Robin stood quietly among the towering shelves of books, her small fingers still resting on the spine of the volume she had been reading. The silence of the scholars around her made every little sound seem louder than it should be. That was why the faint growl from her stomach felt so overwhelming.
It did not stop at one sound. A second rumble followed, then a third, each one louder than the last.
Her small hands immediately covered her belly, and her pale face flushed red at a speed visible to the naked eye. She lowered her head in embarrassment, afraid that someone nearby might have heard. The scholars were immersed in their research, yet Robin still felt as though the entire library had turned to look at her.
The better the meals were at her aunt's house, the less she was given to eat. That had always been the pattern. Today, she had only received a thin bowl of watery porridge in the morning. By now, her body felt light and hollow.
Another growl echoed.
Not wanting to disturb anyone further, Robin carefully slid the book back into its original position on the shelf. She quietly informed the nearby scholar, Kuroba, that she was leaving, then hurried out of the Tree of Knowledge.
She ran until the village buildings disappeared behind her, until she reached a quiet patch of woods. Only when she stood beneath a large fruit tree did she finally slow her steps.
Several peach shaped pink Devil Fruits still clung to the branches above. They were small and unappealing, the larger ones long since taken by others. Even so, they were food.
Robin looked up at the fruit. With her height, reaching them was impossible.
She folded her arms across her chest. As she did, delicate pink petals drifted into the air around her.
In a soft voice, she said, "Dos Fleur, Grasp."
Two slender arms sprouted from the branches overhead. They moved with precision, plucking two of the small Devil Fruits before tossing them down.
The fruits landed near her feet.
Robin's face had grown slightly pale. Using her ability consumed energy, and she did not have much to spare. Still, she bent down and picked up one of the fruits, though her body swayed slightly from weakness.
She was only five years old. Malnourishment and isolation had already taken their toll.
Because of Spandine's interference, her mother had been exposed much earlier than expected. The tragedy of Ohara had occurred nearly three years earlier than it should have. Since then, Robin's life had only grown harsher.
She raised the fruit, which was barely larger than her fist, and took a bite.
The taste was as terrible as ever. Sour, bitter, and astringent, it felt as though it scraped against her tongue. Even so, she did not hesitate. She chewed quickly and swallowed, forcing herself to continue until only the pit remained.
The second fruit followed just as quickly.
Compared to what she had eaten in the past, this was nothing.
She still remembered the first time she had wandered into this forest searching for food. Back then, she had not yet possessed any ability. Starving and desperate, she had found a strange fruit on the ground beneath this very tree. It had looked beautiful, almost like a blooming flower.
Without thinking, she had taken a large bite.
The flavor had been so revolting that even now the memory made her want to vomit. That fruit had granted her powers, but it had also changed everything.
From that day onward, she became a monster in the eyes of others.
Her already difficult life turned even colder.
Robin swallowed the last bite and leaned her back against the tree trunk. She drew her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. Her small voice was barely more than a whisper.
"Mom, when will you come back to see me…"
In truth, her memories of her mother were blurred. Olvia had set sail when Robin was only two years old. The face she tried to remember now felt distant and hazy.
Even so, whenever she felt hurt or lonely, it was always her mother she thought of.
What Robin did not know was that the very person she longed for was watching her from within a nearby bush.
Olvia's body trembled as she stared at the thin little girl beneath the tree. She recognized her daughter instantly. Tears filled her eyes, blurring her vision.
She tried to cry out Robin's name, but something black covered her mouth.
At first glance, it looked like cloth. Upon closer inspection, it writhed slightly, as if alive.
A ring of darkness spread beneath Olvia's feet, binding her firmly to the ground. No matter how she struggled, she could not move. She could only turn her tearful gaze toward the man standing beside her.
Lloyd.
His expression was calm, almost detached. His dark eyes reflected neither pity nor anger. He merely observed.
"Do you see it clearly now?" Lloyd asked quietly. His voice was steady, devoid of emotion. "This is the life your daughter is living. Think carefully about what your choices have truly brought her."
Olvia's entire body shook. She closed her eyes in agony as tears streamed down her cheeks.
Lloyd did not look at her again. His attention shifted back to Robin, who had risen and begun walking toward the edge of the woods.
"It is time for you to see the next scene," he said softly.
Without waiting for a response, he reached out and grasped Olvia's shoulder. Darkness surged upward, swallowing them both. In the blink of an eye, they vanished.
Robin returned to the house she lived in and paused at the door.
A large yellow dog lay tied near the entrance. It did not even lift its head to acknowledge her. Its focus remained entirely on the bowl before it. Inside, a half eaten chicken leg was still visible.
Robin smiled faintly, a quiet and helpless expression, then stepped inside.
Her uncle sat slouched at the dining table, picking at his teeth with a toothpick. The dishes were mostly empty. Her cousin was nowhere to be seen, likely having gone out to play after finishing her meal.
Her aunt was clearing the table, her voice sharp with irritation.
"Honestly, after cooking and serving, I still have to clean everything myself. Where did that girl run off to now?"
Her uncle spat a mouthful of meat scraps onto the floor and answered lazily, "Where else would she go? Back to that broken tree to read again. Just like her dead parents, always burying themselves in books."
"Hmph," her aunt snorted. "I doubt her mother will live much longer anyway. Did you hear? She's wanted by the government. Seems she committed something serious."
"What?" Her uncle's hand jerked, and the toothpick jabbed into his gum. Blood immediately welled up. He cursed under his breath before asking anxiously, "When did this happen? This won't drag us into trouble, will it?"
"It might," her aunt replied coldly. "That's why I said we should have sent that girl away earlier. Eating and drinking for free."
He hesitated. "Still, she's my niece…"
She shot him a disdainful look. "Don't pretend to care. Isn't it because her mother left you a large sum of Berries when she sailed away? You're just hoping she'll give you more if she comes back."
His expression stiffened before he forced a laugh. "You understand me best."
"Enough of that. We need to think about what to do next. If the government comes investigating, we can't be connected to her."
Robin had stepped inside unnoticed. Her small figure stood silently near the doorway.
Her aunt suddenly spotted her and jumped slightly. "Robin! Don't you know to make a sound when you come in? Standing there like a ghost!"
Normally, Robin would have lowered her head and apologized immediately. Today, she did not.
Her eyes were fixed on her aunt.
"What did you say?" she asked quietly. "My mom is wanted?"
Her tone lacked the usual submission. That alone was enough to irritate her aunt further.
"So what if she is?" her aunt snapped. "How dare you eavesdrop on adults? You won't be getting dinner tonight!"
Robin did not respond. She stood still for a moment, then suddenly turned and ran toward the door.
She needed to find her mother.
Before she could take more than a few steps, her aunt grabbed her by the arm and yanked her back inside. Robin fell hard onto the floor.
"Where do you think you're going?" her aunt scolded. "Clean up these leftovers first!"
Robin lay on the ground, her lip trembling. She bit down hard, trying to suppress her tears, but the pain in her chest became unbearable. At last, tears spilled freely down her face.
Seeing her cry only seemed to irritate her aunt further. She raised her hand, preparing to strike.
At that exact moment, darkness flooded into the room.
It poured in like a living tide, spreading across the walls, the floor, the table, and every piece of furniture. The black substance moved silently, swallowing everything it touched.
Robin's aunt froze in terror.
In the next second, the darkness tightened.
Then, without a trace, the house and everything within it vanished completely.