OPTC Chapter 331 - Merry
Picass stood frozen for a long time, unable to recover from his daze. The most powerful attack he had ever seen before was the cannon fire exchanged between warships and pirate vessels, yet this perpetually hungry little girl had just displayed strength on an entirely different level.
Usopp looked petrified, his mouth hanging open as he stared blankly at the row of trees split clean in half and the sea that still hadn't calmed down. That single strike could probably cut a battleship in two. For the first time, he wasn't thinking about whether his father was brave or irresponsible—he was wondering if he was sick. Maybe he'd caught a disease that made you die the moment you became a pirate.
Zhang Da Ye's earlier words echoed in his head like a great bell. Was this the kind of person one had to face to become a pirate? For the first time, Usopp began to worry about his father's safety. Would he one day be captured by people like this?
"What should I do now? Keep chasing my dream of becoming a pirate like my father, or do as he said—become a brave warrior of the sea in some other way?"
When the others left, Usopp didn't follow. He dropped to the ground, lost and uncertain.
Zhang Da Ye didn't try to say anything more. If he couldn't persuade the kid to give up on becoming a pirate, then scaring him out of it worked just as well. Another good deed done for the day.
Picass led the group toward the market. He was a little worried about Usopp, but didn't stay behind. As an ordinary man, he actually thought this outcome was fine. Kids should study hard or learn a trade and live a simple life. Dreaming about becoming a pirate was nothing but trouble. Maybe this scare would finally make the boy behave. Thinking that, he felt relieved his own son wasn't so wild.
"This is the place," Picass said, pointing ahead. "You should be able to buy everything on your list here. If something's not available, you'll have to ask Mr. Rochester. His family owns farms and ranches, but the prices are high—he usually sells to other towns."
The street was lined with stalls and shops selling everything imaginable. Judging from the bustling crowds, Syrup Village might be small in name, but its population rivaled that of a decent-sized town.
Since everyone had been given pocket money before landing, Wendy and Perona had already run off with Carla.
Brook, the old child he was, also went off alone—probably up to something strange.
Ye Yan yawned, saying he'd wander around for inspiration before heading back to the ship for his nap. It was about that time of day for him anyway.
The rest did normal shopping, with Uncle Picass tagging along. He occasionally haggled for them, mostly out of worry that some shopkeeper might try to scam the young foreigners and end up getting sliced in half for it.
The shopping trip went smoothly overall, though Artoria and Tom may have "sampled" a bit too much when taste-testing ingredients, leaving one shop owner looking green. But once Zhang Da Ye handed over a thick stack of Berries, the man's mood instantly improved.
"Brother Da Ye!"
"Black-hearted boss!"
Just as they were waiting for everyone to regroup, Zhang Da Ye heard Wendy and Perona shouting.
They came running toward him with Carla—and another little blonde girl holding their hands.
Behind them followed a smiling couple: the man in a neat suit, kind and gentle-looking, and the woman wrapped in a coat, frail and pale, her delicate features closely resembling the child's.
"Black-hearted boss! Kaya's parents said they want to invite us to their home for dinner!" Perona announced excitedly, clearly eager to go. Somehow, she and the girl had become friends in record time.
Zhang Da Ye's first thought was, who's this rich fool?
Then the name hit him—Kaya. "Wait, this your new friend?" he asked.
"Miss Kaya? And Mr. Rochester, Mrs. Jane?" Picass clearly knew them and hurried forward to greet them politely.
At that, Zhang Da Ye realized the little blonde girl, a bit shorter than Wendy, was indeed the Kaya he knew of. He didn't know her parents' names, but they sounded familiar.
"You must be Picass," Mr. Rochester said kindly. "Thank you for taking care of Mr. Da Ye and his companions."
Flustered, Picass scratched his head. Though they lived on the same island, the wealth gap made him feel out of place. Still, the Rochesters showed no trace of arrogance.
"You must be Mr. Zhang Da Ye," Rochester said warmly. "This is my wife, Jane, and my daughter, Kaya. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"I'm Zhang Da Ye. I hope my two little sisters didn't cause you any trouble."
Perona bristled immediately. "Who's your sister?! And we didn't cause any trouble!"
Rochester quickly waved his hands. "No, no, not at all! In fact, Miss Wendy saved my wife's life. We came to thank her."
Wendy? Saved her?
Zhang Da Ye thought for a moment. In the original story, Kaya's parents had passed away after serving as Klahadore's stewards. Klahadore had said their deaths weren't part of his plan, meaning they'd died unexpectedly. They looked young here—so they probably died of illness. Did Wendy cure her?
"It was such a lovely day," Rochester explained. "I brought Jane and Kaya out for a walk, but Jane suddenly fainted. Thankfully, Miss Wendy was there. Her power is incredible—the doctors we hired couldn't do a thing, yet she cured the illness in an instant."
Jane smiled faintly, her eyes glistening with emotion. "I truly thought I'd never see my husband or daughter again. Thank you—thank you so much."
Kaya followed her mother's example, bowing slightly. "Thank you very much!"
Wendy flushed, unsure what to do, glancing helplessly at Zhang Da Ye for support.
While she fidgeted shyly, Carla and Perona puffed up proudly, as if Wendy's praise were their own.
"It's really nothing," Zhang Da Ye said, though he had no idea what spell Wendy had actually used. "She's happy to help."
Rochester insisted earnestly, "Please, allow us to express our gratitude. We must repay this kindness somehow!"
Zhang Da Ye sighed inwardly. I just hope you don't go bankrupt over it. But remembering how, in the story, Kaya casually gifted the Going Merry, he figured they'd be fine. Besides, Wendy and Kaya seemed to get along well already—maybe visiting them would be nice.
"In that case, we'd be honored," he said. "But let us drop off our supplies first."
"I'll get someone to help with that," Picass offered quickly. Rochester had invited the Amber Travel Group, after all; no need for him to intrude.
He was still dazed, honestly—how could such a small girl heal illnesses that stumped professional doctors? Was this the power of people from the Grand Line?
Rochester politely invited him as well, but Picass declined.
"Then we'll trouble you to deliver everything to the pier," Zhang Da Ye said. "Someone will bring it aboard. I'll treat you to dinner next time."
Ye Yan was likely already asleep by now, but the hardworking flag spirits could handle unloading. Zhang Da Ye briefly felt guilty… then remembered those spirits worked for the Ye family by choice. It was fine.
The Rochester mansion stood some distance from the main village. The three little girls ran ahead, laughing and waving for the adults to hurry up, stopping now and then to crouch by the roadside and examine something interesting.
Zhang Da Ye and the Rochesters chatted along the way. Rochester shared a few stories from his younger days as a merchant—he was surprisingly well-traveled for an East Blue local.
"What fascinating creatures," Mrs. Jane said, referring to Brook, Shark Chili, Carla, and Tom.
Mostly she meant Carla and Tom, though—Brook and Shark Chili were a bit too bizarre for her tastes, while the two cats were simply adorable. Especially Carla, floating with her tiny wings and ribboned tail, awakening the woman's long-buried girlish heart.
"Yohohoho~ The sea is vast indeed," Brook said politely. "There are countless strange beings along the Grand Line, though it's far too dangerous for ordinary people to visit."
He'd been warned beforehand—Zhang Da Ye had punched him earlier "just in case," calling it preventive maintenance.
Mrs. Jane smiled. "Speaking of unusual, we have a rather unique servant at home. I hope you won't be too startled."
Carla let her hold her only out of pity for the woman's recent illness. It didn't feel like being in Wendy's arms at all, but she endured it. Wendy was still her favorite.
When they reached the mansion, a man in a butler's uniform came out to greet them. His head—looked a lot like a sheep's.
Like the Beast Tamer Mohji from Buggy's crew, Merry's wool and horns weren't a costume. They were actually growing from his head.
"Merry, Merry!" Kaya called cheerfully. "I made new friends today! Look, this is Sister Wendy and Sister Perona!"
Merry smiled warmly. "Is that so? How wonderful, Miss Kaya. Please be good to your friends, all right?"
"Okay!" Kaya nodded eagerly and tugged Wendy and Perona inside. "Let's go play in my room!"
Because of her illness, Kaya rarely left home. To finally have friends her age—even if they were a few years older—was a joy beyond words.
"Sh-sheep…?" Wendy and Perona blurted, then quickly realized their rudeness. "Sorry!"
"It's quite all right, baa~ Miss Kaya's friends are most welcome, baa~" Merry said kindly, adding an adorable "baa" at the end.
Rochester led Zhang Da Ye and the others inside while Merry went to prepare tea. Mrs. Jane smiled and said that this was the servant she'd mentioned earlier.
Hearing the name "Merry," Zhang Da Ye felt a wave of nostalgia. He had nearly forgotten this man—the designer of the Going Merry itself, and the inspiration for the ship's little lamb figurehead.
He remembered watching the farewell to the Going Merry for the first time, the music swelling, and tears streaming down his face. He never thought he could cry so hard over a ship.
With how much he'd already changed the East Blue's events, he wondered if the Merry would even exist in this world.
As these thoughts passed through his mind, Rochester noticed Zhang Da Ye staring at Merry and assumed he was simply surprised. Thankfully, the others kept the conversation going, preventing any awkwardness—aside from Tom constantly trying to touch Merry's horns.
The Kaya family's parlor was large and elegantly decorated. To Zhang Da Ye, though, it wasn't particularly impressive. After all, he'd lived in the Fishman Island royal palace before.
After some pleasant small talk, the three little girls came running out again, flushed with excitement.
"Mama! Mama!" Kaya clung to Jane's arm. "Can I go to the ranch with Sister Wendy and Sister Perona?"
Zhang Da Ye could've sworn Wendy and Perona looked absolutely delighted at being called "sister." So that's why they bonded so quickly, huh?
"You can go," Jane said gently, "but aren't you tired? You've already done more today than you usually do in a whole week."
"I'm fine!" Kaya beamed. "Sister Wendy used her magic—my illness is all gone!"
"Miss Wendy again?" Rochester said, astonished. "You truly have our thanks. But… are you sure it's safe to use your power so frequently?"
"It's okay," Wendy said with a smile, shaking her head.
"Then… can we go now?" Kaya asked eagerly.
Rochester hesitated. "But Kaya, you and your mother just recovered…"
Zhang Da Ye stepped in. "How about we get a doctor's checkup first? That way, everyone can feel at ease."
Rochester's eyes lit up with gratitude. That was exactly what he'd been thinking—he trusted Wendy, of course, but healing someone instantly with glowing green light was a bit unbelievable. Having clear medical proof would bring peace of mind.
"If you wouldn't mind, that would be wonderful," he said sincerely.
Zhang Da Ye nodded, understanding his concern. He was curious himself what kind of illness they'd actually had.
Little Kaya, however, pouted unhappily.
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