"The incident isn't happening in the conference room—it's happening on the ground!"
That line has apparently become a popular catchphrase lately.
And, as usual, it originated in one of my novels.
It's based on my experiences in the Drum Kingdom, combined with ideas inspired by a famous detective drama from my past life. I took that idea and turned it into a story titled "Hero of the Great Snow Mountain."
The story centers on a tragic accident on a "Winter Island."
A group of nobles enjoying snow sports on the island got caught in an avalanche and went missing.
Every second counted for the search and rescue, but the higher-ups in charge kept dragging their feet. They were too busy in endless meetings, asking pointless questions like, "Was safety management inadequate?" and "Who will take responsibility for this?" It was the kind of thing that made you want to shout, "Can't that wait?!" Their inaction only hindered the investigators on the ground who were fighting against time to save lives.
To make matters worse, they even started discussing how to divide the nobles' privileges if they were dead—a conversation so outrageously inappropriate it defied belief.
Yet when the location of the noble victims was finally discovered and rescue efforts were underway, the higher-ups began squabbling over who would send their subordinates to curry favor with the rescued nobles, further hindering the operation.
When frontline personnel dared to point out the absurdity, they were met with condescending remarks like, "How dare you commoners speak so impertinently?"
Enraged by his superiors' obsession with short-term gains and personal glory, with no regard for the victims' well-being, the protagonist delivered the impassioned speech that opens this story.
Moved by his words, the field commander defied orders and authorized the rescue. As a result, the nobles were saved without lasting injuries, making a full recovery.
And so, the story goes, a misconnected Den Den Mushi allowed a noble to overhear the entire exchange. Furious at the higher-ups for trying to scapegoat the field commander, he berated them and ordered a rescue based on justice. The protagonist and the field commander carried out the rescue and were hailed as heroes.
I received tons of fan mail saying things like, "They were so cool for defying orders and doing what was right!" and "It felt so good to see those stubborn old fools in charge finally get their comeuppance!"
Hearing these kinds of reader responses is one of the greatest joys of being a writer. I read every single letter and use them as fuel for my work.
Still, I've received some rather critical opinions from certain nobles, complaining that the story portrays them and their subordinates as fools and that commoners can't possibly understand the complex circumstances nobles face.
Well, I take it as just one perspective. There are always different ways of seeing things.
Maybe... could it be that they saw their own past misdeeds reflected in the story and felt uncomfortable? That might be a bit of a cynical interpretation, though.
But whenever I write stories that "bring down those in power," these kinds of reactions always pop up. It's almost predictable.
Anyway, that's enough about my writing career. Time to move on to the next interview—or should I say, the next adventure?
This time, it's not just about seeking thrills and excitement on an adventure... I'm heading to a place with a specific purpose in mind.
***
And so, I've arrived in Elena, the Shipbuilding Town!
I'm here to commission my new ship!
The one I'm using now is a cheap, secondhand model I bought as-is.
It was easy on the wallet at the time, but its performance is just... mediocre.
Lately, I've been working hard as a bounty hunter and pushing myself with my writing, so I've managed to save up quite a bit of money.
At the same time, my current ship is starting to show its age. There aren't any major leaks or visible damage, but the sounds are a bit off, and it just feels unreliable.
When I considered replacing it, I thought, "Why not go all out and get a custom-made ship?"
When I thought about shipbuilding, the first place that came to mind was Water Seven, the Water City.
It's the world's largest shipbuilding town, featured in the One Piece original work. It's home to the Galley-La Company, the World Government's official shipbuilders, and where Luffy's new ship, the Thousand Sunny, was built.
But Water Seven is just too far from where I am now. With my terrible navigation skills, I'm not confident I could even make it there safely.
Besides, I'm pretty sure the Galley-La Company hasn't even been established yet at this point in time. If I remember correctly, Tom the shipwright is still developing the Sea Train.
Well, it doesn't really matter. There are plenty of other shipbuilding companies besides Galley-La, right?
So, if not Water Seven, where else could I get a ship built? I started looking around and, surprisingly, found another famous shipbuilding town relatively nearby.
It turned out to be Elena.
*Did this town even appear in the One Piece manga? I don't remember hearing about it... Oh well.*
Anyway, I'd arrived safely, so it was time to get my ship built.
I'd already done my research and decided which shipyard to commission.
When I went to their office to discuss the project, they were incredibly professional and clearly experienced. They quickly asked detailed questions about the type of ship I wanted, then promptly gave me a rough estimate for the construction time and cost.
The timeline was much shorter than I'd anticipated, and the price was well within my budget. I didn't hesitate to place the order.
So now, all that was left to do was wait for the ship to be finished...
"Well, I'm pretty bored."
Just waiting around like this is excruciatingly dull, and since I've gone to the trouble of coming to another island, I might as well explore a bit.
But unlike Drum Kingdom, this island doesn't have majestic natural scenery. If anything, its main attraction is shipbuilding itself.
Still, barging into a shipyard might be pushing it. I'd definitely get in the way if a total amateur like me started wandering around.
'In Water Seven, ordinary citizens seemed to tour the shipyards freely, right? Maybe that company was just unique? No, wait—they probably didn't actually go inside the yards. So watching from outside should be fine, right?'
When I asked a local, they said there wouldn't be any problem with watching from a distance, like from a high vantage point.
Just as the locals had said, the inn's rooftop offered a perfect view of the port. I grabbed a bento from the shop and headed up.
Peering through my portable telescope at the shipyard, I found it surprisingly fascinating.
"Shipbuilding Town" lived up to its name—there was such a variety of ships.
Of course, there were the usual sailing vessels, but also some vaguely mechanical-looking ones with apparent propulsion systems, giving them a sort of steampunk vibe. There were hulking warships, and even more heavily armed vessels—loaded with weapons to an absurd degree. And steamships too!
Even among the sailing ships, there was tremendous diversity: sleek, streamlined racing yachts alongside massive, tanker-like behemoths that looked capable of carrying enormous crews.
Smaller craft included rowboats and gondolas. I guess those count as ships too... I wonder if they handle those kinds of vessels here as well?
It looks like they could even handle transporting ships on other ships, like Kawasaki ships or lifeboats.
But as far as I can see, there aren't any pirate ships here. Not exactly surprising, though.
I guess Galley-La was unique in that they'd take on any ship, no matter who it belonged to, as long as the money was good. The townspeople there seemed completely used to dealing with pirates, too.
I mean, you wouldn't expect a regular shipyard to handle pirate ships, would you?
It's not uncommon on the Grand Line islands, though.
Jaya's Mock Town is a prime example. There are plenty of towns and islands where pirates and anyone else who spends money are welcomed as regular customers.
I've heard two explanations for why the World Government lets these places be. Either they just don't care enough to intervene, leaving them lawless, or they have the power to crack down if things get too out of hand, so they let them do what they want. That's how they usually classify them, anyway.
Mock Town is a prime example of the former, while Water Seven exemplifies the latter.
But this island doesn't seem to fit into either category.
It looks like they just build ships commissioned by private companies... Huh?
Wait a minute... I think I see a pirate ship!
Just one, but it's definitely there.
It's anchored at the edge of the port... Wait, no, it's not anchored. It looks like it's just about to anchor.
Or maybe it's just entering the port now?
The people in the port are panicking. They're pointing at the incoming pirate ship...
On the pirate ship, the pirates are brandishing swords and guns, roaring triumphantly...
***
Ah, right. They weren't here as customers; they've come to raid the town.
That explains it. No wonder the pirates were bristling with bloodlust, and the port residents were panicking and fleeing.
The commotion seemed to be spreading to the lower levels of the inn and throughout the town. Word must have gotten out.
Ah, so that's what's happening.
***
Hmm, "I see" doesn't quite cover it.
I can't just stand here. If this town gets attacked, I'll be in trouble. I was just about to have them build me a new ship!
I'll step in quickly before things get too bad. They seem to be struggling, so the townspeople probably won't mind.
To be continued...