"An enviable talent!"
Korete looked at Neeko, who had transformed into him, and turned to leave the cabin. He had a lot of work to do and couldn't waste too much time because of Neeko. He saved her because the Vastaya shared a common ancestor—the Vastayashai'rei.
And he looked after her because Korete had gradually grown fond of this innocent little girl.
"Big bad dummy!"
Neeko glumly climbed onto the hammock, crossed her legs, and sat on it, her tail behind her weakly shrinking into a mosquito coil.
"I'm hungry!"
Neeko, rubbing her stomach, lay down on the hammock, the antennae on her head looking a bit wilted.
A sweet smell, very sweet and with a hint of honey, suddenly drifted into the well-ventilated cabin window.
Neeko, instantly energized by the scent, had the antennae on her head regain their luster.
"Something yummy!"
Neeko looked towards the window, then at the tightly closed cabin door. Like a thief, she carefully got down from the hammock and moved step by step to the window, raising her head to sniff the aroma.
"So fragrant, it smells so good!"
Neeko pushed open the window directly and squeezed out like a gecko, completely forgetting Korete's warning.
Having climbed out of the window, Neeko used her hands and feet to climb along the ship's hull, following the source of the scent. She jumped onto the Swordfish. Neeko, possessing the characteristics of a chameleon, also had the abilities of a chameleon, so climbing was a piece of cake for her.
The aroma wafted from an open window, and Neeko, crouching beneath it, poked half her head inside to look; just one glance made the vertical pupils in her eyes gleam.
Inside the kitchen.
"Boss, I can't believe you actually like to eat cake!"
Graves, cigar in hand, leaned in to look at the freshly baked cheesecake, but Duke pulled him back.
"You're a rough man; just stick to your cigar. This isn't for you!"
"Tch!"
Graves bit down on his cigar again. "Boss, when are you going to make me a weapon?"
"First, tell me your requirements; I'll listen!" Duke glanced at the deliberately open window and saw a fleeting blue tuft of hair. He couldn't help but chuckle to himself. How greedy was Neeko? He had only opened the window a short while ago, and she had already followed the scent over.
But it was understandable; little girls have no resistance to food!
"It needs to be something that, at first glance, people know is a mighty strong man's sidearm!"
Graves laughed heartily, patting his chest. Duke rolled his eyes at Graves. He's a rough guy; I might as well make him a Freljord battle-axe!
························································································································································································· Yes, Graves, I have a few ideas for your weapon!"
"Alright, come with me; I'll draw up some designs on the spot, and you can take a look!" Duke glanced at the window and led Graves out of the kitchen, closing the door behind him. After Duke and Graves left, a tuft of blue hair emerged from outside the window, followed by a pair of amber eyes.
"Looks so yummy!" Neeko wiped away the unruly tears from the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand and tiptoed into the kitchen through the window. Slim Neeko could easily pass through the window, but it would be a struggle for anyone else.
Neeko, trying to avoid making any noise by touching kitchen utensils, came to the table and reached out a finger towards the steaming cake on the table.
She dabbed a bit of cake and put it into her mouth. Neeko's eyes narrowed into crescent moons, and her tail wagged contentedly.
"It's so yummy, it's the most delicious thing Neeko has ever eaten!" Neeko continued her assault on the cake. In a short while, her hands and face were covered in cake crumbs, completely oblivious to the window behind her slowly closing under the pull of an unknown force.
...
Creak!
After the window fully closed, a figure appeared at the doorway, observing Neeko with interest.
Neeko, noticing the unfamiliar gaze, lifted her cake-crumb-covered face and stared blankly at Duke, who was standing at the doorway playing with a remote control.
Duke had previously installed a small device on the window that could control its opening and closing, which only took him a few minutes.
The window had closed earlier because Duke had pressed the remote control.
"Oh, I've been discovered by the tail-less dullard!" Neeko turned to run but found the window she had entered through was now tightly shut.
With no way back and her path ahead blocked, Neeko put her hands in front of her, stood on her tiptoes, her back slightly hunched, and a fierce look in her eyes.
Neeko: "(*ΦdishΦ*)"
Neeko opened her mouth and let out a dragon's roar. Duke shook his head helplessly and walked towards the oven under Neeko's nervous gaze. Neeko hadn't forgotten Korete's warning.
Many people coveted the Vastaya.
"You tailless oaf, hurry and make way for Neeko, or Neeko will hit you!"
Neeko raised her small fist at Duke in a show of force, her eyes following Duke until he reached the oven. Duke opened the oven and took out a plate of fragrant cheesecake. There were two more cheesecakes still in the oven.
"The door is right there, no one is stopping you!"
"But before you go, are you sure you don't want another slice of cheesecake?"
Duke placed the cheesecake on the table. Neeko's fierce expression immediately changed when she saw the cheesecake.
"Cheesecake?!" Neeko's fierce gaze instantly changed, but she still stared at Duke with suspicion.
"Is it really for Neeko?"
"Neeko is very smart, she won't fall for your tailless oaf's trick!"
"It's all yours. If it's not enough, there's more in the oven!"
Duke stood by the door, put a piece of malt candy in his mouth, and smiled at Neeko.
Neeko looked at the cheesecake, then at Duke, then at the cheesecake, then at Duke, then at the cheesecake, then at the cheesecake... cheesecake... cheesecake....
Neeko: "?(ˉ﹃ˉ?)"
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