On the rolling, wave-tossed sea, a luxurious red-and-green ship floated on the water, its bow shaped like a fish's head.
White steam drifted from its smokestack, and the aroma of food spread across the sea.
This was the famous sea restaurant of the East Blue: Baratie.
Inside Baratie, the dining hall was clean and orderly.
To the sound of gentle music, all sorts of people were enjoying their meals.
There were elegant nobles, rough pirates, and merchants passing through.
Of course, among the beautiful ladies, one waiter in a suit, with peculiar curled eyebrows and blond hair, could be seen neglecting his work as he darted back and forth. Along with him came the clear, delighted laughter of the women.
That lasted until an elderly man dressed like a head chef walked out. When he saw the scene, he shouted sternly, "Sanji, what are you doing out front? Get back to the kitchen!"
The man called Sanji froze the moment he heard his name. In the end, he obediently turned to go back to the kitchen.
But just then, a chore boy rushed in and shouted excitedly, "Boss... it's the Kaya family's merchant ship! It's almost here..."
"Oh..."
The chefs in the restaurant, and even the chore boys, immediately had their eyes light up. They rubbed their hands together excitedly, their eyes practically filled with Belly.
The diners also began whispering among themselves.
"The Kaya family? The family that joined the Rainbow Business Alliance?"
"I heard they've made a fortune these past few years!"
"I'm so jealous..."
"If it weren't for the Marines, damn it..."
At that moment, Sanji's eyes filled with hearts, and he rushed out while shouting nonstop, "Is Nami-san coming? Nami-san, I'm coming to welcome you..."
Then he vanished from the doorway like a gust of wind.
But when he pushed the door open and the dazzling light faded, Sanji opened his eyes, ready to greet Nami, only to find a strange sight in front of him.
Sanji immediately calmed down. With a puzzled look, he pointed at the people before him and asked, "Hey, Mr. Merry, what are these weird-looking guys...?"
"Huh... are you calling us weird-looking?"
Usopp only realized what had been said after asking. Then he immediately shouted in righteous outrage, "Hey, who are you talking about?"
Fortunately, Merry grabbed Usopp at that moment. After calming him down, Merry said apologetically, "I'm sorry, Mr. Sanji. I came this time to ask for your help."
Sanji realized something at once and frowned.
"Come with me..."
...
In Sanji's room.
Sanji sat in a chair by the window, a cigarette hanging from his mouth.
By the time the last wisp of smoke burned away, he had heard the entire story from Merry.
He looked at Luffy and the others with undisguised disgust and asked, "So you're the ones who got Nami-san captured by the Marines?"
Seeing that, Merry hurried to explain, "It's not like that. Nami was framed..."
Sanji shook his head.
"That doesn't matter now. What are you planning to do...?"
"Of course we're going to save Nami from the Marines!"
Luffy was the one who answered.
Hearing that, Sanji had been about to mock them, but when he saw the determination in Luffy's eyes, he somehow held himself back. He took out another cigarette, put it in his mouth, and asked, "With just the three of you? Do you know how many strong fighters and Marine soldiers there are at East Blue Marine Headquarters? And have you thought about what happens if you really go rescue Nami? Wouldn't that prove Miss Nami was colluding with pirates? You'd only end up hurting her."
Usopp's expression stiffened at once, but fortunately, Merry had already considered that.
"We've thought about it. If this were before, we naturally wouldn't be too worried. With Miss Bell-mère's reputation in the Marines, it wouldn't be easy for Captain Nezumi to frame her. But things are different now. Ever since the World Government tacitly allowed the Rainbow Business Alliance to operate in other seas seven years ago, Miss Bell-mère's personality has made her a thorn in the side of many people within the Marines. This matter probably won't end so easily..."
The room fell silent again, leaving only the sound of Sanji smoking.
At that moment, Usopp, unable to bear the silence, asked curiously, "Um, Mr. Merry, what did you mean just now? Isn't Miss Bell-mère supposed to be highly respected in the Marines?"
"It's like this."
Merry gave a simple explanation.
"As I told you on the way here, the World Government and the Rainbow Country have been hostile to each other from beginning to end. The North Blue also belongs to the Rainbow Country. It was seized from the World Government during the war against the Marines and the World Government twenty years ago. But the profits inside the Rainbow Business Alliance were simply too enormous. Even though the Marines spent more than ten years strictly blocking forces under the Rainbow Business Alliance from entering the other three seas, they still couldn't stop them. In fact, even some people inside the World Government and the Marines were secretly taking part.
"Bell-mère is an upright Marine, but other Marines aren't. Blocking someone's path to wealth is no different from killing their parents. Back then, because of Bell-mère's integrity, many people already hated her."
Usopp did not quite understand.
"Why did Miss Bell-mère try to stop it? Isn't everyone making money a good thing?"
"Well, how should I put it? The Rainbow Business Alliance really is a good thing for many people, but only not for the Marines and the World Government. Through the Rainbow Business Alliance, the Rainbow Country's forces can infiltrate every corner of the world and bind everyone's interests together. That is absolutely not something the Marines or the World Government want to see."
"Miss Bell-mère is an upright Marine. She also took part in the war twenty years ago, so she firmly opposes all of this."
"But just because she opposes it doesn't mean everyone else does."
At that moment, Usopp swallowed dryly, feeling a vague sense of awe he could not quite understand.
"Seven years ago, when the World Government suddenly tacitly allowed civilian forces to join the Rainbow Business Alliance, Bell-mère was deeply disappointed. That was when she decided to retire from the Marines. Kaya's father also became one of its members around that time."
"But even after retiring, she still couldn't bring herself to stand by and do nothing. Because of that, more and more people came to resent Miss Bell-mère."
"The prime example is that Captain named Nezumi."
"That is the real reason I'm worried this time. This probably won't end so easily..."
***
...
If you'd like to support my work and unlock advanced chapters, you can follow me on p-@-treon.
[email protected]/PinkSnake (50 Chapters Ahead).
You can also follow as a free member to read a few advanced chapters.
***