The night was as dark as ink, yet Arlong Park blazed as bright as day under the bonfires.
News of Arlong and his crew being completely wiped out had transformed years of suppressed fear and humiliation into a wave of wild celebration. People carried homemade wine and grilled seafood, turning this once-terrifying place into a grand feast.
Bahr sprawled by the pool, serving as a human pillow, surrounded by starry-eyed girls. Their gazes shimmered with admiration and gratitude as they took turns offering him drinks.
A girl with twin ponytails handed him plum wine: "Try our homemade plum wine!"
Another in a floral dress waved grilled skewers excitedly: "These are freshly grilled squid, you have to try them..."
Bahr accepted everything without hesitation—sipping wine with one hand, munching on squid with the other, occasionally pretending to fumble for a playful reaction that earned him giggles and playful shoves from the girls. He grinned so wide his eyes nearly disappeared.
Just look at this scene—being toasted by all the village girls was even better than becoming the Pirate King. If he milked this hero status a bit more, he might even get to share a bed tonight.
But the moment that thought crossed his mind, Bahr immediately dismissed it. Being a hero meant becoming a target, shackled by so-called morality—utterly stifling. His ultimate goal was lazing around, fishing, and being a carefree slacker.
Hero? Not even a dog would want that title.
"Mr. Yanzu, would you honor me with a drink?" A gentle voice suddenly came from the edge of the crowd.
Bahr turned to see a woman with neat blue short hair, her sun-kissed skin glowing with health. Her fitted outfit accentuated her graceful curves, and her poised demeanor carried the air of a noble lady—this was Nami's sister, Nojiko.
She was like a beautiful flower that had bloomed in barren soil.
Nojiko handed him a seashell cup filled with coconut milk wine, her gaze scrutinizing yet unable to hide the gratitude in her eyes: "Thank you for everything you've done for the village."
"No need for thanks. Your sister hired me. The payment—"
Before he could finish, Nami burst in like a startled orange cat, frantically making faces at Bahr: "Nojiko, Yanzu here has always been a kind-hearted soul!"
Now free from years of oppression, Nami had completely let go—but the mention of "payment" made her ears burn red. The fact that she had offered herself as payment couldn't be known by the villagers. She didn't want them worrying about her anymore.
Nojiko frowned slightly, her eyes darting between the two. She had heard clearly—this Yanzu had been hired.
As the person who knew her sister best, Nami's flustered behavior made her sense something unusual.
Bahr didn't expose anything, continuing to joke around with the girls while holding his cup, occasionally making exaggerated toasts that drew laughter from the crowd.
But no matter how wild the celebration, it couldn't overpower Bahr's slacker nature. Before long, he slipped away early to his room.
"You've suffered all these years," Nojiko murmured in a quiet corner of the banquet hall, filling Nami's seashell cup with coconut milk wine, her eyes tinged with heartache.
She knew about Nami's deal with Arlong—how she had endured among his crew, risking herself to "gather" money all these years. She could only watch silently. And now, she had brought someone back to finally end Arlong's reign.
Nami bit her straw, forcing her voice to sound light, though her lashes trembled: "As long as everyone is free now, that's all that matters!"
Nojiko suddenly reached out and pinched Nami's cheek, pulling her so hard she nearly tumbled into her arms. Her tone was both concerned and stern: "Stop playing dumb with me. Since when did that Yanzu have a charitable heart? What exactly was the payment?"
She was grateful that he had liberated their village, but there's no such thing as a free lunch. From the way Nami had avoided her gaze earlier, she could guess the price had been steep.
Nami froze instantly, her expression turning awkward as she stammered, "It... it was just a casual favor. No payment needed. Don't worry about it."
Payment? Wasn't it just herself? As long as the village could have peace, she alone could bear this small cost!
Nojiko narrowed her eyes, about to press further.
Seeing this, Nami panicked and downed the Coconut Milk Wine in one gulp, coughing so hard she could barely speak: "I'm tired, going to bed now!"
With that, she bolted like a slippery eel.
Nojiko watched her younger sister flee in a fluster, biting her lower lip with eyes full of worry and confusion. After a moment's thought, she followed, arriving at the second floor of the amusement park just in time to see Nami sneak furtively into Bahr's room. Alarm bells rang in her mind.
What on earth was this little rascal up to?
The room was hazy with smoke. Bahr lounged lazily on the large bed, the cigarette between his fingers glowing faintly. Seeing Nami stumble in like a startled kitten, he smirked: "I thought a certain Little Cat Burglar wouldn't show up!"
To be honest, he'd genuinely believed this cunning thief might come up with some trick to weasel out of it.
Nami leaned against the door, chest heaving, as she patted her heart to feign composure and met Bahr's gaze: "I promised you, and I won't go back on my word."
Thinking of how he'd saved her village, waves of intense gratitude surged within her. In Nami's view, as long as the village could regain peace, what did sacrificing herself matter?
Bahr looked her up and down with interest, lightly tapping the headboard as he raised an eyebrow: "Then, let's fulfill our deal!"
The Nami before him was indeed pitiable, but he was no chivalrous hero. In this dog-eat-dog world, contracts ruled supreme. Since they'd struck a deal, there was no room for ambiguity.
If you can't do it, don't make promises. Moral obligations and heroic responsibilities meant nothing to him. At worst, he'd just keep his earlier promise to be gentle with Nami...
Nami took a deep breath: "First, our deal stays between us. Tell the villagers you helped out of the goodness of your heart, for free."
Even if she had to sacrifice herself, the villagers must never learn the truth. Those who'd just been freed from the fish-men's oppression shouldn't have to worry for her sake.
Especially since this man before her had easily wiped out Arlong's crew. If the villagers clashed with him, the consequences would be unthinkable.
"No problem," Bahr casually stubbed out his cigarette in the Seashell Ashtray. He only wanted Nami anyway—now he got both the person and the reputation. A complete win.
Nami's hanging heart finally settled. Looking at Bahr's roguish grin on the bed, her cheeks burned crimson. Though her hands trembled as they clutched her clothes, she steeled herself and crossed her arms to pull off her short-sleeved top.
Moonlight streamed through the window, draping Nami in a silvery glow that faintly outlined her delicate curves, creating an alluring silhouette...
Outside in the hallway, Nojiko pressed her back tightly against the door, her nails digging deep into her palms. Though muffled, the sounds from within the room carried clear meaning to her ears.
She knew Nami would have to pay a price, but never imagined she'd use herself as bargaining chip.
In an instant, Nojiko's eyes reddened. She raised her hand to knock, then let it drop helplessly. Finally, she dragged her exhausted body away.