Chapter 31: Daily Life of A High School Girl.
—OoOoO—
The recent adventure on Thriller Bark was perhaps one of the most iconic for the Straw Hat Pirates. It wasn't about the excitement or how much treasure they could plunder as compensation. Rather, the events on Thriller Bark showed that they had levelled up. Fighting a group of Shichibukai on their home turf and emerging victorious without serious injury was a remarkable achievement. Even though Luffy fainted after his fight with Moria, it was more due to exhaustion after absorbing the power of a hundred shadows.
It was a stark contrast to their previous battles, where they usually had to rest completely afterwards because there was no longer any adrenaline rush to sustain them. And the fight against Moria's group boosted their confidence even further. Though when one wall was breached, the next always seemed like a natural challenge. Even though they had defeated Moria's group, it seemed that it wasn't enough to fight one of the top-tier Shichibukai, to the point that Stussy, who was willing to act as an informant for Robin, ordered them to leave immediately before Bartholomew Kuma arrived at Thriller Bark.
'Even though I said myself I don't wanna have an unnecessary fight, I can't help but wonder what it’d be like if we fought against Kuma.'
Maki stood in the kitchen, in front of the stove, with a spatula in her right hand.
'If he had Bushohshoku like Stussy, my defeat would probably be assured, though.'
Maki flipped each burger in the aluminium pan, pressing them down alternately to allow the heat to penetrate the meat. The aroma wafting through the kitchen whetted her appetite, and she wanted to devour the entire batch of minced meat right away. Fortunately, she managed to keep her sanity in check, convincing herself that the finished product would taste far better than a plain burger.
“Maki-chan, I put the torch here. I refilled the gas with cola.”
Sanji arrived and placed the kitchen torch within easy reach of Maki. However, he didn't leave immediately. Instead, he watched her as she roasted all the ingredients.
“Looks good, doesn’t it?” Maki asked casually.
"Yes, it does. It even looks perfect. And I can see the minced meat on the burgers is very dense, so even though they're normal-sized, they definitely have a higher meat content."
When measuring a burger, it was better not to focus only on the meat's size. It was pointless to have a large burger if the meat wasn't dense enough. Conversely, if someone could make the burger denser while maintaining its normal size, that might be even better.
“But, that aside, I was really surprised when you said you wanted to cook for yourself,” Sanji commented.
“Well, I’ve the day off from training, and there’s nothing else I can do,” Maki said as she lifted the burgers from the fryer, “And I don’t wanna make other people do things to satisfy my selfish desires.”
"But I'm the chef on this ship. It's my job to feed the crew, no matter how absurd their requests."
“Still, I can’t be comfortable with that kind of lifestyle,” Maki replied as she put her buns into the frying pan.
Sanji preferred to remain silent on the matter and didn’t press the topic further. After all, it wasn't as if she was rejecting his role as a chef or preventing him from cooking basic meals for her.
"Don't worry. I can understand that. It's just that I've almost never seen someone from a prominent family willing to do kitchen work," the blond boy replied.
Maki's hand, which was about to flip the buns, paused momentarily upon hearing those remarks. Seeing her reaction, Sanji's eyes immediately widened, as if he had just realised he had just touched on a sensitive topic.
“Well, you’re right. My family’s indeed a distinguished family. We’re basically a noble if our government hadn’t changed the law,” Maki said as she continued her activities, “However, they’re a people who value traditional power above all else, and what I possess will never be recognised as true power to them.”
Maki then chuckled as she recalled her past. It wasn't a bitter laugh laced with sadness, but more of a sad one, seeing how foolish most of the Zen'in Clan were.
"As such, I'm used to doing everything alone. And even my family, whether it's my father, my uncles, or even just my cousins, often treat me like a servant."
“A-ah, sorry. My words seemed a bit too presumptuous,” Sanji replied, stuttering slightly and with a regretful expression.
Seeing this, the girl just snorted softly.
“Nah, I'm good. You don't have to worry about that.”
Maki wasn't the type to easily reveal her past or family issues to others. For her, what happened in the Zen'in Clan was a weakness she didn’t want anyone to know about.
Normally, people only knew about Maki's condition purely because they understood the inner workings of the Zen'in Clan. Even if she were to speak, it would only be about what led to her being ostracised by them, but not the exact environment she lived in. Even with Yuta, the only outsider she had genuinely shared her experiences in the household with, it took months for her to open up.
However, perhaps what they called self-maturation, after accepting one's past and dark side, was true. Once Maki decided to embrace it all, accepting all the weaknesses and humiliations she had experienced as part of herself, her perspective changed dramatically. There was no shame in sharing her past, and no truth to hide in her story.
'Though, maybe the fact that this is another world and no one knows me is also a factor that makes me more open even though I have only known these people for a month,' the girl thought with a faint smile.
"Also, try this. A burger made with a recipe from my world. It's incredibly delicious devilish food, and it'll make you addicted after just one bite, and turn you into a useless fatass if you can’t stop yourself," Maki said, changing the subject.
Sanji examined the sandwich before him. Hamburgers themselves weren't anything new in this world, which was why they excited him. In terms of shape, it was indeed similar to the hamburgers he was familiar with. The difference was that Maki had layered it with slices of melted cheese, separating each patty. It was a very different presentation from Sanji's usual style, which favoured fine dining.
Furthermore, even though it was the same dish, the flavours would vary greatly depending on how it was served and the basic ingredients. Every movement and touch of the ingredients would also impart a different flavour. Therefore, in a restaurant kitchen, newcomers were trained through various sessions to prepare dishes of the same quality as those of a head chef.
Sanji then picked up the sandwich and examined it closely. Without further ado, he took his first bite.
The curly-browed guy chewed the food slowly, making sure his tongue captured every hidden taste in the burger meat and the combination of flavours from the other supporting ingredients.
"Honestly, it's not bad. In fact, it feels pretty good," the guy said.
However, that honest reaction actually made Maki's eyebrows twitch.
“Not bad and just good enough, you say?”
Sanji glanced at his interlocutor as he took a second bite. With just a glance, he could tell what was bothering her.
“Please don’t misunderstand, Maki-chan,” he immediately tried to correct his words, “Before joining Luffy, I was a professional chef working at the most famous restaurant in East Blue. And by 'not bad' from me, that means your food is good enough to be served to customers even though it might not be our signature dish.”
“No, my bad. I shouldn’t have reacted like that,” Maki said with a soft sigh, “For some reason, my competitive nature suddenly kicks in whenever I hear someone say I’m not good enough at something.”
Sanji blinked at the reply, but then quickly gave a wide smile.
“It's fine, isn't it? It's perfectly normal for someone to always aim for the best results.”
“Well, I guess you’re right.”
Maki then took off her apron, folded it neatly in no time, and placed it on the counter.
“Although I said that earlier, that was my personal opinion as a chef," Sanji returned to the previous topic. "However, the very essence of a dish is to convey happiness to those who eat our food. So, although my judgment may be a bit strict, how about we hear the opinions of others, who are more honest purely from their stomachs?”
The girl snorted softly with a faint smile at the suggestion.
"You mean I need to start with a more flexible judge who doesn't have such high standards, huh? Don't underestimate me. You see, I used to work part-time at a ramen shop, you know?"
—OoOoO—
The journey from Thriller Bark to their next destination, the Sabaody Archipelago, was quite a long one. Even after two days of sailing, there was still no sign of their imminent arrival. And although they had gotten used to life on the ship, sometimes the repetitive tasks felt incredibly boring for normal people.
Luffy was perhaps the only anomaly in the group, always able to entertain himself at all times. Something even Usopp and Chopper couldn't do. Zoro was also an exception. However, unlike Luffy, who always had a way to have fun, the green-haired boy would immediately fall asleep when things got boring.
“Hey, guys! I’ve got something for you!”
Maki came from the kitchen with two trays in each hand, stacked with hamburgers arranged like a pyramid. Everyone, busy with their activities except Robin, who was reading a book in her room, turned to look at Maki. Even Zoro, who had been sleeping, opened his eyes, though he quickly closed them again and continued his adventure in dreamland.
“Wow! Hamburgers!” Luffy immediately shot towards Maki.
However, Sanji, who was following the girl from behind, immediately blocked the way and held the hyperactive boy back with his right leg, pressing it into the boy's face.
"Restrain yourself, you monkey. I prepared a special portion for you," said the blonde man.
Luffy looked at the tray Sanji was carrying and compared it to the one in Maki's hands. As if understanding what he was thinking, the chef immediately grabbed it.
"I made it using the exact same recipe and method as Maki-chan. I guarantee there will be no difference in taste between mine and hers."
“But I’m curious about Maki’s cooking, you know? I want to know what kind of food a human from another world makes.”
Putting that topic aside, the living skeleton that suddenly appeared behind Luffy also joined the conversation, but on a completely different topic.
“Same here, Maki-san. I'm also curious about underwear from another world. So, may I—.”
“Watch your mouth, you stupid skeleton!”
It wasn't Maki, but Nami who scolded the figure, slapping the back of his skull. The short-haired girl immediately snorted harshly, hoping her irritation would dissipate with her exhale. And instead of dwelling too much on her friend's antics, she averted her gaze to the food Maki and Sanji had brought.
"A hamburger with layers of meat and melted cheese as a divider. Honestly, I have never seen anything like it," she said, picking one up.
She brought the food up to her nose to smell it, and unconsciously swallowed her own saliva roughly. Meanwhile, Luffy and the other boys, except for Zoro, who was still busy sleeping, didn't care about the smell of the food. All they were thinking about right now was grinding the food into their stomachs.
"Watch how you eat and eat slowly, you idiot," Maki said while holding Luffy's head, who was impatient to eat one.
The bespectacled girl then placed the food on the table, sheltered from the direct sunlight by an umbrella. She picked up one of the burgers and shoved it into Luffy's mouth. The boy's eyes widened as the flavour of the meat and the melting cheese hit him.
“Wow, that’s so fricking delicious!” Luffy said enthusiastically.
The black-haired boy immediately wanted to grab the stack of hamburgers with his own hands. However, with her excellent reflexes, Maki immediately swatted away the elastic hands and gave Luffy a death glare.
“I won’t make you my version of a hamburger anymore if you’re gonna be such a greedy,” said the bespectacled girl in a ponytail.
"What? Is that all? No problem, tho, since I can ask Sanji to do it.”
His curly eyebrows twitched when his name was mentioned by his captain.
“I won't make you a penny if Maki-chan doesn't allow it.”
“Huh?” Luffy immediately turned to Sanji, “But you’re a chef, right? It’s your job to serve me food!”
“My job is to keep you guys from starving and ensure your daily nutrition is met. Other than that, I have no other obligations,” the blond boy said casually as he put a cigarette to his lips, “However, I would be very eager to serve you other foods, even using recipes from Maki-chan’s world if you behave yourself and don’t be a greedy man and don’t take other portions.”
“Grrr….”
Luffy seemed to be holding back a roar. Even if he wanted to retort, he lacked the logic to defend himself, nor did he have the brainpower to formulate complex sentences. Meanwhile, everyone was amazed at how Maki and Sanji handled their captain's antics.
—OoOoO—
At night, in the girls' room, before they go to bed to begin their journey into dreamland, Nami and Robin were seen applying night cream to nourish their skin with the nutrients and vitamins it needed. However, not all girls did that. Maki, for example. The girl was already in bed, her back against the wall, in good posture. Her eyes appear to be reading Robin's collection of books while training her grip using a handgrip.
"Maki-chan, use this once in a while. Don’t you think you need some treatment on your skin?" Nami said, looking at the girl in the mirror.
However, Maki didn't bother to turn her head to him as her eyes remained focused on her reading.
“Thanks, but I'm good.”
“Are you against beauty products?” asked Robin, rubbing lotion on her hands and feet.
“I don't think I am. It's just that they say things like that have to be done routinely every night, don’t they? I don't think I can do it.”
“Well, you do need to use it regularly. But using it occasionally is better than not at all, right?” Nami debunked the statement, “Besides, most people do have problems like that. That’s why they start with simple things like doing the fundamental things first.”
“Just try it once. There’s no harm in it, right?” Robin tried to reassure the otherworldly girl.
Feeling like she had no reasonable argument to refuse their offer, Maki sighed and dragged her butt out of bed, standing up from her bed.
“I’ve never done this before. So, you guys do it for me, okay?” the girl said as she walked over to the dressing table.
“Sure, sure. Just let us do the job,” Nami replied cheerfully.
The short orange-haired girl immediately got up from her dressing table, making room for Maki to sit there. And once the girl had settled into the available chair, Nami immediately pressed her shoulders down to ensure she would never escape. Meanwhile, Robin, with a motherly smile, began styling Maki's loose hair, rolling it into a bun.
"Is it really necessary to put my hair up in a bun? Can't I just tie it up normally?" asked the otherworldly girl.
“No, no, no. That’s not how it works, and it’s not about whether you can do it or not,” Nami quickly retorted, pulling out a cotton ball. “Didn’t you see Robin and I both have our hair in a bun? So, wouldn’t it be really cute if you put yours in a bun too?”
Maki narrowed her eyes at the statement.
"I don't understand that logic. Besides, you've already had short hair to begin with."
"Beauty is a completely different matter than fighting. You don't need to be logical about it, because what matters is how you look beautiful," Robin replied, inserting a hairpin to secure the bun.
“That just makes me feel even less connected. I thought you were a very logical person, Robin-san?”
“You think so? But sometimes I can be irrational as well,” she said with a smile.
Robin applied the final touches to her hair with a gentle, caring touch, like an older sister caring for her youngest. Meanwhile, Maki's eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open at the sight of the hairstyle.
“Wow, that really looks great,” the girl said, tilting her head to the side, “I didn’t know it’d turn out this good. I mean, I thought that bun was so typical of old, country people.”
"Now that you know, apologise to all the women with their hair in buns out there," said Nami.
The orange-haired girl started wiping Maki's face with cotton soaked in the cleansing liquid, which felt refreshing.
“Does this really matter? I already washed my face in the shower, though?” she commented.
“Washing your face while showering only removes the dirt that has accumulated after your activities since the afternoon,” Nami said, her hands still diligently rubbing every inch of Maki’s face, even down to her neck. “But after that, your skin is still exposed to fine dust and oil. So, cleaning your face before bed is at least the minimum requirement for skin care.”
"Oh, really? Never thought about that," muttered Maki.
However, no one replied as they chose to focus on doing their respective jobs.
“See? Even after you took a shower this evening, some dust still clung to your face.”
Nami showed Maki the cotton with a slight dark stain.
“I can clean it up in the morning, though,” replied the girl, still stubborn.
Those words made Nami's veins throb. But she tried to understand the youngest girl in their group's reaction. In fact, it created a cute gap. After all, Maki, a monster on the battlefield, could react like a normal teenager whining.
Meanwhile, Robin returned from the closet, carrying some cloth, which she placed around the chair, and then used a wider cloth to wrap Maki's body.
"Now, it's time to clean your face with cleansing milk," said Nami, carrying a large basin of water.
“Huh? You’re using our drinking water?” Maki asked.
“Well, I actually wanted to go to the bathroom, but it was really cold outside.”
Maki narrowed her eyes at the response. Nami, meanwhile, continued wiping her face with a wet cloth. Meanwhile, Robin began pouring the liquid onto her hands and rubbing them together several times until they were covered in suds.
“Your face will feel lighter after this,” said the black-haired woman.
Seeing those hands approaching, Maki reflexively closed her eyes. She let Robin rub the cleansing milk, or whatever they called it, over every inch of her face. In the crevices at the corners of her nose, the woman applied a little more pressure and moved her hands faster, as if she really wanted to make sure no more dirt or oil was hiding there.
And after making sure every corner had been cleaned, Robin washed Maki's face again with a wet towel.
“How is it? You can feel the difference, right?”
“Would you scold me if I said there was no difference? I mean, besides the refreshing sensation you get after washing your face, I don’t feel anything special.”
However, the black-haired woman only smiled gently at the statement.
“No, it's fine. That's exactly the sensation I was asking about.”
After finishing cleansing Maki's face, Nami first applied a scrub containing specific ingredients that felt gentle on the face and had a soothing scent. Without asking for permission, she immediately applied the scrub foam to Maki's face.
“Oh, this is a scrub to remove dead skin, right?” the girl asked.
Nami was genuinely surprised to hear the question.
“Oh, you knew? I didn’t expect that at all.”
“Well, I used to have one, but I never used it again after a few uses.”
“Why? Is your skin too sensitive? But it should be fine, right, considering your insane endurance and even more ridiculous recovery rate?” Nami asked with a raised eyebrow.
“No, that wasn't the case. It's just that sometimes I'm too lazy to do it myself.”
After making sure that there wasn't a single dead skin cell left on her face, Nami washed Maki's face with a wet towel.
“Just by cleansing with soap and scrub, your face really looks so much brighter,” commented the orange-haired girl.
Meanwhile, while the two women were busy talking, Robin was seen taking out a device Nami had bought at Water Seven. While it might not seem like something she would do, Robin could set up the device so well, as if she already knew what to do.
“Oh, right. Then, I’ll go get the other tools from Chopper’s workspace first.”
“We don't have it here?” asked Robin.
“Unfortunately, this afternoon he took everything to be sterilised again,” Nami replied with a sigh.
She walked to the clothes hanger to grab a thick jacket. Going outside when the wind and waves were at their strongest made Nami reluctant to leave the room. However, for this rare opportunity, there was no reason to hold back.
“The tools need to be sterilised, you guys aren’t planning anything crazy like using medical equipment, are you?” Maki commented.
"Don't worry. Nami just took the tools to cleanse our faces. And because facial skin is more sensitive than other skin, we need to cleanse it regularly with proper tools."
Robin began assembling the special device. The frame looked sturdy, with a tripod supporting it and a water tube connected to a box displaying a temperature indicator. The device had two special arms, each with a nozzle at the end, and Robin aimed the nozzles at her face while pulling Maki's chair slightly away to create the ideal distance.
"Unlike the previous one, this will actually give you a direct sensation on your skin. And I'm sure you'll find it incredibly comfortable, no matter how stubborn you are to deny it," said Robin.
Those words made Maki frown. It seemed like she was anti-beauty products. However, that wasn't the case. Even Maki had occasionally considered going to a skincare salon, but she didn't have anyone to go with. Furthermore, her impression among the other kids at Tokyo Jujutsu High was that she was a tough girl, making it difficult for her to open up about the trivial, girly things she wanted to try.
Robin activated the device, and from the nozzle facing her face, it sprayed warm steam that seemed to evaporate the entire surface of her skin.
“I'm back,” someone said through the open bedroom door, “Oh, you’re doing that to Maki-chan already? How does it feel? Feels so good on your skin, right?”
“Well…,” the otherworldly girl seemed reluctant to admit it.
However, with a sigh, she seemed to give up on the idea of denying the sensation on her skin.
"Okay. It really does feel good, you hear me? I thought it wouldn't be much different than wiping with a warm towel, but this is much better, I guess," Maki said with an honest testimony.
Hearing this, Nami smiled lightly with her right hand on her waist and her head slightly tilted.
"It's obvious, isn't it? Wiping your skin with a warm towel only provides a temporary sensation. But if you steam your skin, the sensation will last long and continuously."
The orange-haired girl then walked over to the vanity table, placed a toolbox there, and opened it. Several specialised tools for removing blackheads, pimples, and acne were neatly arranged, ready to use once the steaming phase was over in a few minutes.
“By the way, do you have a boyfriend or someone you like there, Maki-chan?” Nami asked.
Maki, who had her eyes closed, frowned as the question reached her, as if trying to block out something that had suddenly disturbed her calm. She didn't answer immediately. Before she could even form a word, the answer had already appeared unbidden in her mind.
Behind those closed eyelids, a man's face slowly took shape. It was clear, too clear to be a mere coincidence. The figure who had been quietly occupying a place in her heart since last year, settling silently but never truly leaving. His presence felt so natural, as if her heart were a home he could inhabit like a native.
“I don't know,” Maki replied shortly.
However, neither Nami nor Robin bought those words at face value.
“Oh, really? I mean, your face looks flushed, you know?” the orange-haired girl tried to tease her.
Maki didn't understand what Nami was saying. Blushing? Like, for real? Her face did feel hot, but she was sure it was from the constant stream of steam, not from anything embarrassing or nerve-wracking.
'Yeah, definitely not that.'
"What about you? Do you have someone you like?" Maki asked back.
“Me? Well, not really, I guess?” Nami replied, placing her index finger on her chin. “Right now, I’m just focused on our journey and working on my world map project. Plus, being a pirate, there aren’t many decent men you can meet, you know?”
“What about Sanji? You guys seem pretty close and you’re the only one he calls politely, and you even add a suffix to his name as if you’re closer than the others,” Robin joined in the girls’ conversation.
However, what she asked was quite reasonable. Sanji's perverted nature aside, he consistently added "-chan" to every girl he met. However, Nami was the only girl he addressed with "-san." Furthermore, Nami herself addressed other boys without any suffix, but only Sanji received the suffix "-kun" to his name.
"Well, it's because he's the only man who's truly polite and respectful to me, so I return the courtesy. And actually, I quite like his gentlemanly nature. But his tendency to instantly fall in love with every woman he meets makes it impossible for me to consider him anything more than a friend right now."
Not just women, but men also want to be the one and only special person in someone's life. It's simply part of human nature.
“What about you, Robin-san?” Maki turned to Robin with a question.
The black-haired woman had already suspected her turn would come. Therefore, she wasn't particularly surprised and simply smiled calmly at the question.
“Well, I spent almost my entire life as a fugitive and dedicating myself to deciphering the poneglyphs. So, I never really thought about it.”
Robin then turned off the machine after twenty minutes of working.
“However, the idea of having a partner to accompany you in your old age is not a bad thing and perhaps I will only consider it when I have achieved everything I am looking for.”
Some might think it was too late to wait until everything you wanted has already been achieved, but the argument that it could be the perfect ending to the story was also a great idea. Ultimately, there was no wrong choice between the two, as everyone saw life differently.
“What about you? We’ve already been open, and it would be unfair if you just said “I don’t know,” right? Don’t you think you should share a little of your secrets with us, too?” Robin asked, pressing Maki again.
Hearing that, the girl's expression turned sour, but she didn't have the right words to say.
“Well, not sure if what I feel is romantic or not, but there’s someone in my class that I’m attracted to.”
“Oh!!!” Nami immediately replied enthusiastically, “To be able to make our indifferent and cold-hearted Maki-chan feel something like that, I wonder what kind of person he is.”
Maki chuckled at the reaction with a blush on her cheeks.
“He’s a kind-hearted guy and maybe too kind for the rotten world we live in,” Yuta’s face flashed back to her mind as Maki began to talk about him, “He used to be a pushover, and he still seems like one now. However, he was actually a very reliable person, and his flaws were what made him special.”
“Seeing you being able to talk about a guy like that, honestly, I feel a little relieved,” Nami said.
"Why?"
“I mean, you know, Maki-chan. You’re so strong and so insightful. You seem like you can do everything even though you’re a year younger than me, and sometimes it makes me a little self-conscious around you.”
That statement took Maki completely by surprise. Never in her life had she imagined someone would feel that way about her. Feeling self-conscious and inferior to others, despite their shortcomings, was something she was used to when surrounded by a group of people with extraordinary talents. However, this time the situation was different. It was similar to Nobara, who had made her an admired senior because of her resolve. Now, not only her resolve and determination, but also her abilities were being recognised.
It wasn’t just Nami, either, but the Marines were also acknowledging her with a bounty of eighty million Berries.
'That doesn't feel bad at all,' Maki thought.
However, the dark-haired girl did not let herself be content with just that little achievement.
"You don't have to think too much about it, you know? You're also very knowledgeable in navigation, mathematics, astronomy, and geography," Maki replied while looking at Robin, who was taking some tools from the toolbox, "If you weren't on this ship, we might never have reached our destination, and I’d never have been able to find my way home.”
People often compare themselves to others with unequal comparisons. They try to compare themselves directly to others' strengths. However, they weren't perfect individuals who could do everything. And if they focus too much on the strengths of others without ever looking deep within themselves and understanding their own best qualities, they would never be able to spread their wings and soar freely into the sky.
"Your skin is really well-maintained, Maki. Aside from the dead skin cells that haven't been removed, I don't see any sign of pimples at all," Robin said, studying Maki's face closely.
“Yeah, you’re right. That’s hard to believe considering that girls our age are often bothered by pimples, blackheads, or even acne,” Nami commented, her eyes scanning Maki’s skin, “Is it also because of the effect of your body constantly keeping itself in top condition that even small things like skin problems don’t become a problem for you?”
After saying that, Nami's eyebrows furrowed.
“Wait. Come to think of it, does that mean you’ll never age, Maki-chan? I mean, if your body is always in top condition, does that mean you’ll look the same as ever even after you’re over fifty?” the orange-haired girl continued.
“Well, I don't think so,” Maki immediately denied the question, “This body may have a large amount of life energy and try to defy the laws of nature and logic of my world, but I don't think the cycle of life can change just like that.”
“But you’re traversing the multiverse with supernatural phenomena that don’t even make sense in your world’s sorcery logic either, aren’t you?” Robin joined in while brushing off the remnants of Maki’s dead skin cells, “In that aspect, aren’t you no longer just defying the laws of nature, but rather the universe itself trying to change you? What if you end up becoming something that isn’t even human anymore?”
The black-haired woman's words made the colour on Maki's face fade as her expression turned sour.
“When you talk about something scary, Robin-san, your imagination really knows no bounds, huh? Seriously, it gives me goosebumps just imagining it.”
Hearing Maki shiver at those hypothetical words left Robin and Nami slightly shocked. The image they had of the girl was one of fearlessness and the embodiment of true physical strength.
However, her fears were perhaps understandable. To simply maintain a positive outlook on finding her way home, Maki likely dismissed all other potential pitfalls, whether it was the fact that there was no way to return home or the risks of travelling across universes again. After all, humans were never meant to simply cross one. Let alone a second time, the chances of even a single chance happening in a lifetime were probably close to 0%.
Therefore, even though the universe wanted the first coincidence, the person tried to oppose it and chose to cross the universe again to return home. Would the almighty power that maintained sovereignty between the universes just stay silent without meting out punishment?
"It's done," said Robin.
Since Maki's skin was free of blackheads and acne from the start, cleaning her face manually wasn’t too difficult or time-consuming, as they only did a deep cleaning to remove the remnants of dead skin.
After Robin finished with her part, Nami took over with some cream that had been lined up on the table.
"It might feel a little sticky and give you a little prickling sensation. But if you do it regularly, you'll immediately feel the benefits," she said.
The orange-haired woman began applying a clear red cream to Maki's forehead. As if that weren't enough, she also applied another light green cream to her nose, and another to her cheeks and chin.
“Do we really need this much of works for sleeping cream only? Like, do we need all the treatments before?” asked the otherworldly girl.
“Of course not,” Nami quickly responded, “But when else can we treat your face, right? So, why not just go all out? Right, Robin?”
“You guys seriously…,” Maki muttered while frowning.
However, she just sighed resignedly and gave up on the situation after realising that she would never win this argument.
“So, what next?” asked the dark green-haired girl.
“There are many things we can do,” Robin replied, crossing her arms.
Right after that, several hands appeared on the back of the chair where Maki was sitting.
"But we can start with a facial massage or maybe just a quick ear cleaning. Either way, since we offer full service, the night will feel incredibly long for you, Maki," the woman continued with an unreadable smile.
Life on a ship could seem monotonous at first glance. The expanse of blue sea looked the same every day, the horizon never changed, and the same faces accompanied the passage of time. The repetitive routine seemed to swallow the days without a trace, making everything seem flat from a distance. Yet, strangely, life at sea was never truly boring.
Behind that uniformity, there was always a different nuance to each day. Waves that were sometimes calm, sometimes rocking. Winds that carry a salty scent, varying in intensity. Even small conversations that somehow feel more meaningful amidst the vastness of the ocean. Even though the destination land was still hidden far beyond the horizon, those slow-moving days held subtle colours that were hard to describe.
Because of that, even though she was born and used to living in a world full of curses and chaos, Zen'in Maki would never feel bored with that slow life.
—To Be Continued—
Author Note: Hello, I’m back again. How are you guys? I hope you’re doing fine and may God bless you all.
I don't have much to say in this chapter. As you can see, this is just Maki's daily life on the ship. I made this chapter because I wanted to explore a different side of Maki and show her opening up more to the crew, especially to Robin and Nami since they’re her roommates.
So, that's it for me. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Next stop is Sabaody Archipelago. So, see you in two weeks.