Dolon spoke in a reflective tone.
"I wasn't exactly a successful pirate when I was young. In the ten odd years I spent as one, I followed a lot of captains. Most of them either died or got captured. I was luckier than most. I survived every time, but I was always running for my life. The one thing from my years as a pirate that I can truly be proud of is that, because I was always on the run, I ended up visiting a lot of remote islands that hardly anyone ever sets foot on. After I came back to Alchemi Island, I had nothing much to do, so I made these sea charts and marked down the locations of those islands, along with the conditions on each one. Take a look and see whether any of them suit you. Consider it a small contribution from this old man toward changing the world."
Yemu instantly perked up. This really was an unexpected gift.
But Dolon was not done surprising him yet.
Dolon reached into the bag again and pulled out a fruit shaped like a golden apple, covered in spiral patterns. With a complicated look on his face, he said, "Take this too. At my age, it's useless to me anyway."
Yemu froze on the spot.
For a moment, he even wondered whether he had seen it wrong, or whether Dolon simply had no idea what it was.
Clearly, he was mistaken.
Dolon said, "I found this Devil Fruit by accident while I was out fishing. It was in an abandoned pirate ship drifting at sea. If I had been younger, I would have eaten it myself, but by then I was already old. I did not want to waste a Devil Fruit like this, so I kept it hidden all this time. Now I'm giving it to you. Take it as my thanks for the food you've shared with me over the past day or so."
"This is way too valuable."
Dolon looked at Yemu and said with open disdain, "Do not get the wrong idea. This is not for you. It's for those two little girls. I do not know what ability this Devil Fruit has, but it should be enough to help one of them gain the strength to protect herself."
As he spoke, Dolon set the fruit on the table beside Yemu, then slowly got to his feet.
"Alright, it's late. I'm going back to rest. You should leave tomorrow morning too. I just hope I live long enough to see the day you make your dream come true..."
With that, he turned to leave.
But just then, something seemed to occur to him. He looked back at Yemu and said, "You should give that child a name. A codename like Baby-5 is not fair to a little girl like her..."
After saying that, he leaned on his cane and slowly shuffled away.
Yemu fell into thought at once...
...
At first light, when everyone got up and came to the shore, they saw Yemu standing there with his head lowered, studying a roll of parchment.
Before anyone could figure out where the parchment had come from, the golden Devil Fruit on the table drew all of their attention.
"Is that... a Devil Fruit!?"
Tiger walked over and asked in disbelief. Judging by its appearance, it was obviously not the Iro Iro no Mi that no one on the ship had eaten yet.
"Captain, did you find some kind of treasure last night?"
Yemu shook his head and handed the parchment in his hand to Tiger.
"Take a look."
Then he waved at the others in the distance.
"Ayala, Baby-5, you two come over here with everyone else."
Ayala and Baby-5 walked over with the others, all of them looking a little confused after being called over by name.
By then, Tiger had gotten a clear look at what Yemu had handed him. The more he looked, the more shocked he became. He could not help but ask in astonishment, "Captain, where did you get something this valuable? Countless people would love to get their hands on this."
"Dolon-san gave it to me last night. Dolon-san is the old man living in the lighthouse."
As he spoke, Yemu recounted everything that had happened the night before, word for word.
As they listened, everyone looked up toward the lighthouse on top of the small hill, their faces full of admiration.
Tiger, in particular, looked at the sea charts in his hands and said,
"These sea charts are priceless in the New World, let alone this Devil Fruit... Dolon-san has truly done us an enormous favor..."
"Yeah."
Yemu nodded, then picked up the golden Devil Fruit and beckoned Ayala over.
Looking at the Devil Fruit in Yemu's hand, Ayala seemed to realize something and immediately grew nervous.
Sure enough, Yemu said, "Ayala, everyone has always seen how hard you work. Last time, when you said you wanted to eat a Devil Fruit, I turned you down because I felt the Iro Iro no Mi was not worthy of you. But now things are different."
Yemu looked at the Devil Fruit in his hand and continued, "Originally, since you are the doctor on our ship, the Devil Fruit I wanted to find for you was another extremely precious one called the Ope Ope no Mi. But I did not expect this one to appear right in front of us. Maybe this is fate. First, this was Dolon-san's wish. He specifically said it was for you and Baby-5, but Baby-5 already has a Devil Fruit, so it can only go to you. Second, in my view, this Devil Fruit is no weaker than the Ope Ope no Mi. If the Devil Fruit encyclopedia on the ship is correct, then this Devil Fruit is the Raki Raki no Mi, the Luck Fruit."
"The Luck Fruit? A Devil Fruit like that really exists?"
Everyone was stunned by the name.
There were quite a few Devil Fruits aboard the Sky Pirates' ship, but almost all of them were valued for direct and practical abilities. Something as mysterious and intangible as luck was something none of them had ever heard of before.
"Yeah, that is why I said this Devil Fruit is incredibly powerful. How should I put it?"
Yemu did not want to make it sound too complicated, so after thinking for a moment, he explained it in simpler terms.
"If this Devil Fruit is developed properly, then in my opinion, it is a Devil Fruit that can let its user get whatever they wish for."
"Wh... whatever they wish for..."
Even Ayala was startled.
"That's right. The encyclopedia does not say much about its exact abilities, but according to what is recorded there, this Devil Fruit can change the user's luck. As a doctor, medical skill is important, but luck can be just as indispensable at times. So this Devil Fruit suits you very well too."
As he spoke, Yemu placed the Raki Raki no Mi into Ayala's hands under her stunned gaze.
Looking at the powerful Devil Fruit in her hands, Ayala's eyes gradually turned resolute.
Her older brother Erik also looked at Yemu with excitement and gratitude.
"Alright, now that we are done with Ayala, it is your turn, our ship's little bundle of joy."
Baby-5 blinked blankly when Yemu looked at her. She did not understand why Yemu-sama had suddenly turned to her. Before she could react, his warm and broad hand gently rubbed her little head.
"Before Dolon-san left last night, he said something that made a lot of sense, so I have decided to give you a name. Starting today, you are not only our Sky Pirates' little Baby-5 and our little sunshine, you are also everyone's little sister. Erza."
At that point, Yemu said a little awkwardly, "Well, I am really terrible at naming things. I thought about it all night, and this was the only name I could come up with, so if you do not like it, we..."
Before he could finish, the little girl who had been given a new life from Baby-5 into Erza burst into tears and threw herself straight into Yemu's arms.
"Waaah... no... Baby-5 likes the name Erza. From now on, Baby-5 is Erza. Yemu-nii-san, Erza... Erza is so happy... so happy... Erza finally has a family... Erza will not be thrown away anymore..."
At that moment, everyone watching Erza sobbing in Yemu's arms could not help but feel their own eyes grow wet.
Only after she had cried for a long while did Yemu rub Erza's little head and say, "Alright, from today on, you have to be happy. From now on, you are not the little maid Baby-5 anymore. You are Queen Erza of our Sky Pirates."
After saying that, he turned to Ayala.
"You too, Ayala. Grow up healthy and happy."
Ayala wiped the tears from her eyes, hugged the Devil Fruit tightly in her arms, and nodded hard.
Only then did Yemu look at Flare, whose eyes were also filled with tears, and say, "I will have to trouble you later, Flare. Dolon-san gave us something this precious, so we cannot just leave without giving anything in return. After Ayala eats the Devil Fruit, take Ayala and Erza with you to prepare something for Dolon-san as thanks. You two little ones should also keep Dolon-san company and chat with him for a while. Then this afternoon, we will set sail and leave Alchemi..."