By the time dawn broke the next morning, Norton and the others had finally reached land.
As soon as they docked, the attendants hurried into the nearby town to gather supplies for the next voyage.
The Sea King had traveled much faster than any ship.
Unfortunately…
Riding on its back had been anything but comfortable.
One careless step and you could easily be thrown into the sea.
After reaching shore, even the pirates collapsed to rest for quite a while.
The nobles and noblewomen fared even worse, vomiting nonstop.
Only Norton and Sanosuke remained completely unfazed.
Norton’s powerful physique made the rough journey meaningless to him.
As for Sanosuke…
He had grown up enduring every kind of harsh environment imaginable.
This was nothing.
“Is Nami still collecting the scattered treasure?”
Norton looked around but couldn’t find her.
When the ship had broken apart, all the treasure stored inside had been scattered across the Sea King’s back.
Since yesterday afternoon, Nami had been tirelessly searching for every last coin.
Once they reached land, the Sea King immediately swam away, taking the wreckage with it.
Recovering anything else now meant diving into the ocean.
“Yes, my lord.”
Sanosuke bowed respectfully.
“Shall I bring her back?”
After everything that had happened, he now genuinely acknowledged Norton as his master.
Even the way he addressed him had changed.
Norton waved a hand.
“Forget it.”
“That little money-grubber won’t be satisfied until she’s found every last Berry.”
“I understand.”
Sanosuke lowered his head.
Norton wasn’t worried that Nami might run away.
If she wanted to escape, she was free to try.
As long as Cocoyasi Village remained under Arlong’s control…
She could never truly leave the East Blue.
He was waiting.
Waiting for the day Nami would come to him of her own accord.
He intended to earn her loyalty openly—with his strength and his character.
It was a shame about the ship, though.
That stupid fish had destroyed it.
It had only just become his…
And now he’d lost it again.
Looks like he’d have to find another ship before he could continue sailing.
One by one, the nobles and noblewomen prepared to leave.
Before departing, each of them came over to bid Norton farewell.
“Hurry up and disappear.”
“You useless bunch.”
Norton merely waved dismissively.
The nobles smiled awkwardly.
After spending two days with him, they had already grown accustomed to his sharp tongue.
“We’ll leave the chefs and the shipwrights in your care.”
“Farewell, Mr.
Norton.”
“We sincerely hope we never meet again.”
They waved goodbye before departing.
Among all the nobles…
Only the Duke remained.
After everyone else had left, he walked over to Norton.
“Mr.
Norton.”
“Thank you for everything.”
Norton glanced at him.
“Why are you still here?”
“Don’t tell me you’re thinking of joining me.”
The Duke coughed awkwardly.
“Of course not…”
“Mr.
Norton, your ship has been destroyed.”
“If you intend to sail again, you’ll need a new one.”
“I happen to know an excellent shipwright.”
“If you’d like…”
“I can introduce you.”
Norton raised an eyebrow.
“I didn’t expect you to be useful after all.”
He narrowed his eyes.
“You’re not trying to trick me into giving your property back, are you?”
“So that’s your plan?”
A dripping-wet Nami suddenly appeared beside Norton, glaring suspiciously at the Duke.
She had worked incredibly hard recovering those treasures.
Her skin had practically turned pale from soaking in seawater.
“Young lady.”
The Duke frowned.
“Please don’t insult me.”
“My family’s fortune is enormous.”
“That little bit of money means nothing to me.”
To an ordinary noble…
It would have been a significant loss.
To a Duke…
It wasn’t even worth mentioning.
Even this luxury ship had belonged to him.
“Good.”
Nami muttered.
The Duke simply sighed at the orange-haired girl’s obsession with money.
“Please wait a moment, Mr.
Norton.”
“My carriage will arrive shortly.”
“You live on this island?”
Nami asked.
“Yes.”
The Duke nodded.
Still suspicious, Nami leaned close and whispered into Norton’s ear.
“Can we really trust him?”
“What if he brings soldiers to arrest us?”
The surrounding pirates quietly watched as well.
Now that they served Norton…
Where he went, they followed.
Norton smiled.
“Do you think I’d be afraid?”
Nami thought about it.
“…Fair point.”
“Then I’ll leave my safety to you.”
A few minutes later…
A long line of horse-drawn carriages appeared on the horizon.
They gradually slowed before coming to a graceful stop in front of the group.
A butler dressed in an immaculate tailored suit hurried out of the finest carriage.
After quickly scanning the crowd, he spotted the Duke and immediately rushed over.
“Your Grace!”
“My deepest apologies for arriving late!”
The Duke merely nodded.
With the butler’s assistance, he calmly stepped into the luxurious carriage.
“Hmph.”
“Now that we’re on his own turf, he’s putting on the full noble act again.”
Nami quietly grumbled to Norton.
The Duke pulled back the curtain and leaned out the window.
“Mr.
“Please, come aboard.”
“Your subordinates are welcome as well.”
“I only ask that you keep them under control.”
Norton nodded.
“Everyone.”
“Get in.”
The pirates excitedly climbed aboard, touching everything they saw like country bumpkins visiting a city for the first time.
The butler and coachmen struggled to hide the contempt in their expressions.
Still…
They said nothing.
These were the Duke’s guests.
Their opinions didn’t matter.
The butler turned toward Sanosuke.
“Sir.”
“Aren’t you getting in?”
“No.”
Sanosuke lightly bent his knees before leaping onto the roof of the last carriage.
“…Showing off?”
the butler muttered to himself.
Norton and Nami boarded the Duke’s carriage.
Soon, the convoy began moving.
Outside, the scenery rapidly drifted past.
The Duke drew the curtains and lit a stick of incense.
Even so…
The carriage wasn’t dark.
The gentle glow of an oil lamp mixed with the morning sunlight filtering through the curtains, creating a warm and comfortable atmosphere.
Nami remained vigilant.
“Where are you taking us?”
“My castle.”
the Duke answered.
“I thought you were introducing us to a shipwright.”
Norton looked puzzled.
“Why are we going to your castle?”
“Because…”
“The shipwright is there.”
The Duke took a sip of tea.
“She?”
Nami blinked.
“I thought shipwrights were all men.”
Shipbuilding was physically demanding work.
She had never heard of a woman becoming a shipwright.
“There are exceptions.”
The Duke sighed.
“To be honest, Mr.
Norton…”
“The shipwright I wish to introduce…”
“…is my daughter.”
“…Your daughter?!”
Nami stared at him in disbelief.
The daughter of a Duke…
A shipwright?
That made absolutely no sense.
Norton, however, became interested.
“Now that’s intriguing.”
He smiled.
“I’m a pirate.”
“Are you planning to hand your daughter over to me?”
“Of course not!”
The Duke hurriedly waved his hands.
“I only want you…”
“…to take the ship my daughter built.”