The Book Thief and Narcissa
"Catch that thief!"
"Don't let him get away!!"
Loud shouts rang out amid a jumble of footsteps.
Dill jolted awake, sprang out of bed with a kip-up, grabbed the Den Den Mushi beside his bed, and ran toward the door.
"Robin, Ro..."
His arm stopped just as he was about to open the door, and he stood motionless for a long while.
"Why am I running when they're catching a thief?"
He clicked his tongue in annoyance. Being chased by World Government agents all day was practically turning it into a conditioned reflex.
And they called this room a luxury suite. The soundproofing was terrible.
Creak~
He pushed open the window, wanting to see which tactless bastard had disturbed his sleep.
Unfortunately, the thief and his pursuers had long since disappeared from the street, leaving only a few early-rising townspeople.
A ray of morning light shone in. Dill yawned and turned to wash up.
He would head to the harbor early today and pick a better cargo ship.
"Robin, Hina, time to get up."
After a simple breakfast, the three headed to the harbor.
It was early morning. Most cargo ships had finished loading the night before and were only waiting for daybreak to set sail.
"What are you looking at?"
Hina craned her neck curiously to look at Robin beside her.
Robin held a white-covered book, reading intently.
"It's a book about the history of medicine. It mentions a lot of difficult and unusual illnesses throughout history."
"Did we buy that book yesterday?"
"I found it outside the inn."
While the two chatted, Dill had already picked his target.
A two-masted cargo ship carrying food supplies.
He did not know exactly how many sailors it had, but he had spotted its captain.
A short-haired female captain carrying three sacks of grain.
A male sailor beside her seemed to want to help, only to get yelled at by the short-haired woman.
"Get lost! I don't need your help!
Do you think I can't carry this stuff because I'm a woman?!"
The sailor hurriedly waved his hands and explained, "No, I was just worried you'd tire yourself out."
"Oh~ Because I'm a useless woman who gets tired carrying three sacks, a big, strong man like you has to help me, is that it?"
"No... that's not what I meant."
"Then hurry up and get lost! Go weigh anchor, raise the sails, and get ready to set off!"
The sailor slunk away and joined another sailor.
Dill could just make out their conversation.
"Why did the captain react like that? I only wanted to help."
"You'll get used to it. Her motto is, 'Whatever men can do, I can do too, and I'll do it better!'"
Dill rubbed his chin, gazing thoughtfully at the female captain's back.
Isn't she just a hardworking version of Kuina?
Kuina believed girls were inferior to boys and could never become the World's Strongest.
The female captain believed she was no worse than boys and would do even better than them.
Unfortunately, the age gap was a little too large. Kuina was probably only three and had yet to have little Zoro talk her around. Otherwise, the two would surely have plenty in common.
Dill shook his head, pushed those wandering thoughts out of his mind, and stepped forward to stand in the female captain's path.
With his childish looks, a few flattering words, and a little hypnotic suggestion,
the female captain agreed to let them hitch a ride.
When he led Robin and Hina onto the deck, the female captain immediately noticed the two little girls.
"My name is Narcissa. You two little girls are quite cute."
With a friendly smile, Narcissa crouched down and ruffled both girls' hair.
"If anyone bullies you on board, tell me. I'll go beat them up!"
Once the two girls nodded, she stood and raised her callused right hand.
"All hands, set sail!!"
At her command, the twenty sailors aboard sprang into action.
With nothing to do, Dill was about to ask whether there were any fishing rods when he suddenly heard a shout from shore.
"Catch that thief!"
"Don't let him get away!!"
Found him! The culprit who disturbed my sleep this morning!
He hurried to the bow and peered into the distance, making out a chase on shore.
Two constables were sprinting after a man in a white medical uniform with a bundle in his arms.
"Stop! You book thief!!"
"I'm not stealing, I'm borrowing! I'll return them!!"
One constable gritted his teeth and replied, "Cut the crap! Ten people have already reported you for barging into their homes and robbing them, and forcibly injecting people who aren't even sick!"
"We're putting you behind bars today! Stop!!"
Just as Dill was watching in fascination, Narcissa suddenly called out,
"You, kid over there! Get down here. We're setting off."
Under the sailors' handling, the ship gradually left the harbor.
The waves shimmered with phosphorescence, and a breeze filled the sails as the cargo ship advanced steadily toward its planned destination.
The sailors gathered on deck in twos and threes. Some sat cross-legged playing cards with cigarettes dangling from their mouths, some took out fishing rods and fished from the ship's side, and others leaned against the masts, telling their companions about the previous night's romantic exploits.
Voyages at sea were not all that tense.
Abnormal weather was a specialty of the Grand Line. In the Four Seas, as long as they did not encounter pirates, sailors led quite leisurely lives.
Amid this lazy atmosphere, Narcissa seemed somewhat out of place.
She held a book and studied it meticulously, occasionally writing and drawing on its pages.
Was she studying?
Dill scratched his head in mild puzzlement. On these seas, where the average person's education had ended before they were born, someone actually squeezed in time to study?
Still, what Narcissa did had little to do with him. He quietly sidled over, planning to hypnotize her first.
"You,"
"You came at just the right time."
Narcissa interrupted Dill's opening line, slung an arm around his shoulders, and pointed at the book.
"Tell me, what does this word mean?"
Dill: "..."
"Gangway. That ladder you usually use to get off the ship."
"I see. What about this one?"
"Mast. The pole the sails hang from."
"Oh~ And this one?"
"...Hina, come here for a second!"
"November 7, Sea Circle Calendar 1502.
Today was my seventh day as a sailor. I finally got to speak to Captain Narcissa. Even though she yelled at me, I really like this side of her personality.
Three children came aboard to hitch a ride. Captain Narcissa is especially gentle with the two girls.
Note: Narcissa likes girls."
"November 8, Sea Circle Calendar 1502.
The captain yawned a few times today. It looked like she hadn't slept well last night."
"November 9, Sea Circle Calendar 1502.
Our ship reached its destination. Captain Narcissa wasn't very excited. After taking on another load of cargo, we set sail again that same afternoon.
The three children who were supposed to get off stayed aboard too.
Oh, right, the captain took on lots of extra food this time."
"November 10, Sea Circle Calendar 1502.
Today, the captain suddenly said we were changing our destination and heading into unknown waters.
The boatswain actually didn't object. Usually, he often argues with the captain over little things.
I'll have to keep an eye on him. I can't let him hurt Captain Narcissa."
Knock, knock!!
Just as the sailor finished the last stroke of his diary entry, he suddenly heard a knock at the door.
Opening the cabin door, the sailor saw the boy who had boarded a few days earlier looking up at him with wide eyes, mumbling,
"Do you believe me?"