How do I start a romantic relationship with a ship girl?

Page 14

"So, where does the Commander plan to go next?" the ship girl asked.

"Let's go look around some more and see if there's anything we can use."

"In that case... take me with you."

Chapter Nineteen: Definition of Intimacy Behavior

"I guess the commander doesn't have any money on him right now?"

“…Really.”

Xu Huan was reminded by Hu Teng's words.

I've been on this planet for quite a while now, but I still haven't seen the local currency.

I should have asked the little octopus for some when I gave him the pendant...

“I had some with me when I left port, so take me with you, I can help you.”

As Hu Teng spoke, he took a small bag out of his pocket, untied it, and revealed a pile of gleaming gold coins inside.

"coin?"

For Xu Huan's time, coins were considered a type of antique. Apart from some collectors who had a fondness for them, only a few museums had some in their possession.

“We generally call this kind of coin ‘materials’, but people have different names for it in different places. And although each region issues its own paper money, materials are the only universally recognized equivalent of exchange.”

"How much are these worth approximately?"

“You can think of it as equivalent gold, or... half of this commercial street,” Hu Teng said, glancing at the nearby shops.

"That's quite valuable..."

Xu Huan nodded thoughtfully.

"Thank you for your kindness, but I generally don't like to take advantage of others."

The young man took out another crystal emitting a faint blue light from his belt: "I'll trade you this, so you won't be at a disadvantage."

Hu Teng stared at the crystal the man in front of him had taken out, then suddenly remembered something. He looked at his own chest and fell silent.

She had originally planned to reimburse Xu Huan for all his expenses, but she was somewhat tempted by the young man's suggestion.

That's probably where the crystal pendant on the Royal Fortune's chest came from, right?

The piece in front of us may appear larger, and its intrinsic value likely exceeds that of the piece from the royal treasure, but when it comes to its added value...

But it's nowhere near as good.

At the very least, it's difficult to display directly on the body.

Seeing Hu Teng hesitate, Xu Huan assumed that the chips he had offered were not enough, so he took out another crystal from his pocket: "If one is not enough, how about two?"

“It’s not a matter of quantity, Commander.” Hutten turned his face away and said, “Do you have one similar to the one on Royal Fortune, but not exactly the same?”

"Similar? You mean decorations?"

"Yes."

“Yes, I do have one, but that crystal… isn’t very valuable, and I’m afraid it might be a bit inconvenient.” Xu Huan took back the crystal he had taken out earlier and directly pulled out a small ring.

At the very top was also a blue crystal, but just as Xu Huan had said, it was not only much smaller, but the crystal itself also seemed to contain some impurities.

"You know, giving rings or similar gifts can easily lead to misunderstandings. If you mind that—"

"do not mind."

Before the young man could finish speaking, Hu Teng interrupted him and took the ring directly.

"This thing is very valuable to me, so let's just leave it as is..." Hu Teng carefully rubbed the ring on his hand for a while before cautiously putting it back into his inner pocket.

"Uh...? Are you sure?" Xu Huan asked, somewhat surprised.

It seems that things that look good on the outside are more valuable in the eyes of ship girls.

“I’m sure…it is indeed very valuable…” Hu Teng replied, his usually calm voice now carrying a hint of joy.

"I'll add one more service, Commander."

"Ok?"

Just as Xu Huan was feeling a bit confused, he suddenly felt a soft, delicate hand slip into his right hand and firmly grasp it.

"Come on, I'll show you the most worthwhile places to visit here."

Hu Teng didn't explain his actions, but instead pulled Xu Huan directly towards the food street next to him.

She walked much faster than usual, the clattering of her feet making a constant thud that caused passersby to instinctively avoid the two of them.

"Isn't there a need to be in such a hurry?" Feeling the strange looks from the people next to him, Xu Huan felt a little embarrassed.

Because Hu Teng was wearing a mind-blocking device, no one paid attention to her, so all the pressure from passersby turned to her alone.

Although this was nothing to Xu Huan, who was mentally strong, it was still hard to bear being stared at like that.

The two continued pulling each other like that until they reached the food street.

“I haven’t been to many royal territories. I’m only familiar with two places, and this is one of them.”

The enticing aromas of various delicacies lingered in the air, tempting passersby and even making Xu Huan himself somewhat tempted.

"What about the other one?" Xu Huan asked curiously.

"That's the Royal Port headquarters."

"...Is the royal family's management extremely lax?"

"No, I got in through proper channels... The other companions all had some personal grudges with the royal family, so whenever there was something that needed to be negotiated, it was usually Frederick or I who handled it."

Hu Teng showed no intention of letting go of Xu Huan's hand. He continued talking while holding Xu Huan's hand, and they walked all the way to a barbecue stall.

"The Royal Palace is practically a culinary desert, with nothing particularly delicious. However, the grilled meat at this restaurant is pretty good, although it's a bit more expensive than other stalls."

"Can you buy things while wearing a mind-blocking device?"

Xu Huan asked questions, trying to free himself from the ship girl's grasp, but he didn't expect Hu Teng to react so quickly—

Noticing the movement in her hand, she raised an eyebrow and tightened her grip on Xu Huan's hand.

"Sure, simple and normal interactions are no problem, and in the other person's eyes I will become an ordinary passerby and will not attract attention."

"Integration is the best disguise... The person who developed this device has genius-level abilities and ideas." Xu Huan nodded and praised.

"Then come with me to Iron Blood, I'll give you a chance to meet her... Boss, two classic barbecue sets, please."

"Hu Teng, now that we've arrived, why are we still holding hands?"

"There's no particular reason... Commander, do you dislike me that much?"

"No, it's just that holding hands is a form of intimacy, isn't it?"

"Holding hands? That's far from meeting the definition of intimacy, Commander..."

Hu Teng shook his head, then tiptoed and gently pressed his cool lips to Xu Huan's cheek.

"That's right."

Chapter Twenty: You, Me, and Him

After spending several days with and observing Xu Huan, Hu Teng had developed a fairly comprehensive impression of him.

With great strength and expertise in combat, he always maintains a calm and rational mind, making the right choices, even in dangerous situations.

From the first time I fought him, I could see that his effortless and confident demeanor was even better than that of the Sakura Empire's group of madmen who loved close combat.

This kind of unintentional aura cannot be achieved through mere training; it must come from ample practical experience that enables one to handle various unexpected situations.

Of course, this is accompanied by a lack of emotional life.

During the few days on the ship, Hutten and Royal Fortune seemed no different from men in his eyes. They would politely step aside when he saw sensitive parts, showing an excellent grasp of distance. Their usual interactions were like those with comrades or colleagues.

If the ship girls don't take the initiative to break the ice, he probably can treat everyone as a comrade-in-arms.

From a certain perspective, if the commander is too polite to himself, it is not conducive to the overall development of the port.

After all, it has something called a vow ring...

Hu Teng felt that Xu Huan must have spent too much time in that dangerous battlefield environment, his nerves were stretched too tight for too long, and some of his instinctive emotions were suppressed accordingly.

So she took the opportunity, under the pretext of displaying intimate gestures, to test the waters a little.

Of course, there were also some personal motives involved.

People are always a little selfish, and ship girls are no exception.

The cool lips lingered on her face for less than a second, a light peck that ended quickly.

The faint fragrance flashed by, only to be quickly masked by the hot aroma of the food street.

Xu Huan was briefly lost in confusion.

He was puzzled by Hu Teng's behavior. The two had only known each other for no more than five days, and the initial acquaintance process was not very pleasant. How could he suddenly be kissed like that?

It was somewhat sudden.