Night soon settled over Totto Land.
"Uh… did we maybe go a little too far?"
Cain stared awkwardly at the damaged bathroom doorframe.
There was really no denying it. They had gotten carried away.
And honestly, Uta's ability to selectively phase parts of her body into the Uta World was just…
way too good.
"You're the one who got so rough!" Uta complained, wiping the corner of her mouth as she flexed her sore limbs. "If that doorframe hadn't fallen on us, were you planning to keep going forever? Seriously, I'm exhausted!"
She shot Cain an accusing look.
"I still have another fight tomorrow. How am I supposed to compete when my whole body feels like this?"
Cain gave her an embarrassed smile.
"Then… how about I give you a massage tonight? Help you loosen up and get your body back into shape."
Uta immediately grabbed the nearby bathrobe and pulled it protectively across her chest.
"Don't think I don't know what you're plotting!"
Still, after considering how much better a proper massage probably would make her feel, her resistance weakened.
"…But fine."
Cain's face lit up before she had even finished speaking. He quickly wrapped himself in a bathrobe, scooped Uta up in his arms, and strode out of the room with barely concealed enthusiasm.
"Then let's hurry. I promise I'll have you back in perfect condition by tomorrow!"
"Keep your voice down," Uta whispered from his arms, nervously checking the corridor. "Don't let the patrols notice us."
The room they had just been using was only meant for watching the live Visual Den Den Mushi broadcasts, and because sensitive information was often discussed there, the soundproofing had been especially thorough.
But it still wasn't actually their room.
Besides, Bella was waiting for them.
They couldn't leave their daughter wondering where they had disappeared to all night.
…
At the same time, inside Totto Land's library—the prison created through Mont-d'Or's Book-Book Fruit—
"Damn it! Who the hell does Big Mom think she's humiliating?!"
Kid had been imprisoned inside the pages of a book, pinned firmly against the wall by a long nail driven straight through his chest.
Because he only had one arm, his restraints were different from those of his crew. The others had their hands stacked together and nailed through the palms, while Kid alone had been pierced through the chest.
To him, it felt almost deliberately insulting, as though the Charlotte family were mocking him for missing an arm.
"Why the hell am I the only one getting special treatment?! That damn old hag… the second I get out of here, you're the first person I'm killing!"
Kid was still roaring when the page suddenly opened.
A familiar laugh drifted through the library.
"Fuffuffuffuffu…"
"You…!"
Kid froze when he recognized the newcomer, and suspicion immediately sharpened in his eyes.
It was Doflamingo.
The nearly invisible strings he had attached to Kid earlier had allowed him to track the pirate's location with little difficulty. Yet after glancing down at Kid from above, Doflamingo said nothing beyond that characteristic laugh.
He simply turned the page.
Then another.
His eyes moved steadily through the layered prison records until he finally found what he was searching for.
"Fuffuffuffuffu… there you are."
His voice softened slightly.
"Monet."
Inside another prison made from the pages of the book, the green-haired woman was being held tightly in place. Her wrists had been pulled behind her and suspended above her back, leaving her folded awkwardly into the limited space between the pages. Sweat covered her skin, and damp strands of green hair clung to her cheeks as she breathed heavily.
Her arms and legs were still completely human at this point, not yet transformed into the wings and talons she would later possess, which only made her confinement look even more helpless.
She could barely move.
But the moment that familiar laugh reached her ears, her eyes brightened through the exhaustion.
"Young Master! I'm sorry… Caesar, he—"
"There's no need to explain."
Doflamingo raised a hand to stop her.
"You're family."
His voice remained uncharacteristically gentle.
"If anything, I'm the one who failed to protect you. I'll get you out."
Unfortunately, the book-prison proved far tougher than expected.
Doflamingo's strings sliced across the page but left only shallow white marks. At that rate, cutting his way through would take far too long.
"Tch. What an irritating little prison."
He frowned for a moment before that familiar dangerous grin returned.
"Fine. We'll do this differently."
A spark appeared.
The edges of the pages immediately began curling and blackening as fire spread across the paper. Thick smoke quickly filled the library.
Kid suddenly felt the pressure around his chest disappear as the page restraining him burned to ash. The nail dropped to the floor with a metallic clang, and he stumbled forward before regaining his balance.
When he looked back, Doflamingo had already pulled Monet free from the burning pages and was supporting her upright.
"You…"
"Save it, brat."
Doflamingo cut him off without even looking back.
"This much smoke and fire is going to bring those chess pieces running any second."
His expression turned cold.
"You don't want to get locked up again, do you?"
Kid immediately understood.
The fire, the smoke, and now a freed prisoner like himself—
all of it was meant to draw Totto Land's attention away from Doflamingo.
It pissed him off, but this was hardly the time to complain.
"I'll remember this, bastard."
Kid spat to one side, then turned and rushed deeper into the burning library to free the rest of his crew.
It wasn't long before shrill alarms shattered the peace of Totto Land's night.
…
"What now?"
Cain had just finished coating his hands with massage oil when the sudden commotion outside made him frown.
Why did something have to go wrong every damn night?
Last time it had been Trafalgar Law.
What was it this time?
With obvious reluctance, Cain expanded his Observation Haki across the surrounding area.
A few moments later, the corner of his mouth twitched.
Of course.
The library was on fire, and Kid had escaped.
Well…
whatever.
Compared with what was directly in front of him, Eustass Kid breaking out of prison hardly seemed important.
Under the warm yellow light, Uta lay facedown across the soft bedding with her back toward him. Her bathrobe had loosened and slipped down to her waist, leaving her back exposed for the massage.
The alarm outside seemed to have made her a little tense, and her shoulders remained slightly raised as she listened to the commotion.
Cain pulled his attention away from the distant disturbance and swallowed.
Then he sat down near Uta's feet, making the mattress dip beneath his weight.
Her body shifted slightly with it.
"Well…"
Cain's voice dropped unconsciously, suddenly sounding far more solemn than the situation required.
"I'm starting now, Uta."
Uta immediately buried her entire face in the pillow, leaving only the bright-red tips of her ears visible.
Her muffled reply emerged from somewhere beneath it.
"…Okay. Go ahead."
Cain slowly reached out with both hands.
The instant his oil-covered fingers touched the skin at her waist, Uta jolted as though she had been shocked.
"Mmph—!"
She desperately muffled the startled sound against the pillow, but her body betrayed her anyway. Her legs curled reflexively and her toes tightened against the sheets as she instinctively lifted herself away from the unexpected cool touch.
Unfortunately, Cain had leaned forward at exactly the wrong moment.
Thump.
"Ah!"
Uta immediately turned her head, revealing half of a face burning crimson with embarrassment.
"I-I didn't mean to!"
Cain sat back with one hand over his nose.
"I'm fine, I'm fine."
He rubbed the bridge of it and grinned.
"Occupational hazard. You can compensate me double later."
"What occupational hazard?! Idiot!"
Uta glared at him.
"As if something like that could actually hurt you!"
She buried her face in the pillow again, although this time her shoulders were noticeably more relaxed.
Cain adjusted his position and learned from his mistake. Instead of leaning directly over her, he sat sideways near the edge of the bed, braced himself with one hand beside her, and only then placed his other palm against her lower back.
This time, his hand was warm.
"Let's start here…"
Uta shivered as his fingers began working into the sore muscles.
"Mmm… ah… ohhh…!"