———
Out on the sea, a small-cabin sloop rode the wind.
On deck, Arthur looked helplessly across at Nami, who was excitedly counting beli. A little mountain of money was piled in front of her.
Above the two of them, a burlap sack hung from the mast. Inside was Buggy, bound hand and foot, a towel stuffed in his mouth, his eyes and ears covered.
"Do you like money that much."
Arthur sipped red wine and spoke to Nami as she counted.
"I love money and oranges the most."
Nami was so excited her cheeks turned rosy, her eyes completely taken over by $.
"Then next, are you going to steal pirate treasure and keep being a cat burglar."
"How about we work together."
Nami's eyes flicked. She suddenly made a proposal to Arthur.
"Work together."
Arthur was pleased inside, but on the surface he asked calmly, "How do we cooperate."
Even if Nami had said nothing, Arthur would have tried to keep her. She was the navigator he had set his sights on.
However, Nami bringing up cooperation on her own showed she already had some goodwill. What he had done in Orange Town made her affirm his character.
If Arthur were a pirate, Nami would never have said this. She would have parted ways already.
The key was that Arthur was a bounty hunter, a breath of fresh air among them, someone wholly trustworthy as a partner.
With a partner this strong, he was practically a money-making engine. Thanks to Arthur's ten million, Nami had already gathered one hundred million to buy back the village from Arlong. But money is never too much. If they could earn more, life in Cocoyasi Village would improve that much more.
Hearing Arthur's question, Nami knew there was hope. She said excitedly, "I can be your navigator. I can cook and take care of your daily life. I can gather intelligence. I only need half of the profits."
"Half. That is a bit of a lion's bite, but I don't mind. I can even hand all the money over to your management. But answer me this. Can you do laundry."
"Of course. Please leave it to me."
"Deal."
Arthur drained the wine and casually tossed the cloth bag beside him to Nami.
The mouth of the bag loosened. A torrent of gold coins poured out like a waterfall, golden light splashing across Nami's face.
"I love it, Lord Wind-Sword....."
A money slave. Watching Nami cradle the coins while throwing flirty looks, Arthur sighed inwardly.
"Since we are partners, you do not need to use my title."
Arthur set down the cup, rose slowly, and offered his right hand with a gentle smile. "My name is Arthur Pendragon. Call me Arthur."
"Na..... Nami. Call me Nami."
Seeing the soft aura around Arthur, Nami blinked, then smiled sweetly and reached out her right hand to clasp his.
Holding Nami's slender hand, feeling that smooth touch ripple in his heart, Arthur kept his face calm, smiled a little, and let go.
As Arthur sat back down, Nami packed the coins into the bag while secretly sizing up her new partner.
One had to admit, that thing called presence mattered a lot. When Arthur got serious, he radiated a force that could not be underestimated.
His warmth was like the sun, making people feel comfortably warm.
His knightly spirit made his words ring with sincerity, something others would trust without thinking.
Because of this presence, he drew the admiration of countless people in the East Blue. Even a cat burglar with eight years of experience like Nami had been won over so quickly.
As the saying goes, looks are justice.
.......
"Arthur, where is our destination."
After stowing coins and beli, Nami finally exhaled, her face still flushed with excitement, and asked Arthur.
"Loguetown first. We will turn Buggy in for beli."
Arthur nodded and pointed up at Buggy.
"No problem, but I want half."
At the word beli, Nami's eyes turned back into $ again. Arthur could only be speechless. "Fine."
Since they would be together from now on, Arthur did not mind her love of money.
Unless forced by circumstances, he probably would not take the path of piracy.
Money would only increase in the days ahead.
Giving it to Nami did not make his heart ache.
"Yay..... love you."
Hearing him, Nami blew him a kiss. Clinging to a thigh this strong, and one that treated money like dirt, felt wonderful.
.......
Loguetown was called the Town of the Beginning and the End, the place where Gol D. Roger was born and executed.
It also lay near the entrance to the Grand Line, the road one must take to reach Reverse Mountain.
Because of these two reasons, pirates flocked to Loguetown. Marine HQ therefore transferred Captain Smoker there. Under his command, the town that pirates once visited most became the safest in the East Blue.
Arthur knew this was because Smoker was a Logia user of the Smoke-Smoke Fruit. Logias were almost invincible on the Grand Line, let alone in the weakest East Blue.
Pirates who did not know the power of seastone and had no Haki were dead men walking when they met a Logia.
"We split up. Meet here in one hour."
Coming ashore, Arthur hefted the muffled Buggy in the sack and spoke to Nami, who was carrying that bag of coins.
"Mhm, no problem."
Nami nodded repeatedly. She was just about to find a shop to pawn some of the gold.