"All right, I've finished your requested windmill tattoo."
"Take a look, Nami—are you satisfied?"
Arton set aside his tools and stepped back, regarding Nami with a playful smile.
"Hehe, I believe in your skills, Captain Arton, I'm quite satisfied."
Nami glanced at the tattoo on her arm and smiled. How could she not be pleased? While Arton was tattooing her, she'd been subtly showing off her body to him, slowing his tattoo work so the filming lasted longer. As a result, she gained even more points from the ongoing video. Under those circumstances, how could she not be happy?
Seeing that the live broadcast was still rolling, Nami's eyes darted about before she spoke up, sounding mischievous:
"Kaya, why not have Arton do a tattoo for you as well?"
As she said this, Nami deliberately gestured at the Diary Copy floating beside Kaya.
"Um…"
Kaya hesitated, unsure.
"Nami, better if you don't talk Kaya into it," Arton interjected.
"Girls like her aren't suited for that sort of thing. Kaya's best left with her skin all pure and clean."
Hearing that, Kaya couldn't help feeling relieved—but Arton's phrase pure and clean made her blush slightly.
"But if it's you, Nami, I wouldn't mind tattooing a bit more."
"How about I give you one of these?"
"This is a standard succubus design, after all."
As he spoke, Arton handed Nami and Nojiko a succubus sketch he'd drawn in his spare time. The women's gazes instantly fixed on the tattoo design located below the succubus's abdomen.
"Captain Arton, you sure picked quite the spot," Nami remarked, her cheeks tinged with a hint of red. Even she felt a bit shy about it. After all, if she actually put a tattoo there, wouldn't Arton see it every time they, well, did things?
"It's not just the spot; that design itself makes people think all sorts of things,"
Nojiko added with a grin. "Speaking of which, were you hoping to take advantage of tattoo time to gobble Nami up?"
She wore a slight smile, too. Neither Nami nor Nojiko were strangers to such a design. In fact, as a duo known for tattoos, they knew Arton's works had at times featured storylines of him giving them that kind of tattoo. Just… neither of them expected Arton to bring it up now.
"Well? Looks good, doesn't it?"
"Nojiko, Kaya, how about the two of you get one of these as well?" Arton asked, looking toward Kaya.
If Nami and Nojiko were already blushing at the succubus tattoo, one can imagine how much more flustered Kaya felt. The moment Arton spoke, her cheeks—and even her neck—turned red.
"Oh, I see. Not only do you plan on devouring me, but it seems you want to devour me, Nojiko, and Kaya all in one go."
"Your appetite's the same as ever, dear Captain Arton," Nami teased, moving behind Arton and sliding her arms around his neck, her body leaning right onto his back. "But didn't you say Kaya shouldn't get inked?"
Nami murmured in Arton's ear, her breath warm.
"That tattoo is a different matter," Arton explained. "Also, it'd be placed in a private spot. No outsiders would see it, right?"
"Ah, so I can consider this a mark proving I'm your woman?" Nami smirked.
"Heh, it's just a tattoo." Then, turning to Kaya, Arton asked, "Kaya, want to try it? If you end up not liking it, you can remove it afterward with Medical Ninjutsu, no?"
Of course, in principle, he'd have liked to confirm Nami's interpretation. But Arton suspected that if he phrased it so bluntly, Kaya might flatly refuse. He had to ease into it, coaxing her more gently.
"I—I'll pass," Kaya said, quickly waving her hands. She truly was scared Arton might actually mark her with that tattoo, especially in front of so many Diary Copy holders.
Viola: "I actually want to give that tattoo a try."
Smoothie: "Hmm, so I might be getting a new tattoo myself."
Gion: "That Arton… he's quite the schemer!"
Vivi: "Would I… have to get the tattoo there too? How embarrassing!"
Nico Robin: "Seems I'll have to get used to things like this, huh."
"Hehe, if Kaya's unwilling, I'd certainly be delighted," Nami said. "But placing a tattoo in such a private spot… we should find somewhere more private for the procedure, wouldn't you say, Captain Arton?"
Hearing that, Kaya's eyes widened in disbelief, and Arton responded similarly. He turned, placing both hands on Nami's waist, and looked her up and down.
"You're sure you want this tattoo?"
"Of course."
"No regrets?"
"None at all. I haven't forgotten our little promise," Nami said. "Surely you haven't forgotten either, Arton. Back when you rescued me from Shiki, I promised I'd do whatever you asked."
Nami lay down on the bed, raising a hand to point at her stomach. "So, it's just a tattoo—what's the big deal?"
With that, she spread out her arms and shut her eyes, clearly signaling "I'm closing my eyes—do what you want."
Seeing Nami so forthright, Nojiko couldn't help using the Diary Copy to exchange messages with her.