Bonus chapter unlocked by your Power Stones!
...
[So I finally get how much the Poneglyphs mean to Robin.]
[The moment she sensed I doubted her purity, she actually asked Kaya to examine her—to prove she's untouched!]
[Good grief, this is nothing like how Robin behaved in the original timeline!]
[Is it really as she said—because I know where the Poneglyphs are, plus I'm openly fond of beautiful women, and she's grateful I saved her… so she went this far?]
Ain: "What? Robin actually went that far?"
Carina: "Have Kaya check her… looks like she hasn't given up."
Gion: "As expected—this woman won't leave Arton easily."
Mikita: "Atta girl. Hold the line, Miss All-Sunday!"
Vivi: "An examination… When I go to Arton later, will I have to be examined too?"
Smoothie: "An exam isn't out of the question. I've never done that, after all. Though if Arton performed the 'inspection' himself, that'd be even better."
…
"Captain, I've finished."
"Kaya?"
"Robin-san is… pure."
"Huh? That fast?" Arton turned, startled, looking at the two of them.
Robin smiled. "Captain Arton, are you dissatisfied because you didn't see it? If so, Kaya-san can check again."
"Uh—n-no need." Arton scratched his cheek with a wry grin. He trusted Kaya. If Kaya said Robin was pure, then Robin was pure.
"By the way… how did you check, Kaya?" he whispered at her ear.
"With some medical ninjutsu techniques," Kaya murmured, face pink. "Captain, please don't overthink it."
"Haha, sorry, sorry." Arton patted her shoulder, faced the window again, and slid part of his attention to the diary panel.
[Kaya successfully examined Robin.]
[Seems my guess was wrong—Robin hasn't been with any other man.]
Sadi: "Tch. So she's pure. How boring."
Hina: "Which means Robin's chances of staying by Arton just went up a lot."
Jewelry Bonney: "The Marines must be so disappointed~."
Robin, glancing at the new entry, exhaled in relief. She stepped forward again to Arton's back.
"Captain, shall I continue? Care to try more of my technique?"
"Continue—but don't go overboard. Keep it normal."
"Normal… So you still dislike me. How heartbreaking~."
"Don't read too much into it. I don't want your massage distracting me from work. If I get too relaxed, I might miss an enemy before they arrive."
"I see. So—at a different time, you'll allow some special techniques, yes?"
"…Must you call it special? Could you be a little more tactful?"
"Can't be helped. You know the Poneglyphs, you saved me, and… I'm fond of you."
Arton: "…"
…
Though Arton still felt awkward about Robin's boldness, she ultimately remained by his side on the strength of her own efforts.
Ain didn't like it—but she could only accept it. She wasn't part of the Flame-Blade Pirates, after all; she had no standing to protest Arton's decisions.
As for the others, none of the crew objected to Robin staying. After hearing from Arton about her past, Nami, Kaya, Carina, and the rest felt some sympathy. And Robin was good with people; before long, she was chatting easily with everyone.
That, more than anything, irked Ain. She had arrived first, yet hadn't meshed this well with the crew. Still, displeased as she was, she could only endure, get along with Robin, and vow—silently—to make herself indispensable by doing the ship's work perfectly.
Chapter 392 — A Vast Shadow in the Sky, the Whereabouts of Sky Island!
And so, at first light the next morning, Ain was already in a qipao Arton liked, scrubbing the deck. By the time the others were waking up, she'd arrived at the lookout with a tray of breakfast.
"Captain, good mor—ah!" She slid the door open, eyes going wide as an involuntary gasp slipped out.
"Really now. Remember to knock. …All right, get in here—and close the door."
Ain bobbed her head, slipped inside, and locked it. Arton turned back and patted Tashigi's cheek where she knelt before him. Tashigi leaned back a little, swallowed what lingered in her mouth, then stole a bashful glance at Ain. This wasn't the first time Ain had walked in on her getting intimate with Arton, but Tashigi still blushed every time.
"S-sorry Tashigi—I didn't mean to. I only came to bring breakfast."
"I-it's fine. But… please keep this between us."
Ain nodded quickly.
"All right, hand it here. Hm? Milk, too—thoughtful. Good for replenishing protein." Arton straightened his clothes while speaking.
As he ate, Tashigi hurried into hers. She'd been the one keeping him company through the night; soon someone else would arrive to take over—so Arton wouldn't casually give away their next destination in his diary.
Sure enough, just as she finished dressing, voices rang out.
Kaya: "Morning, Tashigi. I'm here to relieve you."
Robin: "Good morning, Tashigi-san. Good morning, Ain-san."
Tashigi: "Mm. I'll leave him to you then, Kaya-san… and Robin-san."
She gave the two a small nod and left the lookout. Her body bore Arton's marks from the night; she liked his scent, but to keep Carina, Nami, and the others from catching on, the bath came first.
"Morning, Kaya-san." Ain smiled but when her gaze slid to Robin—and the breakfast tray in Robin's hands—Ain huffed through a cold look.
Robin didn't mind. "Looks like someone already brought you breakfast. I came a little late."
"Not late. Last night took a lot out of me. The more to make up for." He accepted the bread and milk from Robin and dug in. "By the way, Robin, Ain—are you two that free? Shouldn't you be helping at the helm right now?"
They weren't freeloaders; if they were riding this ship, they were expected to work.
"I—I already finished scrubbing the deck." Ain puffed her cheeks, aggrieved.
"I thought Captain might need my massage, so I came early." Robin explained.
"I've sampled your massage already. You can skip today." Arton said.
"What a pity." Robin murmured.
"Th-then, I… I can massage too." Ain blurted, raising her hand, face pink.
"You? Better not. I've no desire to exploit a prisoner. More importantly, go guide our navigator. I'm counting on you to get us to Enies Lobby sooner."
Ain's head drooped. With Robin's example in front, she'd hoped to close the distance with Arton as well. Otherwise, once they reached Enies Lobby, she wasn't sure she'd still have a place at his side—or the strength to stop Zephyr's tragedy.
She'd resolved to strike at a female Celestial Dragon so Arton would have to shelter her, like Tashigi had in the East Blue—but who knew if she'd even get the chance at Enies Lobby? If Arton took the woman away immediately, Ain might never get an opening. Hence the urge to win him over on the way… but that was clearly easier said than done.
"Huh? What the—!" Arton jerked upright, eyes narrowing at the distant sky.
Ain snapped out of her thoughts, following his gaze.
"Captain, what is it?" Kaya asked, concern tightening her voice.
Robin, leaning closer to the window, squinted. Her expression shifted from mild curiosity to open shock. "A colossal shadow in the sky? How odd… Are there people up there?"
"There are," Arton replied, a slow, knowing smile tugging at his lips as he studied the distant forms. "Those silhouettes should be the projection of people on a Sky Island."
"S-so huge!" Ain breathed, her eyes wide as saucers. "Are all Sky Islanders that gigantic?"
She didn't doubt Sky Island—after all, the transmigrator Arton had spoken of it himself.
...
For every 100 Power Stones → +1 extra chapter.
Read 50+ chapters ahead on Patreon! [patreon.com/METARLN]
Use code SANTA for 50% OFF!