Book One, Chapter Two: Hunger for Love

Following a brief intermission between chapters where the going ons of the servants were revealed, as well as Remy's reaction to his sister Ludo's plot, the second chapter opens on the introduction of one of the main characters, Luck, right as they're about to be hanged. Stoic in the face of their long list of illegal shenanigans, Luck expresses their trait of egotism when asked for their last words, boasting of their own beauty and abilities in bed before a beleaguered official says to "Just pull the damn lever."

Luck hangs until nightfall, until her body is brought out by boat to be dumped in the harbor (it's important to note that Luck uses whatever pronoun they please, though are more commonly referred to by they/she pronouns). The guard who had dumped their body is surprised to see a monstrosity burst from the sea, rocking and knock his boat about, until he sees the form of Luck standing on his boat. Not to be deterred by a little death, they respond to his incredulousness with more boasts of their beauty, interrupted by an oar smacking them back into the water. Pissed, Luck gives chase to the frightened guard, taunting him as he oars back to shore as fast as he can.

Before arriving at Fairpoint, Jamis helps Ludo with her seasickness and urges her to return home. She refuses. They strike a deal to be honest with each other and Jamis will have her back while she pretends to be captain. To aide her in the deception, he gives her a quick rundown of the more important crew members. Ludo pulls off a rather convincing Remy impression in the privacy of the captain's quarters, reminding Jamis he left his best friend without a word when he joined Ludo on the Gallant.

Ludo seeks guidance from the sea god shrine, praying for safe passage. After asking for a sign, the candlestick holder snaps and Ludo burns her hands catching it. Rakkatak corners Ludo, thinking she's Remy, and not so subtly threatens her into paying him what Remy owes him to keep the rot infested Gallant sea worthy, a shock to the previously unaware Ludo. Still unaware that "Captain Remy" is in fact Ludo, Rakkatak goes on to say it was a bad idea for Remy to have given Ludo to Jamis instead of him, as he had previously 'requested', since all girls love him. Parting, he goes on to say his debt could be forgiven if Remy simply engaged Ludo to him, leaving a stunned Ludo below deck.

Jamis is rather upset that Rakkatak upset Ludo, but she quickly talks him down from throwing Rakkatak overboard, as she fears he may do. Especially in revealing the things Rakkatak said to her thinking she was Remy. Although they had promised earlier in the chapter to be honest with each other, Ludo holds Jamis off by claiming they are Remy's secrets and he has his reasons to keep them. This once again reminds Jamis he abandoned his real captain when he set out to help Ludo on her quest, after all they had gone through together. Ludo reassures Jamis they can write her brother some letters, partly for Remy's piece of mind and partly for Jamis's, and he expresses some of his toxic much masculinity mindset, such as by wondering if it's weird for a man to write another man, to Ludo's disbelief.

Captain James Arlesi, The Iron Claw, captains the Giant Walrus gallantly, with Remy by his side asking if he feels the call to adventure. Sharing a poignant moment where Remy goes on about the world they can explore at the leisure, which crashes to a halt when Ludo grabs the wheel, insisting they go to the sponges. Torn between the two, Jamis can only gape as more versions of the Bonnaire siblings appear, one of Remy to comment that Jamis seems occupied by Ludo, and when Jamis tries to refute that by saying he won't quit being Remy's first mate, a Ludo accuses him of wanting Ludo to stay home pushing around babies while he goes on adventures, backed up by a Remy disappointed that Jamis would abandon Ludo. More appear and twist about Jamis's words and priorities, until Jamis makes the mistake of saying he's man enough for them all, leading to Remies and Ludos leaving him in disgust as they're siblings, though Jamis tries to insist that isn't what he meant. He awakes with a start on the floor of his room as the Gallant approaches Fairpoint.