By the time Norton woke up on the soft bed, the sun was already high in the sky.
Defeating Redbeard had happened yesterday.
These nobles certainly knew how to enjoy life.
The Duke, in particular, spared no expense.
His private cabin contained a bed layered with thick white wool, while the pillows were stuffed with fine cotton.
It wasn’t quite as soft as sleeping on clouds, but it was still the most comfortable bed Norton had ever slept in.
Stretching lazily, he climbed out of bed, washed up, and opened the cabin door.
Outside, breakfast had already been prepared by the noble family’s hired chefs and placed neatly on a serving tray.
A grilled sausage, two fried eggs, and a fresh vegetable salad.
Considering they were at sea, it was already an excellent meal.
After leisurely satisfying his appetite, Norton headed for the deck.
The pirates were moving about on one side, while the nobles and noblewomen gathered together on the other, chatting amongst themselves.
Neither side disturbed the other.
According to the rules Norton had established yesterday, everyone was free to move around the ship.
However, neither side was allowed to insult, threaten, attack, or harass the other.
Anyone who broke the rules would be thrown into the sea…
Just like Redbeard.
The pirates feared Norton’s overwhelming strength and dared not disobey.
The nobles and noblewomen were even more eager to follow the rules.
Without Norton’s protection, there was no telling what the pirates might do to them.
Sanosuke sat cross-legged in a corner of the deck, quietly carrying out his ninja training.
He seemed to wear the same forehead protector, face mask, and black outfit every single day.
Norton had begun to suspect the man simply didn’t like bathing.
Sensing Norton’s approach, Sanosuke slowly opened his eyes.
“Where’s Nami?” Norton asked.
“I don’t know.
She was already gone when I woke up.”
Norton nodded and looked around the ship.
Both the pirates and the nobles immediately became nervous.
Fortunately, Norton wasn’t interested in bothering any of them.
At the moment, only two people aboard were worth his attention.
Nami…
And Sanosuke.
“How much longer until we reach land?”
“I don’t know.”
Sanosuke answered honestly.
“I don’t understand anything about navigation.”
Norton frowned.
“How do you not know anything I ask?
You’re pretty useless.”
Sanosuke fell silent.
I’m a ninja.
Why would I know something like that?
He couldn’t help muttering,
“Why don’t you ask whether I can use the Shadow Clone Technique?”
Norton’s eyes lit up.
“You can use Shadow Clone?”
“…No.”
“What about Fire Release?”
“Fire…
Release?”
Sanosuke looked confused.
“What’s that?”
“The Sharingan?”
Norton refused to give up.
“What’s a Sharingan?”
“I’ve never heard of it.”
“…Tch.”
“How boring.”
Norton sighed in disappointment.
What kind of ninja are you?
“I’ll just go find Nami.”
Leaving the deck, he headed into the ship’s interior.
Stopping outside Nami’s room, he knocked.
No answer.
Where did she go?
After thinking for a moment, Norton continued deeper into the ship.
A few minutes later, he arrived outside the treasure hold.
Sure enough…
He could hear faint noises inside.
“So you’re here.”
He pushed the door open.
Nami nearly jumped out of her skin like a startled cat.
“Y-You!”
“What are you doing here?!”
“What are you doing?”
Norton’s gaze drifted toward the large bundle at her feet.
“Don’t tell me you’re stealing again?”
“Haha…”
Nami forced an awkward laugh while trying to nudge the bulging sack behind her.
“How could that possibly be?”
Norton glanced at her before calmly looking away.
He knew perfectly well that Nami was only pretending to cooperate.
Given the slightest opportunity, she’d grab the money and disappear.
Winning her genuine loyalty would take time.
So he chose not to expose her.
Instead, he simply turned around and walked out.
Nami blinked in surprise.
She looked at Norton’s departing back…
Then at the sack stuffed full of Berries…
After hesitating for a moment, she hurried after him.
“…You trust me?”
The question escaped her before she even realized she’d spoken.
Without turning around, Norton replied,
“What do you think?”
Nami stopped walking for a brief moment.
She realized she was finding this man harder and harder to understand.
The two continued walking in silence.
Norton’s expression remained unreadable.
Nami’s heart pounded with anxiety.
Only after they stepped back onto the deck did sunlight illuminate Norton’s sharp features once again.
“How much longer until we reach land?”
Norton finally asked.
Nami looked toward the distant sea.
The ocean breeze gently lifted her orange hair.
“If the chart is accurate…”
“We should reach the nearest island around noon tomorrow.”
Norton nodded and walked toward the bow.
Still feeling guilty, Nami quietly followed behind him.
At that moment, the Duke approached.
His expression was complicated.
“What do you intend to do with us?”
He didn’t know whether to hate Norton…
Or thank him.
It was true that Norton hadn’t rescued the nobles out of kindness.
Yet the rules he established had unintentionally protected everyone aboard.
Without him defeating Redbeard…
No one on this ship would have survived.
Yes, Norton intended to take both their treasure and their ship.
But what came after that?
Would another disaster await them?
Or would they finally escape?
Unable to find an answer himself, the Duke had gathered the courage to ask.
“Oh.”
“I almost forgot about you.”
“When we reach land…”
“You can all disembark.”
“The chefs stay.”
“…Disembark?”
The Duke stared at him in disbelief.
“You mean…”
“You’re letting us go?”
“That’s right.”
Norton nodded.
“You people don’t know how to do anything.”
“Keeping you aboard would only waste food.”
“Waste food?!”
The Duke’s face turned red with anger.
“Are you saying we’re useless?”
“You’re insulting us!”
“Am I wrong?”
“We compose poetry!”
“We understand etiquette!”
“We are educated—”
“Enough.”
Norton cut him off.
“Can you farm?”
“…Farm?”
The Duke looked as though he’d heard the world’s greatest joke.
“That’s work for commoners.”
“Our time should be spent on more important pursuits.”
Norton smiled faintly.
“Listen to yourself.”
“You can’t even respect the labor of others.”
“How can someone like that call themselves useful?”
“So anyone who knows how to farm is useful?”
The Duke was practically shaking with anger.
But Norton had no interest in arguing.
He simply walked away.
Watching the Duke fume helplessly, Nami couldn’t help laughing.
It was the first time she’d ever seen such a high-ranking noble wear an expression like that.
Stealing all the money in the world could never have produced such a reaction.
After they had walked some distance, Nami poked Norton on the shoulder.
He turned around.
“Are you really going to let those nobles go?”
She looked puzzled.
“They’ll probably come after you.”
“You stole all their money.”
“They’re welcome to try.”
Norton answered calmly.
“I’ve never cared about revenge from the weak.”
Nami looked at him with mixed emotions.
“I never thought there’d be a pirate like you.”
“Being a pirate is only the beginning.”
“My real goal…”
“Is to found a nation of my own.”
“Then why do you dislike nobles?”
Nami couldn’t understand.
Someone who wanted to become a king…
Shouldn’t they stand with the nobility?
“The country I want to build…”
Norton spoke quietly.
“Has no need for a rotten aristocracy.”
“Those with ability should rise.”
Nami fell silent.
She stared blankly at him.
Suddenly—
Boom!
The entire ship shuddered violently.
The deck lurched beneath their feet.
Caught off guard, Nami lost her balance and stumbled forward.
She crashed into Norton’s broad, warm back.
“What happened?!”
Someone shouted.
“I think we’ve run aground!”
“Damn it!”
“Why are there reefs in these waters?!”
the helmsman yelled.
“It’s Sanosuke!”
“It has to be!”
“That guy’s terrible luck is acting up again!”
one of the pirates shouted in panic.