As the Going Merry gradually drew closer, a young child's voice suddenly rang out from the little house opposite them, clear and loud. "Granny Kokoro~ Granny Kokoro~ Pirates are here~"
The sudden shout was like a ripple spreading across a calm sea. Then a jumble of footsteps approached from the distance; someone had clearly been disturbed by the child's call.
"What? Really? Chimney, bring me the Den Den Mushi~" An old, slightly drunken voice came from the house.
Before the voice had finished, there was a thud, as though something had fallen heavily to the floor.
Zoro's expression tightened at this, and he said quietly, "Trouble. Someone's coming out of the house. From the looks of it, they're probably going to call for help."
After a while, a small figure appeared in the house's corridor. It was an adorable little girl, carrying a Den Den Mushi in her hands as she carefully approached the person on the floor.
"Granny, are you all right?" the little girl asked softly, a trace of concern in her voice.
The person on the floor got up with a series of groans, revealing a stout, portly old woman. She swayed as she steadied herself, took the Den Den Mushi the little girl handed her, and then...
"Hello, hello... Well... Uh... What was I going to say..." The old woman narrowed her eyes and opened her mouth, but suddenly seemed to have forgotten what she wanted to say, looking utterly bewildered.
After three whole seconds of silence, the old woman finally spoke as though waking from a dream. "...Forgot."
Everyone exchanged glances, momentarily at a loss for words.
A vein twitched at Usopp's temple, his face dark with exasperation, and he couldn't help blurting out, "She's drunk~"
The atmosphere instantly grew awkward.
As Nami put her