The old man who had been chatting and laughing moments ago suddenly lost all signs of life.
Dier immediately shouted into the house:
"Is anyone home?! Your elder seems to be having health problems!!"
He didn't consider fleeing—leaving now would only make him look more suspicious.
Soon, a burly middle-aged man dressed as a chef emerged from inside.
His name was Long-Legged Bald Dier, the old man's son.
He had been practicing his culinary skills at home, preparing for an upcoming chef ranking competition in a few days.
Upon confirming the old man's death, he showed no trace of sorrow, reacting as calmly as if it were a stranger.
"Starting three days ago, the elders in our village began passing away one after another, answering His Majesty the King's call."
"Death is not the end. Their souls will transform into butterflies, forever accompanying His Majesty."
With that, the man carried the old man back inside.
According to their local customs, the deceased were to be buried beside their family members.
Dier stared at the tightly shut door and couldn't help but mutter:
"What kind of bizarre island is this?!"
Strange names, strange curses, a strange king...
"Could it be that more than just the Black Manatee escaped from the Rainbow Mist? Maybe some other creepy things too?"
The old man's death and the ranking competition both seemed connected to the Rainbow Mist from three days prior.
He rubbed his chin, trying hard to recall the Rainbow Mist's storyline.
It was a tale from the Grand Line.
The Straw Hat crew encountered children from fifty years ago inside the Rainbow Mist.
After a series of adventures, the children returned to their own time, grew up to become mid-ranking Marine officers after decades of struggle, and eventually arrested an evil town mayor.
Time flowed differently inside the mist, and space seemed distorted too.
As for other details, he couldn't really remember much.
The only thing that stuck was how Robin wore an absolutely hideous outfit in that arc.
Remembering that outfit, Dier gave her a weird look.
Robin: "?"
Noticing his gaze, Robin looked herself over in confusion.
Khaki pants and a white top—nothing seemed out of place.
"Is there something strange about me?"
"Nothing!"
Dier shook his head, dispelling the memory.
"Let's go, we're heading to the port."
As for the hunter's family?
They'd meet again if fate allowed.
Right now, he just wanted to leave this bizarre island as soon as possible.
Hina blinked curiously upon hearing this:
"Shouldn't we stay to investigate, solve some monster mystery, then set sail amidst the villagers' cheers?"
That's how it always went in the adventure stories she'd read.
"No no no, I'm all about playing it safe."
Dier pointed at Hina, trying to dissuade her from such dangerous ideas:
"A fourteen-year-old former rich girl, a twelve-year-old hypnotist, and a ten-year-old history PhD—do we look like a combat team? We don't!"
"Our priority now is avoiding trouble and staying safe. When I can punch this island into the sea someday, then we can explore however we want!"
"Punch an island into the sea? That's impossible for humans. Hina doubts."
"Of course it's possible. There was this guy who shattered mountains after just two years of training."
"Coincidentally, you've got pink hair too—maybe you should try it sometime."
The three of them chatted as they walked toward the vehicle rental shop.
It would take two days to reach the port on foot, but only one day by carriage.
"We're broke!"
In front of the rental shop, Robin held up a small bundle, on the verge of tears.
They had left in such a hurry that they only brought a change of clothes, nautical charts, a compass, and the Hypnosis Tool.
"Should we sell this?"
Robin took out a pocket watch, intending to sell it for money.
Dier quickly snatched it away.
"This is custom-made, it's really valuable, you know."
He stuffed the watch into his pocket, then turned to Hina with a grin:
"We can sell something else instead."
...
"Alright, now we've got money."
Dier counted the coins with satisfaction—exactly 300,000 Belly, no more, no less.
"Come on, our big contributor, I'll carry you."
He bent down and half-squatted, gesturing for the exhausted Hina to climb onto his back.
The money had been earned thanks to Hina's ability.
A half-meter-long, thumb-thick, extremely sturdy Black Gun.
He had originally planned to sell it as an iron rod—after all, it was far too short to even be considered a short spear.
But to his surprise, the weapons shop owner took a liking to it at first glance, saying he'd sell it as a children's toy.
"The length is just right, the weight is perfect, and it'll even help kids exercise while they play. This thing's gonna be a hit!"
Dier didn't understand and was utterly baffled.
What kind of child would play with a solid steel rod?
He didn't dwell on the question—selling it as a product was definitely more profitable than selling it as scrap metal.
After Hina exhausted her strength to produce a batch of Black Guns, the shop owner happily paid them 300,000 Belly.
With the money, the trio first replaced Hina's pajamas, then bought some food, rented a carriage, and set off.
Half a day passed, the sun dipped below the horizon, and night fell.
The three of them squeezed together in the carriage and made do for the night.
By noon the next day, they finally arrived at the port town.
This was the island's royal capital, with a domed castle standing in the town center—the palace.
The trio had no intention of sightseeing. Instead, they found a restaurant, planning to leave the island after lunch.
"The town has no guards, and there are no restrictions on coming or going."
Inside the private dining room, Dier speared a steak in front of him and swallowed it in one bite, sighing to the two girls beside him:
"The people here are really simple and honest."
Not only were there no guards, but some shops didn't even have attendants—customers just paid on their own honor.
In some countries, looting sprees would've already happened several times over.
But here, people took it for granted and all paid willingly.
"Also, there isn't even a single newspaper here!"
Robin nibbled on her sandwich, muttering about her observations along the way.
She had used her ability to check while walking—whether in homes or shops, there wasn't a single thing resembling a newspaper.
Hina had recovered by now and was focused on the grilled meat in front of her, eating as she spoke:
"If that blond curly-haired guy's curse is real, then the lack of newspapers makes sense."
"After all, news from the outside world would only make people yearn more for life beyond the sea."
"Aside from the unknown curse, this place is paradise—
People live and work in peace, trusting each other, while soldiers guard the coast, so the citizens don't have to worry about safety at all."
"The king here is a good man."
Hina sighed.
Dier picked up a napkin and wiped his mouth, not bothering to confirm Hina's speculation.
Ever since entering this town, he had a strange feeling, as if someone was calling out to him.
"Finished eating?"
Robin and Hina nodded.
"Then let's go. We'll find a ship at the harbor and leave."
Dier stood up and pushed open the private room's door, only for his expression to abruptly change.
Outside the door, a row of soldiers had appeared at some unknown time.
Clad in silver armor, they held long spears in their right hands and small round shields in their left, forming a wall-like barrier at the entrance.
The leader wore a full-faced helmet and, like a medieval knight presenting a king's sword, held a Den Den Mushi in both hands.
"I am Soldier Dier, here to convey His Majesty's command."
Click~
The Den Den Mushi connected, and a hoarse voice spoke:
"Dier, you're under arrest."
—Could the Rainbow Mist be an interdimensional passageway, connecting to the Gourmet Universe and Gourmet Planet? And this place is another universe, no longer part of the original One Piece world.