Ryan looked at Tashigi's "naive" expression but didn't say much more.
As an escaped experiment subject from Punk Hazard, he carried an indelible past. Moreover, back in Cocoyasi Village, he had eliminated Captain Nezumi along with his entire ship of thugs.
If the Marines ever uncovered that incident, he'd end up with a bounty sooner or later—how could he even think about joining the Marines?
That said, there had been no news about Captain Nezumi's death so far. Were the Marines inefficient, or had someone deliberately suppressed the information?
Ryan picked up his glass, swirled it casually, and asked nonchalantly, "Has anything particularly noteworthy happened recently in East Blue?"
Tashigi froze, her utensils pausing mid-air. She didn't understand why Ryan would suddenly ask this but answered honestly, "There is something strange. Captain Nezumi from the East Blue 152nd branch was involved in an incident in Cocoyasi Village some time ago."
"Oh..." Ryan's expression remained unreadable as he casually inquired, "What happened?"
After all, an entire warship of Marines and a branch captain were involved—it was impossible for there to be no news at all, as that would make the Marines appear utterly incompetent.
"I heard Captain Nezumi and his soldiers all disappeared near Cocoyasi Village," Tashigi frowned, her tone filled with confusion. "The warship sank, everyone on board was lost, including Captain Nezumi. The Marines sent investigators to the village, but the villagers claimed ignorance, only saying it was a pirate attack. The details were vague."
Ryan thought to himself that the Marines had actually sent investigators—they were quite efficient!
He had originally expected the Cocoyasi villagers to expose the truth, but surprisingly, they helped conceal it.
Thinking it over, it made sense. After all, Ryan had helped them eliminate Arlong's crew and the corrupt Captain Nezumi who colluded with pirates. To the villagers, he was their savior, so they naturally wouldn't betray him.
"Pirates did it?" Ryan raised an eyebrow, deliberately pressing for details, curious about the Marines' assessment.
"Hard to say," Tashigi shook her head. "There were no traces of pirate activity at the scene. It seemed more like... they were systematically eliminated. Captain Smoker said whoever could silently destroy a warship must possess considerable strength. But so far, no clues have been found."
"Oh..." Ryan smiled. "It seems the person who attacked the Marines won't be easy to find!"
Tashigi suddenly looked up, her eyes behind her glasses shining with stubborn determination. "Whoever it is, if they break the law and harm fellow Marines, they must be caught. We will uncover the truth one day."
Ryan smiled but didn't continue the topic, merely taking another sip from his glass.
Idealists—there was no use arguing with them.
Tashigi watched Ryan fall silent, unsure what he was thinking, only feeling that the mysteries surrounding "Mr. Ryan" had deepened.
She opened her mouth to ask something but didn't know where to start. In the end, she swallowed her words and silently began eating the grilled lobster that had just been served.
Mr. Ryan's refusal was so blunt, his arguments about justice like fine needles pricking the principles she had always believed in, leaving her both confused and somewhat indignant.
Yet recalling how swiftly Ryan had dealt with Bench, and that subtle expression when Cocoyasi Village was mentioned earlier, she felt this man was far more complex than she had imagined.
"Thank you for the meal." Ryan suddenly stood up, reattaching Wind Splitter to his waist with a fluid motion devoid of any hesitation.
The wooden door swung open with a gust of wind, setting the wind chimes tinkling. Tashigi, still lost in her thoughts, only snapped back to reality as the breeze faded, realizing the seat opposite her was now empty.
"Oh no!" Tashigi scrambled to her feet, fumbling in her uniform pocket. The worn, shiny wallet was clutched tightly in her hand, feeling unusually heavy.
She had to pay the bill quickly, or Captain Smoker would scold her again for "mixing personal and official matters."
But as Tashigi turned to call the waiter, her gaze swept fully across the table for the first time. The plates opposite were stacked high: at the bottom, an empty bowl of seafood soup, topped with the remnants of grilled lobster—the shells picked clean, not a shred of meat left in the crevices.
Beside them lay three empty plates of grilled squid, the cartilage scraps pushed to the edges. Four rum bottles stood in a row at the corner of the table, their labels glinting under the light.
Even her own barely touched lobster was reduced to a lone claw lying in the plate. The entire table was crowded with empty dishes, resembling a sudden mountain that occupied the once-spacious surface.
Tashigi's eyes widened abruptly, her grip on the wallet tightening.
She had only brought enough for a simple meal when she left in the morning—who could have imagined... The total cost of all these plates would likely drain a month's salary.
Her previously straight shoulders slumped instantly. Tashigi hung her head, her light blue hair hiding her flushed cheeks, her ears burning red.
This is it—I've really made a fool of myself.
"Um... excuse me," Tashigi murmured, handing the wallet to the approaching waiter, her voice barely a whisper. "I'm Tashigi from the Marines base. The money I have today... isn't quite enough. Could I... go back and fetch it right away?"
The waiter, however, smiled and waved a hand. "No need. The gentleman earlier already settled the bill."
"W-What?" Tashigi jerked her head up, her glasses sliding to the tip of her nose.
She hastily adjusted them and looked toward the door, but Ryan's figure had long vanished.
When did Mr. Ryan pay? Was it while she was lost in thought?
Tashigi stood frozen, still clutching the unopened wallet, a sudden warmth blooming in her heart.
Even though he had refused so bluntly, even though he spoke of a "justice" different from the Marines, he had still quietly bailed her out without leaving a single extra word.
"Mr. Ryan..." Tashigi murmured softly, gazing at the door, her lips curling into an unconscious smile. "He really is a good person."
The disappointment from his rejection and her confusion about justice seemed to fade slightly in the face of this unexpected kindness.
She clenched her fists again, a stubborn light reigniting in her eyes behind her glasses—how could she let someone so powerful and kind-hearted remain outside the bounds of justice?
"No, I absolutely must find a way!" Tashigi lightly stamped her foot, as if giving herself encouragement. "I must make Mr. Ryan understand that protecting justice together with the Marines is the true path a Meito should take!"
She stuffed her wallet back into her pocket, straightened her spine, and walked out the door.