(Haha... that really was how it happened in the original story. Carmen had pursued Sanji for ten years just to compete in cooking, but unfortunately, she still lost in the end.)
Now, she could not wait even one second, let alone a minute.
"Sanji, hurry up! The guests at Table Three ordered a whole tableful of food."
Paddy pulled back the curtain and poked his head inside.
Seeing Carmen still pestering Sanji, he immediately looked displeased.
"Miss Carmen, I understand how you feel, but this is working hours. Could you please stop interfering with our business?!"
"Once Sanji is done, I guarantee he'll compete with you," Paddy advised earnestly.
The guests at Table Three were major customers, and everything they had ordered was expensive.
They absolutely could not be neglected.
"Miss Carmen, Paddy is right. Once the restaurant closes, I promise I'll seriously compete with you, all right?!"
"Besides, if you force me now, even if you win, it wouldn't be an honorable victory, would it?!!" Sanji reasoned with her as well.
Carmen slowly calmed down. In the end, she nodded and stopped making trouble.
Sanji was right.
What she wanted was to defeat Sanji fair and square, not take advantage of him while he was distracted.
She really had been too hasty just now.
"Fine. You cook, and I'll help serve the dishes." Carmen took the initiative to lend a hand.
Sanji did not stop her.
Inside the restaurant, at Table Three.
Kaya, Nami, and the other two women chatted about private matters between women.
Reno was not interested either, so he began idly observing the surroundings.
As night fell, the Sea Restaurant gradually became livelier, and the dining hall was already full.
The little disturbance caused by their arrival had not affected the guests in the slightest.
Everyone was full of praise for the food here, making Reno look forward to it even more.
Makino and Nojiko were both decent cooks, but they were not professionals after all.
Perhaps they could compare to ordinary chefs.
But compared to the chefs at the Baratie Restaurant, there was still a gap.
Before Hawk Eyes rowed over here, Reno would enjoy the delicious food and satisfy his taste buds.
After eating his fill, he would have a good fight.
Perfect.
"It's here, our food is here." Nami, already starving, held her knife and fork as her eyes lit up.
Reno looked over, and his eyes lit up as well.
The difference was that Nami was staring at the dishes in the newcomer's hands.
Reno, meanwhile, was staring at the newcomer herself.
"Carmen?!!" Reno was greatly surprised.
The original story had not given much screen time to this sexy chef.
But she was undeniably a Plot Beauty.
She had spent her life pursuing the path of culinary arts.
He had not expected to meet her here.
He did not care why Carmen had appeared here.
Because from the moment he saw Carmen, her future fate had already been decided.
"Guests, sorry to keep you waiting. Please enjoy your meal."
Carmen placed the dishes on the table, gave everyone a smile, then turned and headed back into the kitchen.
Nami's nose twitched, and her pupils turned directly into little stars.
"It smells so good, it smells absolutely amazing! Everyone, I'm digging in first."
Kaya and the other two women also began eating heartily.
"Brother Reno, don't tell me you've taken a liking to that beautiful chef from earlier?!!"
Halfway through the meal, Kaya leaned close to Reno and asked softly.
But her voice did not escape the other three women's ears.
"What?!"
Nami, already feeling somewhat full, suddenly raised her head and glared at Reno indignantly.
"You only met her once, and you already want to trick her onto the ship?!"
Nojiko and Makino quickly lowered their heads, pretending not to hear.
Only Nami dared say something like that.
Reno smiled wryly.
He had not said a single word, had he?!
Still... Nami had guessed right.
But this was a misunderstanding, it really was a misunderstanding!!
There were countless beautiful women among pirates, and he had encountered who knew how many along the way.
Not to mention anything farther away—inside the Baratie Restaurant right now.
There were at least a dozen beautiful women.
One or two of them were even no less attractive than Nami.
But Reno had lost interest after one glance. All he wanted were Plot Beauties.
And Carmen happened to be one of them.
He could only be ruthless with a beauty.
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Reno's Promise, That Man Has Arrived! (Please Support with Data)
"Brother Reno, are you really going to snatch that beautiful chef onto the ship?!!"
Facing Kaya's question, Reno calmly replied, "That's right. She's one of my targets."
The women fell silent.
"Womanizing jerk." Nami pouted, feeling somewhat jealous.
He already had the four of them, yet he still wanted to snatch other beautiful women.
Only Reno could manage that.
If it were anyone else, they might have the desire but not the ability.
Reno keenly noticed the change in their moods and asked, "Nami, how have I treated you from beginning to end?!"
Nami froze, thinking that he had indeed treated her very well.
But she still turned away sulkily. "It's been all right."
Reno continued, "After Makino, Kaya, and the others came along, have I ever treated you any less well?!"
"The same goes for all of you."
The women looked at each other and shook their heads one after another.
"So." Reno paused, his gaze sweeping across them. "You don't need to worry that other people coming aboard will take away the favor I show you."
"As long as you're my women, I'll treat you all equally."
Reno knew that Kaya, Makino, Nojiko, and Nami shared the same concerns.
They were simply more reserved by nature and would not reveal them.
But Reno had to make his stance clear at the right time.
After all, this was only the beginning. There would be more and more beautiful women joining the ship in the future.
The reason he went to such lengths to snatch so many beautiful women was, first, because subduing them would earn him System Rewards.
Second, because he truly was lustful.
He had never denied that.
But he definitely was not the kind of man who, after getting them, favored only a few while ignoring the rest.
He would never do something like that.
Reno's words were like a calming pill, and Nami and the other three women finally felt at ease.
More importantly, in their time with Reno, he really had acted that way.
It was not merely an empty promise.
"Brother Reno, Kaya believes you." Kaya rubbed her cute little face against Reno.
"Hmph, I always end up defeated by your sweet talk."
Nami's anger instantly faded after Reno's words.
"Everyone, keep eating. Captain, this dish is good. Try it." Makino speared a piece of foie gras and held it to Reno's mouth.
Reno savored it carefully, then nodded in praise.
The Baratie Restaurant truly lived up to its reputation.
Soon, the table was once again filled with laughter and cheerful conversation.
At the same time, outside the restaurant.
"Captain, are you all right?!"
The moment "Demon" Gin touched Krieg's body, he felt a current surge into him.
Frightened, he instantly pulled his hand back.
"Damn it, who did this?!"
"Could Hawk Eyes have caught up to us?!"
The thought had barely formed before Gin shook his head and rejected it.
It absolutely could not have been Hawk Eyes.
Would Hawk Eyes really row that broken coffin all the way from the Grand Line to the East Blue just to chase them?!
Would the World's Greatest Swordsman do something that boring?!
Most importantly, Hawk Eyes used a blade.
"Cough, cough, cough." At that moment, Krieg spat out two mouthfuls of Seawater, and his hazy consciousness gradually cleared.
"Gin, get out of here quickly," Krieg said with difficulty.
Too terrifying.
That woman was too terrifying.
What had he done to offend her? He had finally escaped Hawk Eyes' pursuit, only to be defeated by an unknown woman.
And he had been defeated in an instant.
It had completely shattered Krieg's confidence.
Gin angrily said, "Captain, who did this?! I'll avenge you!"
Krieg was so anxious he wanted to curse. He kept shaking Gin's arm, his voice urgent. "Get out of here, quickly."