Chapter 22
"Sipping~ sipping~" Jessica savored a cup of hot tea to warm herself.
Even Arthur couldn't help but admire this self-reliant young girl. With her noble and elegant demeanor, almond-shaped face, sparkling eyes, straight nose, cherry lips, and fair complexion, she exuded a rare beauty.
Women of such caliber were truly rare. However, as the former god of the Angel Kingdom, Arthur's composed demeanor and knowledge gained from his time on Sky Island over the past few years were enough to keep him unfazed in the presence of such beauty.
"What's your name?" Arthur inquired, sipping a cold Coke.
Jessica was busy examining the peculiar items on the ship, particularly the shells that emitted light, which piqued her curiosity.
"I'm Jessica. Could you tell me what these are?" Jessica revealed her name and then pointed to the shells in the room.
"Shells," Arthur replied plainly.
"No, I mean, why do they breathe fire and emit light?" Jessica asked, extending her slender hand to curiously stroke the glowing shell.
"I'm not sure," Arthur admitted. He truly didn't understand the workings of the strange shells. Even to him, they remained a mystery.
Upon hearing his response, Jessica's large, beautiful eyes widened slightly, and she shot Arthur a somewhat irritated glance. She thought he was teasing her, using her ignorance against her.
"Then what's your name?" Jessica realized she had never asked for Arthur's name since being rescued. Despite her yearning for adventure and love for knife crafting, her upbringing as a noble still showed through.
"I'm Arthur, God Arthur," he replied. Arthur felt a bit awkward about his name, but it was what he was called on Sky Island, where godhood was inherited through generations.
"What?" Jessica's eyes widened, a hint of dissatisfaction evident. Who would have a surname like "God"? Even the Celestial Dragons didn't use such a title as a surname.
"That's my name," Arthur shrugged. If it weren't for the girl's exceptional beauty, he might not have bothered to save her.
"Okay," Jessica reluctantly accepted, though still skeptical. She then realized the discomfort of her wet clothes, revealing her graceful figure, and shyly requested, "Could you provide me with some dry clothes? Being soaked is terribly uncomfortable."
Arthur nodded and retrieved a soft set of pajamas from the closet. He pointed to the bathroom, saying, "These are new. You can change or take a hot shower. Feel free to wash up first."
"Thank you very much!" Jessica graciously expressed her gratitude before elegantly making her way to the bathroom.
After some time, Jessica emerged from the bathroom, her hair partially dried. She shyly wore Arthur's new pajamas, emanating a radiant beauty after her bath. Arthur handed her a small shell emitting warm air.
"Huh? What's this?" Jessica examined the shell, feeling puzzled.
"Press the button on top, it releases hot air to dry your hair," Arthur explained.
Surprised, Jessica looked at the shells and remarked, "There are so many magical shells, why haven't I heard of them before?"
Activating the Hot Air Bay, Jessica dried her hair and inquired, "Where are you from? Do you have many of these things in your country?"
"Yes, plenty. They grow naturally there. But you wouldn't know about the country," Arthur responded plainly.
"Don't assume! How do you know what I do or don't know?" Jessica retorted, feeling a bit offended.
Arthur chuckled and replied, "The Angel Kingdom. Ever heard of it?"
"Huh?" Jessica was taken aback, then hurriedly searched through her world kingdom book. After finding nothing, she pursed her lips and said, "You're just making it up. There's no such kingdom in the Four Seas, Grand Line, or New World."
"It's newly established," Arthur clarified.
"Newly established? Where? Despite the world's instability, no new countries have been formed except through revolution," Jessica asserted, demonstrating her knowledge of the world's affairs.
"In the sky," Arthur gestured upward.
"You're lying!..." Jessica exclaimed, but then her surprised expression softened. "Is it Sky Island?"
Arthur nodded, witnessing the transformation of the dignified Jessica into a lively, curious young girl brimming with excitement.
"Is there truly an island in the sky? Isn't that just a legend?" Jessica, now fully immersed in her adventure, eagerly anticipated encountering all sorts of strange and fascinating phenomena.
Arthur's mention of the island clearly piqued the girl's curiosity.
"Yes, there's a white sea at 7,000 feet and an island at 10,000 feet," Arthur elaborated, captivated by the girl's starry-eyed curiosity.
"Where do people live? Do they reside on the clouds? Is there really a heavenly kingdom? And angels! Angels!" The excited girl's youthful enthusiasm touched Arthur's heart.
Amidst the darkening ocean, a white yacht sailed forward, resonating with the silver bell-like laughter of the girl aboard.
"Oh my God, you're actually the king of the Angel Kingdom! No, you're an angel! But why don't you have wings? Oh my God, it's incredible to encounter such a legend on my first adventure."
Her exclamations and enthusiasm endeared Jessica to Arthur. Despite his initial reluctance, he couldn't help but feel drawn to her vivacious, lovely, dignified, and elegant demeanor.
Arthur, who had been solitary at sea for so long, found his spirits lifted by the arrival of this girl.