"Benefactor!"
Just as everyone had finished training and the cats were lining up for Xie Wen to massage them and loosen their muscles, Bont came over alone.
"I told you, just call me Xie Wen."
Xie Wen picked up Sanji Meow, who was purring in his arms, and went to meet him. His hands never stopped moving, though, continuing to rub around the little yellow cat's cheeks.
Bont gave a sheepish smile, then readily changed his form of address. "Well... Xie Wen, I came to invite you all into town for lunch."
"There's no need, is there? You must still have plenty to do, so I won't get in your way. Besides, didn't you already treat us yesterday?" Xie Wen shook his head, declining.
Seeing that Bont wanted to keep persuading him, Xie Wen added, "We're not planning to leave so soon, so there's no need to rush."
"Really?" Bont's eyes lit up, and he hurriedly pleaded, "Then you must stay a while longer. Yesterday's banquet alone was nowhere near enough to express our gratitude!"
"Mm-hmm, sure..." Xie Wen answered perfunctorily, but he actually had no intention of attending another banquet or anything of the sort.
After all, Sanji Meow's cooking had long since spoiled his palate. Attending an occasional banquet to enjoy the atmosphere was fine, but if they came one after another, Xie Wen wouldn't have much of an appetite.
While Xie Wen and Bont chatted on and off, Hua Mei Meow, who was basking in the sun on top of the wall with Klee Meow, suddenly called out, "Admiral, there's a ship coming, meow."
Arlong Park had been built beside the sea, with its main entrance opening directly onto the water, so Xie Wen and the others only needed to go around a wall to see the