As the last rays of the setting sun streamed through the gaps in the portholes like golden ribbons, illuminating the polished floor of the dining hall, tempting aromas began wafting from the kitchen, making everyone's mouths water.
Dawn manipulated gravity to steadily carry the finished dishes onto the long dining table.
Before long, the once-empty tabletop was covered with a dazzling array of food:
A hot pot simmering with rich bone broth and brimming with ingredients;
Steaming baskets of thin-skinned, generously filled soup dumplings;
Large chunks of braised meat carefully prepared from the most tender parts of precious Sea Kings;
Apple pie fragrant with the sweetness of cinnamon and apples;
Refreshing orange jelly cake;
"..."
From Eastern classics to Western flavors, the table had nearly everything one could want.
These dishes shared one trait—they almost perfectly matched the dietary preferences of every girl present.
Nojiko immediately said she would call the others on the ship over to enjoy the lavish dinner together.
Dawn did not refuse and merely nodded. Nojiko opened an Air Door again and went to call the other crew members.
Before long, everyone aboard Herman's Revenge had gathered in the dining hall.
When the other girls saw the food on the table—not only abundant, but clearly tailored to their own tastes—surprise and confusion appeared on their faces.
When they learned that the entire feast had been personally prepared by Dawn, they were even more astonished, their mouths hanging open wide enough to fit an egg.
They had never imagined he had such a side to him.
Dawn invited everyone to sit down, a gentle smile on his face as he gestured for them to begin.
The girls calmed their shock and took their seats one after another, tacitly reaching for their favorite foods.
They were somewhat reserved