"Who are they? They're gorgeous…"
"They must be from another island. I saw them come in from the docks."
"Heard that girls from snowy countries all have skin that white. Maybe they're from one of those kingdoms."
Both sides of the commercial street were packed with gawking residents.
All eyes were fixed on the group of young women walking down the center of the road, whispers buzzing nonstop.
The girls kept their heads low, tense and uncomfortable under the sea of stares.
Well… except one.
At the very front, Clara strutted with chin raised high—
like a peacock showing off its full display.
She had grown up pretty, yes—
but not enough to draw this kind of attention alone.
The awe she received now was still largely the lingering prestige of her noble birth.
"Don't worry, everyone," she announced proudly. "With the money we have now, we can settle somewhere safely. We can even open a little shop. A bakery, perhaps? Daisy bakes so well—she'll be our head chef, and I'll handle the accounts!"
Clara thumped her chest with exaggerated confidence.
Among all of them, she was the most naïve, the most childish—
yet she firmly believed she was their "leader,"
and thus responsible for everyone's well-being.
The others—girls from small villages, who had never even left their home islands before being kidnapped by pirates—
could only cling to her guidance as they navigated this bustling, unfamiliar place, flushed and nervous.
A parade of beautiful young women strolling down the street…
Naturally, trouble wasn't far behind.
Soon, a group of rough men swaggered out and blocked their path.
"Hey pretty girls… where ya goin'? Why don't ya come play with us?"
One whistled.
Another laughed.
Their eyes were shameless and greedy.
"Move." Clara raised her voice with the dignity of aristocracy.
"I am a noble of the Kingdom of Lulusia."
"A noble of Lulusia, huh? Hah!"
The men burst into lewd laughter.
Jackpot.
Whether Lulusia was near or far didn't matter.
Even if she had been a noble of this very island—
what did law, rank, or responsibility mean to pirates?
Nothing.
"Get out of the way! Didn't you hear me!?"
Clara's bravado faltered as the men closed in, looking at her like a plump lamb waiting to be butchered.
"Someone! Guards? Law officers?"
"Hah! Once you're out at sea, you can scream all you want—maybe even until sunrise!"
Pirates.
Clara's pupils shrank.
Her body froze, instinctively remembering the nightmare she'd escaped from.
"Wait! I—I can pay ransom! Ten million! Twenty million—no, thirty! Anything!"
Her desperate offer only earned more laughter.
A filthy hand reached toward her.
Clara squeezed her eyes shut and screamed.
—SHING.
A scream answered her own—
but it wasn't hers.
Clara opened her eyes.
A small, black-haired figure stood before her, blade dripping.
"…Penny?"
Penny's face was blank, expression cold.
But her crimson irises burned fiercely—
too fiercely.
Her blade danced.
With each swing, a severed hand hit the ground.
The pirates howled, clutching their mangled wrists.
"Damn it—! Just wait!"
Realizing they had picked the wrong targets, they fled in terror.
Only then did Penny allow herself a breath—
a small exhale of tension escaping her lips.
She quickly hid her trembling hand behind her back.
Clara stared at the dismembered hands scattered across the stones.
"I… what do we do? Are we going to get him in trouble?"
Someone whispered.
The meaning of "him" was obvious.
Everyone fell silent, fear clouding their faces.
"This was my doing," Penny said quietly.
"It has nothing to do with you. Or with him."
Her voice was low, almost muffled by emotion.
Why…?
Why couldn't life stay peaceful even for a moment?
Why, just when she had finally found hope… did reality have to come knocking again?
But she didn't regret her decision.
She knew these types.
Showing weakness only fueled their cruelty.
Only decisive, brutal retaliation could prevent future trouble.
But she also knew—
I can't stay.
A brief flicker of sorrow passed through her eyes.
She looked down the road—toward where Davy was surely waiting aboard their ship.
This incident would burden him.
She refused to bring him trouble.
So—
"Since I acted, I'll take responsibility," she said, stepping away.
"Let's part ways here."
"P-Penny!"
"Don't go!"
"What do we—what do we do now!?"
But Penny didn't look back.
A few swift leaps, and her small figure vanished between the buildings.
"She… she really left."
"What should we do?"
"Hurting people in public—will she be hunted? Will she be fine?"
All eyes turned to Clara.
Clara inhaled deeply, calming her trembling heart.
"Everyone, stay calm."
She straightened her back, assuming her noble posture again.
"As a noble of Lulusia, I was the victim here. Those men attempted to abduct me. Penny acted to protect me. Even if this is brought before Enies Lobby itself, they cannot convict us."
At her firm tone, the others slowly relaxed.
Right.
Clara was a noble.
With her speaking on Penny's behalf, surely the authorities wouldn't pursue it.
But Clara looked toward the alley Penny disappeared into.
She knew it best:
this wasn't about guilt or innocence.
It was about fate catching up.
"We don't have time to waste," she said solemnly.
"I'll contact my family. All of you—scatter and search for Mr. Davy.
Tell him everything."
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