(50 Power Stone Bonus)
Chapter 50: Return to the Floating Restaurant
Yumesaki could tell that Tsunade was riding high on this victory, so he didn't rain on her parade any further. After sharing a few more encouraging words and a smile, he hung up the call.
Robin tucked the Den Den Mushi away and offered her congratulations. "Congratulations, Mr. Yumesaki. If all goes well, the Doa Doa no Mi will be in your hands soon."
"I appreciate the kind words."
Yumesaki was genuinely happy. The Doa Doa no Mi was a perfect match for his "Golden Finger" ability. Just as everyone suspected, that fruit might very well help him gain a deeper understanding of his own powers. He was looking forward to it immensely.
A day later, Yumesaki's group cut through the waves and arrived once more at the floating restaurant, Baratie.
Upon entering, the person who greeted them was, as usual, Sanji.
This made Yumesaki feel more than a little exasperated. He couldn't help but comment, "Has this place run out of staff? Why is it that every time I walk in, all I see is this Perverted Kappa?"
"Who are you calling a Perverted Kappa, you bastard?!"
Being called that made Sanji snap. He was willing to admit he was a bit of a lecher, but being called out so bluntly—where was he supposed to put his pride?
He immediately shot back, "And you! Where did you kidnap another beauty like this? Are you some kind of human trafficker?"
As he spoke, Sanji couldn't help but steal a glance at Cosette. Another stunningly beautiful woman... the envy and jealousy in his eyes were practically overflowing. However, despite his burning envy, Sanji didn't forget to flash Cosette a charming smile. After all, he was a man dedicated to being a protector of all women.
But the moment Cosette saw Sanji's smile, she instinctively recoiled, her face turning pale as her body began to tremble. It was as if she were staring at a terrifying monster.
Sanji's smile froze instantly.
It was just one small step back, but the emotional damage was critical.
He didn't understand. Was his smile really that scary? Was it ugly? It shouldn't be—to please the ladies, Sanji had practiced his smile in the mirror countless times. He could practically guarantee his smile was the most harmless, relaxing expression a woman could see.
He was truly at a loss as to why this blonde girl was looking at him like she'd seen a ghost.
"Relax, this is the East Blue, not the North Blue."
Yumesaki knew exactly why Cosette was terrified. He stepped forward to offer some reassurance. "You can see for yourself, this guy is just a pure Perverted Kappa. He's not part of the Vinsmoke family."
Hearing Yumesaki's words, Cosette finally began to calm down. "You're right, Mr. Yumesaki. I... I had a bit of a traumatic reaction. My apologies."
She quickly bowed politely toward Sanji. "Sir, I wasn't actually afraid of you. It's just... your curly eyebrows are truly very similar to my former boss."
At that moment, the expression on Sanji's face gradually turned cold. He had heard quite clearly that this woman was connected to the Vinsmoke family and that she felt fear when seeing them. This gave Sanji a very bad feeling—could this group have come here specifically looking for him?
"What is your connection to the Vinsmoke family?"
Cosette didn't notice the shift in Sanji's tone. She answered reflexively, "I was the head chef for the Vinsmoke family. But not anymore. Now, I am Mr. Yumesaki's chef."
Sanji turned his gaze toward Yumesaki. "And what about you? What's your deal with them?"
He was starting to suspect that Yumesaki's repeated visits to the Baratie were all for his sake. No wonder the guy had been picking fights and making things difficult for him from the very beginning. It seemed the Vinsmokes had finally tracked him down.
The thought made Sanji's mind race with anxiety, and his tone became unprecedentedly cold and serious.
Yumesaki, seeing Sanji's stance, realized the man had completely misunderstood.
"You're overthinking it. The Vinsmoke family is nothing but worthless trash. They aren't even worthy of being associated with me." Yumesaki wore a look of pure disdain. He genuinely looked down on that family. Even if they ruled a whole country, Yumesaki wouldn't give them the time of day. He didn't even care about the Celestial Dragons, let alone the Germa Kingdom.
Sanji was stunned for a moment. He studied Yumesaki intently and realized the man wasn't lying. Every fiber of his being, every single cell, radiated a genuine loathing for the Vinsmoke name. This person truly despised them from the bottom of his heart.
This left Sanji feeling a mix of anger and relief—it was complicated. He was angry because he was technically a Vinsmoke; even if it was in the past, blood wasn't something easily erased. But since he had long since stopped considering himself one of them, his anger was fleeting.
He was relieved because this group clearly weren't allies of the Vinsmokes, which meant they weren't here to drag him back. His identity was still safe.
Realizing this, Sanji let out a quiet sigh of relief. To avoid further risk of exposure, he made an excuse and quickly made himself scarce.
Yumesaki didn't stop him. If Sanji stayed, it would only trigger bad memories for Cosette. It was better that he left.
With that little incident over, Cosette regained her composure. Taking on the air of a proper customer, she found a seat and asked for the restaurant's menu. After studying it in great detail, she called over a waiter to start ordering.
The waiters in this restaurant were basically all chefs. As they heard the dishes Cosette was ordering, their expressions grew serious.
"You're quite young, but I didn't expect you to be in the same trade as us," one of the chefs remarked.
Yumesaki asked curiously, "How can you tell?" He was certain this chef hadn't been eavesdropping during the confrontation with Sanji.
The chef replied calmly, "The first few dishes this lady ordered test basic technique. The ones in the middle test heat control, and the final few test a chef's comprehensive ability. There are only two types of customers who order like that: fellow professionals or food critics."
He continued, "I saw this lady's hands. There are callouses on her palms that only form from holding a knife for a long time. Those aren't the hands of a critic—they belong to a fellow chef."
Cosette gave a faint smile. Seeing her identity revealed so easily proved that these chefs had real skill. "I'm starting to look forward to this meal."
Perhaps this restaurant really could offer her a surprise.
The chef laughed proudly. "The floating restaurant Baratie never disappoints a customer."
He decided right then and there that he would give 120% of his effort to satisfy this particular guest.
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