She kept telling herself to calm down, but when it came to Arton being on the verge of drawing a template, there was no way Ain could actually settle her nerves.
After all, Arton had already mentioned in his diary over the past few days that he'd been saving up for a high-tier draw.
In other words, whatever he pulled this time wasn't going to be some weak template.
At the very least, it should be something above average.
Just thinking about that made Ain desperately hope that the next template Arton drew would be one she was compatible with.
"Anyway, let's head to the deck first... Ain? Did you zone out on me?"
Seeing Ain standing there blankly, Arton reached out and patted her on the shoulder.
"Sorry, Captain. I really just... can't calm down."
Ain shook her head and gave him a bitter little smile.
"I see. Then what do you think would help you calm down?"
Arton asked.
"C-Could you let me please you one more time?"
Ain raised one finger, then undid one button at her chest and said, "I know that even if I do this for you, Captain, it still doesn't mean you'll definitely draw a template that suits me. But if I do it at least once more, I think my heart will settle down a little."
Hearing that, Arton could not help twitching at the corner of his mouth.
"You're really going too far with this. Even students right before a huge exam wouldn't go this far. It's completely meaningless."
If Ain doing this could somehow guarantee that Arton would draw a template suited to a specific person, then he would not even wait for Ain to ask. He would be the one suggesting it.
After all, he also wanted to hurry up and draw a template that suited Ain.
That way, he would be fulfilling the promise he had made to her.
Once that was taken care of, Arton felt like he would be a lot more at ease too.
And after that, he could even use the same method on Raki.
If that happened, Raki could get a template too, and then everyone in the Flameblade Pirates would finally have one.
Unfortunately, that was only the sort of thing Arton could fantasize about in his head.
In reality, there was no such nice shortcut.
Unless his sailing diary system leveled up again, maybe then something like that might become possible.
"Please. Just let me try, Captain. They're really, really soft."
Doing her best to imitate the scenes from the derivative works, Ain spoke in a sweet, coaxing voice.
"You really are... wait, why are you already using your hands? Ah..."
Arton let out a sigh. With Ain acting like this, all he could do was let her open up her chest and earnestly work hard for him.
Fortunately, because Arton was consciously feeding her openings, and because Ain was not only putting in effort but even using her mouth too, this round of "training" did not take very long.
While Ain cleaned him up afterward, Arton leisurely opened his sailing diary and began writing:
[After several days, I've finally managed to save up enough for a high-tier draw.]
[I wonder what kind of template I'll get this time.]
[Hopefully it's one that Ain can use. Otherwise, at this point, I'd honestly feel bad facing Ain when she keeps coming to me asking for one.]
[It doesn't even have to be some ridiculously overpowered template. It just needs at least three matching attributes with Ain.]
[Once I hand her a template, she probably won't be so worried all the time anymore.]
Chapter 656: Smoothie Wants to Meet Arton Sooner
Gion: "So Arton's finally saved up enough points to draw a template."
Kujaku: "He specifically brought up Ain. I honestly don't know whether I should congratulate her or pity her."
Doll: "It's obvious Ain's been working incredibly hard to leave a deeper impression on Arton so she can get a template from him."
Hina: "Don't tell me Ain really has been doing all sorts of things to Arton, just like the derivative works depict...?"
Kalifa: "If that woman really has gone that far, then that's honestly worth admiring."
Stussy: "If Ain wants to help Zephyr in the future, then of course she'd throw absolutely everything on the line. Assuming Arton is willing to accept it."
Smoothie: "For Zephyr's sake, that Marine girl would probably even be willing to squat on a table like some horny married woman if Arton told her to."
Cinnamon: "Uh... isn't that pose way too humiliating? And more importantly, how do you even know a pose like that, Sister? Don't tell me Arton actually drew something like that in one of your derivative works?"
Smoothie: "That's right. I only saw it recently myself. I really didn't expect Arton to make me, a Longleg Tribe woman, pose like that. Doesn't he realize that in real life, he might not even be able to reach the right spot?"
Hearing her sister say that, Cinnamon could only awkwardly wipe the sweat from her forehead.
Since she was a Longleg Tribe woman too, Smoothie's words made her start picturing herself in the same scenario.
If she were squatting on a table while Arton stood behind her... maybe he'd even have to stand on a tall stool under his feet?
The moment that image crossed her mind, Cinnamon shivered.
Please, Arton... don't ever make me do a pose that shamefully obscene in real life.
She took a deep breath and muttered that silently to herself.
At this point, she had completely made peace with the idea of ending up with Arton.
Since Mother wanted Arton to join the Big Mom Pirates, and with Arton's abilities being what they were, sooner or later she'd end up marrying him anyway.
Rather than struggle, it was better to adapt to that identity sooner.
That said, she still wasn't nearly as uninhibited as Smoothie.
When it came to things that were too humiliating, she still really couldn't bring herself to try them...
What she didn't know was that even if she didn't want to try, her sister would enthusiastically drag her into it anyway.
Because in Smoothie's plan, the two of them going together might make Arton let down his guard a lot more.
Smoothie had no desire to end up like Gion—failing to recruit Arton, only to get thoroughly "disciplined" by him instead.
Even if Arton refuses to join the Big Mom Pirates, I still have to get a template from him. Even if I have to offer up this body, I have to get the power of a template. Only then will I be able to protect the things I want to protect in the future.
Smoothie clenched her fists and swore it firmly in her heart.
But as she looked at Arton's diary, still being updated line by line, she soon let out a quiet sigh.
"Honestly... Arton mentions my name less and less these days. I really do need to meet him as soon as possible. At the very least, I need to show my face in front of him, so he'll start bringing me up in his diary again."
...
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