"Oh, oh, oh~"
"Are you leaving already, Mr. Roland!"
"We haven't properly thanked you yet!"
"Everyone from the other villages also wants to thank you!"
When the news of their benefactor's imminent departure was known, Cocoyasi Village was in an uproar.
All the villagers who received the news spontaneously came to the port, either to persuade them to stay or to see them off.
After learning that Roland's decision to leave was firm, the villagers busied themselves preparing various local specialties.
"Oh, right, Nami? Where's Nami? Mr. Roland and the others are leaving, how can Nami not come to see them off!"
Genzo, who was bustling with activity, thought of Nami and couldn't help but look anxious.
"It's alright, Mr. Roland, Nami is a big girl now, we don't need to worry about her anymore!"
Nojiko smiled faintly, completely unconcerned.
The "Never Empty Army" set sail, gradually moving further away.
Just then.
"Oh, oh, oh, my wallet is gone!"
"Mine too... When did it disappear?"
"This silent method, could it be Nami?"
"Look, there's still someone on the stern of Mr. Roland's ship who hasn't gotten off!"
"Oh, oh, oh, that person is... Nami!"
"Hahaha, goodbye, Nami!"
"Be sure to come home often!"
The villagers, realizing what was happening, laughed, scolded, and waved.
"Everyone, goodbye~"
Nami playfully stuck out her tongue, holding a dozen wallets in her arms.
"They really left!"
Genzo felt a sense of loss.
"Don't worry, Nami has met the best companions..."
Suddenly, a scene flashed in Nojiko's mind.
Under the bright, flowing moonlight, a young man and woman in the orange grove...
"Is it really that amazing? If they come back next time, maybe I could... No, no, no, what am I even thinking!"
Nojiko shook her head repeatedly, her face burning hot.
On the other side.
The "Never Empty Army."
"Navigator Nami reporting, everyone, please take care of me from now on~"
Nami saluted energetically.
"Please take care of us, Nami!"
"That's great, Nami!"
Thor and Kuina were both beaming, genuinely happy about Nami's addition.
"Mr. Roland, what's wrong? This should be me leaving my hometown, but you look even more down than I do?"
Nami asked, puzzled.
"No, no, no, not down, just a small problem!"
Roland waved his hand.
"What problem? Tell me, I'll definitely help if I can!"
Nami patted her chest confidently.
"Hmm, it's like this, I just learned a new stealing skill, and now I'm a bit eager to try it out on someone!"
Roland said.
"Stealing skill?"
Nami was startled at first, then her eyes lit up. What a coincidence, it's her old profession.
"No need to find anyone else, just find me. But I'm the famous Little Cat Burglar of the East Blue, I've always been the one to steal from others, it's absolutely impossible for anyone to secretly steal something from me~"
Nami said proudly, then stood up and placed her wallet between the 'valley of justice' in front of her.
"Come on, Captain, try to steal the wallet from me!"
Nami provocatively beckoned, her heart both nervous and expectant.
Because once Roland made his move, he would inevitably touch her...
"Alright then!"
While Nami was lost in thought, Roland also prepared to'strike'.
He raised his right hand from several meters away, and the next second, his palm suddenly glowed.
Steal skill, activate!!!
Roland clenched his right hand, and the warm sensation that followed indicated that the skill activation was successful this time.
He had indeed stolen something from Nami's person, but... it didn't seem to be a wallet.
"Is it over?"
Kuina, observing from the sidelines, tilted her head curiously.
"Cough cough, it's over!"
Roland nodded awkwardly.
"Huh? That's it?"
Nami was stunned, then reached out and took her wallet back out.
"See, see? I told you, no one can steal my wallet right under my nose!"
Nami said proudly, but a flicker of disappointment flashed in her eyes.
"Um... Little Nami, I never said I was stealing your wallet!"
Roland originally didn't want to reveal it directly, but seeing Nami's smug expression at the moment, he slowly opened his palm.
A small, palm-sized, sky-blue item with white stripes lay in Roland's palm.
"Huh? Huh huh huh!"
Nami's beautiful eyes suddenly widened, her voice rising by more than an octave, and she quickly covered her skirt with both hands.
Only then did she finally notice that it was chilly down below.
"This, this, this... You, you, you... When exactly?"
Nami was so shocked she couldn't even speak properly, her face a mix of shame and anger, with a hint of exhilaration.
"Really, Roland, how can you play such a trick on Nami~"
Thor said, taking the panties from Roland's hand and returning them to Nami.
Then, she leaned in and whispered in Roland's ear.
"Roland, if you like them, you can ask me for them, any style is fine~"
Roland: "..."
No... it was just a small joke.
Roland looked at Kuina, hoping she would smooth things over.
"Big Brother is an idiot!"
Kuina, misunderstanding Roland's meaning, quickly covered her little skirt and scurried into the ship's cabin.
No... I'm really not a hentai!
...
...
Marine 16th Branch.
A Marine warship docked at the branch port.
"Colonel Smoker, please wait a moment, Colonel Nezumi left this morning to visit Cocoyasi Village for a Condolences, I'll go inform him now!"