Chapter 648: Ex-Staff
“Is it a festival?”
“Oh, hey… Captain Goat.”
The imposing figure of Captain Cat perched on the shoulder of a rugged man makes his entrance.
“Faramia, thank you,” Soleil says to Faramia, who stands slightly behind Captain Cat.
Faramia sinks down a bit in acknowledgment. It seems she guided Captain Cat here.
I thought Faramia was holding down the fort, but it feels like all the key members of the castle are present. Is the castle empty? No, Auro and Kiel’s ominous-named brothers are missing, though.
“Captain Goat is here too?”
“Yeah. I’m checking out ‘Blue Spirit Island’ while discussing business with Soleil. It’s not ideal for a bunch of roughnecks to land all at once, and we can only approach by small boat, so we’re rotating a few people at a time.”
Captain Cat replies.
“Shall we talk while we eat? What do you want to snack on?”
“You’re handing out food even here, huh?”
Captain Cat, the crew member he’s riding, Faramia, Auro, Kiel—everyone’s busy, even with seconds included.
Captain Cat has prepared tender pork, simmered and shredded into fine strands as the main dish. Faramia has marinated beef in a spiced sauce and grilled it, making it quite meaty.
“Delicious,” Captain Cat offers a simple compliment.
Faramia silently devours a second serving. Is she actually a meat lover?
“You’ve already checked around, right? Is there any facility the island is lacking?”
As a man of the sea, Captain Cat must have visited various port towns. Does he have any opinions?
“None. In fact, it’s overflowing with facilities I’ve never seen before. The knowledge on the user side is what’s lacking.”
Yeah. The residents have gotten used to things, but many tourists seem confused. Some locals, initially intrigued, have reverted to the cumbersome old ways.
I don’t think everything I’ve set up is perfect, so as long as it’s hygienic, they can do things in a way that’s easier for them.
“Also, that ‘Spirit’s Branch’ on this island belongs to King Tildonai’s ‘King’s Branch,’ right? It’s surprising how abundant the water is for a town belonging to the Fire Nation…”
Captain Cat hesitates.
He probably thinks there’s an unusual abundance of Water Spirits compared to what one would expect from the Fire Nation, and that the influence of Es’s Gods is hardly felt.
Sorry, but that ‘Spirit’s Branch’ is just for show. Shahira’s black branch attracts the Black Spirit, while the white branch neutralizes it, so it has the effect of drawing spirits in, but not in a typical way.
Spirits do gather around Haniwa too, but it doesn’t repel Demon Beasts. Still, there should be some comfort effect… probably.
“Hey, Captain Goat, do you want seconds?”
Since my mouth is small, I’m losing the eating race against Faramia. Still, I ask Captain Cat, who has just finished another serving.
Oh, Captain Cat has dismounted from the crew member and is now at the counter receiving goods. He’s making sure the crew gets to eat too!
“I’ll take some. —Just call me Captain Cat from now on.”
His ears droop back, looking somewhat reluctant, but he gives the okay.
“What’s that prominent thing in the middle of the ‘Spirit’s Branch’?”
“What do you mean by that? It’s the ‘Spirit’s Branch.'”
Was it Haniwa? Or an Afro?
“It’s my extended branch! My master avoids calling humans influenced by spirits by name. Master, I want seconds too! Make it spicy, please!”
The Ex-Staff joins the conversation.
Avoiding calling by name, huh? Now that you mention it, maybe that’s true? I’m not too sure. It’s similar to how I call Chris by his alias. I should be careful.
However, it’s clear that Captain Cat is an unstable being due to the spirit’s interference. He’s turned into a cat due to the Spirit’s Curse, but it’s not a curse that completely prevents him from returning to human form, so he’s in a state of flux.
“Wait a moment. Here you go, Captain Cat.”
I place the ingredients on a plate, squeezing lime over the top.
I’m handing everything else wrapped in paper, but Captain Cat can’t hold that.
“One of these days… ‘King’s Branch’!”
Captain Cat’s ears droop back gently.
“It’s a staff! Call me Konkon Staff EX, Ex-Staff!”
“A staff, huh?”
Captain Cat’s ears droop even further, completely resembling a squid’s ears.
Sorry, I’m being too casual. I received the ‘King’s Branch’ without knowing what it really was, so I don’t have much awareness of its significance. It was meant for tapping, after all.
“Wait a minute. A branch?”
“Yep! I’m your master’s ‘King’s Branch!'”
After swallowing a taco, the Ex-Staff cheerfully responds.
“No, if that thing is the ‘Spirit’s Branch’ of this ‘King’s Branch,’ does that mean there are two ‘Spirit’s Branches’ in one town?”