On the deck.
As Nico Robin climbed aboard, the cuffs of her black leather jacket billowed slightly in the wind.
She carried a small brown satchel, her long hair tied into a neat ponytail, with a few loose strands clinging to her neck in the sea breeze. Her steps were light as she crossed the deck and headed straight for the main cabin.
The moment she pushed open the cabin door, a thick cloud of smoke greeted her.
Bahr lounged on the sofa in the center of the living area, a cigarette pinched between his fingers, its ash already grown long. He lifted his eyelids lazily as Robin entered, his tone indifferent. "Been gathering intel on Sabaody Archipelago again?"
"Yes." Robin adjusted the strap of her satchel, her fingers unconsciously brushing over its worn edges. Her voice remained calm. "The situation on the island is more tense than expected."
She paused, her gaze settling on the glowing tip of Bahr's cigarette. "The Navy has deployed a significant number of troops. There are checkpoints every few steps in districts 1 through 29, and even vice admirals are personally patrolling."
"On top of that," she added, her tone still devoid of inflection, "the clashes between pirates haven't stopped. Gunfire has been ringing out nonstop from morning till night."
"Who cares." Bahr exhaled a smoke ring, his expression unbothered. "We'll stick to the plan—get the coating done and leave. No need to invite trouble."
Robin's fingers paused briefly on the clasp of her satchel before she looked up at Bahr. "There's one more thing."
"Hm?" Bahr raised an eyebrow, signaling her to continue.
"In four days, there's going to be a merfolk auction on Sabaody Archipelago." Robin's voice remained steady, but her words carried clearly to Bahr's ears. "Rumors say quite a few merfolk will be put up for sale."
"A merfolk auction?" Bahr's fingers holding the cigarette stilled, a flicker of surprise crossing his eyes. "That's unusual. Merfolk have always been rare commodities on the black market—high demand but scarce supply. To have so many at once..."
Before he could finish, he suddenly chuckled, immediately grasping the situation.
Back when Whitebeard protected Fish-Man Island, no one dared to act openly. But now that Whitebeard was gone, the wolves were free to pounce.
Wealth stirs greed, and the value of merfolk was enough to make even the most cautious merchants take risks.
He could even guess the state of Fish-Man Island—without Whitebeard's protection, chaos was inevitable. No wonder they later sought refuge under Big Mom's banner.
In the New World, aside from the Navy, only the Four Emperors could deter the unscrupulous.
"Four days..." Bahr suddenly turned to Robin. "Can the coating be finished by then?"
Robin nodded. "The craftsman said it'll take three days at most. We have enough time."
"Then there's no rush to leave." A playful smirk curled at the corner of Bahr's lips. "Since we're here, might as well join the fun."
Their next destination was Fish-Man Island anyway. Doing them a favor now might prove useful later.
As for trouble... they were about to set sail—why worry? This was the perfect chance to make his name known.
Robin's eyes flickered slightly, clearly uninterested in such matters. Her long lashes lowered and lifted again, her gaze settling on his face with its usual sharpness. "You mentioned before that Fish-Man Island has Historical Text."
Her voice was soft but carried unmistakable focus. "Where exactly is it?"
"Someplace called... Sea Forest, I think?" Bahr's fingers holding the cigarette paused, his answer vague as he twirled the cigarette between them. "Can't remember the specifics. Never paid much attention to these things."
He glanced at Robin, his smirk turning teasing. "Aren't you the expert at finding these? You can investigate once we get there. Should be right up your alley."
"Sea Forest..." Robin ignored his teasing, her fingers lightly tracing the metal clasp of her satchel as she repeated the name under her breath. Her lashes lowered, concealing the flash of contemplation in her eyes.
"I already told you, there's nothing there you're looking for." Bahr tapped the armrest with his cigarette, his tone casually dismissive. "No need to rush."
He knew exactly what Robin was thinking—her obsession with the Historical Text had never been hidden.
Robin didn't respond. Some things didn't need arguing. She only trusted what she saw with her own eyes, heard with her own ears, and touched with her own fingers—the cold engravings on ancient stone.
No matter how sincere others' words were, they couldn't compare to firsthand verification.
She didn't press further. As she turned to leave, her gaze dipped slightly, catching sight of a red figure in the corner.
Sadi sat on the carpet, the metal collar around her neck gleaming coldly. The chain attached to it lay loosely over the edge of the sofa, swaying slightly with Bahr's movements.
Robin's brow furrowed again, her tone as flat as ever. "Boss, it's better to leave some room for restraint."
She didn't usually care about Bahr's methods—Sadi's current state was her own doing—but the sight still compelled her to speak up.
Perhaps it was because they were both women. No one could predict how circumstances might change. The mere thought sent a chill down her spine.
"You're overstepping." Bahr chuckled lowly, crushing his cigarette into the ashtray before tugging lightly on the chain. The metallic clink made Sadi lift her head slightly, her red collar slightly disheveled, revealing faint marks on her neck.
"Hear that? She's telling me to show restraint." Bahr's tone was mocking.
Sadi's cheeks were flushed, but her eyes burned brightly, like flickering flames.
Rather than recoiling from the tug on the chain, she shifted forward instead, her knees pressing into the carpet with soft rustles. Her voice was quiet. "Don't mind others. Do as you please."
Bahr's smirk deepened as he turned back to Robin, his tone deliberately teasing. "See? She's willing."
After days of back-and-forth, the once-wild woman who had brandished her whip was long gone. Now, Sadi's stubbornness mingled with submission, giving her an oddly subdued demeanor.
Robin's gaze flickered between the two before settling on Bahr. Her expression remained impassive—no surprise, no disdain—as if she were merely observing something unrelated to her.
After a moment, she finally spoke, her voice still calm. "Just because someone willingly stays in a difficult situation doesn't mean the act of putting them there is justified."
She paused, tapping the clasp of her satchel lightly. "I'll go check on the coating progress."
A fair point, but so what?
Bahr's expression remained indifferent as he looked down at Sadi by his feet, his fingers tapping idly on the chain. "Hear that? Someone's unhappy on your behalf."
But Sadi merely shifted closer to him, murmuring a quiet acknowledgment as if Robin's words meant nothing to her.
For her, her current state mattered far more than others' opinions.
Bahr lifted her chin with a finger, forcing her to meet his gaze. "Now you know how to behave?"
Sadi's lashes fluttered, but she didn't pull away. Instead, she met his gaze quietly, her voice soft. "Yes. I'll listen to you."
Bahr chuckled lowly. He knew this woman's nature—obsessive, unhinged, yet revealing an eerie obedience through their clashes.
Sadi didn't submit out of fear. She was immersed in this battle he led, a complexity that was innate to her.
When he withdrew his hand, Sadi lowered her eyes like a stroked cat, her emotions unreadable.
"Much better like this." Bahr's gaze swept over her flushed cheeks, his lips curving slightly.
His tolerance for people was generally high, but Shalria and Sadi were exceptions. They'd brought this upon themselves.
Bahr was never one to repay malice with kindness. Those who crossed him would get double in return, and he couldn't care less about others' opinions.
"Alright." Bahr suddenly spoke.