Klahadore

As two of the biggest foodies and drinkers around, they clearly could not resist temptation.

Luffy's craving for meat, in particular, had reached an extreme, almost compulsive level.

Since Luffy was someone his father knew, Usopp spent generously and brought them to the best restaurant in the village. At the table, Luffy devoured meat like mad while Zoro drank like mad. Nami and Moonlight ate fried rice bite by bite, watching the two of them helplessly.

Halfway through the meal, Usopp checked the time and suddenly left.

He left Onion, Carrot, and Pepper behind to entertain them.

"Huh? Where's Usopp?"

It was only after a full hour that Luffy finally finished eating. Full of food and drink, he suddenly noticed Usopp was gone and could not help asking.

"You only just noticed?"

"Seriously, Luffy, what is your stomach made of? How can you eat that much?"

"Whoa!"

Nami and Moonlight were speechless when they heard that. Nami's eyes went wide as she pointed at Luffy.

Even Zoro joined in.

"That's incredible! Is this what a real Pirate is like? He ate enough for at least fifty people in one meal. What an appetite!"

"More than fifty! I'd say that was enough for a hundred people!"

"Usopp? He had something to do, so he left!"

Pepper and the other two stared at Luffy with worshipful expressions, their eyes full of amazement.

"He left? I still had something to ask him!"

Luffy could not help feeling disappointed.

"If you need something, you can ask us instead!"

"That's right. If there's anything we can help with, just say the word. We'll definitely do everything we can!"

"Helping real Pirates would be so cool!"

Seeing this, the three of them pounded their chests and declared earnestly.

"Then thanks a lot. We want to get a Pirate ship of our own. Do you know who's the richest person on this island? We'll ask them to give us a ship!"

Luffy stated his purpose directly.

"The richest? Everyone in the village is about the same. No one is especially rich, but maybe everyone could chip in a little!"

"That doesn't seem right. Everyone's lives are pretty modest as it is!"

"Wait, maybe that person could help!"

The three immediately replied. The villagers on the island were all self-sufficient and not wealthy. Besides, asking everyone to scrape together money for Pirates was simply unrealistic.

Suddenly, Onion seemed to think of something. His eyes lit up as he spoke.

"That person?"

Luffy's eyes lit up as well.

"That's right. She's the richest person in our village. If we ask her, she might be able to help you!"

"You mean Lady Kaya, who lives in the villa up on the mountain?"

Pepper and Carrot remembered as well and could not help saying so.

"Lady Kaya?"

Now not only Luffy, but Zoro and Nami's eyes lit up too.

Since they were going to set sail as a group, they naturally needed a ship of their own. That was the most basic requirement.

But getting a ship was not easy. Nami clearly was not going to spend her own money, while Zoro and Luffy were both broke. Moonlight had only just arrived and was penniless too. Who knew how long it would take to get a ship?

Buggy's ship was not theirs anyway, and it was battered and worn-out. There was no way it could make it to the Grand Line!

Luffy knew perfectly well that they could not wait that long!

Finding someone to fund a ship was both the easiest and fastest option!

"That's right. She's the richest person in our village, and she lives up on the mountain!"

The three nodded and pointed toward a large villa faintly visible on the mountain outside the window.

"Great! In that case, let's get moving!"

Luffy said excitedly. Without another word, he headed out.

"Let's go!"

Zoro and the other three followed.

Meanwhile, at the mountain villa, Usopp climbed in through a gap in the back courtyard wall, climbed up a tree, and softly called toward one of the rooms.

"Kaya!"

The window immediately flew open. A sickly young girl, not yet twenty, saw Usopp and cheered.

"Usopp, you're here!"

"Yeah, Kaya. I came to see you. This time, I'll tell you about my brave exploits at sea."

Usopp's eyes lit up when he saw the girl. She was Lady Kaya, the owner of this villa.

He immediately nodded heavily and spoke.

He lied often, so no one in the village liked him. It had not quite reached the point where everyone shouted at him like a rat in the street, but it was close enough.

Yet the girl before him was the only person who believed him. Usopp felt a long-lost warmth from her. Especially since she was young and beautiful, Usopp was just beginning to fall in love and only wished he could see her every day. That was why he often sneaked in to tell her made-up stories about the sea.

Perhaps because lying came so naturally to him, Usopp launched into a story the moment he opened his mouth.

Kaya immediately listened in wonder, marveling again and again.

Because of her weak health, she had been bedridden for years. Aside from a single butler, she had never interacted with anyone else. Usopp made her eyes light up, and the stories of the sea filled her with longing.

Thus, one loved making things up while the other loved listening, and the two got along wonderfully.

"Sigh, the captain's lying again!"

At that moment, Pepper and the other two arrived with Luffy's group of four. They did not take the usual route either, climbing in through the back courtyard. Seeing this scene, they could not help sighing helplessly.

"Usopp, who are they?"

Kaya's eyes widened when she saw Luffy and the others, and she asked.

"Kaya, they're my friends, and they're Pirates too. This is Captain Luffy, and these are... uh, his three subordinates!"

Seeing Luffy, Usopp slid down from the tree and introduced them.

"They came here because..."

Usopp then explained their purpose.

"Miss, don't listen to this man's nonsense. He's nothing but a liar!"

Just then, a cold voice rang out.

A man around thirty walked over, dressed in a butler's uniform with gold-rimmed glasses and black gloves. He looked at Usopp and spoke without the slightest politeness.

"Bartel!"

Kaya called out when she saw the man.

"Butler Klahadore!"

Usopp's expression changed when he saw him.

"Miss Kaya, did he tell you that he's some great Pirate who often goes on adventures at sea? Those are nothing but lies he made up himself. Everyone in the village knows it. Besides, his father was an infamous Pirate. As the son of a Pirate, he's no good either. Miss Kaya, you absolutely must not believe anything someone like him says!"

Klahadore sneered.

"But Usopp..."

Kaya could not help saying.

"What did you say? What do you mean, someone like me?!"

However, Usopp cut her off. His eyes immediately turned bloodshot as he glared furiously at Bartel.

Especially when Bartel mentioned the father Usopp admired beyond measure, that contemptuous expression made him fly into a rage at once!

People could insult him if they wanted, but insulting the father he admired was absolutely unacceptable!