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After setting up and tidying the camp, despite a certain pink-haired kid's clumsiness setting it on fire midway, everyone still managed to organize... and rebuild the camp before evening.
The ingredients were burnt to a crisp, but thanks to Noah's exquisite fried fish skills, they harvested a large quantity of seafood. Their first meal on Tenrou Island was a lavish seafood feast.
Crimson lobsters lay on the plate, their orange-red shells peeled back to reveal snow-white, firm meat. A light bite yielded a sweet and springy texture.
Next to them were large sea crabs, their shells already pried open, the semi-solid crab roe shimmering with golden luster, so full it almost overflowed. A scoop brought with it sweet, fresh juices, seeping directly onto the tip of the tongue.
Salt and pepper calamari rings were fried to a golden crisp, the salt and pepper granules dancing on the crunchy edges; a bite exploded with a crisp sound between the teeth, and the tender white calamari curled and unfurled subtly on the tongue.
Garlic scallops sizzled in their shells, the rising steam enhancing the aroma of garlic and the ocean. The scallop meat was fresh and juicy, coated with garlic fragrance that gently melted on the tongue with a light touch, leaving only a mouth full of freshness and sweetness.
Oysters were the most straightforward, their shells holding chilled juice and oyster meat, garnished with the tartness of lemon and a hint of the sea. Lifting the shell to sip, the cool, salty, fresh liquid slid down the throat, bringing an instant of crispness and clarity.
Seafood paired with the beer brought by Gildarts and Cana was an excellent combination. The group ate with evident enjoyment, feasting heartily.
"Ah~ I can't eat anymore, my stomach is going to burst."
After a whirlwind of eating, Natsu and Gray both lay on the ground groaning, their round bellies puffed up like pufferfish, gently rising and falling with their breaths.
Happy looked content, patting his swollen white belly with his small paws, making dull "thump-thump" sounds. It was his first time eating such a delicious seafood feast, and he felt his cat life was complete.
Erza elegantly set down the last bit of crab leg shell, looking at the mess before her—a small mountain of shrimp shells, crab shells, and clam shells—and couldn't help but let out a tiny burp.
Turning her head, she saw Noah smiling at her. Erza's cheeks immediately flushed, and she quickly covered her mouth.
Noah handed her a tissue, laughing. "Oh, shy already? What's there to be embarrassed about a daughter eating more of her mother's cooking?"
Erza pouted, took the tissue, and leaned her body to the left against Noah's shoulder. "I can't help it, it was too delicious."
"If it's delicious, eat more." Mira, taking over the conversation, placed another large plate of seafood assortment on the stone table. Seeing her actions, several people gasped.
"Why is more food still coming?"
"How many plates is this already?"
"Can't finish it, absolutely can't finish it."
"Please, no more..."
Listening to Natsu and the others' complaints, even Noah couldn't suppress the twitching of his mouth and couldn't help but ask, "Mira, how many dishes did you guys make?"
Mira's smile vanished, replaced with the same resentful expression as Natsu and the others. "It's all your fault, Noah! Why did you catch so much seafood for no reason? Irene said she wants to process all of it."
Ever since she reunited with Erza, Irene has become obsessed with cooking.
Learning to cook was too easy for her; she just needed to follow the proportions in the recipe. For personal taste preferences, she could ask Erza and slowly modify them.
Although Irene couldn't taste the deliciousness of food, she wanted her daughter to be able to eat delicious food every meal from now on.
And today, the huge pile of seafood Noah "fried" up from the sea was taken by Irene to practice her cooking skills.
"In that case, it really is my fault."
Noah's expression was complicated. Sure enough, frying fish was wrong.
But if it weren't for the fact that not a single fish was willing to bite his hook, causing him to spend over an hour without a catch, why would Noah, in a fit of pique, resort to frying fish?
So, it's all the fish's fault!
After shifting the blame, Noah's mental burden immediately disappeared. However, the problem still needed to be solved; Irene couldn't be allowed to continue cooking.
"Ah ah ah ah ah ah!"
"A ghost!!!"
Just as Noah was pulling Mira, preparing to go find Irene, two shouts made Noah stop in his tracks.
There was no need to search for the source of those two voices; they were on the other side of the camp. Gildarts and Cana were huddled together, their faces filled with terror.
Since the mischievous Natsu was nearby, and no one else would pretend to be a ghost to scare their companions, Erza suspected there were other people on Tenrou Island. She cautiously drew her sword and quickly approached Gildarts.
The others followed closely, their eyes burning with excitement.
Especially Natsu, who, half-dead from overeating, perked up immediately upon hearing about a ghost, especially when Gildarts and Cana both shouted about it.
Noah watched his companions rush off, a slight smile playing on his lips. He grabbed a crab leg, slurped it, and slowly stood up, but he didn't follow Erza and the others. Instead, he quietly left the camp.
When Erza reached Gildarts and Cana in a few steps, she detected no other presence around them besides the two of them.
"Gildarts, where's the ghost?"
Natsu vigorously shook Gildarts. The drunken uncle, having come to his senses, released Cana, who had also recovered. The two drunks, one big and one small, looked at their companions with confusion. "Didn't you see it?"
"See what?"
"The First Guild Master's ghost!"
At these words, the scene immediately fell silent. Everyone looked at Gildarts and Cana, and the scattered wine bottles, with strange expressions.
Mira sighed. "I say, you two aren't drinking yourselves into hallucinations, are you? The First Guild Master passed away ninety years ago. How could she turn into a ghost?"
"Moreover, if the First Guild Master really did become a ghost, then how many times have the Second Guild Master and our Guild Master visited Tenrou Island in these past decades? How come they never encountered her even once?"
"Surely the First Guild Master's ghost isn't hiding from them, is she?"
Mira's analysis immediately drew agreement from Erza and the others. Even Natsu, who usually trusted Gildarts, thought he was just drunk.
Cana hastily explained, "Believe me, this little bit of alcohol couldn't possibly get me and Dad drunk. It's not even enough to wet our whistles."
Gray counted the empty wine bottles on the ground. "She's right. There are only twenty-something empty bottles here, which is just the beginning for Cana, let alone Gildarts."
Erza looked at Cana. "Describe in detail what you just saw."
Cana recalled carefully.
Just a few minutes ago, she and her father were eating seafood and drinking wine.
Suddenly, a little girl, drooling, had somehow crept up to their makeshift stone table.
Cana was still wondering where the child came from when Gildarts told her that he had once seen a photo of the little girl on the wall of the Guild Master's office.
The First Guild Master, Mavis, who had passed away over ninety years ago.
When that name was uttered, Gildarts and Cana immediately shivered, screaming in fright at the "ghost" in front of them, who was drooling over the seafood feast on the stone table.
However, that scream also scared Mavis.
In an instant, the ghostly loli vanished without a trace.
Natsu had a flash of inspiration. "Could it be that the First Guild Master couldn't enjoy delicious food down below, so she manifested?"
Gray nodded. "Then shouldn't we take two plates of seafood to the First Guild Master's grave as an offering? To treat her to a good meal?"
"What are we waiting for!"
Gildarts and Cana each picked up a plate of seafood assortment. Although it was a bit disrespectful, they certainly didn't want to be haunted by ghosts. They rushed out of the camp with Natsu and Gray.
Mira wanted to stop them, but the speed at which the four ran off far exceeded her reaction time. She could only say helplessly, "They don't even know where the First Guild Master's grave is..."
"Isn't Gildarts with them?"
Erza had barely spoken when she realized, "Oh no, that Gildarts gets muddle-headed after drinking, and it's dark now. What if he accidentally demolishes Tenrou Island?!"
"Mira, Noah, let's go find them quickly!"
Erza turned around, only to find that only she and Mira were left in the camp, along with a satisfied, well-fed blue cat that had fallen asleep.