Before long, an assortment of dishes overflowing with underwater flair was served to the tables.
There were crispy pies made from pressed seaweed and dried fruit, soufflés sprinkled with shredded kelp, scallop sandwiches stuffed with succulent shellfish meat and crunchy vegetables, and thin-crust pizzas layered with various clams, shellfish, and melted cheese…
However, the crew members who had been eagerly anticipating huge chunks of meat gradually shifted from excitement to confusion as they stared at the spread of "vegetables"—at least by pirate standards.
One sailor finally couldn't help but wave toward a nearby merfolk server.
"H-Hold on… boss, don't you have any meat here? You know, the kind that sizzles on the grill in giant slabs?"
The fish-man waiter, who had been pouring drinks, turned around politely and replied:
"My apologies, guests. This is a merfolk tavern, so we generally do not consume fish or other meat products. However, the shellfish dishes are quite delicious as well. Please do give them a try."
"NANI——?!!"
A chorus of devastated cries erupted from several tables at once.
"You're kidding me?! My dream of guzzling booze and devouring giant piles of meat on Fish-Man Island… shattered?!"
"I've been looking forward to a deep-sea barbecue feast for ages!"
"A banquet without meat just feels like it's missing its soul…"
Yet while some pounded their chests in despair, several crewmen who had already curiously sampled the food wore unexpectedly strange expressions.
"Oi! Hurry and try this!"
One sailor shouted through a stuffed mouth before immediately taking another huge bite.
"This pie is insanely good!"
The man beside him, still mourning the lack of meat, eyed him suspiciously before reluctantly taking a bite himself.
"Wait… is it really tha—WHOA! This is amazing! That texture!"
"Seriously?"
Others hesitantly began trying the dishes in front of them as well.
The next instant, all complaints vanished.
"Holy crap! This pie—crispy outside, soft and fragrant inside!"
"And this pudding! It's springy and smooth, but also sweet!"
Amid the straightforward, rough-spoken praise erupting around the tavern, Kahaylo carefully cut off a piece of the seaweed soufflé before him with knife and fork and placed it into his mouth.
After savoring it for a moment, his eyes lit up slightly in genuine surprise.
"To think a random tavern would have cooking of this level…"
He nodded thoughtfully before giving his verdict to the companions at the same table.
"The balance of flavors in this soufflé is exceptionally well done. Quite impressive."
That concise evaluation immediately drew agreement from the others nearby.
"Exactly! Big Brother Kahaylo's right!"
"Boss!"
Seeing the crew's reactions, Riberra Sami laughed and snapped his fingers.
"Bring every table another full round of everything you just served! Tonight, we're eating and drinking to our hearts' content!"
"OOOOOH——!!!"
The sharp clinking of glasses and roaring cheers echoed through the Pearl Shell Tavern once more.
"To the Fish-Man Island we fought so hard to reach!"
"CHEERS——!!!"
Glasses collided, foam splashed, and after several rounds of drinks, the atmosphere inside the tavern grew increasingly lively.
The initial restraint—and the faintly scrutinizing gazes from surrounding patrons—gradually faded beneath the tide of noise and merriment.
At first, Isaac still seemed distracted, silently drinking by himself.
But as the atmosphere became more spirited and the companions around him laughed and joked, the tension wound tight within him slowly began to loosen.
"Isaac! Why're you spacing out?!"
Marcus jabbed him with an elbow and pointed toward the towering plate of seaweed soufflé on the table.
"Hurry up! This stuff's insanely popular. If you don't move now, it'll all be gone!"
As he spoke, Marcus had already stabbed a massive piece with his fork and shoved it into his mouth, mumbling contentedly through the food.
Aldo was even more direct.
He raised his giant barrel-sized mug and slammed it hard against Isaac's, spilling alcohol everywhere.
"That's right! If you're not enthusiastic about drinking, there's something wrong with your brain! Isaac, don't tell me you're scared because you lost to me last time? Come on, bottoms up first!"
"Exactly!"
Isaac stared at the liquor swaying inside his cup.
For the first time in a long while, a smile appeared on his face.
Then he suddenly tilted his head back and drained the entire drink in one gulp.
"If you're not enthusiastic about drinking, there's something wrong with your brain—cheers!"
"Now that's more like it!"
Marcus roared excitedly and immediately joined another round of toasts.
"Big Brother Isaac, let me toast you! Cheers——!"
"Come on, finger-guessing game! Whoever loses has to eat the spiciest glowing seaweed!"
The atmosphere grew even more heated.
Isaac began actively clinking cups with the others and even joined their crude drinking games.
After losing several rounds and being loudly forced into eating bizarre-tasting punishment dishes, genuine smiles slowly began appearing on his face.
From several tables away, Sami's gaze quietly lingered there the entire time.
Seeing Isaac finally relax into the tavern's lively atmosphere and laugh together with the crew, a faint smile curled at Sami's lips as well.
He lifted his own glass and, across the distance, silently raised it toward Isaac before draining it in one go.
Isaac noticed.
He paused briefly, then picked up his newly refilled mug and gave Riberra Sami a solemn nod from afar before finishing his own drink in one breath.
Some things required no words.
…
Meanwhile, deep within Ryugu Palace—
The young Prince Neptune stood inside the throne hall, engaged in a discussion about rulership and judgment with his father, the current King of Fish-Man Island—King Nereus.
Compared to his son's towering body exceeding twelve meters in height, King Nereus, an orca fish-man, stood only slightly over four meters tall.
Beside Neptune's massive frame, the king almost appeared childlike.
Yet the authority within Nereus's gaze—tempered through long years upon the throne—still caused even the giant Neptune to unconsciously lower his head slightly.
"Father, you summoned me?"
"Neptune."
Nereus's eyes settled upon his son as he slowly spoke.
"I've already visited the prison tower. Your handling of those humans at Mermaid Cove today… was somewhat excessive."
Neptune's brows immediately knitted tightly together.
Even his orange-red curls seemed to tremble with indignation.
"Shouldn't we have done that?"
"Those scum attempted to abduct our people! Even if they waved the banner of the Celestial Dragons, the fact remains that they intended harm against Fish-Man Island's residents!"
"If we don't teach them a brutal lesson, should we simply watch our people get dragged away while swallowing our anger because of the names behind them?!"
Looking at his hot-blooded son, Nereus sighed softly within his heart.
Of course he understood his son's courage and sense of responsibility.
Protecting one's people was the duty of royalty.
He himself had once possessed the same fiery blood.
But as king of Fish-Man Island, he had seen a far broader world.
The burdens of kingship forced him to think farther and deeper.
"Your courage and decisiveness make me proud," Nereus said calmly. "But your methods still require refinement."
"Using force directly may feel satisfying in the moment, but it can also leave room for others to exploit."
"If the Celestial Dragons choose to make an issue of this—even minor retaliation could bring unnecessary trouble to Fish-Man Island."
"We may dwell in the deep sea… but that does not mean we are completely safe."
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