Once the waiters had left, White Ghost stirred his coffee and said, "Alright, no one's around anymore. Why are you still wearing that thing? Doesn't it feel stuffy?"
The moment he finished speaking, Arya impatiently pulled off the veil over her face and threw back her cloak.
For a moment, White Ghost's eyes nearly popped out of his head.
She looked about eighteen.
An elven girl's features were usually exceptionally delicate, with soft, flowing lines that gave off an air of elegance and nobility.
Her eyes were large and bright, emerald green, gleaming with intelligence and curiosity, as if they could see through everything in the world.
She carried an agile, airy grace, as though she might leap into the forest or take flight at any moment.
Only when White Ghost noticed the odd look in the elf girl's eyes did he hurriedly snap back to himself, roaring inwardly:
Damn it, this really is every bit of beauty a man could imagine all rolled into one.
No wonder she's an elf girl.
If some old pervert saw her, he'd probably try to snatch her away no matter what.
For a moment, White Ghost actually found himself wondering whether he should agree to the king's suggestion and abduct the girl in front of him.
The instant that thought rose in his mind, Leonardo and Arya both tensed up, instantly becoming vigilant.
White Ghost froze. "What's wrong with you two?"
Leonardo, still wearing his mask, looked at White Ghost warily.
"Our elf race has extremely sharp senses.
"You may be very strong, Mr. White Ghost, but our elf race is not weak either. Please stay calm."
White Ghost gave an awkward laugh.
"Sorry about that. It was just a passing thought. I didn't mean anything by it."
Chopper just kept eating. He did glance at the elf girl, of course. He was very curious about those pointed ears.
But he had no interest whatsoever in her beauty.
Only female deer attracted him.
Once White Ghost let go of that slightly wicked thought, the two siblings gradually relaxed as well, no longer looking like they were facing a great enemy.
Leonardo took off his mask and hood, then extended a hand.
"Hello, Mr. White Ghost. My name is Leonardo. I'm one of the elves."
"Hello." White Ghost shook his hand, not bothering to introduce himself. There was no point—they already knew who he was.
"This is my younger sister, Arya," Leonardo continued.
Unfortunately, Arya didn't even glance at White Ghost.
She kept staring at Chopper instead, completely immune to White Ghost's appearance.
The elf race wasn't just full of strong people—male elves were all exceptionally handsome too.
So in her eyes, White Ghost was only around decent.
Leonardo looked a little embarrassed, but White Ghost only smiled.
Different people liked different things. It wasn't as though he needed to beg someone to admire his face.
Chopper had already gotten used to human outsiders constantly staring at him.
As White Ghost put it, when you're cute and adorable, people naturally like looking at you.
But even Chopper couldn't stand the way this elf girl kept staring at him so intensely.
It felt like she was looking at a pet.
Before Chopper could get angry, Arya suddenly turned to White Ghost and pointed at him.
"Can I hold your pet for a bit? He's so cute."
Pff—
White Ghost nearly sprayed coffee right into Leonardo's face. He hurriedly covered his mouth and turned his head away.
Chopper's deer face instantly darkened, and he slammed a hoof onto the table.
"Idiot! Who are you calling a pet?!"
Arya pointed at Chopper, who somehow only looked cuter when he was angry, and innocently said, "Isn't that exactly what you are? Such a cute little tanuki."
Chopper's face grew even darker. He pulled off his hat and jabbed a hoof at his antlers.
"Look properly! These are antlers! Tanuki don't have antlers!
"And I'm not a pet—I'm the ship's doctor!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The little table rattled as angry Chopper pounded it repeatedly.
"Oh…"
Arya wore a naive, innocent expression, her eyes still full of curiosity. Then she reached into her clothes and pulled out a piece of candy.
"Here. This is candy made by the elves. It's really sweet. You'll probably like it."
Watching the girl and the reindeer bicker, Leonardo covered his face.
How did I end up with such a foolishly innocent little sister?
After a bit more back and forth, Arya got her wish and ended up hugging Chopper.
That candy had simply been too deadly a weapon against him.
Once his sister had finally settled down, Leonardo turned to White Ghost and asked, "So, Mr. White Ghost, did you come here because of the elves as well?"
White Ghost paused in the middle of stirring his coffee, then looked up with a strange expression.
"Why would you ask that? Do a lot of people come looking for you?"
Leonardo gave a soft laugh and stirred his own coffee.
"Our elf race isn't overwhelmingly powerful, but our bloodline and our strength do have some value.
"The World Government has approached us many times, saying they'd be willing to find a place somewhere on the seas for us to establish our own nation."
"Wouldn't that be a good thing?" White Ghost asked, looking puzzled. "That way, the Heavenly Tribute wouldn't even be too much. It'd only be thirty percent of your annual income."
"Thirty percent is not a small number," Leonardo said coldly.
From Arya's arms, Chopper suddenly piped up, "That's not necessarily true. Captain said before that some kings and nobles use paying the Heavenly Tribute as an excuse to rob their citizens blind.
"That's why so many countries end up miserable. So it's just an excuse."
Arya rubbed Chopper's head. "You know quite a lot, little Chopper."
Chopper gave a proud humph, but then his expression darkened.
"Because my country, Drum Kingdom, was exactly like that."
Leonardo sighed.
That was true. Their people were not ignorant of the outside world. They knew many countries had been ruined that way.
The kings and nobles emptied the land dry, then fled somewhere else to continue preying on new people.
After all, there was no shortage of ordinary civilians out on the sea.
Shaking his head, Leonardo looked at White Ghost.
"Mr. White Ghost, you fought those people in the East Blue before. You should know something, shouldn't you?"
Arya stopped petting Chopper and looked toward White Ghost too.
White Ghost took a sip of coffee and nodded.
"I don't know much. I just know it's a pie in the sky."
"A pie in the sky?"
The siblings narrowed their eyes, exchanged a glance, and then both looked at White Ghost again.
"Then it sounds like Mr. White Ghost knows quite a lot."
White Ghost set down his coffee and met Leonardo's gaze.
"A country with no conflict, no worries, no discrimination—where every race can live together peacefully.
"Do you really think such a country exists?"
He spoke each word clearly, disdain in his eyes.
Leonardo and Arya both lowered their heads, their expressions flickering uncertainly.
White Ghost withdrew his gaze and looked out toward the street again.
"Even animals choose a leader.
"And that leader gets more resources.
"So how could intelligent beings with thoughts and desires be any different?
"That's why I really do admire you lot. You waited hundreds of years for an empty promise—and not even a tasty one."
Arya lifted her head and looked at White Ghost.
"So you think a system like that can't exist?"
White Ghost glanced at the innocent, lovely elf girl and shook his head.
"Oh, a system like that does exist.
"If you want to see it, just sleep tonight with your pillow propped up a little higher."
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