Haruko didn't say a word. Instead, she focused entirely on carefully selecting the right gemstone accessories for Yamato. She moved with purpose, picking through the pile of sparkling jewels. Ten or so minutes passed quickly as she worked.
"There. Doesn't this look much better than that mess you put together yourself, Young Master?" Haruko looked at the much more refreshed Yamato and nodded with satisfaction.
"How is that possible? I don't believe it. Bring me a mirror, I want to see for myself," Yamato said, reaching out to grab a hand mirror. When she took a look at her reflection, her mouth fell open in shock. "How can this be... there are so many fewer gemstones!"
Hearing this, Haruko nearly stumbled and fell over. "Young Master, please try to be normal for once. This is what actually suits you."
"But you took off way too many gems," Yamato grumbled, though she finally started to take a serious look at herself in the glass.
Looking closely, she had to admit it was very well-coordinated, even if it wasn't as vibrantly colorful as her own chaotic arrangement.
"The colors that suit you best, Young Master, are primarily gold, followed by red and pink. Other colors just end up looking too gaudy on you," Haruko explained.
She had used gemstones of those three specific colors to decorate Yamato. On her wrists were bracelets made of pink gemstones strung together, which complemented her skin tone perfectly. Each string consisted of twelve gems, each about the size of a pearl and uniform in shape.
Around her neck was a matching pink gemstone necklace with nine stones in total. They gradually increased in size from the sides to the center, with the largest stone being the size of a pigeon egg. The necklace didn't feel heavy at all and circled her neck perfectly.
On Yamato's head, she wore three diamond-shaped gold gemstone chains like a circlet, with teardrop-shaped gold gemstones hanging from them. The three gold gems rested against her forehead—the large one in the middle and smaller ones on the sides—their luster crystal clear. Additionally, butterfly-shaped gold gemstones were pinned to the strands of hair on both sides of her forehead. Her earrings had also been replaced with teardrop-shaped gold gemstones. Finally, Yamato's pair of red horns were adorned with red agates, slipped over them like rings.
"Oh my, I have to say, it really does look like something," Yamato thought. The more she looked, the more she forgot about her original way of wearing them.
After Haruko's touch, she now looked like a young lady from a wealthy family. In contrast, what she had just put together was too flashy, with the loud air of a nouveau riche pirate, failing to highlight any actual elegance.
"Are you satisfied with this, Young Master?" Haruko asked with a slight smile.
"Well... how should I put it... I suppose I'm satisfied. Thank you, Haruko, you really are my good friend, hahaha!" Yamato laughed loudly.
Haruko rolled her eyes. "Don't think a 'hahaha' can just brush this aside. Young Master, do you realize what's wrong with your aesthetic sense now?"
"I know, I know. Haruko, you're really strict. I'll work hard to improve my aesthetics in the future," Yamato said, seeing she couldn't laugh her way out of it.
"That won't be necessary. In the future, just obediently listen to me on these matters, Young Master," Haruko said bluntly.
Yamato glared at her. "Aren't you just cutting off any possibility of me improving? That's too cruel!"
"Don't force yourself, Young Master. Some things are better left to others," Haruko replied, looking at her expressionlessly.
Under the gaze of Haruko's cold eyes, Yamato's scalp felt a bit numb. "Fine, fine, I understand. We'll do it your way, Haruko. Just don't look at me like that, it's creepy."
"Sigh, just don't force yourself to do things you aren't capable of in the future," Haruko sighed. By now, she had given up on expecting Yamato to act like a normal woman.
"Don't keep repeating it over and over, okay? Didn't I already agree? Honestly," Yamato grumbled under her breath.
"Young Master, what did you say? I didn't hear you clearly," Haruko's airy voice drifted over.
Yamato immediately shook her head. "No, you misheard. I didn't say anything!"
Later that day, the people sent by King arrived to take over the treasures on Yamato's ship, preparing to transport them back to Wano Country.
"Why didn't Jack come to receive them personally?" Yamato asked.
"Young Master, Lord Jack has already gone elsewhere. He said he didn't have time to come here," the subordinate replied.
Yamato didn't believe it for a second. "That simpleton. He's definitely avoiding me on purpose. He's actually learned how to be smart."
"Isn't this a good thing? Without Lord Jack here, you can do whatever you want. If Lord Jack were here, you wouldn't be so free," Haruko pointed out.
"That's true, but it's a pity. I hasn't even shown off my Devil Fruit to him yet," Yamato said, looking at the glass box in her hand. Inside was a plantain-shaped fruit.
It was the specific Devil Fruit Yamato had found on that deserted island recently—the Zoan Type, Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Crocodile.
"Young Master, even if you wanted to show off, this is only a regular Zoan Type. It has no value for showing off. It would be different if it were an Ancient Type," Haruko said bluntly. Jack certainly wouldn't be impressed by a common predator fruit like this.
"Is that so? Then never mind. You guys take this Devil Fruit back too. It's useless to keep it with me," Yamato thought for a moment before tossing the glass box to a subordinate.
"Yes, Young Master! We will surely transport everything back to Wano Country safely!" the subordinate said with a serious expression.
Yamato nodded and waved her hand. "Go on then."
Soon, the subordinates departed with the cargo.
"Young Master, what about the gemstones? Why didn't you let them take those back?" Haruko asked, puzzled.
Yamato rolled her eyes. "Giving gemstones to them would be a waste. It's better to keep them for ourselves. When we get back, we can give them to Maria. She and the dancers under her can use them."
Haruko looked at Yamato in surprise. "I didn't expect you to have such a thoughtful side, Young Master."
"Of course I do. I'm what they call 'rough but refined.' Usually, people just can't tell," Yamato chuckled.
"Yes, yes. Whatever you say, Young Master," Haruko replied with a skeptical look. Having followed Yamato for so long, she knew exactly who she was dealing with.
Just then, a News Coo flew over from a distance, carrying a bag of newspapers and Bounty posters.
"The News Coo is here," Haruko noted. She expertly paid the bird and bought a newspaper along with a set of the latest Bounty posters.
"Let's see if there's any interesting news," Yamato said. She took the newspaper, walked to the side to sit down, and began reading leisurely.
Haruko looked at the stack of posters in her hand, flipping through them one by one. New posters usually meant a pirate's bounty had changed or a new threat had been identified by the World Government. She scanned the faces and numbers, looking for anyone of note.
The wind whipped the edges of the paper as Yamato scanned the headlines, looking for anything that might disrupt the balance of the Grand Line.