One Piece : Wild Hunt

Though he made sure to lock his door the previous night, Benienma still managed to pop up within Thomas's room as if she had teleported inside. Fortunately, unlike the previous morning, Thomas made sure to cover his crotch with a pillow, so he didn't have to suffer the indignity of a little loli commenting on his morning wood.
During Benienma's original life as a human, before she had wandered into the mountains and died, she had been a young girl living and working in a brothel. She had apprenticed under an Oiran, a high-ranking courtesan, and the Enma-tei she operated offered various 'services' to their more prestigious clientele. As a result, she was scarily blase regarding matters of a sensual nature.
While he may have delved into some dangerous tags on websites such as nhentai, Thomas 'vehemently' refused Benienma's offer for assistance. He might become a pirate in the future, but he had no intentions of becoming a 'monster.' Even if Benienma was a demonic loli-baba with a three, maybe even four-digit age, it didn't change the fact she looked like an 8-10-year-old girl. If Thomas gave into her 'temptation,' he was absolutely certain he would go to one form of Hell or another...
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Before Thomas had even finished eating breakfast, Drake had weighed anchor and set the Hind on a course with their destination, a small Port City known as Coniston. The increasingly futuristic-seeming ship had a literal auto-pilot mode, so unless they encountered a storm or needed to navigate rough terrain, the Hind could operate independently of a crew. The only requirement was that it had enough Mana within its engines to sustain its many mystical functions.
Since she didn't want Thomas wandering off and getting shanked by a random thug, Drake said, "When we enter the port, try not to wander off or leave my sight. The current you might die if you get mauled by a stray dog, so do us all a favor and stay on your toes. If you do as I say, I'll take you to a tailor once we've finished our resupply. I would normally charge 300% interest for any money I lend out, but I'll make an exception for you since you're essentially our fuel source."
Though he assumed Drake was teasing him, Thomas took a deep breath and exhaled through his nose. At the same time, Astolfo remarked, "Hey, don't be too hard on our Master, Drake. He might be super weak and next to useless right now, but my instincts tell me he has a lot of room to grow. We should be helping to build his confidence, not break it down."
Nodding her head in approval, Benienma added, "Lady Astolfo is correct, dechi. To sustain three Heroic Spirits without any obvious signs of fatigue, Master's Mana Capacity is already beyond the scope of an ordinary Mage. Once he learns to control his power, he will make a fine Lord. Benienma is certain of it, dechi."
Hearing Benienma's supportive remark, realization donned on Thomas like an epiphany. He had forgotten about it, but there were actually a number of instances where Masters lacked the necessary Mana to support even a single Servant. Even Tohsaka Rin, a genuine prodigy and the heiress of a prestigious Magus family, needed to supplement her Mana with expensive gems. Yet, even after pumping Mana into the Equivalence Engine for five and a half hours, Thomas never felt exhausted...
Noticing the glimmer of realization in Thomas's eyes, Drake adopted a teasing smile as she said, "Don't get too excited. While it's true that you have an abundance of Mana, it's not a power that belongs to you. If you encounter someone with the capacity to strip it away from you, you're not even remotely special."
Though Drake's words were a little harsh, Thomas gave an approving nod, asserting, "I may have been given this power, but I'll work hard to make it my own. I finally have the chance to make my dreams come true. There's no way in Hell I'm going to remain weak..."
Clapping 'her' hands together, Astolfo exclaimed, "Well said~! Brava~! Magnifique~! As expected of my Master~!"
Smiling wryly, Thomas was about to reiterate that he didn't want to be called anyone's Master, but he was a little too slow. Immediately following Astolfo's words, Benienma gave an affirming nod, adding, "As Servants, it is our duty to ensure our Master has everything he needs to reach his full potential. Benienma will do her best to ensure he has adequate nutrition and never succumbs to an unhealthy lifestyle, dechi. Captain Drake and Lady Astolfo must support him in ways I cannot."
Understanding the 'implication' of Benienma's words, an enormous grin developed across Astolfo's face. However, before she could 'volunteer' her services, Thomas interjected to say, "For now, let's wait until the rest of our crew has assembled before making any important decisions. I've yet to decide on the 'path' I intend to walk, be it brawling, marksmanship, swordsmanship, magic, or a combination of the four. Until then, my main focus is getting healthy and trimming away my excess body fat..."
Nodding her head yet again, Benienma firmly asserted, "Leave it to me, dechi! Benienma won't tolerate unhealthy and destructive lifestyles as long as she's around! The key to happiness is a wholesome and fulfilling lifestyle, dechi...!"
Emulating Benienma's vigor, Astolfo jumped to her feet, shouting, "That's right, dechi! We may only be together for a short while, but that shouldn't stop us from making the most of things~!"
Though even Drake nodded her head in approval, Thomas's mind blanked as another realization donned upon him. Everyone seated around him was a Heroic Spirit seeking to have their wish granted by the Holy Grail. Once they reached Laugh Tale, their crew was fated to disband. In other words, even if he grew close to the people in front of him, their time together was limited...
Noticing the change in Thomas's expression, Drake raised her brows and asked, "What's got you so gloomy all of a sudden? Need to take a shit...?"
"..."
Shaking his head, Thomas confessed, "I just realized how short our time together would be. I don't think Zelretch will pull me out of the world the moment we obtain the Holy Grail, but I can't imagine many of you sticking around once you're presented with the chance to make your wishes come true..."
Rolling her eyes, Drake stated, "Fretting over separations and departures is pointless. People come and go; it's a natural part of life. Even close-knit members of the same family must separate to pursue personal aspirations and form families of their own. Unless you still lived with your parents and siblings back in your previous world, you shouldn't expect that 'everyone' you come to care about will stay at your side. You're not the center of the world, Tom. You're barely in control of your own life."
"..."
Losing his appetite, Thomas rose from his chair and said, "I need some fresh air..." before turning around and walking away. In most of the stories he read, especially fanfiction, the protagonists would be given more than enough power to make their every dream a reality. They could collect girls like Pokemon, outsmart Gods that have lived for millions, if not billions of years, and never had to worry about anyone leaving or abandoning them. Even if their harem reached into the hundreds and the protagonist could no longer feasibly spare time for the girls he initially collected, they rarely, if ever, departed the harem...
As someone who hadn't been in a committed relationship ever since his fiancee cheated on him, Thomas would be happy to have even a single woman he could entrust his heart to. Sure, he might dream of having a harem, but that was just part of being a guy. As a seasoned Otaku, he had more waifus than he could realistically name, and, if given an opportunity, he would probably have sex with each one of them. However, that wasn't love, and, in many cases, his fantasies only made sense if he removed the woman's agency and she behaved according to his desires...
After hearing Drake's words and coming to the realization it was only a matter of time until he was left 'alone,' Thomas began rethinking each of the plans he had drafted the previous two nights.
While it was exceptionally scummy to consider, Thomas had 'assumed' he would eventually be able to have sex with each of the female Servants he summoned, excluding Benienma. Many of Type-Moon's series were eroge, Japanese porn games, so many historically male characters, such as King Arthur and even Drake herself, had been converted to females. There was also a concept known as Mana Transfer, a process by which the Master of a Servant empowers them through intercourse. Thus, even if he ordinarily wouldn't have a chance with someone as beautiful as Drake, Thomas was fairly sure they would eventually have sex.
Now that he knew it was only a matter of time before Drake and the rest of his Servants left his side, Thomas needed to consider what he would do following their departure. He would eventually lose his entire crew, so unless Zelretch yeeted him away to carry out whatever unspecified task he had in mind, Thomas would eventually need to depend on his strength and the fellowships he forged during the journey.
With the Strawhats scheduled to reach Laugh Tale within the next five, maybe six years, Thomas had a 'very' limited amount of time to achieve his goals. There was a reasonably high possibility that he could make a wish upon the Holy Grail, but, as he had already been given a chance to transmigrate, it wasn't an exaggeration to say his dream was currently in the process of being actualized. Being too greedy could spell his end, so he made a decision that would invariably shape the rest of his life...
While he would probably have sex with his Servants if presented with the opportunity, Thomas resolved to settle down with just a single woman. He would readily jump at the chance to sleep with others, but the moment he managed to woo someone like Nami, Yamato, Robin, or just about anyone from the central cast of characters, he would focus all his efforts on them. Any one of them would ordinarily be out of his league, so if he could reach the end of his journey with one of them at his side, he would be more than content...
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After reaching the Port City of Coniston, Thomas silently accompanied Drake ashore, observing as she made a fool out of various merchants and haggled shopkeepers to the point they were practically handing over their merchandise at the manufacturing cost. Afterward, she all but picked out his clothes for him, focusing on apparel and equipment that would hold up during expeditions and long trips at sea. This included a dozen breathable white shirts with open collars, several pairs of brown pants, two pairs of leather boots, a pair of sandals, and a vest. Nothing special, but infinitely better than the t-shirt and boxers he had been running around in...
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(A/N: For those that would point fingers, feel free to search the Type-Moon wiki, specifically the articles related to Benienma and her adoptive mother, Datsue-ba. The former mentions that she was a young girl living in a brothel, while the latter directly states that she was a prostitute. This is possible as, before 1903, there were no consent laws within the penal code of Japan. Even today, the age of consent in many regions is only 13 years old, so, being from an era at least 500 years in the past, Benienma being a prostitute isn't surprising. It was the only way many young and orphaned girls could survive and elevate themselves above the status of a commoner within Japanese society...)

Alongside food, water, and other supplies, the most important thing Thomas or, more accurately, Astolfo acquired from Coniston was their approximate location within the South Blue. The World Government strictly regulated accurate maps, but it was possible to purchase hand-drawn charts that gave you a rough idea of where you were in relation to nearby islands.
According to the information Astolfo was able to acquire, they were only around 1200 kilometers from one of the few named places in One Piece, Baterilla Island, the birthplace of Portgas D. Ace. More importantly, they were only 2500 kilometers away from Reverse Mountain, the intersecting point of the Four Seas and one of the two entrances to the Grand Line.
With the Golden Hind's exceptional speed, they could theoretically reach Reverse Mountain in around twenty hours. The same journey would take an ordinary caravel around 10-15 days, depending on whether they sailed for 24 hours a day, so it wasn't an exaggeration to say the Hind was one of, if not 'the' fastest sailing vessels in the world.
After learning how close they were to Reverse Mountain, a lot of the pressure that Thomas was feeling abruptly disappeared. He originally expected it to take months to reach any significant destination in such an expansive world, but the Hind's speed, auto-pilot functionality, and ability to fly were bound to make even the most treacherous seas fairly easy to cross. Even the Calm Belt wasn't much of an impediment as it was only 200km wide. So long as Thomas could store enough Mana within the Equivalence Engine to sustain two hours of flight, they could cross over the usually impassable stretch of sea and enter the Grand Line whenever they pleased.
Based on Drake's calculations, it would take the current Thomas around three days to store enough Mana within the engine to sustain two hours of flight. Broken down into a quantifiable value, that meant they could fly five minutes for every hour he spent charging the engine, assuming they didn't have to operate the cannons. With no upper limit to the amount of Mana the Equivalence Engine could store, this meant they could store an average of twenty hours of flight per month, enough to travel more than 2400 kilometers without landing.
With the width of the Grand Line known to be precisely 1400 kilometers, 1800 if accounting for the two Calm Belts, Thomas only needed to store fifteen hours of flight for the Hind to span the entire strip of sea. In other words, he would only need to pump Mana into the Hind for 22.5 days, and they could simply fly over the Grand Line and into the East Blue. With well over a year to reach the Conomi Islands before Luffy, that gave Thomas a surprising number of options...
Though he was fairly certain that Benienma, Astolfo, Drake, and just about any Heroic Spirit could fodder someone like Arlong, Thomas didn't want to leave everything to his Servants. Arlong's Bounty was a mere 20,000,000 Belly, so if Thomas couldn't defeat someone like him, he would struggle to defeat even the henchmen of more powerful Pirate crews. Fortunately, he had at least ten months to train and prepare himself. Thus, after returning to their private island, Thomas focused his efforts on filling the Equivalent Engine and summoning his remaining five Servants. Everything else would follow after that...
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Heeding the suggestion of Drake, the fourth Servant Thomas focused on summoning was fated to be their Doctor. Heroic Spirits couldn't contract normal illnesses, but they could still sustain injuries, fall victim to poison, and bleed to death. Thomas, on the other hand, was susceptible to colds, viruses, and all manner of parasites that might be lurking within the food they consumed. Benienma was very thorough, especially with fish, but it was better to be safe than sorry in a world like One Piece.
To Thomas's surprise, it took nearly seven full days before the Doctor's Card to trigger a summoning. According to Benienma, he was gradually increasing the amount of Mana he channeled into the cards, so Thomas wasn't too surprised when a man whose very existence screamed 'Caster' popped out from the magic circle. What did surprise him was the man's identity, as Thomas 'immediately' recognized the witch-doctor-like man as Assypuss(Asclepius), the literal God of Medicine...
While Thomas was staring at him with a look of utter disbelief on his face, Asclepius took a moment to take in his surroundings, remarking, "I'll need a sterile working environment..." before narrowing his eyes at Benienma. The latter had been watching over Thomas to ensure he didn't overexert himself, so she was sitting off to the side with a large picnic basket and a thermos filled with tea.
Though she sensed the power of an opposing Pantheon within Asclepius, Benienma just gave a slight bow as she asserted, "Benienma is pleased to meet a new comrade, dechi. Welcome to the Wild Hunt Pirates, mister...?"
Revealing what Thomas already knew, Asclepius replied, "Asclepius, Son of Apollo and Coronis..."
Completing Asclepius's remarkably deep, borderline baritone introduction, Thomas recovered enough of his senses to add, "He's also the Greek God of Medicine, the man who 'cured' death. No wonder it took seven days to complete the summon..."
Though it was difficult to see the changes in his expression due to his mage-look hood and his beak-like mask, Asclepius frowned as he stated, "I did not become a God by choice, nor do I care about such insignificant labels. I am a Doctor, nothing more, nothing less. Now, bring me a patient or tell me where I can find one."
Adopting a wry smile, Thomas replied, "I'm familiar with a few diseases that desperately need a cure, but we need you here as our Ship Doctor. I could also really use your help learning how to properly utilize my Mana..."
In response to Thomas's words, Asclepius's peculiar green and gold eyes started to glisten. As they did so, Thomas had the uncanny feeling he was receiving a full-body CT scan. It felt uncomfortable but luckily only lasted a few seconds before Asclepius stated, "How peculiar...your body has no signs of Magic Circuitry or Mana Pathways. By all rights, you shouldn't be able to channel, much less contain Mana. And yet it saturates your entire body..."
Nodding his head, Thomas explained, "I consumed a Devil Fruit known as the Mana-Mana-no-Mi. At the cost of my ability to swim in the sea, I can generate and emit Mana from my body..."
Raising his brows ever-so-slightly, Asclepius muttered, "How curious..." before abruptly manifesting a golden, branch-like staff entwined by a mechanical black and gold snake. He then tried to point it at Thomas, but Benienma appeared between them, hand on her katana as she said, "You forget yourself, dechi..."
Instead of getting angry or upset, Asclepius uttered a faint "Ah..." before retracting his staff and calmly explaining, "I merely wished to perform a more thorough examination. I assure you, my methods are non-invasive, and I would never willfully harm a patient..."
Understanding Asclepius's nature much better than Benienma, Thomas stated, "It's okay, Beni. Despite looking like the Grim Reaper's nephew, Asclepius's only interests are advancing medicine and curing all diseases. He might even be able to find a 'cure' for my inability to swim, so I don't mind letting him examine me in exchange for lessons..."
Furrowing his brows slightly, Asclepius remarked, "I am not a patient man, nor do I have any interest in teaching. Also, while I may be a Caster, I am not a Mage. My Artes are singularly focused on producing medicines and curing diseases. You are free to peruse my notes, but I will not teach you anything. I would rather spend my time researching and developing cures than teaching someone less capable than myself how to do the same job, only worse..."
"..."
Though he knew what kind of person Asclepius was from his event and Bond dialogue, Thomas had underestimated how abrasive the man could be in real life. Unfortunately, while it was possible to use a Command Seal to try and force Asclepius to teach him, the silver-haired man's status as a God made him uniquely resistant to compulsion and control...
Exhaling a defeated sigh, Thomas replied, "Fine...just make sure not to run when no one is looking. I don't mind if you take time to research and cure diseases during our journey, but your reason for being here is to serve as our Ship's Doctor. If you leave, you'll be violating the contract you agreed to when you answered my call..."
As 'most' Gods within the various Type-Moon franchises were unable to tell lies or break contracts, Thomas just wanted to remind Asclepius that he hadn't been summoned to become a wandering Doctor. If he wanted to travel around and cure every disease in the world, he would need to do so 'after' they reached Laugh Tale.
Seeing through Thomas's intentions, Asclepius's eyes showed a moderate amount of contempt as he coldly asserted, "I will not break my vow. Now, stand aside, Demon. Anyone who gets between a Doctor and their patient is deserving of a fate worse than death..."
Instead of responding to Asclepius's words, Benienma turned and looked up at Thomas. When the latter gave a slight nod, she eased out of her Iai stance and returned to her original position. However, instead of putting her sword away, she kept it at her side, closely monitoring each and every one of Asclepius's movements...
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Following Asclepius's summoning, Thomas decided that his next focus would be summoning the First Mate. He suspected he would have better odds of summoning a Caster with the Second Mate and Musician Cards, but failing to find a Magic instructor wasn't the end of the world. So long as he had a powerful swordsmanship or martial arts instructor, he should be able to gain more than enough strength to defeat Arlong.
Fortunately, Thomas's fifth summoning took considerably less time than Asclepius's. More importantly, the person that popped out was easily one of his Top-3 waifus from the Fate Series, Miyamoto-fucking-Musashi.
Standing at 167cm tall, Musashi was a fairly petite yet remarkably well-endowed woman with fair skin and silvery, slightly pink hair styled in a wild ponytail. Her predominately blue eyes flickered with pink, green, and purple specks. As for her outfit, it consisted of a sleeveless blue kimono with a very short skirt, a red obi bearing a sakura pattern, predominately black leg and arm warmers, and a headpiece that resembled a pinwheel shuriken. She also had on a pair of modified, high-heeled ninja tabi, but the things that stood out most, besides her breasts, were the two katana on her hip. One was a full-length katana with a blue and golden hilt, while the other was a slightly shorter wakizashi. Even while sheathed, the set of swords gave the impression they were being held to your neck...
Waiting until Thomas was finished checking her out, Musashi surprised him by tapping her shoulder with her katana. Not even Benienma saw her draw it, so the atmosphere 'froze' despite the playful smile on her face as she said, "The name's Shinmen Musashi-no-Kami Fujiwara no Harunobu. However, as my Master, you are free to call me Musashi."
Swallowing hard, Thomas eyed the sword in Musashi's hand as he asked, "Mind telling me what you drew your sword...?"
Without any hesitation, Musashi replied, "Oh, this? I was curious to see how you and the little bird girl would react. You were both staring at me so intensely that I thought you might want to fight. Guess I jumped the gun a bit..."
Following Musashi's words, the lower half of Thomas's shirt promptly fell. He had no idea how she had done it, but she cut cleanly through the front and back of his shirt without him noticing. It was an unfathomable display of skill that simultaneously frightened and excited Thomas as he eagerly inquired, "Can you please, please, please teach me swordsmanship...?"
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(A/N: Assypuss? A fitting name for an indignant cunt xD...)

Compared to the gamey, unseasoned meat she served for breakfast, the lunch and dinner tenaciously prepared by Benienma were among the best meals Thomas ever had. She not only managed to hunt down a giant pig with bull-like horns, but she also uncovered apples, wild onions, potatoes, and even a few herbs to use as seasonings. She even started fermenting a custom blend of soy sauce but said it wouldn't be ready for six to eight months, depending on how well it was stored.
With more to work with than meat, bones, sinew, and salt, Benienma was able to prepare a veritable feast for dinner. Even Drake praised her to the high heavens, complimenting the petite bird girl until she was practically preening. Her mood diminished when Thomas refused to let her wash his back as 'consolation' for not getting to shower with Drake but immediately perked back up when the latter assigned her the cabin across from him.
Just as she was presented in Fate: Grand Order, Benienma had a doting personality and took Thomas's health and well-being very seriously. She was a quiet, reserved, and earnest girl who made sure he cleaned his plate, adequately washed his hands, and brushed his teeth before seeing him off to bed with the reminder to stay warm and ensure his belly was covered while sleeping. The next morning, she seemed to materialize in his room soundlessly, gently stirring him awake before offering him a cup of tea, fixing his hair, and making his bed.
Though he was a little unnerved by Benienma's actions, Thomas would be lying if he said he didn't appreciate them. Back in his previous world, he had lived alone for the better part of eight years. He occasionally went on dates and had the option to move in with other people a few times, but he had gradually become more introverted over time. It had been a long time since someone seemed to genuinely care for him, so, while he felt a little disconcerted by Benienma calling him Master, he offered her his gratitude whenever she did something for him...
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After a very hearty breakfast, Thomas spent much of the early morning disassembling, reassembling, and cleaning one of Drake's flintlock pistols while Benienma sat in seiza off to the side. He was half-tempted to ask the petite bird girl to teach him her Iai-style swordsmanship but wanted to wait and see who else he summoned before committing to any serious training.
While writing in his log-turned-journal the previous night, Thomas spent several hours thinking about how he would train to become stronger. He knew the basic and the advanced training methods for Observation and Armament Haki, but 'knowing' about something was drastically different from being able to apply it. Without a system to promote his growth or a teacher to watch over him, grasping even the basics was easier said than done.
Once he summoned all of his Servants, Thomas intended to discuss Haki and the matter of his training with them. The First and Second Mate Cards should afford him a fairly powerful, combat-oriented Servant, so he would hopefully be able to apprentice beneath them. Benienma could also teach him how to utilize his Mana to empower himself, but if Thomas were given the option, he would rather train under someone like Scathach than a little girl more than 50cm shorter than him...
Though he doubted he would be lucky enough to summon someone like Scathach, Thomas held out hope that at least one of his Servants would be a capable teacher. If he could summon a Caster, he may even be able to learn actual Magic, creating barriers, shooting lasers, flying through the sky, and even teleport.
While he would prefer to be a physical powerhouse that could go toe-to-toe with the likes of Luffy and Kaido, the path of a Mage had more than a few redeeming qualities. The more powerful Caster-class Servants could nuke cities or erase entire mountains from existence. Combined with Haki, specifically Observation Haki, such firepower would make him an absolute nightmare for anyone lacking the ability to fly. On the opposite side of the spectrum, he could theoretically reinforce his body to such an extent that he was functionally indestructible. Potent Reinforcement Magic combined with Armament Haki? Yes, please, and thank you...
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Following a fairly uneventful morning, Thomas made good on his promise to Drake by spending much of the afternoon pumping Mana into both the Equivalence Engine and the Navigator's Card. They lacked even a basic sea chart, so while Drake was an incredibly competent Navigator, being the second person in history to circumnavigate the globe, they needed someone with the associated 'Skills' if they wanted to sail the open seas without getting lost.
As Heroic Spirits, Drake, Benienma, and anyone else Thomas summoned had Basic Parameters and a list of Skills graded from E-EX Rank in terms of potency. Thomas presently had no way of checking these, but it didn't matter much as Drake and Benienma seemed to have an inherent grasp of their respective capabilities. Drake, in particular, possessed a Skill derived from her status as a Captain, allowing her to assess the capabilities of any member of her Crew.
Though Drake could not ascertain the grade of Benienma's additional Skills due to the latter having a 'very' high-ranking version of Presence Concealment, she could see her Cook Skill was A-Rank. She also knew what Skills the other members of her Crew would possess, which was why she suggested summoning a Navigator as quickly as possible. There was a map within the Captain's Quarters that would automatically update as the Navigator scouted the area, so their Skills would be instrumental in mapping the world of One Piece and ensuring they didn't get lost.
While the Cartography Skill of their Navigator would basically 'break' the world of One Piece, Thomas didn't mind. There were theories in his world that speculated One Piece to be as large as Jupiter in size, roughly eleven times the diameter of Earth. To support this notion, Oda, the creator of One Piece, had suggested there be around 20,000,000 islands within the world he had created. If that were true, Thomas would much rather have a hax map than force their Navigator to draw one from scratch...
"Oh...?"
Interrupting Thomas's thoughts, the Navigator Card in his hand abruptly dissolved into motes of light before another summoning circle appeared beneath him. Thomas was half-expecting another girl to pop out, so he was both surprised and horrified when a familiar figure with pale-pink hair emerged from the summoning circle. They had a long braided ponytail, black ribbons in their hair, cutesy facial features, a short-skirted black top, stockings, and a garter belt beneath white, knightly accessories, but Thomas knew 'very' well that the person he just summoned wasn't a girl...
While Thomas was staring at 'him' with a slack-jawed expression, the feminine-looking Servant promptly struck a pose, making a peace sign near their eyes as they exclaimed, "Hi, hi~! My name's Astolfo, one of the Twelve Paladins of Charlemagne! It looks like I'll be your Navigator from now on! It's nice to meetcha, Master~!"
Though he was lamenting internally, Thomas did his best to return a smile as he awkwardly replied, "It's nice to meet you...and you don't have to call me Master. Just Tom or Thomas is fine..."
Adopting a radiant smile, Astolfo unhesitantly invaded Thomas's personal space, bringing their face to within a few centimeters of the latter's as they narrowed their amethyst eyes and mused, "Let's be good friends and take care of one another from now on, okay~?"
Despite knowing what kind of 'creature' Astolfo was, a knot formed in Thomas's throat when the former brought their face so close. Back in his previous world, he had followed a V-Tuber named Taiga and even joked with a few people on his Discord about the redeeming qualities of Traps and 'bussies.' Never, even in his wildest dreams, did he imagine he would come face-to-face with one of the most 'infamous' Traps in all of anime and manga...
Realizing they were making Thomas a very particular form of 'nervous,' an amused, snaggle-toothed smile developed across Astolfo's face. Thomas wasn't the most handsome man they had ever met, but anyone who could appreciate how cute they were deserved similar appreciation.
Drawing their face even closer, Astolfo asked, "Not going to respond~?" in a faint, playful tone.
Blinking back to awareness, Thomas pulled back and turned away from Astolfo as he asserted, "I'm not gay..." in an equally faint tone. Then, in a slightly louder voice, he added, "You should go and introduce yourself to the Captain. She should be in her room or on deck..."
Though they furrowed their brows slightly when Thomas mentioned he wasn't gay, Astolfo quickly retained their smile as they playfully replied, "Okay, then. See you later...Master."
Without waiting for Thomas to respond, Astolfo departed from the engine room like a little kid that had successfully pulled a prank. They could tell that Thomas was 'nervous' around them, so, even if he weren't 'gay,' that wouldn't stop Astolfo from teasing him. After all, they weren't gay either. They had certainly been on the receiving end more than a few times, but they appreciated the charms of men and women equally...
With Astolfo leaving him to his own devices, Thomas sat with his head in his hand for a few moments, cursing whoever designed the pink-haired Paladin. Astolfo lacked even a single masculine trait. They lacked a visible adam's apple, their waist was as thin as a woman's, and even their thighs looked soft and plump. It simply didn't make sense for them to be a man.
Shaking such thoughts from his mind, Thomas took solace in the fact that his Servant Cards could summon male Servants. He wouldn't mind being the only man among a group of cute or attractive women, but he knew it wouldn't be good for his mental health. He wasn't exactly the most social person in the world, so if he were severely outnumbered, interacting with them would become increasingly difficult.
Though he always pictured himself as suave, charismatic, and extremely capable whenever he imagined himself journeying through various anime and manga worlds, he wouldn't have 'let himself go' if he possessed such traits. He was determined to get stronger, but it would take a tremendous effort to become the person he had always imagined he could be...
Fortunately, while he had lived a fairly mundane life in his previous world, Thomas was now in a world where even a weak chore boy or a complete wastrel could become strong if they worked hard and applied themselves. Now that he had been given a chance to go from ordinary to exceptional, Thomas didn't care how much pain and suffering he had to endure. There was no way in hell he would settle for being mediocre...
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With Benienma arriving to inform him that dinner was ready, Thomas washed up before making his way to the dining room. There, he found Drake and Astolfo in the middle of chatting, but they stopped when he entered. Not because they were trying to keep things a secret from him, but to acknowledge his presence. The moment he joined them at the table, Drake revealed, "I had Astolfo fly around and map the area on her Hippogriff. Once we're finished here, you should come to my quarters to take a look. She managed to locate an island with a decently sized port, so we should consider sailing over to stock up on supplies and gather information."
As he was already aware that Astolfo could summon a Hippogriff, Thomas wasn't particularly surprised by Drake's words. He was also in desperate need of some new clothes, so he replied, "I don't mind, but we don't have a lot of Belly on hand. Even if we sell the pelts you and Benienma have collected, I can't imagine them providing the funds we need for a proper resupply..."
Snorting through her nose, Drake seemed genuinely offended as she asked, "Have you forgotten who you're dealing with? I already told you about my Luck Parameter. I also possess a Skill called Golden Rule that practically guarantees that wealth will fall into my lap, so I only had to walk around the island for a few hours before discovering the ruins of a hideout and a small cache of gold and jewels. Did you seriously think I would propose resupplying without the means to do so...?"
Though he knew about the existence of the Golden Rule Skill, Thomas found himself at a loss in the face of Drake's accusatory tone. He knew she was incredibly lucky, but discovering an abandoned treasure cache by simply wandering around aimlessly...wasn't that a little 'too' broken?
With Thomas remaining silent, Drake added, "We'll set sail shortly after sunrise. There's only 128km between us and our destination, so we can resupply and return before noon. I'll have you accompany me when we go to shore, so ensure you get plenty of rest tonight."
Adopting a wry smile, Thomas replied with a half-hearted, "Right..." before turning his attention to the meat and potato stew Benienma had prepared. He was half-tempted to tell Drake she didn't have to be so rude, but even if he was the Master in their relationship, he understood he would need to earn her respect. If he relied on his Command Seals to 'make' her respect him, neither she nor his other Servants would ever trust him...
...
..
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(A/N: It takes time to go from sad to Chad...)

Chapter 7: Separation Anxiety