The journey was monotonous.
But with The girls accompanying them, there was more laughter and joy.
On the going merry.
Nami held a watering can, diligently tending to a few orange trees.
Makino was busy brewing wine.
Carmen prepared lunch for everyone, with Nojiko helping out.
Kaya was poring over medical texts, studying diligently.
Although she had the Healing Power from the Healing-Healing Fruit, the pursuit of medical knowledge had always been Kaya's dream.
Reno lay leisurely in a rocking chair, wearing sunglasses, feeling very content.
Every day after discussing navigation techniques with The girls, he would sunbathe here.
Even doing nothing, just listening to the busy sounds of The girls, made his mood extremely pleasant.
Especially when they were pretty girls.
It's worth mentioning that from the day he received the reward, Reno would use Hand of the Tide every time he taught The girls navigation techniques.
The four unsuspecting girls, Nami, received instant enlightenment, blushing repeatedly.
When the six people played poker, it could be described as 'the water flooding the golden mountain'.
Especially Carmen, Nami, and Nojiko, the three girls, could even create small waves.
Each time, The girls had to spend a long time cleaning up the water stains.
There was no other way; who made them have such an amazing Captain?
"Everyone, let's take a break, lunch will be ready soon." Carmen's voice drifted from the kitchen.
Nami put down the watering can, Kaya folded a corner of her medical book to mark her place... Everyone put down their work and gathered around the dining table.
At this moment, the dining table was already laden with dishes, their aroma wafting through the air.
This was the most formal and grand meal Carmen had cooked since boarding the ship.
The reason was simple: they were about to reach their final stop in the East Blue — Loguetown.
After resupplying in Loguetown, they would leave the East Blue and head for the Grand Line.
"Wow, today's dishes are so abundant!" Kaya held her knife and fork, unconsciously swallowing her saliva.
"The title of East Blue's chef is indeed well-deserved." The fragrance filling her nostrils made Nami's nose twitch.
With Carmen, a professional chef, on board, their three meals a day were never the same.
Nojiko and Makino sighed in admiration, admitting their inferiority.
Carmen naturally became the head chef of the Reno Pirates.
After everyone was seated, Carmen, dressed in her chef's uniform, pointed to the first dish:
"This is Rainbow Salmon Sashimi."
"This is Ducardin Crab Roe Meatloaf."
"This is Kabola Mantis Shrimp Tempura."
"This is Lonelichiana Saury."
"..."
Carmen introduced each dish to everyone like a connoisseur.
Everyone stared intently at the dishes before them, giving Carmen repeated thumbs-ups.
Even Reno gave his high approval.
A professional touch truly makes a difference.
Every dish was perfect in color, aroma, and taste; just one look made one's appetite soar, not to mention the enticing smell filling their nostrils.
Under the dual impact of sight and smell, it was simply irresistible.
Seeing that everyone was practically drooling, Carmen timely sped up her speech.
"The last dish is my special coconut jelly, which has excellent benefits for the skin."
"Alright!" Carmen clapped her hands, "The dish introduction is complete. Now, please enjoy your meal!"
As soon as her words fell, the long-waiting crowd could no longer hold back, all picking up their knives and forks.
"Mmm, delicious! This is the best saury I've ever eaten."
"The crab roe meatloaf tastes exactly like the one at Baratie Restaurant."
"It smells amazing!"
"..."
The girls savored their meal while expressing their appreciation for the cooking.
"It's indeed excellent. It seems I've found an incredible chef."
Reno felt his taste buds were immersed in an unprecedented enjoyment.
Receiving high praise from everyone, including Reno, Carmen smiled knowingly.
She then took her seat and began to enjoy the delicious feast with everyone.
"This time, when we reach Loguetown, we need to stock up on more supplies."
As the feast neared its end, Reno said.
Although the going merry had mostly girls, they consumed a lot of stamina daily due to learning navigation techniques.
This led to a rapid depletion of various daily necessities.
Furthermore, with Carmen's addition, purchasing supplies according to the previous quantity list could no longer sustain their long voyage.
"I want to buy a few dresses." At the mention of shopping, Nami's interest was immediately piqued.
"I also plan to buy a few medical books," Kaya chimed in, following closely.
Nami started it, and The girls immediately opened up the floodgates of conversation.
Reno kept shaking his head as he listened.
Do girls in all worlds have a special fondness for shopping?!
He just wanted to replenish more daily necessities.
The girls were completely off-topic.
Forget it, let them buy whatever they want.
The girls' happiness is what matters most.
Besides replenishing necessary supplies in Loguetown, Reno also had a very important goal.
To conquer the last beauty of the East Blue — the Marine Glasses Girl, Tashigi.
A clumsy yet adorable girl who loves collecting famous swords.
If nothing unexpected happened, she should be in the Marine branch in Loguetown right now.
Reno once heard a saying in his previous life: all Glasses Girls have a contrasting personality.
He just didn't know if this saying applied to the One Piece World.
Once Tashigi boarded the ship, he would personally verify it.
The East Blue Arc is about to end.
There are still three girls not written about in this arc.
One is Apis from the Millennium Dragon arc, another is Sweet Queen from Clockwork Island (she's very beautiful).
And finally, Kuina.
The first two, due to their short appearances and being from movie versions, might not have left a deep impression or resonated with readers, so they won't be written about separately.
As for why Carmen was included, the protagonist happened to go to Baratie to spar with Mihawk, plus Carmen's story with Sanji.
So, she was arranged to join.
Regarding Kuina, since some people want to see her, all three will be patched in later, rest assured.
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