"What now? Maybe we should still make a run for it!"
"I told you, stay calm." Dande watched Nami, who had started tugging at his sleeve again the moment she returned. He sighed. "Nothing is going to happen. And even if it does, I'm confident I can get us out."
"Fine! Fine! But that's a Marine Hero out there! Our Captain Dande had better be able to pull off some miracle cooperation with him." Seeing Dande's unwavering composure, Nami felt a bit more at ease.
She looked around, confused. "Where's Robin? She's not here either. Did she sneak off on her own?"
Robin has things to attend to. She'll be back later," Dande waved it off, offering no further explanation.
As for Garp...
To be honest, Dande wasn't entirely certain if Garp would "collude" with him. Garp was a man who slacked off, fished in troubled waters, and held plenty of double standards. Yet, as the Hero of the Marines, he possessed his own distinct sense of Justice.
In this cesspool of a world, there was no pure evil and no pure good. The Marines had their villains, and the pirates had their saints. Garp had his own internal compass for navigating that gray area.
As for the World Government and the Navy...
The sheer power the World Government displayed on the surface was enough to drive anyone to despair. Without a foolproof solution, "fishing in troubled waters"—protecting those below while deceiving those above—was the only practical form of Justice available to most.
Without overwhelming strength, one's choices were limited: become a fugitive pirate, become a puppet of the Government, or play the game from the middle.
As for Dande himself... he was simply taking advantage of the World Government and Marine Headquarters. This was a world belonging to the strong.
The strong could erase everything in an instant; the weak could only survive by following the rules—or rewriting them in secret.
Dande shook his head, looking down at his newspaper. "Well, at least it seems I won't be arrested today."
After all, Vice-Admiral Garp had just accepted a flatbread on his tab.
He looked up at the bewildered Nami. "If you're really that bored, go outside and help process the newcomers. We brought in quite a large crowd this time."
"Papa, are they really not going to sell us?"
"I... I don't know."
"Then, can I eat? It's white rice and big white buns. It smells so good!"
The man looked at his daughter's yearning eyes.
The words of rejection died in his throat. He didn't know if this was all an elaborate lie or if this was to be their "last meal" as free people.
Once they finished this meal, would they be shackled and sold to nobles, or worse, to the Celestial Dragons? Even as a refugee, he knew of those "Gods"—or rather, those demons.
He had heard that once you fell into the hands of a Celestial Dragon, you ceased to be human. You were a bug, meant to be crushed or tortured for sport.
But...
"Papa, I'm so hungry..."
Looking at his daughter's skeletal frame, the man, Pick, couldn't say no. His wife had already starved to death. He couldn't let his daughter follow her.
He remembered yesterday. They were citizens of the Witegen Kingdom—or rather, the "forgotten" citizens. To pay the exorbitant Heavenly Tribute, the King had confiscated their property and driven them to the desolate outskirts of the island to perish in silence.
Some said the King had learned this from the "most beautiful country in the East Blue," the Goa Kingdom—getting rid of "useless" citizens to keep the nation looking pristine.
The Goa Kingdom had even been praised by the Celestial Dragons for it.
Pick didn't know how beautiful that country was, but he knew that a nation that abandoned its own people was rotten to the core.
Yesterday morning, they had been scavenging in the wastes. Last night, a band of pirates had stormed the island and brought them here.
He remembered the bald pirate captain laughing when he saw that Pick had a daughter. "You've got a kid? Bring her! Bring everyone!"
He had thought they were being taken for the slave trade. But now...
Pick looked around, the scent of fresh food filling his nostrils. It wasn't just his daughter; he could barely contain himself. He was starving.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The sound of metal hitting metal snapped Pick out of his thoughts. He looked up to find himself at the front of the line.
Is it my turn already? Did the people ahead of me actually get food?
"Papa, Kati is really hungry!" the little girl whispered, staring at the serving window with longing. "Can I eat?"
Pick looked at the food, then at the others who had already received their portions. They sat nearby, looking dazed, as if they were in a dream, yet they were eating under the watchful, non-threatening eyes of the security force.
Maybe it is a dream. But even if it is, we should die with full bellies.
Pick's clouded eyes sharpened. He looked at his daughter. "Eat. We must eat our fill. This might be our last meal. Even if we have to die, we won't do it on an empty stomach. We can't become slaves; that is hell!"
Before Kati could ask what he meant, another Clang! Clang! rang out.
Pick flinched, expecting a blow for his words.
"Hey, hey! I've been waiting for you to move. I thought you were picky, but you're over here telling the kid scary stories!"
Pick looked up. Behind the counter stood a stout old woman in a white chef's coat that couldn't quite contain her bulk. She held a massive serving ladle.
"Bah! What's all this talk about dying?" the old woman grumbled. "This is Cocoyasi Town. This is Captain Dande's territory. There are no slaves here, and you aren't here to be sold."
She looked at the terrified little girl, her wrinkled face softening into a smile. "Don't be scared, little one. This isn't a bad place. From today on, you'll have a full belly and pretty clothes. No one's going to bully you."
"Really... really?"
"Of course. I wouldn't lie to a sprout like you—provided your father works hard." The woman brandished her ladle like a scepter. "Here, you can find a job. You can earn wages. You can eat well and have a warm bed. You can learn things, laugh loudly, and live every day in peace!"
She leaned in. "If you have a skill, you'll get a great job with high pay. If you have no skills, as long as you're willing to sweat, the factories will take you. We're desperately short on hands here!"
"Welcome to Cocoyasi Town, the most beautiful place in the East Blue. Now, quit stalling and pick what you want. Eat as much as you like, but don't waste it—and don't eat so much you get sick. You're going to be busy tonight!"
Under the old woman's urging, Pick walked away with a tray heaped with rice, steamed buns, savory vegetables, and meat—delicacies they hadn't seen in years.
As they sat down, Pick felt like he was floating.
"Papa, can I eat now?"
"Yes! Eat, Kati!"
He watched her start to wolf down the food, a smile finally tugging at his lips. He noticed another group entering the hall.
They were the ones who had arrived with him, but they looked different now. They were clean, their hair was washed, and they were all wearing identical grey sets of new clothes.
Pick was stunned. The impossibility of it all finally hit him.
"Papa, you eat too! It's the best thing Kati has ever tasted!"
Pick took a bite of a steamed bun. His world slowed down.
It's real.
Tears began to stream down his face, falling onto the tray.
If I work hard, can we eat?
He looked at his daughter, who was also crying while she chewed. Pick took a deep breath, his resolve hardening into iron. "Kati, Papa is going to work harder than anyone else."
"Mm!"
"I will. Even if it kills me!"
He looked toward the window where the old woman stood. His eyes were no longer filled with the fog of a refugee, but the fire of a man who had found something worth protecting.
Cocoyasi Town...
Captain Dande!
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