Chapter 35: What Did Kaya and Ralph Talk About?
The crisis in Syrup Village was like a summer downpour—intense in its arrival and swift in its departure.
When sunlight once again bathed this peaceful land, it brought not only tranquility but also farewell.
[Ding! Lufia, having fought side by side with you to defeat the evil Kuro and protect the village and companions, is extremely joyful. Her trust and dependence on you have deepened. Affection +10%.]
[Current Affection: 82%]
The system's prompt echoed in Ralph's mind, carrying a comforting warmth.
Close on its heels came Usopp's gratitude.
[Ding! Usopp sincerely thanks you for saving Syrup Village and Miss Kaya, establishing a [Friend] relationship with you. Acquired skill: Painting (Beginner)]
Painting? Ralph was momentarily taken aback, struggling to envision how this skill might prove useful on the high seas.
Moreover, according to the system's rules, the skill obtained when first establishing a Friend relationship with each companion was random and could only be acquired once. Rather than claiming a currently impractical skill now...
"System, store the Painting skill reward and choose to accumulate it," Ralph silently commanded.
He held onto hope that when his relationship with Usopp underwent its next qualitative transformation, it might yield a more practical ability—perhaps something related to Usopp's extraordinary sniping talent.
Next came recognition from the young lady Kaya.
[Ding! Miss Kaya is deeply grateful for your righteous act of saving her and the village, establishing a [Friend] relationship with you. Acquired skill: Medical Treatment (Beginner)]
This reward made Ralph's eyes light up!
For the Straw Hat crew, currently lacking a professional ship's doctor, this skill meant he could handle most common injuries and illnesses, serving as a half-doctor and significantly boosting the team's survival capabilities.
He felt genuinely happy—not only because Lufia's affection had surged again, but also because the crew's future voyages now had an added layer of security.
He noted that Merry, the old steward who designed and built the Going Merry, offered no skill rewards.
But this was understandable.
The debt of saving lives had already been repaid with the wholehearted creation of the Going Merry.
If both master and servant were completely trusting of Pirates, this vast estate would likely become even more precarious in the future.
After enduring Klahadore's betrayal, maintaining kindness was commendable enough. Retaining a measure of vigilance was beneficial for protecting this pure land.
Ralph sincerely hoped, as Usopp wished, that "Pirates are coming" would forever remain an unbelievable "lie" in the children's mouths, allowing this village to return to peace.
The moment of parting finally arrived.
As the Straw Hat crew made final preparations for departure aboard the Going Merry, a familiar long-nosed figure appeared atop the northern shore slope where he had once fought bloodily.
Usopp carried a giant backpack five or six times his size, stumbling along until he lost his balance and truly tumbled down like a rolling ball—an utterly comical sight.
"Pfft—hahaha!" Lufia pointed at the tangled Usopp, slapping the deck with unrestrained laughter.
Just like in the original storyline, though Usopp had long made up his mind, he stubbornly insisted he would set sail alone to become a great warrior of the sea.
Then, Lufia's pure and straightforward words, like sunshine melting ice and snow: "Haven't we already become comrades?"
That simple sentence instantly shattered all of Usopp's pretenses. All his anxiety, unease, and feigned strength vanished in that moment.
He vigorously wiped his face, hoisted his large backpack, and ran onto the ship while shouting, "Then... I want to be the captain!"
Lufia retorted, "Impossible! I'm the captain!"
After a few rounds of playful banter, Usopp seemed to seamlessly integrate into the Straw Hat crew.
Miss Kaya also came to see them off.
Her heart was filled with gratitude toward her saviors, but when she saw how Usopp and Lufia interacted, that indescribable discomfort and sourness surfaced once again.
Just as the Going Merry was about to set sail, its sails slowly adjusting their angle, Kaya suddenly stepped forward and said softly, "Please wait, I have one last thing to say."
Usopp's heart leaped, and he turned around full of anticipation, thinking Kaya had some parting words for him.
However, Kaya's gaze passed over him, her clear eyes fixed on Ralph by the ship's side.
"Mr. Ralph, may I... have a word with you?"
For a moment, everyone froze.
Nami blinked, Zoro raised an eyebrow, and Lufia tilted her head curiously.
Based on the events during the battle, Ralph and Miss Kaya had hardly crossed paths, let alone spoken alone.
Usopp, in particular, seemed as if he'd been struck by a paralysis spell, standing rigidly in place, feeling... a hint of the same sourness Kaya had experienced earlier.
Ralph himself was somewhat curious. He nodded, his figure lightly swaying as he leaped effortlessly from the ship's side, landing steadily in front of Kaya.
The sea breeze ruffled the strands of hair on his forehead and lifted Kaya's golden locks and white skirt.
The delicate frailty brought on by years of illness made her appear pitifully charming under the sunlight, evoking a sense of protectiveness.
She was the complete opposite of Lufia.
Ralph thought to himself, he preferred Lufia's vibrant, fiery, and pure sun-like energy, so naturally, he wouldn't be drawn to Kaya's gentle, delicate moonlight.
Unbeknownst to him, that effortless, powerful leap of his appeared incredibly dashing in the eyes of others.
At the very least, Usopp's three followers—Ninjin, Piiman, and Tamanegi—had completely turned into adoring fans, their eyes sparkling with admiration.
[Ding! The host's performance has earned the high admiration and favor of Ninjin, Piiman, and Tamanegi, establishing a [Friends] relationship with the three. No skills obtained.]
Ralph chuckled inwardly in resignation: Isn't that obvious? What earth-shattering skills could three little kids possibly have?
This inadvertently revealed, somewhat self-mocking smile was just caught by Nami on the ship.
Nami immediately made an exaggerated, disgusted expression and whispered to Lufia beside her:
"Hey, Lufia, look! That guy Ralph, does he really think he's that handsome?"
"He looks like the type who can't walk straight when he sees a beautiful girl! Flaunting his so-called charm again!"
"After flirting with her, he'll probably turn around and say something like 'I only have Lufia in my heart'—as if he's making some huge sacrifice for you!"
"Lufia, you absolutely must not fall for it! This is all just a bad guy's playbook!"
Lufia was picking her nose while turning her head with a dazed expression that clearly showed she had no idea what Nami was talking about!
Seeing this, Nami wore a look of exasperation, as if frustrated by her inability to improve, and shouted:
"A girl should act like a girl—stop picking your nose! And aren't you jealous that Ralph is talking to another girl?"
Lufia looked utterly bewildered.
"Jealous? I don't like dipping my meat in vinegar when I eat!"
"Pfft—!"
Zoro, who had just taken a swig of liquor beside them, spat it all out upon hearing this. He pounded the deck, roaring with laughter: "Hahaha! That's our Lufia for you!"
Nami stared at her completely clueless teammate, utterly speechless.
Usopp, who had just boarded the ship, deeply sensed the harmonious yet bizarre atmosphere on board and let out a couple of awkward chuckles.
But recalling Nami's words, he grew thoughtful, and a sudden surge of courage welled up inside him.
He scrambled to the ship's railing and shouted toward the shore at the top of his lungs: "Kaya! Wait for me! When I return next time, I'll tell you... stories of real adventures that sound even more unbelievable than lies!"
This youthful shout interrupted Kaya and Ralph's conversation.
On the shore, Kaya looked at Ralph. She had come to confirm one last thing.
"Mr. Ralph," she said softly, her voice tinged with shyness and resolve, "Miss Lufia... is the one you like, isn't she?"
Ralph was taken aback for a moment, then nodded frankly, his gaze tenderly fixed on the straw-hatted figure still laughing and roughhousing with Zoro on the ship. "Yes, without a doubt."
Hearing this definitive answer, Kaya seemed to finally let go of the last weight on her heart, revealing a relieved and sincere smile. "I see... Then I can rest easy."
No sooner had she spoken than Usopp's shout reached them.
Seeing Kaya's cheeks instantly flush red, Ralph couldn't help but laugh heartily. "Miss Kaya, now you must feel even more at ease, right?"
His words made Kaya's face turn even redder, like a ripe apple. She lowered her head, her toes unconsciously scuffing the ground.
Without another word, Ralph pushed off lightly with his feet, his figure sweeping back onto the deck of the Going Merry like the wind.
As the ship slowly departed from the port, Nami immediately sidled up to Ralph, lowering her voice with burning curiosity:
"Hey, Ralph! Out with it! What exactly did Miss Kaya whisper to you just now?"
Ralph shot her a sidelong glance and replied flatly:
"Lufia isn't curious, Usopp isn't curious—why are you so curious here?"
"If you won't tell, you must have something to hide!" Nami pressed relentlessly.
"Even if I did tell, it wouldn't be to you," Ralph retorted, shutting her down.
Nami was left fuming, scratching her head in frustration but unable to find a reason to keep pressing. She could only glare at Ralph, feeling as if a kitten were scratching at her heart.
Just as she was about to continue pestering him, Lufia rushed over, yelling "I'm starving!" and demanding meat from Ralph, while Zoro also approached, sword in hand, eager to "spar" with him.
Seeing Ralph instantly surrounded by "trouble," Nami had no choice but to grit her teeth and give up.
Usopp, who had just boarded the ship, took in the chaotic yet vibrant scene before him and instantly gained a clear understanding of the pirate crew he had joined.
It was immediately obvious who the true core of this crew was!
No matter what, a new voyage had begun!
Everyone raised their glasses, toasting to their new companion and this new ship that carried their dreams!
Amid the celebratory atmosphere, Lufia suddenly remembered something important and excitedly showed everyone the pirate flag design she had been planning for the Straw Hat Pirates!
How should I put it...
The concept was good—a straw hat and a skull.
But the execution... the skull was tilted to one side, the straw hat looked like it had been stepped on, and the wobbly lines were filled with an abstract postmodern artistic style.
Looking at this familiar soulful artwork, Ralph understood.
Indeed, the inertia of the plot was powerful.
He had originally planned to let things develop naturally, waiting for Usopp to take over the improvement work.
But a thought suddenly flashed through his mind!
Wait! If I can successfully improve the pirate flag, Lufia will definitely increase her favorability, right? Usopp's unlocked painting skill was probably prepared for this plot point.
Unfortunately, Ralph was destined not to choose that skill.
The first skill reward with his companions was incredibly precious—how could he waste it on painting?
So, this favorability would have to be earned through his own "ability"!
Once his competitive spirit was ignited, Ralph immediately fetched paint and brushes. Relying on a bit of artistic skill from his previous life and his precise control over arm strength in this life, he began creating on the blank pirate flag.
However, the ideal was full, but the reality was bony.
After much effort, Ralph ended up covered in paint from head to toe, looking like a calico cat that had fallen into a dye vat.
The skull and straw hat he painted were several times better than Lufia's abstract version, but compared to Usopp's work, it still fell short.
Failure!
Looking at Usopp's work, Ralph sighed inwardly—professional matters should indeed be left to professionals.
Usopp, realizing he had surpassed the seemingly omnipotent Ralph in the talent of painting, couldn't help but puff out his long nose with pride, his confidence swelling unprecedentedly.
"Hehehe! It's drawn so well! Usopp!"
Lufia was very satisfied with the final design and clapped her hands happily, "We'll paint it on the sail later!"
She turned excitedly to share her joy with Ralph, but the moment she saw his face smeared with red, white, black, and yellow paint, she froze for a second before bursting into unrestrained, sea-shaking laughter:
"Ahahahaha! Ralph! Your face... looks like a clown! Ahahahaha!"
Her laughter, as if magical, instantly infected everyone.
Zoro pointed at Ralph, laughing so hard he couldn't straighten up;
Nami, seeing Ralph's disheveled and helpless appearance, couldn't hold back her laughter either, her earlier slight gloom vanishing without a trace;
Even Usopp, who had just joined, chuckled along.
Mainly, Ralph always seemed wise and unflappable, so this comical appearance created such a stark contrast, full of the vibrancy of life.
Looking at his companions laughing hysterically, especially the Straw Hat Girl who was laughing the hardest, her eyes curved like crescent moons, Ralph's slight embarrassment dissipated, leaving only warmth and resignation.
Just then, the system's prompt sounded again, like heavenly music:
[Ding! Lufia feels immensely joyful at your adorably contrasting comical appearance, finding you more genuine and cute. Affection towards you has increased by 5%.]
[Current Affection: 87%]
Ralph was momentarily stunned, then joined in with hearty laughter.
"You... really are full of surprises!"
However, the cheerful atmosphere aboard the ship did not last long.
A few days later, a stark and severe crisis descended upon the newly launched Going Merry—
The food supplies were completely depleted!
***
T/N: From now on, I'll use Lufia instead of Luffy everywhere.