Let Him Pay the Price

A moment later, someone knocked on the door of the Base Commander's office at the Loguetown Marine base.

"Come in!"

As the door was pushed open, the office was shrouded in smoke, making Tashigi cough repeatedly the moment she entered.

"Tashigi!"

Loguetown's Base Commander, Smoker, who had three cigars clenched between his teeth, looked at his subordinate and asked, "What is it?"

Tashigi belatedly snapped to attention, quickly saluted Smoker, and loudly declared, "Colonel Smoker, I need to request some time off. Please approve it."

"Hm?"

Smoker was visibly surprised by her words.

As Smoker's direct subordinate, Tashigi's past and personality were known to him better than anyone. This was the first time that his naturally absentminded subordinate, who worked energetically every day, had requested leave.

Has she grown up? Has she finally learned how to slack off...?

Smoker was secretly thinking this and was just about to approve her request when something occurred to him. He asked, "Is there a reason for your leave?"

Tashigi, completely guileless, reported without the slightest concealment, "I made a deal with a shop owner in Loguetown."

Smoker paused, then asked warily, "A deal? What kind of deal?"

"If I work at his shop and completely satisfy him, the owner will give me 'Shusui,'" Tashigi replied.

"What?!"

Smoker immediately thought of a certain troubling possibility.

A shop owner. A deal. Satisfaction...

Smoker gradually grew furious. It was no longer just his mouth that was smoking—his entire body began to emit wisps of smoke.

"Which damned wealthy merchant is it? How dare he set his sights on my subordinate?"

In almost an instant, Smoker decided that Tashigi—who was somewhat slow-witted and naturally absentminded, and who was muddleheaded about everything except famous swords and swordsmanship—must have been toyed with by some despicable bastard.

"Come on, Tashigi.