Chapter 132-New morning, new companion

Chapter 132: 132-New morning, new companion

The next morning, Noel woke earlier than usual and for a moment, he stared at the ceiling, his mind still foggy with sleep.

Yesterday’s events came rushing back. Memories of the stranded woman, Maria Victoria, flooded his mind. A faint smile tugged at his lips at the thought of her.

He got out of bed, careful not to wake Ambrose, who was still sprawled beneath the blanket next to him. His brother had spent most of the previous evening teasing him about Mavic. Noel had no intention of giving him another opportunity.

When he entered the common area, 009 was already monitoring the ship’s systems.

"Good morning, 009."

"Good morning, Noel. Your sleep duration was six hours and forty-three minutes. This is below the recommended range."

Noel gave the robot a look. "Do you monitor everyone’s sleep?"

"I monitor the health and operational condition of all occupants aboard this vessel."

"Of course you do."

He headed to the kitchen and began preparing breakfast. Thanks to Nathaniel’s supplies and 009’s repairs, they were no longer struggling with every meal or dealing with an uncomfortable, damaged ship. The air-conditioning unit was working perfectly, keeping the interior cool despite the heat outside.

Noel prepared pancakes, eggs, and tea. Without thinking, he made an extra portion. He glanced at it and shrugged. They had another person aboard now. It was only sensible to prepare more food.

"Where is Mavic?" he asked.

"She is awake and has been sitting in the medical area for approximately twelve minutes."

"Has she eaten?"

"Negative. She requested permission to use the first-aid supplies to treat her forehead injury."

Noel frowned. "She should eat first."

"She stated that she did not wish to consume resources on the ship before contributing something useful."

His expression softened. He understood why she might feel that way. Food and water were precious, and survivors had become accustomed to rationing everything. Still, Mavic had nearly died the previous day. She needed rest and nourishment, not another reason to worry.

"Tell her breakfast is ready," He instructed 009.

"Affirmative, boss."

A few minutes later, Mavic appeared. She had washed her face and tied her hair back, revealing her features more clearly. The cut on her forehead was clean and covered with a dressing. Although she still looked tired, she was considerably better than she had been when they rescued her.

"Good morning," she greeted.

"Good morning. How are you feeling?" Noel asked, worried.

"Much better. Thank you for allowing me to stay."

"You don’t need to thank us. Come and eat," He invited warmly, a warmth that surprised him.

Her gaze fell on the food. "You prepared all this?" She asked, with the state of the world at present, she figured food should be rationed not spread out like they were having a feast.

"Yes."

"For me too?"

Noel glanced at the extra plate. "Unless you think we prepared it for 009."

"Correction. I do not consume food," the robot stated.

Mavic laughed softly, and Noel smiled. "See? He’s not interested."

She took a seat, though she still seemed hesitant. "I hope I’m not causing you trouble. I know food and water are difficult to come by. I don’t want to take advantage of your kindness."

Noel placed a glass of water beside her plate. "Listen, Mavic. We rescued you because you needed help. You don’t have to earn the right to eat breakfast."

She looked at him for a moment before quietly nodding. "Thank you. You’re most kind."

"You’re welcome. Now eat before everything gets cold."

Mavic picked up her fork. At first, she ate cautiously, but her appetite soon returned. She had spent so long rationing her remaining food that a proper breakfast felt almost unreal.

Noel noticed how quickly she finished her first pancake. Without commenting, he pushed the remaining plate toward her. "There’s more."

"You don’t have to keep giving me your food," She spoke between bites, enjoying the warm food that she hadnt tasted in forever and the fill in her stomach.

"I have enough."

She studied him briefly before accepting another serving. Just then, Ambrose walked in, his hair untidy and his expression still heavy with sleep. The moment he noticed Mavic sitting beside Noel, however, his face brightened.

"Good morning!" He greeted with a hint of a tease in his tone.

"Good morning," Mavic replied.

Ambrose pulled out a chair. "How’s our guest feeling today?"

"Much better. Thank you."

"Good. We were worried you might fall sick after spending so much time out there," He picked up a pancake and stuffed his face.

"Ambrose," Noel warned.

"What? I’m only asking about her well being," He quickly defended himself.

Mavic smiled at their exchange. It was comforting to see the brothers teasing each other so casually. Despite everything happening outside, they had managed to preserve a little normalcy.

After breakfast, Noel began clearing the plates while Ambrose leaned back in his chair. "So, Doctor, what are your plans now?"

Mavic’s smile faded. She looked down at her hands. "Honestly, I haven’t decided. I was trying to reach a settlement where I heard some survivors were gathering. I thought I could find work there and help with their medical needs, but my boat broke down before I could reach it."

"Do you know where the settlement is?" Noel asked.

"I have its approximate coordinates. I received them through a radio transmission before my equipment stopped working."

Ambrose exchanged a glance with his brother. "Perhaps we can help you reach it," he suggested.

Mavic looked up. "You would?"

"We can at least check whether it’s still there," Ambrose replied. "Though there’s no guarantee the people who sent the transmission are still alive."

"I understand."

Noel leaned against the counter. "We should examine the coordinates before making any decisions. There’s no point sailing into an unfamiliar area without knowing what we’re dealing with."

Mavic nodded and reached for her worn bag. Inside a waterproof pouch, she found a small communication device with a cracked screen.

"This is what I used to receive the transmission. I managed to save the coordinates before it stopped working."

009 approached. "May I examine the device?"

Mavic glanced at Noel, who nodded. "Let him have a look. He’s good with technology."

She handed it over. 009 examined the device before connecting a small cable to its side. "Internal damage detected. The communication module is partially functional. Data recovery is possible."

Mavic’s eyes widened. "Really?"

"Affirmative. However, the power supply is depleted," 009 reported.

"Can you repair it?"

"I can attempt to restore its basic functions," 009 kept it’s eyes fully focused on the communication device.

Relief crossed her face. "That would be wonderful. Thank you."

"You’re welcome."

Ambrose turned toward Noel. "Since we’re discussing plans, shouldn’t we contact Nathaniel? We promised to thank him."

Noel nodded. "You’re right."

"And tell him about our new guest," Ambrose didn’t forget to add.

Noel shot him a warning look.

Ambrose grinned. "What? He’s going to find out eventually."

Mavic glanced between them. "Who is Nathaniel?"

"Our benefactor," Ambrose explained. "He sent us the materials we needed to repair the ship and 009. Without his help, we’d still be struggling with the damage and monsters at sea."

"He’s the one who sent the supplies?" Mavic was intrigued about this benefactor.

"Yes. He also provided the parts that allowed 009 to repair himself."

Mavic looked toward the robot. "Then I owe him my thanks too... I guess."

"We’ll contact him once 009 finishes examining your device," Noel said.

He glanced toward the windows. Beyond them, the ocean stretched beneath the morning sunlight, its surface deceptively peaceful. Their ship had come a long way from the damaged vessel they’d been struggling to keep afloat. Now, with the repairs completed and a doctor aboard, their chances of surviving had improved considerably.

"Since you’re a doctor," Noel continued, "we could also use your help organizing our medical supplies. Neither Ambrose nor I knows much about medicine."

"I’d be happy to help," Mavic spoke, happy to be useful and prove her worth.

"But don’t push yourself. You’ve only just recovered."

Mavic smiled. "I won’t."

Ambrose watched his brother for a moment, suppressing a grin. Noel had always been cautious around strangers, rarely offering anyone anything without first considering the risks. Yet here he was, making sure Mavic had enough food, water, and a comfortable place to rest. ’Interesting.’ He decided not to tease him just yet.

Meanwhile, 009 continued working on the communication device. Its screen flickered before displaying several lines of corrupted data.

"Data recovery initiated," the robot announced.

Mavic leaned forward. "Will you be able to retrieve the coordinates?"

"Affirmative. Additional information may also be recoverable."

The three humans exchanged glances. If the device contained more than the settlement’s location, they might learn something useful about the survivors gathering there.

Noel looked at Mavic. "We’ll see what we can recover. In the meantime, you should rest and regain your strength."

"Thank you. I really appreciate everything you’ve done."

He gave her a reassuring smile. "You’re welcome."

"Mavic," Ambrose called out of nowhere. Mavic looked up at him while Noel shot him a warning look. Ambrose ignored him and asked, "Are you seeing anyone right now?"