"I'm surprised, you're really just a child."
"Horohorohoro, you're just a child after all."
"...Well, that's true, but..."
Perona, who had invited me into her house, appeared mature for her age, yet still possessed the unmistakable features of a young girl, perhaps even a little girl. Her clothes, the same ones she'd been wearing all this time, had begun to fade and fray at the edges. She lightly patted dust from the worn sofa before gesturing for Daz and me to sit.
Hey, Daz, stop sniffing.
It's often these small, thoughtless acts that hurt people the most.
When I gave him a sharp look, Daz seemed to realize his mistake and bowed his head slightly.
"Sorry, Captain, but the smell is... quite strong."
Ah, well... I suppose you wouldn't notice unless you were accustomed to it.
"This is the scent of medicinal herbs," I explained, breathing in the complex mixture that hung heavy in the air. "There are so many different plants that have permeated these walls and furniture over time. It's hard to distinguish individual ones, but..."
"Horo... you understand quite well."
"When I was preparing to set sail, I thought it would be wise to learn some basic medical knowledge, so I studied it briefly. I also gained some experience with wild plants during that time."
Daz's eyes widened in genuine surprise. "The Captain has medical knowledge?"
"No, it was so complicated and confusing that even learning through trial and error left me frustrated... or rather, I ended up hurling the book against the wall." The memory still irritated me. "Whoever wrote such a convoluted textbook must have a twisted personality."
What kind of "Gentle Beginner's Medicine" requires extensive prior knowledge? If advanced understanding is necessary, they should write that in bold letters on the cover and suggest purchasing a different book entirely.
Meanwhile, Perona seemed to find something amusing in my complaint and burst into that light-hearted laughter I'd seen countless times in manga, a sound that felt strangely nostalgic.
Even Daz chuckled softly.
"Horohorohoro! Ah, I know exactly what you mean. The woman who lived in this house said the very same thing."
"...Your mother?"
"She was the woman who took me in. The villagers called her the witch."
"A witch... Ah, I see. Was she a local medicine woman or healer of some sort?"
"...You really do know a lot. I only learned about that recently."
All just trivia I picked up somewhere before I became... this. I never imagined it would prove useful or that I'd have the opportunity to show off such knowledge.
"I don't know what kind of conflict existed between the villagers and the woman who lived here, but it seems she was deliberately shunned."
"...Where is that person now?"
"She died about a month before the pirates arrived."
"...And when did you eat the Devil Fruit?"
"Around the same time... We had run out of food and were searching through the house when I found it."
Though the house reeked of dust and dried herbs, there was no lingering trace of death, no sickly sweet decay or the musty scent of neglect that follows tragedy. The witch's body had probably been transported and buried properly, somehow.
And there's no way Perona could have managed that alone in her current state.
There must have been at least someone who helped.
(The people in the village knew about this child's situation but still abandoned her here?)
Being the witch's ward, she was probably viewed with superstitious dread.
Yet no food or clothing had been provided.
How cruel to treat a child this way...
"Hm?"
Suddenly, Perona, who had seemed in better spirits than before, raised her head and turned toward the window, facing the direction of the village.
"Hey, are you wanted men by any chance?"
"Ah, I suppose we should leave then... Are they causing some sort of commotion?"
There was no way the pirates could have escaped from here, so if anyone was going to create trouble, it would likely be the villagers.
That said, I found it rather impossible for them to recover after being struck by Perona's Negative Hollow even once. The despair that technique induced was absolute.
"You need to run quickly. They're calling the Navy with a Den Den Mushi."
Well done, you bastards!
•~•
"Hey, are you certain about this?"
"Shut up and look! That kid with glasses is wanted too!"
The villagers had gathered in the largest building to deliberate, their voices echoing off weathered wooden walls. They clustered around a crumpled piece of paper like moths drawn to flame.
It was a wanted poster for Kuro, the bespectacled "Captain Kuro" who had captured the pirates terrorizing their village.
"But there's a witch in that house. If her curse activates and she goes on a rampage..."
"They're just three children! There's no way they could defeat the Navy!"
The catalyst had been the reorganization of newspapers and other information sources that had ceased circulation during the pirates' reign of terror. The execution of Gold Roger and the existence of his legendary treasure had caused an unprecedented surge in piracy across the seas.
One Piece.
The pirates who had ruled this island were among such groups—men who had seized power through violence alone, their cruelty matched only by their greed.
Knowing the whereabouts of these dangerous individuals was crucial intelligence for the islanders' survival.
"If we capture that brat with glasses, he's worth 37 million berries! Plus, his family has placed an additional bounty of 10 million berries on his head!"
"So if we add them together, it comes to nearly 50 million berries?!"
One of the villagers audibly gulped, his eyes gleaming with newfound avarice.
"Not only that, but even in this remote countryside, if we gain the family's favor, money will begin to flow. We could become wealthy!"
Seeing their enthusiasm, the man coordinating the group nodded with satisfaction, his weathered face creasing into a cruel smile.
"It shouldn't be too difficult. We'll all lie in wait. Take that kid's ship—those brats got their hands on the pirate treasure. We'll commandeer the vessel and sail to the other side of the island"
That's an interesting story you're spinning there.
The next moment, as they discussed their treacherous plan, half of the building they were hiding in exploded in a shower of splintered wood and dust.
•~•
"You, if you can fly, just say so! Or rather, were you always able to fly?!"
"I'm amazed... Captain, you were capable of something like this."
"...I knew it would be possible eventually, but I didn't expect it to happen now. Sorry, I'll let you both down gently."
No, seriously, when I overheard their conversation, I felt my blood boil for the first time since my transformation. The rage that coursed through me was almost intoxicating in its purity.
I could understand if they had simply reported us to the Navy, but after everything that had transpired, it was only natural that I'd want to get a little violent in response.
I gazed up at the building that had been left in tatters by my devastating kick.
...Oh my, I never thought I would master Rankyaku in such a manner.
Well, it was a pleasant surprise, though I'd rather not blow away entire structures in the future.
"Those idiots underestimated Perona's abilities, didn't they?"
Perona understood exactly how much persecution she'd endured from these people, so it was only natural that she would remain wary of their intentions.
Didn't they realize that the ghosts of the Horo Horo no Mi could also serve as spies?
...No, that wasn't it. They had simply underestimated Perona, dismissing her as merely a child, a powerless little girl.
No matter what she might do, they assumed she was just a kid who wouldn't know how to fight back effectively.
They were probably terrified because she could easily manipulate both them and the pirates with equal ease.
"Wait... wait just a moment!"
"Wait for what? We reclaimed everything you stole from us. We caused you no harm. And then you betrayed us to the Navy."
Ah, so this village was exactly as I had expected, rotten to its core.
Apart from the man coordinating their group, everyone else was either too weak to move or desperately searching for an escape route from the destruction I'd wrought.
"No, that's fine. No matter what I do, I'm a wanted man with a bounty on my head. It's far too late for me to worry about carrying the burden of being marked 'Dead or Alive.'"
Yes, I repeat, it doesn't matter anymore.
It's extremely irritating, but that's acceptable.
"But why?"
"Why did you report me as a member of Kuro's pirate crew?"
...
Perona looked shocked as she processed the story she had overheard through her ghostly surveillance.
Daz already knew the truth. He had come to terms with the possibility of this outcome long ago and had begun calling me captain in preparation.
But Perona was different. No, it wasn't even a question of whether she was different or not.
These bastards weren't merely abandoning the man who had risked everything to save their lives from piracy; they were actively trying to frame him and have the Navy eliminate him as a threat.
What's with those expressions on your faces?
"Captain, it's a Navy ship."
"How many vessels?"
"Just one."
Ah, so that's somewhat of a relief. At least we won't be completely overwhelmed.
Idiots.
"Daz, protect Perona here."
"What about you, Captain?"
I could see it clearly now, one naval vessel approaching through the coastal mist. A single ship cutting through the waves with military precision.
"Let's take down that ship."