Chapter 64 / Chapter 65

"It's too dangerous here. We should leave while we can."

Zeff was just as shaken when he heard that.

He had never heard of Ship's Rules so bizarre, let alone seen them.

"He's heading into the Grand Line next. I can't wait to see what kind of name he makes for himself."

Zeff thought highly of Chris. He was sure the young man would become a force to be reckoned with.

Just then, a pleasant voice rang out.

"Captain Chris, I'd like to join you too."

A slender woman with pale golden hair walked up to Chris.

Her name was as lovely as she was: Mei Di!

She was every bit as beautiful as her name suggested.

The guests stared in amazement.

Such a gorgeous woman was joining a pirate crew.

Worse, she was doing it willingly.

They thought it a terrible shame, and they envied Chris.

The young man had beautiful women all around him. How lucky could one guy get?

It was downright unfair!

"Captain Chris, I'm Mei Di, a professional bartender. If I come aboard, I can mix drinks for everyone."

Mei Di brushed back her hair and looked at Chris, a sweet smile lighting up her beautiful face.

Burgess perked up at once and burst out laughing. "Now that's what I'm talking about!"

"We needed a bartender aboard. I won't have to worry about drinks anymore! Wahahaha..."

Doc Q coughed. "A musician and now a bartender. We're getting quite a crew together."

Lafitte twirled his cane, looking pleased. "Your timing is excellent. We do need someone like you aboard."

"What do you think, Captain?"

Chris folded his arms and gave a brief answer. "Sure."

At that, Mei Di smiled warmly. "Thank you, Captain. I hope we'll all get along."

When the guests saw that the beautiful woman really had joined the pirate crew, their hearts sank.

What a waste for someone so lovely to end up among pirates.

Honey Queen beckoned Mei Di over with a smile. "Come sit with us. Let's have a chat."

"Mei Di and Betty. Only one character separates our names. What a coincidence."

Belo Betty leaned back in her chair, crossed her legs, and took a drag on her cigarette. She looked faintly displeased.

Baccarat smoothed her deep-red hair and smiled. "It is a coincidence, but we won't mix you two up."

"Great! You all seem easy to talk to. I'd love to chat with you ladies."

Mei Di smiled and walked over to Honey Queen.

Out beyond the Baratie, on a quiet stretch of deck.

"Sanji, have you been well all these years?"

Reiju looked at her younger brother with concern, her voice gentle.

Sanji took a drag on his cigarette and gazed out at the horizon. "Thanks to you, I'm still alive."

Reiju understood his cold tone. He still hated the Vinsmoke Family.

It was no wonder. His brothers had bullied him as a child and beaten him often.

Judge had disliked him too. He had despised him.

Germa had left Sanji with nothing but painful memories. Of course he did not want to revisit them.

"Sanji, have you forgotten how I treated you?"

Reiju rubbed her forehead and gave a rueful smile. "I can't say much about what the family did."

"But you know how I treated you. Please don't speak to me like that."

Sanji fell silent. He remembered what Reiju had told him when they parted.

"The sea is so vast. One day, you'll meet kind people."

Memories of the past rose in his mind. At last, he breathed out a stream of smoke and turned to her, looking apologetic.

"Seeing you brings back bad memories. Forgive me, Reiju. I'm sorry."

Reiju was glad to hear it. A warm smile spread across her beautiful face.

"I'm just happy you don't blame me. I really am."

Sanji took another drag on his cigarette and asked what had been bothering him. "Reiju, why are you here instead of in the North Blue?"

"Father..."

Reiju stopped herself. She brushed back her pink hair and smiled faintly. "The young man in black who was leading that group is Chris."

"Our family is working with him now. They sent me to oversee the partnership."

"I'm glad I followed him to the East Blue. Otherwise, I'd never have known you were here."

Sanji frowned. "That cold-blooded bastard is working with Chris? What's going on?"

Reiju knew exactly whom he meant.

She took no offense. "Chris is incredibly strong, so the family decided to work with him. That's all."

"Sanji, come with me. We can head to the Grand Line together."

Reiju smiled. "Chris is easy to talk to. If you joined us, I'm sure he'd—"

Sanji cut her off.

"You don't need to say any more. I'm not leaving."

He flicked his cigarette butt into the sea and looked at her seriously. "You saw that old man earlier, didn't you?"

"His name is Zeff. If it weren't for him, I'd have died at sea long ago."

"So I'm staying here with him, no matter what. I won't leave."

Reiju drew her brows together. She wanted to argue, but Sanji looked resolute.

She had no choice but to give up.

Aboard the Dreadnought Sabre.

"I've just realized how shabby this ship is compared with ours."

Carina looked around the flagship and shook her head in distaste.

Perona floated in the air and giggled. "Of course it is. Our ship belonged to the North Blue Overlord."

"How could anything from a little place like the East Blue compare?"

Carina's eyes lit up. "Found it! There's the storeroom. Hee-hee!"

Perona brightened too. "Then let's hurry! Horohorohoro..."

The two of them strode inside, eager to see what they would find.

A woman stood ahead of them, packing up gold, silver, and jewels.

Hearing them enter, Nami looked toward the door and met their eyes.

For a moment, nobody spoke.

"Huh? What's someone doing in here?"

Perona hovered in the air, curiosity on her face. "A survivor from this ship? Probably not."

Carina studied Nami with a sly glint in her eyes. "Looks like we've met a kindred spirit."

"She's a little treasure lover, just like me. I could tell at a glance."

Nami grinned at Carina. "You're here to steal too? What a coincidence."

"There's plenty of treasure. I can't carry it all, so help yourselves."

"I've got somewhere to be, though. I'll leave you to it."

She tied up her bundle and moved to leave.

Carina waved a hand and giggled. "Sorry. We may be kindred spirits, but we're not here to steal."

"Everything on this ship is spoils won by the Chris Pirates. You're stealing our treasure."

"But I like you, so I'll let you off."

Perona eyed the bulging bundle, delighted. "With all this treasure, I can buy lots more tasty food! Horohorohoro..."

Nami's eyes darted about as she thought fast. Then she smiled. "Haha, so it's yours."

"Well, in that case, I shouldn't take it. I'd better give it back."

"Say, how about we team up and pull off a big score?"

Nami had taken an immediate liking to Carina.

They were alike in many ways, not least their love of money.

More importantly, they were both quick-witted and clever.

It seemed a shame not to work together.

"No, thanks. I like things the way they are."

Carina shook her head with a grin. "I used to work alone too. It was fun."

"But since I started following Chris, I've gotten my hands on far more treasure."

"Not long ago, we took down the White Ghost Pirates, the North Blue Overlord's crew."

"You should've seen the treasure. There was so much it formed a little hill. I'd never seen anything like it."

Carina looked at Nami and invited her sincerely. "Come with us. Whenever Chris beats another pirate crew, we can sweep up the treasure together. Hee-hee!"

Perona bobbed in the air. "Me too! Don't forget me!"

Nami rubbed her forehead and gave a rueful smile. Her enthusiasm had faded.

"Forget it. I'd rather work alone. I'm off."

She turned to leave.

Carina frowned, then asked thoughtfully, "Are you in some kind of trouble?"

"Tell us about it. Maybe we can help."

"It's not every day I meet someone I get along with so well. We should help each other, shouldn't we?"