After sunset, most of the sailors and caravan workers made their way down to the ship’s mess to rest and have dinner. Rose and Sai joined them, along with the caravan guards.

  Meanwhile, the ship’s captain headed toward the Captain’s Cabin, accompanied by Master Karandash, Sharruk, and Narishta.

  Rose paused at the entrance of the mess, watching curiously as the sailors began unloading wooden planks from storage. Only then did she realize they were simple foldable tables—quickly assembled, paired with equally simple wooden chairs. Within minutes, dozens of tables filled the mess hall, and the space came alive as everyone took their seats.

  Sai gently took Rose’s hand and guided her to an empty table. Soon, the caravan guards joined them.

  The atmosphere aboard the ship shifted completely.

  What had once been quiet and tense now filled with voices—laughter, teasing, and overlapping conversations. Sailors and workers exchanged stories of past voyages, distant ports, and narrow escapes, each tale more exaggerated than the last.

  Rose found herself smiling.

  She liked this atmosphere.

  It felt… right.

  So different from the cursed forest, where every step had been watched, every decision weighed down by fear—fear of making a mistake, fear of being judged, fear of causing disaster. That constant pressure had drained her more than she had realized.

  Her thoughts were interrupted when Zamirah spoke.

  “I was truly impressed,” Zamirah said, her tone sincere. “The way you deflected Mardukir’s strike with the back of your hand—even with his sword still sheathed… the timing alone makes it nearly impossible.”

  “You’re right,” Kaveh added. “Even I didn’t expect it. I was already preparing to interfere before the blow could land.”

  Rose blinked, then waved a hand dismissively.

  “It was coincidence,” she said. “And honestly—you were amazing.”

  She turned toward Mardukir.

  “I’ve fought and trained against many who use sword and shield , but your defense left me no openings at all.

  “That’s because our style is different from what you’re used to here,” he said calmly.

  “On this continent, shields tend to be large and heavy—designed to cover as much of the body as possible. Soldiers hide behind them, forming walls of steel.”

  He tapped the small, round shield at his side.

  “Desert clan combat favors speed, balance, and movement. A smaller, round shield is part of our body—not something we hide behind.”

  Rose listened intently, her eyes lingering on the shield as understanding slowly settled in.

  It wasn’t just equipment—it was an extension of the warrior himself.

  Kaveh nodded, then looked back at Rose.

  “And your mana control was impressive as well. That was an ordinary wooden staff, yet you managed to channel mana through it without destroying it—at least at first.”

  Rose frowned slightly.

  “But it did break in the end. I never expected Mardukir’s shield to absorb the impact like that.”

  Kaveh smiled faintly.

  “As for your request… I believe we can adapt your wrist guard to function in a similar way. It won’t be as efficient, but it’s possible.”

  Rose’s eyes widened.

  “Really?”

  “Yes,” Kaveh replied. “I’ve already discussed what we’d need with Sai. The problem is cost—materials like that won’t be cheap in Veyrasha.”

  “Don’t worry about that,” Sai said calmly. “We’re in no rush, and we’ll be traveling through several cities. We can gather what we need along the way.”

  Zamirah nodded in agreement.

  “Althamira would be a good place to start. You’ll find better prices there.”

  “True,” Kaveh agreed.

  Rose’s attention drifted as several sailors passed by carrying a massive iron pot. The rich smell of stew filled the air as they ladled it into wooden bowls, serving it with hard ship’s bread and cups of rum.

  Her stomach growled quietly.

  Sai had read about ship’s biscuit before—how it was made through a slow, careful process in massive ovens, baked repeatedly to remove every trace of moisture. That was what allowed it to last for years without spoiling or molding.

  Unfortunately, that same process also turned it into something closer to stone than bread.

  Most sailors broke it into pieces before soaking it in water, stew, or—if they were desperate—rum.

  Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

  But no one had managed to warn Rose in time.

  The cook and his assistants arrived, setting down wooden bowls and ladling hot stew into them. Beside each bowl, they placed two pieces of ship’s biscuit.

  Just as Sai opened his mouth to explain—

  Crunch.

  A sharp, sickening sound echoed across the mess hall.

  Rose froze.

  Then she screamed.

  Pain shot through her jaw as a piece of her tooth cracked under the merciless bite. Conversations stopped for half a heartbeat—then the room erupted in laughter.

  “She bit the rock!” one of the sailors howled.

  Rose clutched her cheek, eyes watering, pressing her tongue carefully against the damaged tooth. She glared at the cook, who was laughing so hard he had to brace himself on a table.

  “Are you handing out stones instead of bread?!” she snapped.

  The cook wiped a tear from his eye.

  “First time eating ship’s biscuit, lass?”

  “…What?” Rose hissed.

  That only made him laugh harder as he moved on to serve another table.

  Rose shot to her feet, clearly ready to commit violence, but Sai caught her wrist and gently pulled her back down.

  “Open your mouth,” he said calmly.

  She obeyed, still fuming.

  Sai examined her tooth.

  “A small chip. It’ll heal quickly.”

  Her eyes narrowed.

  “Why didn’t you warn me?!”

  “I was trying to,” Sai replied. “You just… ate it first.”

  Around them, the guards had completely given up on restraint.

  “When I saw her lifting it,” Mardukir said between laughs, “I thought she was joking. I never imagined she’d actually bite it.”

  Even Kaveh—usually composed and quiet—was chuckling. Zamirah covered her mouth, shoulders shaking as she tried very hard not to look directly at Rose.

  Rose noticed.

  She stood abruptly.

  “I’m not hungry.”

  And with that, she stormed out of the mess hall—wooden bowl and all—heading straight for the deck.

  Everyone watched her go.

  Mardukir tilted his head.

  “If she’s not hungry… why did she take the stew with her?”

  Sai sighed, already standing up.

  “There’s one thing she can never resist.”

  The guards stared at him.

  “…Food,” Sai finished.

  Their eyes widened.

  “You’re joking,” someone said.

  Sai shook his head.

  “She could eat all of your portions—and then ask for more.”

  Then chairs scraped back as Sai followed after her.

  “I’ll go get her,” he added calmly.

  The three guards exchanged incredulous looks.

  “Is he serious?” one of them muttered.

  Zamirah frowned slightly.

  “I don’t see how Rose could possibly eat everyone’s portions. That sounds impossible. Sai must be exaggerating.”

  Mardukir gave her a sidelong look, one eyebrow lifting.

  “Exaggerating? And yet you actually placed a bet with Kaveh earlier—during my spar with Rose, no less?”

  Zamirah shot him a sharp look.

  “I lost two silver coins because of you.”

  Mardukir blinked.

  “Because of me? What did I do? And what was the bet, anyway?”

  Kaveh answered calmly, a faint smile on his lips.

  “The wager was that you’d knock Rose off her footing and force her to the ground.”

  Mardukir crossed his arms, thoughtful.

  “That wasn’t easy. She’s fast—precise. Her stance is solid, and her physical strength is… abnormal. Every strike I blocked carried real weight.”

  He shook his head slowly.

  “She hasn’t fought someone like us before, yet her reaction speed was—how should I put it—inhuman.”

  A grin spread across his face.

  “I think I’m going to enjoy training with her during this journey. It’ll be good for both of us.”

  Then he turned toward Zamirah.

  “But tell me—how about another small wager?”

  Zamirah narrowed her eyes.

  “What are you plotting now?”

  Mardukir only smiled.

  Rose stood alone on the deck, where the night was quiet save for a few sailors tending to their duties. She gazed up at the sky—the moon and stars reflected softly across the calm water, painting the sea in silver light. It was beautiful.

  She sipped her stew slowly.

  Then she felt Sai approach. He rested a hand gently on her head.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked.

  Rose looked up at him, embarrassed.

  “I’m sorry… I just couldn’t handle it. That was humiliating. How was I supposed to know the bread was that hard?”

  Sai laughed softly.

  “It’s not bread—it’s ship’s biscuit. It’s standard sailor food. Usually you break it up and mix it into stew or some kind of liquid.”

  He studied her for a moment.

  “Do you feel uncomfortable around the guards or the caravan workers? Like back at the adventurer camp?”

  Rose turned to him quickly.

  “No—actually, I feel really comfortable. I don’t know why, but they don’t look at me that way. And the guards… they’re incredible. I’ve never seen anyone fight like them.”

  Sai smiled, relieved.

  “I’m glad. That puts my mind at ease.”

  “Do you want to go back inside?” he asked.

  Rose nodded.

  “Yes. I’m still hungry, actually.”

  Sai chuckled.

  “I knew it.”

  Together, they headed down the stairs leading back to the ship’s mess hall.

  When Rose and Sai returned to the ship’s mess, the atmosphere had settled back into its usual rhythm. Everyone was eating and chatting, and one sound echoed repeatedly through the room—the sharp crack of ship’s biscuits being broken apart. Some sailors smashed them together, others used the flat of their knives, and a few simply slammed them against the wooden tables.

  Rose and Sai sat down again at their table.

  Zamirah, Kaveh, and Mardukir were all watching her.

  Mardukir leaned forward slightly.

  “Rose… are you still hungry?”

  Rose blinked at the sudden question.

  “Yes,” she answered honestly. “But… how do I ask for more? I don’t see the cook.”

  Mardukir chuckled and slid a full wooden bowl toward her.

  “Here. Go ahead.”

  Rose hesitated for a moment.

  “Thank you…”

  She took the bowl and began eating.

  Sai, however, wasn’t oblivious to what was happening. One glance at the three guards—and the way their eyes followed every movement of Rose’s spoon—told him everything.

  They’re betting again.

  An idea crossed his mind.

  He casually looked at Kaveh.

  “A silver coin says she can do it.”

  Sai immediately understood what he meant.

  Sai raised the stakes.

  He pulled a gold coin from his storage ring and held it up between his fingers.

  “And I’ll add this.”

  The reaction was instant.

  Even the usually calm Kaveh stiffened. Zamirah’s eyes widened. Mardukir let out a low whistle.

  “A gold coin?” someone muttered.

  Sai smiled faintly.

  “Four of you against me. I’m betting she finishes all of them—and then some.”

  He flicked the gold coin into the air and caught it, deliberately loud enough to draw attention.

  Sailors nearby turned their heads. A few stood up and moved closer.

  “What’s the bet?” one of them asked.

  Sai gestured toward Rose, who was still eating, blissfully unaware.

  “How many bowls my partner can finish.”

  The room erupted.

  “Five!”

  “No—seven!”

  “She’s too small, no way she gets past six!”

  Rose finally looked up, startled by the crowd forming around her.

  “…Sai? What’s going on?”

  Sai leaned closer and said calmly,

  “Nothing. Everyone just felt bad about earlier and decided to share their food with you.”

  Rose flushed slightly.

  “Oh… thank you.”

  She reached for Zamirah’s bowl next and started eating without hesitation.

  Sai seized the moment.

  “One silver coin per bet,” he announced, pulling out a sheet of parchment and a quill. “I’ll keep track.”

  The sailors surged forward, laughing and arguing as they placed their wagers and pushed bowls onto the table.

  Even Kaveh shook his head, amused.

  “You’re a sly one, Sai.”

  “Fifteen bowls,” Kaveh added at last, tossing in his coin.

  Sai grinned.

  As Rose finished another bowl, she looked around at the growing stack in front of her—confused, but oddly pleased.

  Everyone here is so kind…

  I knew it. Sailors and caravan folk really are the best.

  And without realizing it, she reached for the next bowl.

  I hope you enjoyed this chapter and had as much fun with it as I did writing it. If you liked it, please consider leaving a rating or a comment—it truly helps and motivates me more than you might think.