"Huff... huff..."
"Hey! Captain! How could you just lie there snoring while making a poor girl row all by herself?!"
Nami shouted irritably, glaring at the peacefully sleeping Ace.
Earlier that day, they'd spent hours enjoying a feast aboard a merchant vessel. It wasn't until late in the afternoon that a Marine warship finally noticed something was amiss and approached. The ship's captain and crew had quickly helped Ace and Nami escape, secretly giving them a lifeboat stocked with supplies—food, fresh water, even beer.
For someone like Nami, who had long harbored hatred toward pirates because of Arlong, this act of kindness from a merchant crew was honestly baffling.
"Yawn—haah!"
Ace stirred awake at last, rubbing his nose.
"Don't be like that, Nami. You're the navigator, remember? And you were the one who didn't want to share this raft with me."
Ace chuckled lazily, offering no apology whatsoever.
"Yes, I'm the navigator—but that doesn't mean I'm the helmsman too!"
Nami gritted her teeth in frustration.
This so-called "captain" really was the most unreliable guy she'd ever met.
Besides, that weird wooden raft of Ace's? Barely large enough for one person to nap on. As for her own boat... well, it had gone up in flames along with the pirate ship thanks to Ace's Fire Fist.
"Captain, I've got a question."
Nami looked at Ace seriously.
"Hm? What's up?"
Ace grabbed a piece of bread and started munching.
"Where exactly did you get all that money?"
Nami hesitated for a long time before she finally asked the question. It had been bugging her ever since their time on the merchant ship.
If he hadn't stolen it... then where had all that treasure come from?
"Oh, that?" Ace unzipped his travel pack and began explaining nonchalantly.
"Some of it's loot I took from pirates. Some came from scumbags I've taken down. And a good chunk? That was taken from nobles who abused slaves."
"..."
Nami bit her lip as she listened.
Not a single coin taken from ordinary folks...?
She still harbored plenty of doubts about pirates in general, but what she'd witnessed aboard the merchant vessel... it had left an impression. Maybe Ace really wasn't like the others.
Besides, someone this strong... what reason would he have to lie to her?
But if that money really did come from corrupt nobles and criminals... should she still go through with stealing it?
Nami wavered. Up until now, she'd only ever stolen from pirates—the bad ones, anyway.
She took a deep breath, fixing her eyes on Ace.
"So, Captain... where are we headed next?"
She needed time to think. To see more. Because this pirate... he really wasn't like anyone she'd met before.
"Next? Obviously, it's time to find crewmates. I still need a doctor for my ship."
Ace smiled as he answered, making no mention of Arlong at all.
"A doctor?" Nami blinked. "Why would there be one in some random village?"
...
Syrup Village.
Thanks to Nami's navigation skills, it only took them a few days of sailing to arrive.
"Nami, I'm seriously lucky to have you as my navigator."
The journey had been smooth sailing, and Ace was in great spirits.
"I-I'm not that good..."
But hearing Ace's praise made Nami's cheeks flush slightly.
After all, her dream was to map the entire world. Being acknowledged like this—it made her heart stir.
"So... how do you know there's a doctor here?"
Nami asked as she helped dock the boat. Ace was already leaping ashore.
"Call it a gut feeling," Ace replied casually. "Same way I knew you were destined to be my navigator."
Ace looked at her with a warm smile.
"D-Don't say stuff like that! You'll make people get the wrong idea...!"
Nami stammered, caught off guard.
"Alright, follow me. Looks like our doctor's having a bit of trouble."
Ace closed his eyes, stretching out his Observation Haki.
In Syrup Village, inside a secluded mansion—
A frail young girl with long golden hair lay half-reclined on a bed, her complexion pale and sickly, her delicate face twisted in pain.
Creaaak—
The door slowly opened, revealing a man in a suit and spectacles.
Kaya turned her head and recognized the figure: her butler, Klahadore.
Unbeknownst to her, Klahadore was actually Captain Kuro of the Black Cat Pirates.
"Kaya ojou-sama, the funeral went off without a hitch," Kuro said, adjusting his glasses with a gloved hand.
"Mm... I see. Thank you, Klahadore. Could you leave me alone for a while?"
Kaya coughed lightly, her voice weak.
"Ojou-sama, you should try to eat something."
Kuro wheeled in a small food cart from outside.
"I said I want to be alone!"
Kaya snapped, eyes closed in frustration.
"As you wish. I shall take my leave."
Kuro didn't seem fazed. Kaya, weak and sickly since childhood, often threw small fits like this.
He gave a proper butler's bow and slowly turned to leave.
But hidden behind the glint of his glasses... was a flicker of cruelty and cold calculation.
Kaya's parents were already dead by his hand. All that remained was to earn the full trust of the villagers—and Kaya herself—before eliminating her. Then, the vast family fortune would be his, and best of all, the Marines wouldn't suspect a thing.
BANG!
The door shut behind him, leaving Kaya to gaze out the window.
Her eyes shimmered with sorrow over her parents' death... and with the uncertainty of what lay ahead.
Click.
The window opened soundlessly.
Whoosh!
Two figures appeared on the windowsill.
"Looks like you've got a lot on your mind, miss. Need a hand?"
Ace smiled gently at Kaya.
Beside him, Nami looked... a little unsure what to make of this whole scene.
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TL/N:
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