They followed the road, and gradually the noise around them faded. Even the pirates wandering the streets disappeared.
Ahead stood a sprawling estate with the imposing air of a grand manor.
Nami looked around. Why did this place remind her a little of Arlong Park?
"Uncle, do you think the people inside are strong?" Nami asked Rubick quietly. "A villa like this, in a place like this..."
Rubick gave her a reassuring look. "All the better. That's exactly who we're looking for."
The three entered the grounds. A man who looked like the proprietor suddenly hurried out, visibly anxious. His upper body swayed from side to side in a peculiar way.
"Ah, guests! You can't just come in on your own. You're putting me in a difficult position."
Nami frowned. "We're customers. It's not like we can't pay."
The proprietor hastily explained, "The Tropical Hotel has been booked in its entirety by Lord Bellamy and his party. So could the three of you please leave?"
Nami was curious about this Lord Bellamy. Rubick was about to answer her when someone came in from outside.
The man had shoulder-length blond hair parted down the middle. He wore a white fur coat and sunglasses, and a pirate flag emblem was tattooed on his chest. He had an arm around a woman, too. He didn't look like a decent sort.
He was Sarquiss, the Vice Captain of the Bellamy Pirates, known as Big Knife. His bounty was 38 million.
The moment he opened his mouth, his tone was overbearing. "Hey. What's going on?"
The proprietor trembled so hard he stopped swaying altogether.
"Where did these people come from?" Sarquiss demanded.
The proprietor tried to explain, but Sarquiss cut him off. "Enough excuses. Throw them out! Do you have any idea how much we