Chapter 76: Women... Are Really Hard To Please!
Sanji's voice was filled with agony:
"I must protect Miss Nami's orange trees! And I can't refuse Miss Lufia's requests either! God!"
"What have I done wrong?! Why must I face such an impossible choice—!!!"
Zoro leaned against the mast, holding his swords, watching the scene unfold before he couldn't resist taunting:
"Poor cook. Tormenting himself between two women... I'm afraid he'll break before we even reach the Grand Line."
Sanji whipped his head around, eyes burning with rage:
"Green-haired bastard—!!! What did you say—?!"
"I said," Zoro repeated leisurely, "you'll torture yourself to death over women sooner or later."
"You—!!!"
Just as the two were about to start arguing again.
Ralph's attention was drawn to the newspaper in Nami's hands.
He could understand this world's written language, thanks to the basic ability package from the Foosha Village residents.
Having been in this world for so long, he had been completely focused on Lufia and the pirate crew.
Acting as navigator, cook, doctor, while also worrying about battles and rewards.
So much so that he hadn't even had time to experience this world's local customs.
Seeing Nami reading the newspaper today reminded him that this was actually a very important setting in the world of One Piece.
Just as Ralph was thinking this...
"Rustle."
As Nami flipped through the newspaper, a piece of paper tucked inside fluttered out and landed on the deck.
It was a wanted poster.
A new wanted poster.
Yes, this was one of the newspaper's main functions besides reporting news.
Newspapers circulated throughout the world were one of the World Government's most effective means of publicizing wanted posters.
And on this wanted poster was printed a bright, smiling face, wearing a straw hat, grinning to show white teeth, eyes curved like crescent moons.
Below it read:
[Monkey D. Lufia]
[Dead or Alive]
[Bounty: 30,000,000 Berry]
Lufia leaned over, took one look, and then—
"HAHAHAHA—!!!"
She burst into laughter, picking up the wanted poster and raising it overhead:
"We're wanted criminals—!!! And we've got a 30 million Berry bounty—!!!"
Nami facepalmed:
"Lufia! You need to understand the seriousness of this! Such a high bounty means the Navy Headquarters takes you very seriously and will definitely take action! Even bounty hunters will target you!"
Usopp also came over. He examined the wanted poster carefully, then suddenly his eyes lit up as he pointed to a corner:
"Look! Ralph! You're on the wanted poster too!"
Everyone crowded around.
Sure enough.
In the background of that photo of Lufia laughing, the profile of a black-haired young man was clearly visible.
He stood not far behind Lufia, expression calm, eyes clear.
Though only in the background, that face... was captured very clearly, even somewhat handsome.
"Though you're riding on Lufia's coattails," Usopp said excitedly, "as 'the man behind the 30 million Berry wanted criminal, the Straw Hat Girl,' you might be seen by the whole world!"
Sanji smoked gloomily nearby:
"What's so great about that... It's not even your own wanted poster..."
He exhaled a cloud of smoke, his tone sour:
"Damn it... I wish I could have my photo with Miss Lufia spread throughout the world too..."
Ralph looked at the wanted poster without any particular feeling.
When reading comics, he would get excited about characters' bounty increases.
But when it actually happened to him...
He felt strangely detached.
Because he clearly understood the World Government's criteria for setting bounties.
Combat ability was one factor.
More importantly... the level of threat posed to the World Government.
As long as you posed enough threat to the government, even a little girl could have a bounty as high as 79 million Berry.
This wanted poster was entirely Captain Nezumi's doing.
In his eyes, Sanji, Zoro, and Usopp were just subordinates.
Nami had beaten him up, while Ralph had threatened him.
He was furious, but these two likely held evidence of his bribe-taking.
So, he pinned all the blame on Lufia as the "pirate crew captain."
In his view, in the East Blue—the "weakest sea"—as long as the captain was dealt with, the rest of the crew would collapse on their own.
Subordinates naturally didn't need wanted posters.
But in reality...
If Ralph wanted his own wanted poster, he could "arrange" it.
For example, in the next battle, he could show his face more, do more "outrageous" things—kill Navy soldiers, kill nobles, kill World Nobles, or something like that.
Just then—
Lufia walked over and patted Ralph's shoulder, her tone full of comfort:
"It's okay, Ralph! As long as you're strong enough, you'll get your own wanted poster sooner or later!"
Ralph was taken aback.
Then, he suddenly realized a fact.
Starting from today...
"Wanted posters" began to hold meaning for Lufia.
They weren't just pieces of paper with bounty amounts.
They represented a person's "fame" in the pirate world.
And "fame" might very well... affect how much "favor" Lufia felt toward someone.
This wanted poster was just "riding on coattails."
But if he himself had a wanted poster with a high bounty?
How would Lufia see him?
Ralph thought for a moment, then tentatively asked:
"Lufia, if I had a wanted poster... would you think I was more impressive?"
Lufia nodded with a grin:
"Of course! As your crewmate, I'd be happy for you!"
Ralph pondered, then asked a more precise question:
"What if... my bounty... was higher than yours?"
The smile instantly vanished from Lufia's face—she was no longer grinning!
She tilted her head, looking at Ralph with a very serious expression:
"How... could that possibly happen?"
She paused, her tone extremely grave, "I'm the captain! If your fame surpassed mine... wouldn't that make me a terrible captain?"
She didn't say she'd be angry with him, just that she'd simply be unhappy.
Ralph: "..."
He silently facepalmed, unable to help sighing inwardly:
Women... are really hard to "please"!
Trying to gain favor through bounty amounts on wanted posters...
This was truly a delicate art.
Too low—useless.
Too high... would threaten the captain's authority.
It had to fall within a rather subtle range.
Just as Ralph was pondering this "difficult problem"—
"Hey."
Zoro's voice sounded.
He stood at the bow, pointing forward:
"An island... has appeared ahead."
Everyone looked up, gazing into the distance.
On the horizon, the silhouette of an island gradually grew clearer.
Nami took a long look and then said:
"That island... is Loguetown."
"...It's the birthplace of the former Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, and also... the place where he was publicly executed."
Nami paused briefly, then slowly uttered that title:
"Known as 'Town of the Beginning and the End'"
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