Reborn As Noble

Meanwhile, a short distance from where Liana and Gloria stood.

Javier knelt by the pile of fish, a large, sharp filleting knife in hand. He began demonstrating the process with calm, precise movements.

”First, you bleed it properly, makes the meat cleaner. Then you scale it, like this, against the grain.” His knife moved with practiced ease, sending silvery scales flying. ”Next, you slit the belly from the vent up to the head, careful not to puncture the gallbladder, unless you want everything to taste bitter.”

Felicia bent over gracefully at his side, both hands resting on her knees as she watched his every move intently.

Mimi hugged him from behind, her head resting on his shoulder, her soft breasts pressing against his back, her tail swaying in a slow, contented rhythm.

Delya squatted elegantly on Javier’s other side, her posture poised and graceful as she observed the process.

”Then you remove the gills and fins,” Javier continued, his voice calm and instructional. ”We’ll toss all the waste into the basin and overboard later. The ocean will take care of it.”

He finished with one fish and set it aside, perfectly cleaned. ”See? Not so hard once you get the hang of it.”

”Nya? Can I try?” Mimi asked, her cheek still pressed against Javier’s as she hugged him from behind. She shifted her head to look at his face from the side, her eyes bright with curiosity.

”Hmm? No... not today, Mimi. All these fish are big. It’s better you start with a smaller one if you’ve never done this before.”

”Nyaaa! Mimi can do it too!” Mimi stood up and puffed out her chest, placing her fists on her hips just below her ribs, her lower lip caught between her teeth in a show of confidence, her small fangs peeking out.

Javier exhaled, then reached into his dimensional storage and pulled out three smaller, sharp filleting knives. He laid them on a clean cloth.

”All of you, be careful. Don’t force yourselves. Just try one fish each, okay?”

”Thank you, Danna-sama~” Delya smiled, taking one of the knives with graceful poise.

Felicia nodded shyly and carefully picked up another.

Mimi rushed to grab the last one and struck a dramatic pose, holding the knife aloft. ”Nyahahaha! I got one!” She squatted down, her tail swaying excitedly behind her.

”Now~ which one of you fish is going to be cut by me~?” She narrowed her eyes playfully, biting her lower lip, her fangs showing as she scanned the wriggling pile.

She grabbed a particularly large, still-thrashing fish. It flapped powerfully in her grip.

”Nya!!! Just stay still!!!”

Felicia and Delya rushed to help Mimi, who was now flat on her back on the deck, wrestling with the powerfully wriggling fish.

”Eeeep!!! Help me!”

Felicia tried to pin the tail while Delya attempted to steady its head, but the fish was slippery and strong, thrashing wildly.

Javier shook his head and looked around for Liana and Gloria, but noticed they weren’t nearby.

”Hmm? Where are they?” Javier glanced around and spotted Liana and Gloria standing a short distance away, facing each other in a formal, almost ritualistic stance. Their expressions were focused, their hands held in poised, ready positions.

”What are they doing?” Javier exhaled and stood, walking over to help the struggling trio.

Meanwhile, on Liana and Gloria’s side.

They were locked in a silent standoff. Liana lifted both hands, palms open in a graceful, challenging gesture. Gloria mirrored her, one hand gripping her opposite wrist in a show of elegant readiness.

”We shall settle this with the usual, oh Miss Second Wife~”

”Ara~ there’s nothing better than this, Miss First Wife~”

”We agree on this, so no hard feelings on who gets to be with our husband later~”

”Of course, Miss First Wife. Just don’t cry if you lose later~”

”Oh, I won’t~ Miss Second Wife~ There’s no way I’m going to lose three times in a row~”

Both women lowered into a slight crouch, their eyes locked, hands poised at their sides as if about to draw a weapon.

”Ready?” Liana asked, her voice a low, playful hum.

”Always,” Gloria replied, adjusting her glasses with a confident smirk.

”Rock...!”

They both pulled their clenched fists back to their shoulders in a sharp, dramatic motion, muscles tensed.

”Paper...!”

Their fists shot forward.

”SCISSOR!!”

On the final shout, arms extending fully, revealing their choices in a flash of movement.

Liana’s hand formed a sharp, decisive scissors.

Gloria’s was a smooth, flat paper.

Liana’s scissor-fingers snipped the air in front of Gloria’s open palm.

Liana raised her victorious hand, a smug, elegant smile gracing her lips. ”Ufufu~ Looks like the first point goes to me~”

Gloria bit her lower lip, forcing a faint, composed smile. ”Ara~ Someone got lucky in the first round~”

Liana placed her palm delicately against her cheek. ”My, my~ It seems someone’s strategy needs a little refinement~”

”We don’t know yet, Miss First Wife,” Gloria said, her smirk returning as she settled back into her starting stance, fist clenched at her chest. ”That was only the first one. There’s no way you’ll win three straight~”

Liana smiled sweetly, mirroring her stance, fist pulled back. ”Oh, but of course I will, my dear Miss Second Wife~”

Javier just stared at them from a distance after helping Mimi, who was now starting to clean her fish with rough, triumphant swipes. ”Nyaahahaah!! Mimi wins!”

What are they doing? Why the rock-paper-scissors?

He could see both women huffing and panting hard, their expressions intense.

He shook his head. Man, I wonder what’s got them so fired up.

Javier turned his attention back, gently guiding Felicia’s hands from behind as she carefully made her first cut. Delya waited patiently nearby for her turn, watching with a serene smile.

Meanwhile, Liana and Gloria were in their final stance, both breathing heavily.

Guh! This is my first time going to a stalemate with Gloria. Liana bit her lower lip, her brow furrowed in concentration.

Gloria gritted her jaw, her glasses slightly askew.

I must win this. It’s two-two now. My chance to be with the young master tonight is on the line. I can’t lose here.

The air between them crackled with tension. The soft glow of the ship’s mana crystals cast long shadows as they faced each other, sweat beading on their brows.

”Rock...!”

”Paper...!”

Their bodies coiled like springs, every muscle taut with anticipation.

”SCISSOR!!”

Their hands shot forward.

And froze. Their hands hung in the air between them, fingers formed into their final, decisive shapes.

( End Of Chapter )