Belfast led everyone to a large round table. The Royal Navy maids, who had been waiting for some time, stepped forward with practiced elegance and pulled out the chairs at the head of the table for the guests.
"Everyone, please, have a seat."
Despite the impeccable service, not a single girl felt at ease upon entering the Royal Navy dining hall.
Jun Hao, however, remained completely unfazed. He simply nodded and sat down as though it were the most natural thing in the world.
Without hesitation, Queen Elizabeth took the seat to his right. To her, sitting beside her husband was only proper.
Lion sat quietly next to Elizabeth, her posture elegant, yet her eyes remained fixed on Jun Hao without wavering.
The atmosphere subtly tightened.
Jun Hao glanced at the empty seats to his left before looking toward Amagi and Akagi.
He lightly tapped the seats beside him and said, "Amagi, Akagi, sit here."
Akagi moved instantly, taking the seat closest to him, while Amagi followed with composed steps.
Like Lion, Akagi's gaze never left Jun Hao. However, unlike Lion's restrained observation, Akagi's eyes held an unmistakable depth of attachment.
Bismarck took her seat opposite Lion, her back straight and expression serious, as if she were attending an official meeting rather than a simple meal.
After everyone else had settled, New Jersey chose the seat directly across from Jun Hao.
Normally, she would have been delighted with such a position. But now, she felt as though she were sitting on pins and needles.
Belfast stood to the side, her smile flawless as ever.
"Now then, Master, please place your order."
The moment she finished speaking, New Jersey began frantically signaling Jun Hao with her eyes.
|'Honey! Please, just pick something edible! I'm begging you! Steak—anything works! Or fish and chips. That's still Royal Navy food, but at least it's safe!'|
And she wasn't the only one. Even Bismarck and Amagi, who usually maintained perfect composure, had subtly tightened their hands in their laps.
Taking in their reactions, Jun Hao let out a quiet sigh.
'It's really not that serious… it's just a meal…' he thought, feeling slightly helpless.
He flipped through the menu with a focused expression, and that alone reignited a spark of hope in New Jersey.
'Yes! I knew it—my Honey understands! He'll definitely choose something normal!' She was already starting to relax.
Then, in a calm and indifferent tone, Jun Hao spoke.
"Belfast, bring everyone a serving of stargazy pie."
"..."
Silence fell instantly.
Amagi calmly took out Akagi's handkerchief and gently wiped the cold sweat forming on her forehead.
"Um... my Lord, could we... perhaps choose another dish?" Akagi quickly added, clutching Jun Hao's sleeve as she looked up at him with pleading eyes.
"Yes, Commander! We admit we acted rashly and came here too impulsively, but we're willing to apologize to the Royal Navy sisters!" New Jersey hurriedly chimed in, her voice full of urgency.
Jun Hao looked at them, clearly puzzled.
"What are you all thinking?" He reached out and gently rubbed Akagi's drooping fox ears. "How could I possibly punish you? I already said it, you came because you wanted to see me. What fault is there in that?"
He glanced around at their tense faces and sighed softly.
"Do you remember what Elizabeth mentioned earlier? About a Royal Navy dish I personally guided?"
Everyone froze.
Seizing the moment, Jun Hao continued, "That's right. The dish I worked on was stargazy pie."
"Eh?" Several voices cried out in shock.
They hadn't expected their Commander to go that far—to actually eat such a notorious Royal Navy dish. If it were them, they wouldn't have had the courage.
Jun Hao spoke honestly.
"You all know that Royal Navy cuisine is… a bit unique. So I thought I could try improving it, even if only slightly."
He paused, his gaze sweeping across everyone present.
"Since we're all here today, it's a rare opportunity. You can help me and the Royal Navy kitchen by giving honest feedback. That way, we can see if this improved version is something everyone can accept."
After finishing, his eyes settled on Elizabeth beside him.
Looking at the small queen stubbornly maintaining her composure, his expression softened. A quiet sigh escaped him, and his voice unconsciously became gentler.
"The only thing I want right now is to help Elizabeth and the others get rid of the label that 'Royal Navy food is bad.'"
The moment those words fell, the atmosphere grew heavy. Everyone fell silent.
Had they really been judging everything based on their own assumptions?
They had thought the Commander was trying to punish them... and now, that misunderstanding felt almost embarrassing.
Lion, in particular, saw it the clearest.
At first, when she realized Jun Hao had gathered everyone in the Royal Navy dining hall, she assumed it was a calculated move... a subtle warning.
After all, even she had to admit that Royal Navy cuisine was difficult to accept, even for someone within the faction.
Because of that, Lion believed the Commander intended to use stargazy pie as a way to suppress the faint traces of jealousy among them.
It was a method she could understand, even appreciate to some extent.
But now, it was obvious that she had been completely wrong. Her perspective had been too narrow.
The Commander had never thought about such tactics.
Just as he had said from the very beginning, he had no intention of punishing anyone, nor was he trying to "fix" anything.
His thoughts were simple… and genuine.
He saw the flaws of the Royal Navy, saw the pressure Elizabeth carried as Queen, and simply wanted to help.
Without caring about gain or loss. Without expecting anything in return.
Simply because he was staying with the Royal Navy faction, he treated its problems as his own.
That kind of sincerity, devoting oneself wholeheartedly to the faction one belonged to, was truly admirable.
Lion's gaze remained firmly fixed on Jun Hao.
At that moment, he was the only one in her sight.
[Ding! Detected that Lion has developed a strong emotional desire. She wishes to have a date with a powerful and beautiful individual.]
"Hmm?"
After hearing the system notification, Jun Hao glanced toward Lion.
Sensing his gaze, Lion quickly looked away, pretending she was about to speak to Bismarck.
But her mind was in complete disarray. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't think of a single thing to say.
'Damn it… how can this man's gaze feel so overwhelming? I, Lion, pride myself on being an absolute powerhouse. Yet this is the first time I've met someone I can't even look straight at... This won't do. If I can't even meet his eyes, how am I supposed to go on a proper date with him later?'
Unable to resist, Lion secretly glanced at him again.
Only after confirming that Jun Hao had already looked away did she quietly let out a breath of relief.
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Novels Available:
-> Zenless Zone Zero: The Almighty Incubus of Sixth Street. (Translation)
-> Azur Lane: Don't Fight! You're All My Wives! (Translation)
-> Zenless Zone Zero: Death in White. (Original - P@treon Only Until It Reaches 30 Chapters)
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