongside legendary pirate classics, something worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as Bink's Sake.
He didn't even realize when his hands and feet began moving in time with the rhythm.
Only Streusen looked displeased. He crossed his arms, clearly unwilling to admit that the song was any good at all. 'Hmph. Disgusting,' he scoffed inwardly.
But no one cared what Streusen thought.
Zechs continued singing, his crew singing with him until they reached the final lines together.
"Soon may the Wellerman come
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
One day, when the tonguin' is done,
We'll take our leave and go…"
After finishing the last line, Zechs stopped and gave a light bow.
The deck erupted in applause, whistles, and cheers.
"Wooo! That was incredible!"
Raising both hands, Zechs signaled for the noise to settle. Without pausing, he moved straight into the next performance.
"Hoist the Colors."
"Wooooooo!!!"
The excitement only grew as the new song began. When it ended, he went on to another, and then another, and another still. One performance flowed into the next until Linlin's entire crew was left stunned.
"Whoa… I didn't know so many amazing songs even existed…"
"Of course they do," Zechs' crewmates said proudly. "Our captain wrote them all…"
Zechs had never actually claimed that. But the crew had often seen him sitting alone on deck during his free time, guitar in hand, adjusting melodies and writing lyrics. His cabin also held several notebooks filled with songs. Naturally, they assumed every piece he performed was his own creation.
"Didn't I tell you?" another crewman added proudly. "Our captain is more of a musician than a pirate."
Linlin's crew nodded in agreement. "He really is…"
The mood grew even livelier. Some pirates got to their feet and began dancing to the rhythm, clinking their jugs together as the music carried across the deck.
The singing and celebration continued late into the evening. After performing dozens of songs, Zechs finally grew exhausted and paused to rest his voice.
"Haaah… haah…" he panted, his throat dry.
"Here," Linlin said immediately, handing him a jug of water.
"Thanks," he replied.
He drank deeply, gulping it down as some of the water spilled onto his shirt. Only after emptying the entire jug did he lower it and exhale in relief.
"Haaah… that feels better."
As he let out a breath, Linlin said, "I didn't know the famous Asmodeus Zechs could sing so well."
She had expected something, but this had truly surprised her.
But that was only natural. News like this rarely spreads. After all, who would report that a pirate was exceptionally good at singing or music? People paid more attention to sensational or negative stories, how dangerous a pirate was, what crimes he had committed, how he had cuckolded a king, or how he was an enemy of womankind because he left behind a trail of weeping women wherever he went.
Of course, the reports never mentioned the other side, that those women were crying because they did not want him to leave and wished he had stayed longer.
But in any case…
"Haha… there isn't much to do out at sea," Zechs replied with a slightly embarrassed laugh.
He had spent the past five years sailing, and life on the ocean could be monotonous. Traveling from one island to another often took days, so some form of entertainment was necessary, not only to pass the time but also to keep morale high and the atmosphere harmonious.
For Zechs as well, there was only so much he could train. Writing down songs he remembered from his previous life and learning to play them had gradually become his favorite pastime.
In his previous life, he had some interest in music and knew how to play a little. Over the past several years in this world, he had devoted considerable time to it, steadily refining his skills until he reached his current level.
Besides, as a handsome man, isn't it only natural to be good at singing and playing? It only adds to his charm.
Being a musician also made it easier to win women over. A few lines of a song, a claim that he wrote them with someone in mind, and they would quickly become captivated, willing spread open their legs for him to do whatever he pleased with them. Of course, his appearance already worked strongly in his favor; his looks alone often made women receptive to his attention. His musical talent simply served as the finishing touch.
From the way Linlin was looking at him, the effect was obvious. At this moment, she wasn't just under the effect of his charm and pheromones… rather, she was also attracted to his coolness.
Indeed, her interest was growing, and her gaze lingered on him with clear curiosity.
"You know, Linlin, I'm good at more than just singing," he said with a faint smile, his eyes holding hers with quiet intensity.
"Oh?" Linlin raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What else are you good at? Show me."
He shook his head slightly. "No… some things can't be shown out here. They need privacy. They're meant to be seen behind closed doors." Leaning a little closer, he lowered his voice. "Shall we find somewhere more private? I could show you what else I'm good at."
"Hmm… privacy, is it?" she murmured, catching his meaning.
"Yeah… so," he said with a slight grin, "what do you think?"
Linlin didn't answer right away. Instead, she picked up a jug of sake from the table and drank it down in a single gulp, emptying it completely before slamming it back down with a loud bang.
Bang!
The noisy deck fell silent at once as everyone turned to look at her.
She met Zechs' eyes with a flushed smile that only added to her allure. "Let's go."
Then she addressed the others, her voice carrying across the deck. "You all keep celebrating. And no fighting. As for me and Zechs… we have some personal matters to take care of."
Zechs chuckled softly. "Personal matters, huh?"
"Isn't that right?" she replied, extending her hand for him to step onto.
"Yeah… that's right," he said, nodding as he climbed onto her palm.
"Then let's go," she said with a grin. Holding Zechs in her palm, she strode toward the captain's cabin under the watchful eyes of the entire crew.
"Zeus, Prometheus, you two stay here. Don't follow me," she added casually.
"Haiiii…" the sun and cloud replied, shrugging as they stayed behind.
For a moment, the deck fell silent as Linlin disappeared into the cabin.
Then the reaction exploded.
"Oooooooohhhhhhhh!"
"Ane-san went into her cabin with her future husband… You all know what that means!"
"Tsk-tsk… looks like a different kind of fight is about to happen in there…"
"I just wonder… will Asmodeus Zechs be able to handle someone like Ane-san?" some of Linlin's crewmates muttered curiously.
After all, Zechs stood only about 2.1 meters tall, while Linlin towered at 8.8 meters. And that wasn't even mentioning her monstrous strength.
"You don't know our captain," Zechs' crewmates replied with confident grins. Having sailed with him for years, they knew exactly what kind of man he was. "He's a beast… an absolute beast." They paused before adding proudly, "There's a reason he's known as the number one enemy of womankind."
"I just hope that whatever happens… the ship doesn't sink," someone else muttered.
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Lemon incomin, hurry up and drop your Power Stones!
Current PS goal: 90 within 24 hours.
Read up to 20 advanced Chapters on p-a-t-r-e-o-n: Knockturn_Alley