"It's fine, Nojiko."
Bell-mère pinched Nojiko's cheek gently and smiled.
"If you want to open it, then we'll open it. It's only one hundred thousand Beli. Even if we don't open a Jar, we can only hold out for a month or two anyway. And now the orange grove's quality has improved. I'm sure buyers will come knocking soon. When that happens, we'll have Beli again. Besides, don't forget, we have the Gold Kola Nami opened. After we open the Jar, we can even sell some of that fertilizer. Right now everyone will be willing to pay a high price for it."
Bell-mère might not call herself a good woman, but she was a good mother.
As long as her daughters wanted something, she always tried to satisfy them.
And with her experience, she knew opening Amon's Jar for one hundred thousand Beli was an insane bargain.
Once Amon spread word of how miraculous these Jars were, it would not be one hundred thousand anymore. People would pay a hundred million, a billion, even ten billion.
"Really, Bell-mère?"
No matter how mature Nojiko was, she was still only seven or eight. Hearing that Bell-mère was willing to let her open a Jar made her heart burst with happiness.
After seeing how magical the Jars were, she had been deeply jealous of Nami's luck. Now she finally had her own chance too.
"Then, Mr. Amon… can I open one too?"
With Bell-mère's approval, Nojiko asked Amon carefully.
"Of course. You're very welcome."
Amon was genuinely happy.
He had only sold one Jar so far on the island, and he still needed two more to complete the task.
And the more people opened, the better, because that meant he could finally open his own exclusive Jar.
Ever since that shameless system changed the rules, he had not opened an exclusive one in ages.
He missed it.
"Let's go. We'll open it back at home."
Bell-mère kept her Beli at the house.
Besides, Nami had already fallen asleep on Amon's back, and he did not have a free hand anyway.
"Okay!"
Nojiko nodded excitedly, bouncing along behind them.
Following the road Amon had carved earlier, the three of them returned to the house before long.
Amon carefully laid little Nami on the bed, and Bell-mère pulled the saved Beli from a box.
"Mr. Amon, count it."
"No need."
Amon accepted it with a smile.
"You think I don't trust you?"
Bell-mère froze for a beat.
His words were a little too… teasing.
A faint blush rose on her face, rare and unexpected.
"Hahaha, Bell-mère is blushing!"
Thump!
Nojiko had barely finished teasing before she received a fist to the head.
"I was just joking!"
Nojiko covered her head, looking utterly wronged.
"I'm hitting you because you dared joke about your mother."
Bell-mère raised her fist again, acting like she would strike once more, but Nojiko had already fled to Amon's side.
"Hahaha, Nojiko, don't cry. Which Jar do you want?"
Amon rubbed Nojiko's hair as she hid behind him, then asked gently.
"Um, let me see!"
"I want the light purple one."
Just like Nami, she chose a color she liked, the one that matched her hair.
"Light purple, huh? Alright."
Amon picked it up.
"I'll open it for you."
He lightly tapped the Jar.
Crack.
It shattered in his hand.
A flash of golden light burst out, and three items dropped to the ground.
"What did we get, Mr. Amon?"
Nojiko stared with wide eyes, overflowing with anticipation.
Bell-mère also stopped chasing her, equally curious.
"Heh. Let me take a look first."
[Intermediate Observation Haki]: A native skill from the One Piece world. After using, you will automatically learn Intermediate Observation Haki!
Oh, nice.
The very first item was Observation Haki, and it was Intermediate level!
Exactly what Nojiko had wanted earlier.
Amon immediately picked up the card and held it out.
"Mr. Amon, how is it?"
Nojiko was so nervous and excited she could barely stand still.
Bell-mère leaned in too, eyes fixed on Amon.
"Hehe, Nojiko, your luck is really good."
Amon grinned.
"The first item is Intermediate Observation Haki, the thing you just said you wanted."
"R… really?"
Nojiko's heart shook with joy.
She clutched the card as if it were a treasure beyond measure.
"I actually opened Observation Haki… I really got it!"
"Of course."
Amon nodded.
"Just hold the card in your hand and silently say 'Use.' That's all you need to learn it."
As he spoke, he gently took Nojiko's soft little hand and guided her, showing her how to do it.
"Just say 'Use.'"
"Okay… use!"
Nojiko followed his instructions.
The moment she spoke, a voice echoed in her mind.
"Ding! Congratulations, you have used the Observation Haki card!"
The card dissolved into light and flowed straight into her head.
Almost immediately, her mind filled with new knowledge.
How to activate Observation Haki.
How to sense.
How to listen to the world without using her ears.
With a simple thought, Nojiko activated it.
In that instant, everything within an enormous range poured into her awareness.
The insects and birds outside the house.
The oranges in the grove, plump and firm now.
The smoke rising from distant rooftops.
The people on the village streets.
Then her expression suddenly froze.
"Huh… what's going on?"
Nojiko blurted out, shocked.
"Why… why are the villagers being grabbed by the Marines?"
The moment she said it, Amon's face changed sharply. He had not paid attention to his surroundings.
A chill crawled up his spine.
Could it be…
The people at the dock weren't Marines at all?
Were they pirates disguised as Marines?