―Sorry to always have you helping out. By the way, you have a visitor before dinner today...
―She's a good kid, but... being with her puts us in danger too... Besides... look at this bounty...
―Damn it, she's not in her room! Find her! We're handing her over to the Marines!
"...!!"
Nico Robin shot upright, remembering a dream she hadn't had in a while—a nightmare of things that had actually happened.
She reflexively tried to catch her balance, but then remembered she wasn't in a hammock on a ship, but in a large room in the royal palace, on a crudely placed mattress, and let out a breath.
In the room, just like Robin, Hancock, her sisters, and the other women of the Black Cat Pirates were sleeping wrapped in sheets and blankets on mattresses, some of which were missing pieces.
The members not present here were out guarding this royal palace, which could now be called the Black Cat Pirates' headquarters.
Robin glanced around, looking to see if anyone else was awake, but every single person was sound asleep.
Hesitating, Robin briefly debated waking the green-haired girl sleeping next to her—Sandersonia—but in the end, she got up alone.
Her throat was dry and she wanted water, and besides, she had a heavy, unpleasant premonition.
She walked softly, opened the fragile door—which creaked at the slightest provocation—as quietly as possible, and stepped out into the hallway, heading for the balcony where the water barrel was kept.
"What is it, Robin? You woke up?"
There, taking in the breeze, was the large black cat who had been by her side ever since that day.
–
"Captain-san, did you wake up too?" she asked.
"Yeah," I replied, "Mihawk lured me into drinking wine, and then the bastard provoked me into a drinking contest... So I ended up passing out cold a little early. Just came to get some water."
That guy's a bottomless pit, it's a real problem.
Wine is a precious luxury item these days, so drink it sparingly...
...Although, it's true most of my crew prefers beer, so we did have a surplus of wine.
"Me too..." Robin said. "I just sort of woke up."
"Sorry," I said, moving toward the barrel. "It'd be better if we could set up a water station indoors, but we just don't have the spare resources to manage that."
She seemed pretty careful opening it, but it still makes a noise.
It's possible others might wake up after Robin. I should get some glasses or cups ready.
If we could just free up some supplies for things other than maintaining order and managing the fields and mountains, we could start working on plumbing...
"Here, will this do?" I asked.
Right now, it's a pain having to go all the way to where the drawn water is kept every time.
I take the lid off the barrel, use the ladle to pour some water into a random wooden bowl, and hand it to her. Robin accepts it with a "Thank you."
"...But this is unusual," I noted.
"?"
"Robin, you've been able to sleep properly recently, haven't you?" I asked.
When we first met, she'd wake up at the slightest sound, and I almost miss the days when she'd always be sprouting eyes and ears in the shadows, wary, while I was talking with Daz and Perona in my room.
Her wariness started to fade around the time we protected Amisu and the others, and by the time we started developing the island, she was able to sleep soundly.
I'll never forget the day Perona waved her hand over the sleeping Robin's eyes, confirmed she was fast asleep, and then did a mysterious victory pose.
"...Yeah," she admitted.
"Is it that?" I guessed. "You got used to the hammock, so you can't settle down on a mattress?"
If possible, I'd like to have all the crew sleep in proper beds, but we don't have the luxury for that right now. Collecting sleeping bags and mattresses is the best we can do.
Even on the ship, it's not like it's a proper galleon; it's still our main ship (provisional). So everyone's basically in hammocks. They're light, anyway.
...I guess we really do need to earn some money. I'm no Nami, but being a poor pirate crew is just too much.
If they're going to be chased around with me, it's just too cruel not to let them live at least a little comfortably.
It's not good for Robin to get too used to this life of extreme poverty, either.
We need to secure at least a small amount of comfort. It can't be the top priority, but it can probably be the next one down.
"...I just had a bad dream."
"A dream?"
"Yeah... About... before I met you, Captain-san..."
Before she met me. Up until Robin hid in that barrel.
A nightmare from a canon character is one hell of a nasty flag, no joke.
For a second, I imagined our crew collapsing and Robin going down her canon route... but no, that's impossible.
With Mihawk enthusiastically hanging around, we might take some losses, but I can't imagine a collapse so bad that Robin would have to flee.
In that case... one thing comes to mind.
"Your intuition probably kicked in," I said evenly. "And it's probably right."
Robin has good instincts to begin with, and she's sensitive to malice. She'd have to be, to survive on the run alone for twenty years.
"The people of this country will betray us in a heartbeat if they have a reason," I continued. "Or, they might already be preparing to. Be ready for that."
Robin is looking at me with wide eyes, but it's not a look of massive shock.
She might have been vaguely sensing that subtle malice.
Well, it can't be helped.
No matter how properly we govern, we're still pirates with no connection to this land.
"Until just the other day, they couldn't survive without selling their own relatives... their parents or children... just to live."
In fact, Luchu Island, which had clear pillagers, was better off. They had an obvious reason for their misfortune.
Over here, even though the mafia had a hand in it, it wasn't that obvious.
Frustration with the royal family who failed to govern, frustration with the rebellion that pillages, frustration with the citizens who won't stand up.
It's a mixed pizza of frustration, frustration, and frustration.
They've become far too used to getting by on pointless anger and betrayal.
"It's not unthinkable that there are people who believe that, if they sell us out, a member nation might... rule over them more stably than before," I finished.
To be specific, someone like the Queen, who rarely shows her face to us.
...The fact she's letting her daughter meet with us pirates means she sees a high chance of us winning... but she probably intends to sell us out if it comes to that.
In that case, does the Queen intend to cut the Princess loose and use the younger sister as a bargaining chip with the attacking member nation, or the Government?
The fact that nothing would surprise me actually makes it harder to judge... Their own military strength is practically zero, so as long as we watch out for poison and the like, I think we'll be fine, but...
"Captain-san..." Robin said.
"Hm?"
"You're not angry?" she asked.
Even if you ask me that...
"Well, if that happens, I'll feel bad," I admitted, "and I'll probably be angry at the time... but people are weak."
I can't declare with certainty that a day won't come when I'll fall so low as to disgrace myself like that.
In fact, it's more than possible.
There's a very real possibility I'll just abandon everything and put on my "butler face" back in the East Blue.
And if something happened to Robin, there's a chance she'd throw away all her books and get involved in human trafficking...
The line between good and bad, good and evil, is paper-thin.
"Ever since I got a bounty, I've hated being alone, so I've just shouldered whatever I could," I said, "and... it's true I'm being jerked around by all of it."
"...Me too?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
There's no point in lying, so I nod.
"Back then, too, I was honestly hesitant to pick you up, Robin. After all, at the time, we were a fledgling pirate crew of three kids."
More than anything, you're the kind of trouble that makes bounty amounts irrelevant.
That's why at first, I was watching the Marines' movements and trying to avoid you.
"But, well, the things I've shouldered have ended up helping me. You, Robin, Amisu, Hack... and him," I said. "It's not like I 'shouldered' him, but honestly, Mihawk has been a huge help, too."
Lately it's been spar, then work, then spar, then eat, then spar, then rest, then spar, every single day, to the point I'm thinking I'd like to seriously kick him in the face just once.
Today I thought I'd landed a kick, but he just flew backward to disperse the impact and then tried to cut my leg off, that swordsmanship-moron.
"And where all that led is this island. I'm starting by using the people of this island, trying to create a situation where it's difficult for the Government to move against me or any of you."
And after stalling for time like this, I'm in a situation where it's guaranteed the World Government—plus the Yonko—will eventually come attacking.
It's enough to make a person cry.
"In the end, it's all for our own sake. For that, I'll swallow a hundred or two hundred betrayals."
In short, as long as we don't let them do anything in the end, it's fine.
From here on out, it's a race.
Before the Government can accurately gauge our threat level, we have to lay an even greater foundation.
And before the people of the regions we conquer can look down on the 'Black Cat,' we have to build a track record of achievements.
For that, a fight with a moderately notorious member nation is perfect for our publicity and for tightening our ranks.
"What, so this is where you were, Kuro," a voice rumbled.
I was patting Robin's head—her expression had softened a little, maybe from calming down after the drink of water—when Bege showed up on the balcony.
"Yeah, had some alcohol I'm not used to and just..."
"You're the head of a fleet," Bege cut in. "If you're going to drink, make it good stuff."
"I'll keep that in mind. So, what's up?"
"I had my subordinates check out Mogwa's port town," he explained, "and they spotted some unfamiliar ships, so I had them take pictures."
"Unfamiliar ships?"
What Bege is holding must be them.
Robin stands up and stretches onto her tiptoes.
It's probably her small way of saying "show me already."
...Robin, she's subtly harsh with people who've fought me, like Bege and Mihawk.
I wonder what would happen if I told her Daz was a bounty hunter who came to take my head.
"Can you show me?"
"Yeah, here you go," he said.
Bege hands me the photos, and with the same hand, he casually pats the head of Robin, who was trying to peek at them.
Robin pouts a little, but Bege seems to be enjoying even that.
Bege, are you... some kind of slightly mean uncle?
"They're pretty huge ships," Bege commented. "Five of them. Well... I'm sure you'll find something else more concerning than the number, right?"
He squinted at the photo I was holding. "What is this, a ship riding on a giant Den Den Mushi... Kuro?"
Oh—
"Is something wrong?" Bege asked, noticing my reaction.
You've got to be kidding me!!!!
"Bege," I ordered, my voice suddenly sharp, "gather all your top men in the conference room. I'm calling my executives, too."
This pattern again!!
I'm telling you, this is the West Blue!!!!????
"Someone really bad just showed up," I said, my hand crushing the photo slightly.
These are definitely Germa's ships!!!!!!!!
--
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