Werther stepped forward and studied Anita closely.
"Oh, Baldy, you're back! When are we setting sail? I'm bored to death here."
Anita looked delighted to see Werther, but he was not happy at all.
"What are you wearing? How tightly did you have to tie that cloth to keep it from sliding down to your stomach?"
Anita's cheeks puffed up at the jab. She sprang to her feet and started kicking and biting him.
"Baldy! I'll fight you! You're not allowed to bring that up again. I'm only thirteen. I've still got plenty of growing to do. What would a baldy like you know?"
Gla Tony stared in disbelief. He wanted to tell the girl not to anger this killer. He had just watched Werther wipe out tens of thousands of people.
But to Gla Tony's astonishment, the supposedly savage Thunder Swordsman did not get angry. He calmly pulled the girl away. Gla Tony decided then and there that he must never cross her, either.
Werther was surprised to hear Anita say she was thirteen. He looked her over a few times. No matter how he looked at her, her childlike build did not seem thirteen.
"Are you really thirteen?"
"Hmph. Of course I am. I'm already thirteen. Surprised?"
Werther nodded.
"Very. You're that old and still built like this? How sad."
"What did you say? Say that again and I'll bite you! I'm just a late bloomer. Everyone in my Family is like this. I won't hit my growth spurt until I'm fifteen. It's in my blood."
"Right, right. It's in your blood, you past-your-prime little girl."
"Baldy, are you thinking something filthy? And when are we going on a long voyage?
"A Fish-Man came by earlier, too. Did you send him? Tuski's already cleaned the spores off him."