Werther hadn't been asleep long before the two of them woke him with their racket on the deck.
To his surprise, Tuski and Anita got along remarkably well. They acted as though they wished they'd met sooner.
Just then, Ferdinand's Den Den Mushi rang again.
"Werther, I forgot something important. How's the girl you kidnapped? The Five Elders have been putting a lot of pressure on me, so let her go."
"Huh? I got angry and killed her."
"What? Werther, you didn't really do that, did you? Hey, tell me you're joking!" Ferdinand sounded thoroughly rattled.
Anita, who had heard both sides of the conversation, ran over and snatched up the Den Den Mushi.
"Hello? Can you hear me? Did my dad send you to rescue me?"
"Miss Anita? Oh, thank goodness. Werther, don't scare me like that! You and Doffy have been giving me gray hairs lately." Werther looked at the haggard face of the Den Den Mushi and smiled without answering.
"Yes, I'm Anita. When are you coming to rescue me?"
"Hello, Miss Anita. I'm Ferdinand. We can set sail to pick you up anytime."
"Ha! Great! I'll finally get to see Dad."
The two grew more excited as they talked, but they had overlooked one thing: had Werther ever said he would let her go? He hadn't captured her for a position among the Shichibukai. He had done it to get back at Sengoku and the Marines. What would it do to them if he simply released her now?
Besides, he had gotten absurdly lucky and captured a member of the Dragon People. If he held her for a while, it was easy to imagine how much pressure Sengoku would face. The thought filled Werther with a strange delight.
"Ferdinand, did I say I was letting her