Chapter 220 - News from South Sea (2)

(Jane's PoV)

South Sea.

The waves were ridiculously strong even at day. It was obviously in the middle of the day, where the sun should still feel the hottest in the beach, but it was inexplicably cloudy and windy. The wind was not particularly strong, but it was enough to give people a soothing effect in this weather.

"It's cloudy today too, huh?" The middle-aged woman who was serving our orders took a short glance at the sky before she continued serving the food.

I turned my head towards her as I asked her curiously. "Is it normal?"

The woman smiled warmly. "It's normal. It's just… every time the weather is like this, something will definitely come up." She answered. "Anyway, enjoy your food. Just call me if you need something."

The woman turned around and walked back behind the cashier. I turned my head back towards the waves of the sea.

"What are you doing? Why don't you eat?" Sanji pulled me out from my daze as he put a piece of grilled fish on my plate while Tom scooped some chili sauce into small plate and put it in front of me.

"Are you thinking about what the woman said?" Tom put some vegetables on my plate.

"Huh? Not really." I shrugged. The enticing aroma from the food in front of me made me forget about what I had in mind for a while.

"Dig in, then. Whatever happens later, you should eat your fill first. The grilled fish here is awesome." Tom's eyes shone in excitement.

He was right though. I couldn't describe the wonderful feeling I had when I took my first bite. I could feel my body melt from how delicious the food was. It was a simple menu, yet the taste was so amazing that I couldn't help but want more of it.

It was my first time I lost control of myself when eating outside. By the time I realized it, the plates in front of me were empty, leaving only fish bones in it.

"Wah, it's so satisfying." Tom said, feeling content as he patted his stomach.

"Do you think she will give us the recipe if I ask for it?" Sanji squinted his eyes as he looked at us seriously.

"Sanji, it's rude to ask about someone's recipe." I warned him while wiping my mouth clean from any grease with slightly warm cheeks.

"Then, let's not do it. I'll just go and pay for it." He said and stood up to pay for our food. 

I followed suit and waited for him outside the restaurant with Tom. Again, I was mesmerized with the waves in the sea. The sound of it was calming that I forgot I used to like sea when I was a kid. 

Since when did I grow bored of this soothing and relaxed sensation? 

I was still watching and enjoying the sound and scenes, but something happened afterwards. 

I saw a bigger wave came approaching us. It wasn't big enough to reach the furthest line of the shore, but it was still big nevertheless.

Just when the wave moved down like a person doing a deep bow, my eyes caught sight of three beautiful women, looking otherworldly and enchanting, standing on top of a golden horseless carriage. 

The faint green glow was really compatible with the gold light emitting from the carriage. The effect itself could make someone believe in a flash that these three weren't humans.

As soon as my mind registered this fact, my eyes made eye contact with them. I knew right away that they came to find me with the way they looked at me. The way their eyes warmed up as soon as they saw me was the proof of my feeling.

If they didn't come ashore to find me, I was sure I would do anything to hold them captive and interrogate them. However, since they came to find me, I decided just to keep my vigilance on just in case they tried to do something funny to me.

I stopped only when the water hit my ankle, drowning my feet under the waves. It was fortunate that I wasn't using shoes when I came here. Looking up towards the three elegant women who stopped in front of me, I waited until they finished their greetings towards me.

"Greetings, Master of First Army." The one in the front spoke so softly that I couldn't detect any evil intention from her tone. "We're sent here by our Queen to confirm whether Milady has brought the thing our Queen asks for."

They were neither overbearing nor impolite. Even though they were maids of the well-known Queen of South Sea, they didn't act arrogant like humans. I was sure these were not common maids who only knew how to clean and take care of the households, but also those who possessed power to overturn the sea if they wanted to.

Still, they were different from humans who acted high and mighty when they had some kind of connections with the people who had better position in work, especially when their 'connection' was someone in close relation with them.

Or probably these women had passed a strict selection and had trained to become what they were today.

"I have it with me." I nodded. "How is my father doing?"

"Lord Satya is doing fine. Our Queen can assure you that."

"Then, tell your Queen that I'll visit her as soon as my business here is done. And you guys had better treat my father well." I shot them a warning glance without continuing what I was saying. Let them think about it by their own.

"Of course, Milady. Just call out for us whenever you're ready to come down." The three of them bowed down again and the carriage turned back and disappeared under a big wave.

I was still standing on my spot, didn't move even after they had disappeared. If it was not for Sanji and Tom who touched my shoulders, I didn't know when I would start to move again.

Not because of fear or hypnotism. It was because I felt heavy to walk back. My father was so close to me, yet I couldn't do anything for now. I could only wait until the meeting finished.

Siji didn't let me come even after we had spent some days here because of my insufficient power, he said. He wanted to make sure that even if I were to go alone and the rest of them would be blocked outside, I could still survive and escape.

During my last training with him around two days ago, he said that I could walk into and out of the Queen of South Sea's palace safely even if I were alone. Still, I should avoid any direct clash with the Queen herself if I wanted to ensure my rate of escaping high enough.

Since he dared to say it, I had much confidence in me that I could take my father back with me alone. Maybe I should just leave Sanji and Tom behind when I visited the Queen later. I didn't want them to face any danger. After all, the place we were about to go was the palace of South Sea. It was a place where no men were allowed to go in, except my father since he was kidnapped by them.

From what I had learned before, no man could enter the palace and everyone in the palace was women. Any man who tried to enter it would meet a disaster. Even though my father was there unwillingly, I was worried that they would treat him bad since he could be the only man inside.

Humph, if I were to find that my father felt any discomfort while being there, I would make them pay for it.

But, for now, I needed to meet with the other Masters first and to hear what they had in mind.

"Let's go." I walked back towards our rented car with Sanji and Tom behind me. I didn't see their expression in fear that they would know what I had in mind.

Obviously I was underestimating their ability to understand me. I seriously thought that I could still hide what was in my mind. Later on, they proved me wrong.