It was Vivi who spoke first. By now, her trust in Rowan had reached a level only a step below that of her father, King Cobra. Naturally, she had grown quite dependent on him. When Rowan reappeared with a very sophisticated and beautiful "big sister" by his side, little Vivi felt a sudden pang of possessiveness—a tiny, budding jealousy she didn't even recognize yet.
Rowan, of course, didn't notice. Unless it was blindingly obvious, he was notoriously dense about such things. Gion (Momousagi) only occupied his thoughts because her affection was so overt it forced him into "evasive maneuvers."
"Little girl, introduce yourself," Rowan said calmly to Robin.
Robin gave a wry, helpless smile before replying, "Nico Robin. But you can also call me Miss All-Sunday."
At this point, Vivi didn't yet know the full hierarchy of the organization ruining her country. She would have only discovered Robin's identity much later in the original timeline. To the current Vivi, the name "Baroque Works" was synonymous with pure evil.
"You...!" Vivi's temper flared the moment she heard the codename. Her impression of the syndicate was at its absolute worst, and her gaze toward Robin became instantly hostile.
"Little Vivi, she's a friend I found for you. From now on, the two of you need to get along," Rowan said, taking a slow puff of his pipe.
His words stunned both of them. Vivi was speechless, and Robin was bewildered. She had been racking her brain trying to figure out what the "Marine Godfather" wanted with her—she never imagined it was to be a "playmate" for a princess.
"Robin, summon the rest of Baroque Works from across the country. I have an announcement to make!"
Rowan ignored the tension between the two. He knew that once two inherently kind people spent enough time together, these initial walls would crumble.
He had his reasons for pairing them. Alabasta needed to become a pillar for the Navy quickly, and King Cobra—while a saintly ruler—was too soft-hearted for the rapid, gritty reforms needed. Vivi had the heart but lacked the experience.
Robin was the missing piece. She had spent a lifetime navigating the underworld, possessed the intelligence network of a global assassin guild, and understood world politics better than the Nefertari family ever could. With Robin's talent, building Alabasta would be like "adding wings to a tiger."
As for loyalty? Rowan wasn't worried. Once Robin stayed long enough to form a genuine bond with Vivi, she wouldn't abandon her. Besides, the Alabasta Royal Tomb housed a Poneglyph—the ultimate bait for a scholar like Robin.
The Casino: Rain Dinners
The interior had been restored. The corpses of the Millionmen and Billionmen had been scrubbed away, leaving the grand hall spotless for the arrival of the high-ranking agents. Fortunately, most were within Alabasta and arrived quickly.
"Miss All-Sunday, everyone is here. Why isn't Mr. 0 showing up? He's the one who called us back, isn't he?"
The speaker was Mr. 2 Bon Kurei, the ballet-dancing martial artist who had been posing as King Cobra. Being already in Alabasta, he was the first to arrive and the most impatient.
"Exactly. The Boss should just tell us what's going on!" added Mr. 3 (Galdino), the wax-manipulating strategist.
The others—Miss Goldenweek, Miss Merry Christmas, Mr. 5, and Miss Valentine—all chimed in. Rowan had decided these few were worth keeping; the rest he left for Robin to "dispose of." Since Robin hadn't been with the group long and wasn't a combat specialist who could crush them, the agents began to press her for answers.
"It was this old man who asked the young lady to bring you here."
Robin remained silent as the pressure mounted, but just as the agents were about to turn on her, Rowan's laughter echoed from the doorway.
"Who do you think you—" Mr. 5 (Gem) started to bark, but he was silenced instantly.
Galdino, moving with panicked speed, used his wax to seal Mr. 5's mouth shut. Simultaneously, Bon Kurei delivered a lightning-fast kick that snapped Mr. 5's shin. The explosion-man's screams were muffled by the wax as he collapsed.
"The Marine Godfather... Rowan!"
Rowan's name was currently at its peak of fame. To the Marines, he was an idol; to pirates, he was a force of nature who had repelled a Yonko. Men like Bon Kurei and Galdino, who respected true strength, knew exactly what kind of monster stood before them.
"Mr. Rowan... what an unexpected honor!" Galdino stammered, his wax hair flickering wildly like a dying candle.
Miss Goldenweek, Miss Merry Christmas, and Miss Valentine were shivering like frightened quails under Rowan's mere presence. With Mr. 5 incapacitated, Bon Kurei had to screw up his courage to address the legend. "We... we didn't know you were visiting! We would have prepared a proper welcome!"