Under Yun Lie's earnest nod, Nami, though still a bit anxious, knew that Yun Lie wouldn't harm her. So, she gritted her teeth, closed her eyes, and drank the deep green liquid bubbling eerily.
A bitter and pungent taste exploded in her mouth. Nami's eyes shot open, and she yelled, "Water! I need water!" She rushed into the cabin, grabbed the water bottle, and gulped it down, her urgency as if to wash away all the bitterness in her throat.
When Nami came out of the cabin, Yun Lie asked, "How do you feel? Any changes?"
"Although it tasted terrible, I feel more relaxed than ever before," Nami said with a surprised expression, stretching her body.
Little girl Mitsuri carefully placed the box filled with beli to the side, clapped her small hands, and said, "This contains dozens of precious medicinal ingredients. I only have this one stock left. Luckily, none of you others caught this virus, or else even gods from the heavens wouldn't be able to save you."
After confirming that everyone else was fine, Yun Lie's tightly strung nerves finally relaxed. He squatted down, meeting Mitsuri's gaze, his eyes full of curiosity: "Little Mitsuri, how old are you? You just said you escaped here; what exactly happened?"
Mitsuri tilted her rosy little face up, her voice carrying a hint of pride and stubbornness: "Me? It's fine to tell you. I'm fifteen this year! Don't let my small size fool you; I'm very capable! I've been studying medicine with my master for many years, and I can diagnose common illnesses at a glance!"
At this point, her eyes suddenly dimmed, her once lively big eyes clouded over, and her voice became low and sorrowful: "As for why I escaped here, it's all because of that scoundrel Walpole! He captured my master."
"Walpole? Walpole of Drum Kingdom?" Yun Lie's pupils constricted, and he couldn't help but ask in surprise.
Drum Kingdom is far away on the Grand Line, thousands of miles from here. How many hardships and dangers did this small figure endure to drift to this place?
"Yes, that big bad guy!" Mitsuri clenched her small fists, her little face flushed red, and sparks of anger flickered in her eyes.
If it weren't for Walpole, how could she have been forced to separate from her master, alone on the vast sea, avoiding pursuing soldiers, and barely surviving the ocean crossing?
Just then, a "grumbling" sound came from Mitsuri's small stomach, exceptionally clear on the quiet deck.
Mitsuri's small face instantly turned crimson, like a ripe apple, and she embarrassedly lowered her head, instinctively covering her stomach with her hands, wishing she could find a hole to crawl into.
Seeing this, Yun Lie burst into laughter, his hearty laughter echoing above the deck.
He shouted to Nojiko, who was holding a spatula: "Nojiko, hurry up and prepare something delicious for our little miracle doctor! Look, our savior is starving!"
Nojiko quickly walked over, gently touched Mitsuri's flushed little face, and smiled tenderly: "Don't worry, leave it to me!"
After speaking, she held the spatula and turned to walk into the kitchen.
Not long after, tempting aromas wafted from the kitchen.
"Come on, I caught a big fish today; you're in for a treat."
Yun Lie took Mitsuri's small hand. It was tiny and soft, very comfortable to the touch, as if he was holding a warm ball of cotton.
Mitsuri shyly tried to pull away, but she was half-heartedly pulled into the cabin.
As soon as she entered the cabin, her gaze was firmly attracted by the food laid out on the table. Her eyes widened, staring unblinkingly at each dish Nojiko brought out, and tears of emotion streamed from the corners of her mouth.
Yun Lie looked at Mitsuri's greedy expression and immediately understood why she had threatened him to prepare food for her as soon as she emerged from the barrel—it turned out she had been hungry for too long.
"Eat, don't be shy," he said with a smile.
After getting permission, Mitsuri immediately started eating. He expected her to gobble it down, but to his surprise, she only chewed slowly and carefully, explaining as she ate, "Chewing slowly is good for digestion; eating too fast hurts the stomach."
Even so, in front of a table full of delicacies, her eating speed was not slow.
At the dining table, a tuna fish, ten meters long, was meticulously cooked into various delicacies: fried, stir-fried, boiled, steamed, braised… all perfect in color, aroma, and taste.
As one delicious dish after another went down, the distance between them imperceptibly shortened.
Mitsuri ate while slowly recounting her life story. She had been an orphan since childhood and was adopted by a doctor from Drum Kingdom when she was very young.
That doctor, unmarried his whole life, treated her as his own, not only giving her meticulous care but also imparting all his lifelong medical knowledge.
And Mitsuri was also very promising, perfectly inheriting the doctor's mantle at a young age, a genius in the medical community.
However, their peaceful and beautiful life was shattered. The newly appointed King Walpole suddenly issued an order to extensively arrest doctors throughout the country.
To protect her, her master alone lured away the King's guard.
With no other option, Mitsuri chose to escape by sea.
Her small stature made traveling by ship too dangerous, so she came up with a method—hiding in a wooden barrel and using the principle of two trees and a slingshot to launch herself out to sea.
After drifting at sea for an unknown amount of time, just when she thought she was going to starve to death, the wooden barrel was fished out by Yun Lie, and she was finally saved with great difficulty.
After hearing Mitsuri's story, Yun Lie held her hand and said earnestly, "Mitsuri, I'll help you rescue your master. How about you become our ship's doctor?"
Although he knew this was taking advantage of her situation, he really didn't want to miss out on such a rare talent.
Being able to diagnose Nami's illness with just a glance, Mitsuri's medical skills were evident.
Moreover, Drum Kingdom was not yet an affiliated country of the World Government, making the rescue operation relatively easier.
"Really? You're really willing to help me?"
Mitsuri's eyes instantly lit up, her voice full of anticipation and surprise.
She knew too well how insignificant her own strength was, and Yun Lie's confident demeanor was like a ray of light illuminating her dark world.
"That's right, Yun Lie is very capable!"
"That big bad guy, Wal-whatever-his-name-is, I can punch him flying too!"
The women gathered around, chiming in one after another.
Who wouldn't like such a cute and highly skilled little girl?
Mitsuri hesitated: "Let me think about it…"
Although she was willing to give everything to save her master, going out to sea meant embarking on an unknown journey, and she had to consider it carefully.
Seeing this, the women immediately pulled her aside and chattered incessantly, describing the wonderful adventures at sea and sharing interesting stories about the crew.
For a time, the cabin was filled with laughter, the sounds drifting out the window and intertwining with the sound of the waves.