SYRUP TOWN POLICE DEPARTMENT INTERROGATION TRANSCRIPT
Case File: #1523-8842
Date: Marsiary 28, 1523
Time: 22:15 HRS
Location: Interview Room B, Syrup Town Main Precinct
Present:
Detective Marcus Vance — Lead Investigator
Dr. Djan Goeh — Forensic Consultant
Roronoa Zoro — Suspect
[RECORDING BEGINS]
DV: For the record, this is Detective Marcus Vance, sitting with Dr. Djan Goeh. We are in Interview Room B with Roronoa Zoro regarding the homicide of Attorney Consti Totian on August 29th. Roronoa, before we start, I need to verify that you were read your Syrup Town rights upon arrest.
RZ: Syrup Town rights? You mean the standard Marine code?
DV: The local ordinance follows Marine procedure, yes. You signed the waiver form acknowledging you understand your rights, including the right to remain silent and the right to counsel. Is that correct?
RZ: I signed it. I don't need a lawyer because I didn't do anything wrong.
DV: Appreciate the cooperation, Roronoa. Let's start with Friday night, around 1:38 AM. Where were you?
RZ: Walking through the streets, looking for a bar.
DV: Looking for a bar? You were picked up three miles past the harbor district on the cliff roads. You walked straight past the only tavern in Syrup Town that's closest to the harbor, which i pressume where you arrived in this town, isn't that right?
RZ: I missed it, and why would I know a funny building is a tavern?
DV: Right. A stray famous Pirate Hunter who is convicted of several federal crimes stumbles upon a crime scene. Adding to that fact, you got arrested by Captain Morgan at the 153rd branch of the Marines. Why are you here?
RZ: You seem to be not updated by the law, detective. Morgan was arrested by the Marines, and that island's new commander, whose name I remember is Ripper, has released me. You can check their records if you want to.
(The sound of buzzing lanterns only echoes through the room)
DJ: If I may, Detective?
(Sound of chair scraping against concrete. Dr. Djan leans across the table, his round spectacles reflecting the dim overhead bulb. He snaps his gloved fingers sharply directly in front of Zoro's face.)
DJ: SNAP. Look at my eyes, Mr. Roronoa. Think back to 1:38 AM. The smell of copper in the damp night air. The heavy weight of your hand on a hilt. Based on our findings, Mr. Totian has a deep wound to his neck, along with a stab to his left thigh. SNAP. Not to mention one of our officers has arrested you standing meters away from the body.
(Silence on recording for three seconds.)
RZ: ...Is there a fly buzzing around your ear? Stop snapping at me.
DJ: (Clears throat, adjusting collar) Ahem. The suspect exhibits unusual cognitive resistance.
RZ: Cognitive resistance? If I ambushed this lawyer with a katana, his head wouldn't be attached to his shoulders, and there'd be a two-foot hole punched through the brick wall behind him.
(Zoro slowly adjusted his body as he slowly leaned towards the two at the other side of the table)
RZ: Not to mention... if I were truly the one to do that, where are your findings? Based on my experience, you should present the evidence. Where is it?
DJ: The evidence is still being processed at our office and will be released tomorrow.
RZ: Then, you are framing me because your officer saw that I was there? You are two officers of your town, yet you relied on evidence that could be easily made up?
DV: We aren't framing anyone, Mr Roronoa. We follow the evidence that's available. And speaking of people pushing narratives... two hours ago, a young woman with bright orange hair showed up at the front desk claiming to be your sister.
DV: She was accompanied by a kid in a straw hat and a tall guy with a long nose who, we find out in our town records,s is named Usopp, the son of Yasopp, a prominent officer in Red-Haired Shanks' crew. They were trying to bluff their way into the holding cells to "bail out their captain's first mate."
(Detective Vance leans back, tapping a manila folder against the metal table.)
DV: Care to explain why the son of a high-ranking Yonko crewman and a girl claiming your sister are lurking outside our precinct, Roronoa? Are they your accomplices? Was Totian's murder part of a coordinated hit?
(Zoro closes his eyes, leaning his head back against the cold stone wall. He maintains total silence.)
DV: Roronoa. Answer the question. What is your connection to Usopp and the girl?
(Zoro remains silent, arms crossed tightly over his chest.)
DV: Nothing? Fine.
(Sound of heavy wooden chair pushing back. Footsteps toward the door.)
DV: Interview terminated at 22:24 HRS. Keep him in heavy restraints. Dr. Djan, let's process the squad outside.
[RECORDING ENDS]
Meanwhile...
At the small cottage erected at the seaside of the bustling town, the three were awake. Usopp was slicing a slab of bacon on a wooden board, along with the chop and cubed wood on the bottom of an open stove as an orange-red fire danced inside. Nami, meanwhile, is at the patchwork table, reading a book as she scribbles with ink with a white feather into a stitched and bound notebook. Still in the bedroom, lying like a dried starfish, is Luffy. His straw hat is resting on a small table perched in the side of the room.
"HAAAH!" A loud, jaw-cracking yawn echoed through the wooden walls of Usopp's cottage. Luffy's shut eyes snapped open, his vision focusing on the dusty timber beams above him.
"Oi, Luffy!" Usopp hollered from the adjoining room. A wave of heat and the sizzling aroma of seared meat and roasted vegetables drifted into the bedroom. In the center of the main floor, a soot-stained iron stove roared with crackling embers, a heavy kettle boiling potatoes in the corner. Across from the hearth, Nami sat quietly at the mismatched wooden desk. Las Maravillas lay open beside her, its yellowed pages held down by her elbow while her right hand flew across a sheet of paper, a feather quill scratching notes in meticulous, compact handwriting.
"You're finally awake," Usopp called out, flipping a thick strip of bacon over the pan. Luffy rubbed his groggy face and swung his legs off the side of the mattress. The moment his left foot hit the floorboards, a sharp metallic CLANG snapped through the room. A heavy iron jaw clamped shut around his ankle, springing a mechanical chain that locked him to the bedpost.
"OUCH!" Luffy yelped, thrashing his leg as he tried to yank his rubber foot out of the steel teeth, stretching his ankle like a taut rubber band. Nami chuckled quietly as Usopp cursed under his breath, abandoning his spatula and sprinting into the bedroom. He dropped to one knee and yanked a small red lever on the side of the iron housing, releasing the latch with a heavy hiss.
"Be careful where you step!" Usopp yelled, wiping grease from his hands onto his overalls. "That floor plate is armed!"
"WHAT WAS THAT?!" Luffy whined, rubbing his reddened ankle.
"Oh, that? That is the Captain Usopp Timber Splitter Mark II!" Usopp puffed out his chest, placing his hands on his hips. "I designed this so it is easy for me to power that stove!"
"Wait, you also created that stove?" Nami's head snapped.
"Yeah! I just import a destroyed one from Kaya's, fix it, then use it as wood power!" He slowly walked into the stove and turned off the power as he put the food into each of the three plates. "Alright, the breakfast's rea—HEY, LUFFY, DO NOT TOUCH MY FOOD!"
As the three ate at the small wooden table, Nami paused her fork halfway to her mouth. "Usopp, you said yesterday that you were going to introduce us to... Kaya, isn't it?"
"Oh, yeah!" Usopp said, his eyes perking up before he checked the old wooden clock ticking on the wall. "But we have to go at exactly eight or nine in the morning. That butler won't even unlatch the gate early in the morning."
"Who's the butler?" Nami asked, chewing slowly.
"He's... a very serious man, but also one of the most dedicated guys you'll ever see," Usopp said, his tone softening slightly. "He's technically Kaya's second father at this point."
Nami set her fork down with a faint clink. "Also, you said that we shouldn't talk about Kaya's business in public last night; why's that?"
Usopp's shoulders sank, the usual theatrical boastfulness instantly draining from his voice. He stared down at his half-empty plate, his thumb tracing the worn edge of the wooden table. "Her... family owned the Shipyard business on the dock. The business and Syrupy Co. are the... foundation that built this island. She was the family's only child, and their heiress at that." Usopp froze, stopping chewing and looking at the plate. "But two to three years ago, her mother was killed in an assassination."
Beside him, Luffy didn't even blink—he simply reached across the table, speared a thick steak flopping off the side of Usopp's plate, and shoved the entire piece of meat into his mouth. Usopp didn't even bother snapping at him. He just looked at the table, his knuckles still gripping the fork stabbed through the white potato.
"The... the news of her murder shook this entire town to its core," Usopp whispered, his voice cracking slightly as a heavy, painful memory weighed down on him. "It even made the papers outside the island. And then... a year later... her father was slaughtered by the Beast."
The room went cold. Usopp's head hung low, his nose almost touching the wood as his chest heaved with a quiet, suppressed ache. "I... I swore to Kaya I'd never bring it up to strangers," he choked out, staring at Nami. "She suffers enough without the whole town pitying her every single day, and the media keep harassing her for years now. But... with you two... I felt like I could trust you to keep it."
The small kitchen fell dead silent. The only sound in the room was the loud, rhythmic crunch-munch of Luffy indiscriminately vacuuming up leftover meat, his fork scraping loudly against the porcelain plate in a series of harsh, metallic shrieks. Nami stared at Usopp, her sharp eyes softening with quiet empathy. She cleared her throat gently, setting her cup beside her plate to cut through the tension.
"It's alright, Usopp," Nami said softly, her voice steady and reassuring. "We won't say a word to anyone." Usopp wiped his nose with the back of his sleeve, offering her a faint, grateful smile. "Thanks..."
As the three finished eating, Luffy let out a loud, satisfied belch, slapping his swollen stomach with both hands while Usopp stacked the empty plates. Usopp carried the tower of dishes over to the small sink in the corner, the rhythmic splash of water and scrubbing cutting through the remaining quiet.
After a few minutes, Usopp dried his hands on a rag, grabbed his satchel, and walked over to open the front door. Sunlight flooded into the entry as he turned back to wave at the two.
"C'mon," he said, forcing a bright, energetic grin back onto his face. "Let's go." Leaving the humble cliffside cottage behind, the three navigated a maze of narrow, winding alleys that opened onto the town's primary thoroughfares. Here, the modest wooden structures and grey stones vanished; the simple wooden huts were replaced by grand three-story brick townhomes with steep slate roofs, black iron balconies, and narrow bay windows jutting over the cobblestones. Unlit iron streetlamps loomed like iron towers over the cobblestone sidewalks, while manicured hedges and tall pine trees lined the sidewalks.
The main street was already bustling with morning life. Horse-drawn carriages clattered across the stone paths, and a massive, steam-hissing omnibus creaked along a narrow iron rail running directly through the center of the town square, belching white clouds into the crisp coastal air.
"This town is something else..." Nami muttered, her eyes sweeping over the grandeur of the avenue. A noblewoman strolled past, instantly catching her attention. She wore an extravagant velvet gown, her waist encased in a wide, bulbous hoop skirt that flared outward like an inverted tulip, while she lightly balanced a tiny decorative parasol covered in elaborate lace over her shoulder. Gallops of horses, along with a carriage made from dark, pristine wood covered in ornaments of metal and gold.
"Welcome to the High District!" Usopp announced, puffing out his chest.
"High District?"
"Yep! Syrup Town is divided into three parts," Usopp explained, gesturing back the way they came. "The bottom area where I live is the Low District, the central market square we just crossed is the Middle District, and up here on the cliffs is the High District!"
Nami leaned against the stone balustrade, taking in the grand manors lining the cobblestone streets. "Huh. So even a quiet island town like this has its lines drawn."
"Pretty much."
"I read about this place in a newspaper once," Nami added, turning back toward Usopp as her gaze lingered on the gated estates. "The photos didn't do it justice."
"Yeah, it's pretty wild," Usopp said, glancing up at the tall brick facades. "Syrup Town used to be tiny when I was little. "My dad used to carry me right up that hill over there, just so we could sit together and watch the sea," Usopp said quietly, waving his hand below like weaving an imaginary grass. "Back then, there were barely ten houses built on this whole island. Everything else was just open, rolling fields." But after Kaya's family and the growing business of the syrup production out of town became famous, the whole place exploded into what you see now."
"My home village was nothing like this," Nami said softly. "It was just—" She cut herself off mid-sentence. In an instant, the warmth vanished from her eyes, extinguished like a snuffed candle flame. Her posture stiffened, her gaze dropping to the cobblestones beneath her boots.
"What's wrong?" Usopp asked, pausing.
"Ah—nothing," Nami said quickly, clearing her throat to regain her composure. "I just... remembered my village for a second."
"Where are you from, anyway?"
"Conomi Island," Nami replied, keeping her voice light and guarded. "It's been so long since I left, the village name almost slips my mind."
Usopp's eyes lingered on Nami for a fraction of a second, his brow twitching in a barely perceptible flicker of suspicion. Clearing his throat, he shifted his focus toward Luffy, though his gaze darted back to Nami for a swift, calculating peek along the way. "What about you, Luffy?"
"Foosha Village!" Luffy grinned, clasping his hands behind his head. "It's small! But the food is great, and the people are nice!"
Usopp scratched the back of his neck with a sheepish, melancholic sigh, his eyes trailing down the bustling avenue. "Honestly, sometimes I forget how big this town has gotten. Walking around a place this fancy-looking... looking the way I do... it's a little embarrassing, you know?"
"Why are you embarrassed?" Luffy asked, swinging his hand through the air and instantly cutting off Usopp. "You shouldn't feel embarrassed. You didn't do anything wrong, so why do you feel bad about yourself?"
"It's a lot easier said than done when you're standing next to a guy who looks like you," Usopp snapped, his voice tight.
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?!" Luffy yelled back, stepping closer and puffing out his chest like a stubborn street fighter. The three kept walking until the trail leading up to the estate wound through dense pine woods, climbing steep coastal cliffs where the ocean breeze blew cold and sharp. Perched on the highest crest stood the estate—a sprawling, white-walled manor framed by black iron gates and manicured gardens. Usopp quickly ran into a giant black steel gate with golden ornaments. He then knocked on the iron.
"Kaya! It's me, Usopp!" The gardeners tending the flower beds near the entrance paused, wiping sweat from their brows as they spotted the trio at the tall iron gate.
"Miss Kaya! The town's storyteller has arrived!" one of the groundskeepers called out toward the manor. Minutes later, a young woman in a high-collared cream dress emerged onto the cobblestone path, leaning lightly against a polished mahogany cane. Her pale skin and fragile frame gave her an air of quiet vulnerability, but her soft hazel eyes lit up the moment she caught sight of them.
"Usopp!" Her voice carried softly down the slope.
"Kaya!" Usopp waved frantically, sprinting ahead of Luffy and Nami before sliding to a halt at the iron bars. "I brought visitors! Actual sea-faring adventurers!" Standing near her, clasping her arm, was a tall man in a flawlessly tailored black double-breasted suit. His slicked-back dark hair, round wire-rimmed spectacles, and rigid posture oozed absolute discipline, his gloved hands resting flat across his waist in a posture of complete control. The tall man unclasped his arms and walked through the gate, as at the other side, the wide-brimmed gate opened.
"G-Good morning, Mr. Klahadore!"
"Good morning to you as well, Master Usopp." Klahadore unclasped the heavy iron latch, and the wide gate swung open with a smooth, silent glide. They stepped onto the sloping estate grounds, where acres of immaculately manicured gardens stretched across the hillside. Tall, dense hedges were sculpted with geometric, master-like precision, framing marble statues and vibrant flowerbeds. Nami's eyes swept across the grounds, a familiar, predatory spark reigniting in her gaze. This place is a thief's absolute paradise. A faint, calculating smirk etched across her lips.
Suddenly, the warm morning sunlight behind her vanished. A cold, towering shadow fell over her back. Nami turned, her breath catching in her throat. Klahadore stood less than a pace behind her, having moved across the gravel without making a single sound. His pristine black suit seemed to absorb the sunlight like a void, casting an eerie, oppressive chill over her.
"Is there something troubling you, Miss?" Klahadore asked, his voice low, flat, and unnervingly polite.
"O-Oh! Not at all!" Nami instantly smoothed her expression, letting out an airy, harmless laugh as her trained facade snapped back into place. "It's just... I've never seen a home quite this grand before." Klahadore's dark eyes glided down to her hands, which had reflexively twitched toward her belt pouch, before returning to her face. His expression remained a completely carved face from stone.
"Your praise is appreciated," he said softly, as he pointed his lanky arm into the path where Usopp, Luffy, and Kaya were walking. "Please, follow closely." He turned away without another word, stepping briskly up the path toward Kaya, who was slowly navigating the cobblestones with her cane. "Are you alright, Miss Kaya?"
"Y-Yes... Thank you, Klahadore." The group then reached the giant door of the manor, as Klahadore knocked on it with his white gloved. "Mister Merry, please open the door"
The heavy double doors creaked open, revealing the quiet grandeur of the mansion's interior.
Beneath their boots stretched a floor of gilded marble, veined with web-like tendrils of black and ash-grey. Pristine, pale walls rose toward a vaulted ceiling where a massive crystal chandelier cast a warm, golden glow across the giant room. Oil paintings in heavy gilded frames hung between polished mahogany alcoves, while lush, exotic plants rested inside gleaming porcelain vases. In front of them was a giant marbled stair that led into the second floor of the manor, with black steel serving as the floor's railings.
Kaya turned slowly to face them. Though exhaustion etched lines of quiet pain around her eyes, her pale face softened into a warm smile. "I-It is so wonderful to meet you," she said softly, resting her weight against her cane. "We rarely receive guests from outside the island. Please, come inside—our staff is just preparing breakfast."
"BREAKFAST?!" Luffy's eyes shot wide open, gleaming. He clapped his hands together and began hopping in place like a loose string. Before he could sprint past everyone, Nami clamped a hand firmly over his mouth, while Usopp lunged from the side to wrap both arms around Luffy's waist, dragging him back with a strained, polite smile fixed on his face. "Ahem! What he means is... we'd be honored!" Usopp wheezed through his teeth, struggling to anchor the squirming rubber boy.
Kaya let out a frail, delighted chuckle at the chaos, gesturing gracefully toward the grand staircase. "Please, right this way."
As they reached the foot of the stairs, Kaya paused, leaning her mahogany cane against the polished banister. Before she could even attempt the first step, Klahadore glided forward. In one seamless movement, he scooped her up into his arms, cradling her fragile frame securely against his chest. Without so much as a change in his breathing, he began ascending the marble stairs, his posture impeccably straight like a wooden stick freshly polished. "Please, follow me."
The three ascends int othe stair, luffy sniffs the vanilla-scented air like a dog. As the three reached the top of the stairs, several servants wearing pristine black-and-white maid uniforms guided the five of them down the long left hallway. Stopping before a pair of tall, double doors, she pushed open the grand, varnished oak entrance to reveal the room beyond. Beyond the heavy doors lay a vast dining hall, bathed in the soft morning sunlight that streamed through towering arched windows. The long oak table was laden with silver platters—scrambled eggs, thick-cut ham, toasted white bread, and crystal carafes of fresh orange juice. Inside, cooks in stained white aprons arranged heavy silver platters across the long oak table, working alongside maids who quietly polished the surrounding woodwork and glass to a brilliant shine.
"Oh, Miss Kaya!" One servant hollered as she quickly took a deep bow. "Good morning. Mrs. Jacquapo Said by Kaya's weak lips as Klahadore pulled a seat using his foot as he slowly perched Kaya into it. "Thank you, Klahadore!"
The three slid their own seats slowly; Nami and Usopp slowly sat, but Luffy slid the expensive chair like a cart as he hopped into it, echoing a creak into the wide hall.
Just as the servants set down the final dishes, Luffy's eyes locked onto a massive, golden-roasted chicken sitting right at the center of the spread. His arm stretched across the table like a coiled spring, reaching to snag the entire bird by the drumstick.
PAK!Usopp's hand flew out, slapping Luffy's wrist away mid-air with a sharp smack.
"Mind your manners!" Usopp hissed under his breath before instantly pivoting toward Kaya with a smooth, ridiculously suave smirk. "I-I'm so sorry, Kaya!" Kaya let out a soft, melodic laugh at the display—but the sudden exertion immediately triggered a harsh, rattling cough in her chest. She doubled over slightly, her thin hand clutching her throat. In a fraction of a second, Klahadore was right at her side. He adjusted his glasses with the back of his gloved palm, his shadow falling over the table as his dark eyes locked onto Usopp and Luffy.
"I have warned you before, Master Usopp," Klahadore said, his voice dropping to a dangerous, monotone edge. "Miss Kaya's health is exceedingly delicate. If your friend's presence continues to distress her, I will personally see to it that you and your companions are removed from the premises immediately." Before Usopp could stammer out an apology, Kaya gently raised a frail, trembling hand, pressing her fingers lightly against Klahadore's forearm.
"It's... it's alright, Klahadore," she breathed, wiping a speck of moisture from her lips as her coughing subsided. "Please. They are my guests. I am fine." Klahadore stared down at her hand for a quiet moment before bowing his head with rigid precision. "As you wish, Miss Kaya."
With the tension broken, the feast began. What followed was complete chaos. Within four minutes, Luffy had cleared nearly half the table, indiscriminately stuffing entire loaves of bread, thick slices of ham, and bowlfuls of scrambled eggs into his bulging cheeks like a ravenous beast. Rather than being offended, the surrounding maids and cooks hid their smiles behind their aprons, chuckling softly at the sight, while Kaya watched with wide, delighted eyes.
On the other side of the table, Usopp took center stage. Grabbing two dull butter knives, he began animatedly reenacting his legendary "fight with a giant sea king," swinging the cutlery through the air with outrageous, dramatic lunges. Kaya laughed continuously, a soft, musical sound that filled the grand hall, her pale cheeks gathering a healthy, vibrant pink flush she hadn't possessed in months. Nami sat across from her, casually buttering a slice of golden toast while guiding the conversation with precision, observing every detail of the room. She lifted the toast toward her mouth—
SWIPE! Luffy's hand shot across the table, snagging the buttered bread right out of her fingers and swallowing it whole in a single gulp. Nami didn't even blink. Her eyebrow twitched once, her face instantly darkening as she whipped her heavy silver butter knife across the table like a throwing star as the klahadore eyes tracked it.
CLANG! The dull silver struck Luffy dead center in the forehead with the force of a brick. His head snapped back, a massive, swelling knot sprouting on his crown as he tumbled backward out of his chair, crashing to the floor in a loud heap of limbs.
The deflected knife tumbled wildly through the air, spinning on a direct trajectory toward Kaya. In a fraction of a second, a dark silhouette crossed the light. Klahadore's hand shot out like a lightning strike, catching the blunt metal weapon inches from Kaya's face. His fingers wrapped firmly around the blade, yellow butter smearing across the immaculate white fabric of his white glove.
"Careful, young lady," Klahadore said, his voice dropping into a razor-thin, icy register. "You almost hit Miss Kaya." His cold, dark eyes glided toward Nami. The sheer, suffocating weight of his gaze struck her like a physical blow, locking her in place. She stood frozen mid-follow-through, her arm still extended in a wide arc, her palm open, about to strike Luffy, who also prepared for the incoming strike. The air in her lungs instantly turned to ice.
"I-I'm sorry..." Nami stammered, her voice barely a whisper as she slowly retreated back toward her chair, her mind racing. This guy is dangerous.
Without breaking eye contact with Nami, Klahadore flicked the butter knife cleanly onto a tray and held out his soiled hand to a passing servant. "Mrs. Jacquapo, please bring another butter knife for our guest. And fetch a fresh glove for me," as he peeked at the old woman, flashing a bright smile as he tilted his head.
Despite the sudden spike in tension, the chaotic warmth of the room refused to die. Luffy dragged himself back onto his seat, rubbing his forehead with a grin, and the commotion resumed. Kaya burst into another fit of helpless giggles, clutching her chest, while the surrounding maids shuffled behind the velvet drapes to muffle their chuckles into their sleeves. For the first time in years, light and chaotic life filled the stifling, silent halls of the estate.
Yet through all the warmth, the clatter of silverware, and the sudden vibrant noise, Klahadore remained standing behind Kaya's chair. Unmoving. Silent as a grave. His gloved hands remained resting flat across his waist, the sunlight catching the dark tint of his round spectacles, hiding his eyes entirely. His gaze stayed fixed unblinkingly on the three intruders.