Wouldn't We Starve to Death?

"Damn, why is the terrain getting worse and worse?" The farther they went, the fewer green trees they saw. They could hardly spot a single person. As far as the eye could see, the land was all barren, and it was already showing signs of desertification.

"We should be getting close to the battlefield, right?" Kaiser Lynn had never been here before either, so her tone was uncertain.

"The battlefield where our three kingdoms meet doesn't belong to any of them. That's why the land around the main battlefield has been left untended."

"Then what's the point of fighting these wars?"

They were fighting on neutral ground to prove they were stronger, without even taking territory from the other kingdoms.

"In the past, we did occupy each other's territory. But my father seems to have reached some kind of agreement with the other two kingdoms in recent years. There haven't been any large-scale battles for a long time."

"If I'm not mistaken, your father made that agreement not long after your older brother was killed by Rogue."

"Yes." Kaiser Lynn's voice grew subdued.

"Never mind. It's all in the past. I shouldn't have brought it up."

"It's fine. Rogue is dead, and I think Father will be happy about that too."

Four or five days had passed since they left the bandit stronghold, and they had long since eaten all the food they'd brought with them. They hadn't expected to go this entire journey without finding so much as a rabbit.

Shirakawa was fine. Even if he never ate, he wouldn't starve to death. Buggy and Shanks were a little worse off, but Kaiser Lynn was in no shape to go on. She was so hungry that her vision was blurring.

"Just hang on a little longer. We'll find food soon."

"Mm." Kaiser Lynn had gone from walking on her own to slumping over Shirakawa's back. She looked utterly exhausted.

"This was my mistake. I didn't expect there to be no food at all near the battlefield. Looks like the soldiers in this kingdom get their provisions shipped in from those cities."

"Shirakawa, look! There are people up ahead." Shanks suddenly called out to him.

The group across from them spotted them too.

"Judging by their clothes, they look like soldiers from the battlefield. Heaven must be on our side! They're bound to have rations on them."

"Who are you?" The soldiers approached and asked Shirakawa sternly.

"We're merchants passing through. A band of bandits robbed us of our goods and food. Could you spare us something to eat? Just look at her—she's already fainted from hunger."

Kaiser Lynn helpfully shut her eyes.

"And look, we've got two children with us."

"Captain, the person on his back looks like the princess of the Kingdom of Mol. And the others look like people on the Wanted Poster."

One of the soldiers quietly spoke to his leader.

At that, the captain scrutinized the group before speaking angrily. "Well, well. You nearly fooled me! Get them! Capture them and take them back to the Royal Capital!"

Seeing the soldiers charge toward them, Shanks and Buggy drew their weapons, though neither of them was in any condition to fight.

"I didn't want to use force, but you came looking for trouble."

Shirakawa didn't let Shanks and Buggy take action. Instead, he used his Conqueror's Haki to knock the soldiers unconscious.

The group immediately searched the soldiers and took all their food. Even Kaiser Lynn had forgotten all about propriety between men and women; she reached right over and searched the unconscious soldiers lying on the ground.

Watching Kaiser Lynn wolf down the food, Shirakawa finally let out a breath of relief. If she starved to death or got sick from hunger, he wouldn't be able to complete his mission.

"Slow down. No one's going to steal it from you." Seeing Kaiser Lynn stuff her mouth full and keep cramming in more, Shirakawa found it hilarious and teased her.

"Mm, mm." Kaiser Lynn nodded, but her hands and mouth showed no sign of slowing down.

"Good grief, look how hungry that poor girl was!"

Shanks and Buggy weren't eating any more neatly. They could endure hunger too, but why go hungry when there was food to be had?

After handing Kaiser Lynn some water, Shirakawa ate a little himself as well.

"Ah, I'm alive again!"

After taking a long gulp of water, Kaiser Lynn let out a satisfied moan.

"But is it okay for us to eat here? Won't they wake up soon?" Kaiser Lynn finally grew a little worried as she looked at the soldiers lying all around her.

"Don't worry. They won't wake up for a while."

"Oh, good." Kaiser Lynn breathed out in relief.

By then, Shanks and Buggy had finished eating too. Their bellies were round, and they were sprawled on the ground, unwilling to move.

"You two, it's not that bad, is it?" Shirakawa said with a helpless laugh.

"You don't understand what it's like to be hungry."

Shanks drawled, then shook his head at Shirakawa, as if he'd missed out on something wonderful.

"I don't understand, and I don't want to."

"Anyway, we should discuss what to do next."

"Go ahead." Kaiser Lynn looked at Shirakawa, and Shanks and Buggy turned their attention to him as well.

"Since we've already run into a squad of soldiers, we must be close to the kingdom's border. It'll definitely be heavily guarded, so we should discuss how to get through."

"Why not disguise ourselves, like we did before?" Kaiser Lynn suggested.

"There's no way that'll work. As a princess, you should know how strict the border guards are."

"Then let's fight our way through," Shanks said.

"That's completely unrealistic. There'll be too many of them. Even if we're all elite fighters, they can just wear us down."

"This won't work, that won't work. Then what do you suggest?"

"I was planning to fly out."

"Fly out? Right, with your abilities, you could easily carry us out. If you've already made up your mind, why ask us?"

"Nothing in particular. I just wanted to hear what you thought, even though I wasn't going to take your advice."

"Hmph. You might as well take off your pants to fart. What a waste of effort."

"Hehe." Hearing Buggy's last remark, Kaiser Lynn suddenly laughed. "You sure say some funny things."

"I learned it from Shirakawa."

"I didn't know you were such a shameless person."

"Who else but a shameless person would be with you right now? You're nothing but trouble."

"Isn't making trouble exactly what you're doing?"

"Hey, young lady, we're escorting you out of the goodness of our hearts. You could at least be grateful instead of saying I'm looking for trouble. If that's how it is, you can go back by yourself."

"I'm sorry. I was wrong."

Kaiser Lynn immediately backed down. Going back by herself would be as good as walking to her death.