"No problem."
"What's wrong with you?" Leo asked, concern etched on his face.
Before Vivi could answer, Zoro interrupted sharply, pointing outside. "Don't worry about it. There are two people outside the door. I picked up the princess—she said she was someone important."
Leo nodded and leaned his head out to glance at the two figures lying just outside the door—Vivi and the captain of the guard, whose hair looked like toilet paper strips in the dim light.
Hiss...
The injuries looked serious.
It was all Nami and Luffy's fault. They had been sleeping soundly when this happened. Judging by Vivi's condition, she seemed close to collapse. Leo waved his wand carefully and moved them into the house.
"It doesn't matter," he thought. "As long as they're alive, everything will be fine. If they die... that would be a real problem. Because right now, I don't know how to resurrect anyone."
The truth weighed heavily on him. Resurrection magic—whether through light magic or life magic—was beyond his reach for now. The conditions to perform it were simply too harsh.
Had it been any easier, Bell-mère in Cocoyasi Village would have been resurrected long ago.
Taking a deep breath, Leo murmured, "Life. Restore!"
A simple but powerful spell burst forth from his wand. Suddenly, Vivi and the captain stirred, their eyes snapping open with renewed vigor. They scrambled up and rushed toward the remaining food in the house, ravenous and red-eyed.
The way they devoured the food reminded Leo of Creek and his gang at the seafront restaurant they had met earlier—wild and desperate.
Just then, a pleasant and clear voice floated down from above the house.
"Ah~ What an impressive technique, magician Leo."
Leo's lips curled into a rare, unexpected smile.
She's finally here.
Slowly, he raised his gaze toward the roof of the house. The first thing he noticed was a pair of long, perfectly shaped legs clad in boots, gently resting against the outer wall.
Following the legs upward, he saw the figure of a woman with snow-white skin, wearing a lace miniskirt, a purple leather jacket, and a stylish women's cowboy hat.
Her long, slender arms propped her face up gently as she smiled mysteriously, her eyes locking onto Leo's with an intense, captivating gaze.
She seemed to be silently waiting for his response.
The woman was none other than Nico Robin—the very person Leo had been thinking about.
Seeing her in person sent a thrill coursing through him.
Standing tall at 1.88 meters, her flawless figure radiated a perfect blend of feminine charm and elegance.
If Nami was the childhood sweetheart you fought and played with on campus, then Nico Robin was the gentle older sister who tolerated all your strengths and weaknesses.
She was intellectual, mature, and seemed to carry countless stories behind her serene eyes—a look that suggested she could see through everything.
Hiss...
Leo swore to himself that he was definitely not the kind of man like Sanji.
As an elegant and mysterious magician, Leo naturally possessed a firm will and control over his emotions. So, he replied calmly.
"Ahem... Madam, you flatter me too much. This is merely a small trick."
His words carried a subtle pride, a sense of humble boasting.
"Oh? That's not just any trick," Robin replied, her voice filled with intelligence and a gentle tenderness. She deliberately laced her tone with a touch of admiration. "In this ocean, very few people have as many skills as you."
Her compliment sent a rush of satisfaction through Leo.
He was pleased to receive such praise from Robin but remained reserved.
After all, he was an elegant and mysterious magician.
With a slight upward curve of his lips and narrowed eyes, he asked briskly, "Thank you, thank you! May I ask if this beautiful lady came here only to talk about this?"
Robin smiled softly, and with a graceful flick of her arms, she created a small staircase in the air.
Then, she descended slowly, walking with poise and elegance, looking Leo directly in the eyes.
Winking playfully, she whispered, "I came all this way to see you—surprised?"
Before Leo could react, Robin's tone shifted dramatically, changing from seductive to serious.
"Just kidding. The boss asked me to invite you to join Baroque Works."
Inside the room, Vivi, who had been stuffing food into her mouth, suddenly paused.
After eating a large amount, her mind slowly cleared.
She recalled hearing from a man with a knife that the strongest person in the group was the second-in-command—the same elegant man who had just healed their injuries. Though he looked refined, he was reportedly stingy and sinister.
"He said that even if you offend everyone else, you must not offend this man," Vivi thought. "Otherwise, after being sold out, you'll be the one counting his money."
She nervously stared at Leo from behind, wondering if he would accept Miss Allsunday's invitation. If he joined, would the others be able to help her return to Alabasta?
Leo suddenly felt a chill running down his spine, as if he were being set up.
He instinctively turned to look at Zoro, who was standing nearby—the only one still awake.
Zoro's heart tightened when he caught Leo's deadpan stare, feeling as if he was being eyed by something scary.
The eerie feeling made him grip his knife handle tighter.
Let me see... Leo thought. It was that bastard plotting against me behind my back.
However, when Leo's gaze shifted to Vivi, who was eating nervously, the uneasy feeling vanished.
Seeing Vivi's anxious expression, Leo glanced back at Zoro with sudden understanding.
I guess this guy told him everything.
After a moment of contemplation, Leo turned back to Robin with a very interesting expression.
He replied flatly, "Forget it. I'm not interested. But I am very interested in you."
That was right—if you asked who the most fascinating person in the Pirates King was, it was Nico Robin.
Leo's words froze Robin's expression.
She was stunned by the statement. What did he mean by being interested in her? Could it be some vile intentions like those disgusting scoundrels?
"What are you thinking? I'm interested in the knowledge you carry. There are things I need to verify."
"And once you understand my goals, I believe you'll be interested too."
Seeing Leo's sincere expression and hearing words that carried deep meaning, Robin's doubts began to fade.
"I'm not interested, and I won't be," she said firmly.
"Since you don't want to join Baroque Works, I have nothing more to say."
"I hope you all take care of yourselves."
After speaking, Robin cast a permanent pointer toward Leo and gave a lingering glance at Vivi and the others before turning and walking away.
Leo caught the object she threw and watched her retreating figure, but he did not stop her.
It seemed that now was not the time.
Without a foundation of trust, it was impossible to expect someone struggling for survival to suddenly place their faith in you.
And the last words she said... they didn't seem to be directed at him, did they?
Øóffer going on for diamond tier
pàtreøn (Gk31)