"Mmm, the tangerines are so sweet! Zhongli, you have to try one!"
Watching the fruit tossed towards him, Zhongli caught it and took a bite.
He nodded. "The flavor is excellent. These are high-quality tangerines."
"My lord, allow me to sail the ship."
Seeing that his master's friends had arrived, Kaedehara Kazuha volunteered to take the helm.
He had wandered Inazuma for many years and was no stranger to sailing.
Because Inazuma was composed of multiple islands, one had to learn how to pilot a ship to adventure to other places.
Hearing this, Su Han shook his head. "No need. This ship can sail on its own."
"Sail on its own?" Kazuha was baffled. What did that mean? Could this ship pilot itself?
Just as he was wondering, he saw his master speak to the ship's figurehead. "Meyer, set sail."
"Yes, Lord Su Han," an ethereal voice, pleasant to the ear, replied.
The sails on the Going Merry unfurled on their own. Although there was no one at the helm, the ship began to move.
Hu Tao, who had been sitting in the tangerine tree, was amazed. "What's going on? Su Han, your ship is moving by itself!"
Zhongli glanced at the bow, a knowing smile playing on his lips.
A ship spirit? How interesting.
Others could not see it, but in Zhongli's eyes, there was an entity, invisible to ordinary people, standing at the bow and steering the ship.
"Amazing, right? My ship, the Going Merry, has a ship spirit. It can control the ship and sail on its own," Su Han explained. "Meyer, sail along the coastline."
"Yes, Master."
The ship's bow turned, following the coastline towards Yaoguang Shoal.
Hu Tao leaped down from the tree.
She went to the helm and began to walk in circles around it.
Meyer, who was currently piloting the ship, felt her scalp tingle.
What is with this friend of the Master's? Why is she constantly circling me? Don't tell me she can see me?
Soon, Meyer's question was answered.
"Hey… I can see you, you know," Hu Tao said, suddenly leaning in close.
"!!!"
Startled by Hu Tao's sudden appearance right in her face, Meyer almost steered the ship off course.
Seeing the ship spirit so frightened of her, Hu Tao laughed until tears came to her eyes.
"Hahahaha! Don't be so scared. My name is Hu Tao. I'm the Director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. My daily job is sending off souls and things like that."
"So, I can see you."
"But, Meyer, can you reveal your true body? It's really uncomfortable looking at you like this."
From her perspective, Meyer was completely shrouded in mist, her features impossible to make out.
But from her name, she seemed to be female.
While piloting the Going Merry forward, Meyer turned her head to plead for help from her master.
Su Han gave a faint smile. "You can reveal your form. It's alright, Meyer. Hu Tao is my friend."
"Yes, Master." Meyer slowly nodded.
A ripple appeared in the air.
A young blonde woman in a white dress materialized before everyone.
Su Han looked at Meyer's face and found that she was eighty percent similar to Kaya.
This Kaya, however, was just a little bit smaller.
"I didn't realize you were so pretty," Hu Tao said. "Later, when the ship docks, how about we go play together?"
"I… I can't stray too far from the ship," Meyer replied, seeming unable to handle Hu Tao's enthusiasm.
She continuously shot pleading glances at Su Han for help.
Seeing this, even he felt a little bad for her.
"Alright, Hu Tao, Meyer still has to pilot the ship. You don't want us to capsize and fall in, do you? I've prepared a lot of meat for today. Let's have a barbecue."
"A barbecue? You mean grilled meat?"
Hearing the mention of food, Hu Tao's attention was immediately captured.
She had thought they were just coming out to enjoy the sea breeze.
She never expected there would be a barbecue as well.
At a signal from Su Han, the nearby Kaedehara Kazuha had already brought out the grill.
"Alright, if you want to eat, you have to grill it yourself. Today I've prepared mutton, beef, boar meat, and some lobster."
"Whatever flavors you like, make it yourself."
"Yay! I love cooking for myself! I'll add a little Jueyun Chili and some Sweet Flowers. That'll definitely be delicious!"
"Oh, right! I'll take a video for Xiangling later and let her see my skills, too."
At the ship's bow, Meyer watched as Hu Tao stopped staring at her and finally let out a sigh of relief.
That person is so stressful.
Soon, the rich aroma of grilled meat began to rise from the deck of the Going Merry.
Amidst the laughter and cheerful voices, the ship sailed past Yaoguang Shoal and continued onward.
However, Meyer's peace did not last long before she was once again cornered by Hu Tao.
"Do you want to try my grilled meat? It's really fragrant!"
"I don't eat food." Meyer wanted to cry.
She was a ship spirit. She didn't even have a digestive system. How was she supposed to eat?
Hu Tao tilted her head in confusion. "Then what do you eat?"
"I don't eat."
"Then what do you do when you're thirsty?"
"I don't get thirsty."
Gradually, Meyer grew numb. She understood that if she didn't satisfy the endless curiosity of this high-spirited young woman, she would never have a moment's peace.