On the Black Pearl, in the first-class dining room, Sno and Sera sat at a table, quietly enjoying a delicious breakfast. However, due to the abnormalities of the past two days, Sera and Sno tacitly conducted multiple examinations on their food, including tests for toxins, diseases, and occult influences.
Fortunately, the abnormalities did not seem to have spread to the kitchen yet.
Sipping clear soup simmered from mushrooms and fish bones while eating bread, Sera traced and sketched with her fingers as she ate, seemingly pondering some complicated problem. Sno had long heard of the Reader Pathway's neurotic tendencies, so he did not disturb her and instead casually observed the kitchen staff.
They were not the only table up so early for breakfast. With a casual glance, Sno spotted the middle-aged man he had seen at the casino yesterday—the one with grayish-green hair, pale skin, and azure eyes. Four burly men who were obviously believers of the Lord of Storms sat beside him. Although the five had a clear hierarchy, they did not interact like bodyguards and an employer, but more like superiors and subordinates.
A Mandated Punishers squad from the Storm Church? I thought he was a Zombie! But... an entire squad boarding the ship—were they looking for Jack, or investigating the Black Pearl's abnormalities?
Sno muttered to himself, picked up a slice of bread, and spread it with jam and mint paste. He had to admit that the mildly stimulating sweetness paired with toast and fish soup felt remarkably refreshing, like morning itself—though even if it was not refreshing, eating this would immediately wake anyone up.
"Don't you think today's waiter looks very familiar?" Just as Sno was savoring the exotic food, Sera suddenly finished her "research" and abruptly looked up.
Following her gaze, Sno focused on a