The Frail Girl, Kaya

Syrup Village was as peaceful as ever. Villagers walked along the streets, chatting and laughing, exchanging greetings as the sun dipped toward the horizon, signaling the end of another day.

A figure in a gray cloak avoided the crowds, walking along a desolate path. With head bowed, she stared at a fruit with strange, swirling patterns in her hands, muttering, "That greedy colonel hid this fruit in his secret vault... It must be an incredible treasure! If I bury it in the ground, will it grow gold coins? Yes, that must be it!"

She examined the fruit cautiously, but when she looked up, she realized she had wandered in front of a grand, luxurious mansion. She sniffed the air sharply. "Did this fragrance lead me here?"

Glancing left and right to ensure no one was watching, she took a high leap and vaulted over the mansion's fence.

Once in the backyard, she buried the strange fruit in a relatively soft and fertile patch of soil that appeared to be a medicinal garden filled with various herbs. She covered it with dirt and brushed the dust from her hands. "All hidden. I'll come back tomorrow morning to check; maybe it really will grow gold coins."

As she spoke, her stomach let out a loud growl. The scent of hot food wafting from the kitchen stirred her olfactory nerves. "Better fill my stomach first..."

Following the aroma, she pried open the kitchen window and slipped inside, closing it softly behind her. Seeing no one, she unceremoniously stuffed cheese, toasted bread, and pumpkin pie into her mouth, mumbling, "A thief's job is to steal, of course! Sneaking snacks is my specialty!"

Suddenly, her ears twitched. Her body flashed, and she grabbed the plate of food, darting behind a cabinet in the corner. She chewed on the soft pastry while listening to the movements outside.

The sounds of pots and pans clattering echoed through the kitchen, accompanied by a voice filled with anxiety.

"Hurry up! The young lady is having another episode. Prepare the medicinal meal quickly..."

"Hey, this medicine not only looks strange, it smells awful... Forget it, bitter medicine is good for the illness. The doctor wouldn't be wrong. Move faster!"

After a while, once the footsteps faded, the cloaked figure poked her head out and placed the empty plate on the table. "These people are so stupid. They didn't even notice the food was missing..."

Before she could finish, her eyes widened as she stared at the fruit peel left on the table. "Wait, isn't this the strange fruit I just buried!!!"

She immediately scrambled out the window and ran back to the spot where she had buried the fruit, only to find that the fruit and the surrounding herbs had all been dug up.

Sure enough... the fruit in the kitchen was the one she had buried here!

She covered her eyes in speechlessness. Suddenly, her nose twitched; she caught a scent similar to the one in the kitchen. Driven by curiosity about what would happen to that fruit, she looked upward.

After a moment of deliberation, she ran to a nearby tree and scurried up like an agile cat, crouching on a thick branch.

Through a gap in the mansion's curtains, she could vaguely see a frail girl with golden hair lying in bed. A man who looked like a butler was carefully scooping medicinal soup with a spoon, blowing on it, and feeding it to the girl.

A moment later, the frail girl slowly opened her eyes, her face still pale and weak as she stared at the ceiling.

"Young lady, you're awake. It seems the doctor's prescription and the special herbs are quite effective." The butler breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm sorry to trouble you, Merry..." Kaya looked around with a dazed expression. "Where is Klahadore?"

"He went to buy groceries and hasn't returned yet." Merry helped Kaya sit up and slowly fed her the soup. "Careful, young lady, it's hot."

"It smells so bad..." Kaya covered her mouth, turning her head away as she struggled to swallow the broth.

"Young lady, bitter medicine is good for you. You must finish it so you can recover quickly..."

Kaya didn't hear a word Merry said. Her eyes were filled with joy as she looked toward the window, whispering instinctively, "Usopp!"

Merry set the bowl down, walked over, and pulled back the curtains with a flourish. Outside, there was no one.

"How can this be... he didn't come today..." The joy in Kaya's eyes instantly turned to disappointment.

"Young lady, please stop associating with that village liar. Mr. Klahadore often tells me he isn't a good person and that he has ulterior motives for getting close to us..."

"Even though it's only been a few months, I don't think Usopp is a bad person. Anyway, let's not talk about this anymore..." Kaya didn't want to dwell on the subject. "I've been reading the medical books by Crocus, which were highly acclaimed back in the day... Merry, do you think I have a talent for medicine?"

"Of course! As long as you study hard, you will surely become a famous physician in the future!"

Kaya smiled, her eyes curving like crescent moons. "Alright, Merry, please bring me that adventure book and the medical book."

Merry handed her the thick Ivan's Adventure Stories and Crocus's Medical Observations from the bookshelf, placing them on the bedside table. "Young lady, don't read for too long. Get some rest early. I'll be heading out now."

Kaya took the book from the bedside, placed it on her propped-up knees, and opened it to the bookmarked page. A smile from the heart bloomed on her pale face.

On the east coast of Syrup Village.

A group of pirates danced joyfully around a bonfire. Usopp's excellent social (bragging) skills allowed him to quickly bond with the pirates, and he was egged on by the group to drink quite a bit of alcohol.

He looked at the pirates with hazy, drunken eyes. "I, Captain Usopp, have eighty million subordinates! They call me 'Proud Usopp.' I once led my men to a mysterious island—did you know? That island was made entirely of giant goldfish dung, and it was this big..."

As he spoke, he gestured with his hands.

Shuma had become a loyal little listener, ears perked up, staring at Usopp without blinking. "Wow, that's amazing!"

"That's impossible. An island like that couldn't exist," Mohji whispered into Shuma's ear, only to be met with a look of disdain.

"He actually doesn't believe me..." Mohji slumped to the ground in defeat.

"How are you the one getting discouraged!" Cabaji retorted from the side.

Watching the merry pirates, Buggy took a swig of his own drink. "Quite leisurely, aren't you, Usopp..."

"Haha, what do you want with Captain Usopp!"

Buggy handed over a bounty poster, speaking nonchalantly. "Do you recognize this man?"

"A pirate? Aside from you lot and Shanks, I don't know any others..." Usopp took the poster from Buggy, his pupils shrinking instantly. "He, he is..."

"Over two years ago, a pirate nicknamed 'Klahadore the Thousand Plans' was captured by the Navy and publicly executed. However... the guy they executed was just a body double. He didn't die; he survived..."

Buggy watched the shell-shocked Usopp and said slowly, "Although Klahadore's bounty poster was destroyed by the Navy three years ago, as a fellow pirate, I kept a copy."

Usopp's face turned grim as he crumpled the bounty poster into a ball. He clenched his fists in anger and ran toward the village in a panic. "Kaya..."

Cabaji asked in confusion, "Captain Buggy, why did that kid suddenly leave?"

"To chase the truth." Buggy watched Usopp's retreating back.

"I'd like to see... what happens if I advance the plot. Haha, I really am a man with a wicked sense of humor."