Jerry scratched his head in confusion, not entirely sure what the others were discussing about food chains and natural order. He glanced toward King Neptune, but noticed that the monarch seemed perfectly content to let the interaction between Carrot and his daughter continue.
The king understood that this was a rare opportunity for someone to genuinely befriend Shirahoshi. The little rabbit mink appeared completely harmless, and her innocent enthusiasm was exactly what his sheltered daughter needed.
Having been trapped in the Hard-Shell Tower due to Vander Decken's persistent threats, Shirahoshi was filled with curiosity about the outside world but remained painfully timid. Even after being freed from her confinement, she'd only dared to explore within the safety of the palace grounds.
After both sides finished discussing the various political and diplomatic matters, King Neptune indicated that the formal portion of their meeting had concluded and they were free to relax and enjoy themselves.
Ace, who could be surprisingly proper during official proceedings but had clearly reached his limit for polite restraint, suddenly transformed into a ravenous wolf and began devouring the magnificent feast spread before them with single-minded determination.
Seeing their captain's enthusiastic example, the rest of the crew began sampling the delicious royal cuisine as well. Carrot and Carina managed to coax Shirahoshi over to join them, and soon the three young women were eating together while chatting and laughing like old friends.
During the meal, after having a lengthy conversation with Carrot about life on the surface world, Shirahoshi approached Jerry with obvious resolve. Her father and brothers watched encouragingly as she gathered her courage and spoke in a soft but determined voice.
"Master Jerry, and... and all of you honored guests," she began, her words barely above a whisper but filled with genuine emotion. "Thank you so very much for everything you've done."
"Not only did you give me the freedom to walk outside safely, but you also helped preserve my mother's precious dream."
"Sister Carina and Sister Carrot have told me about the sunshine, the flowers, all the different animals, and so many other wonders that exist on the surface," she continued, her eyes sparkling with wonder. "I... I want to fulfill my mother's wish too, and someday have the chance to visit the land above and see it all with my own eyes."
Jerry blinked in surprise at her heartfelt declaration. Although he wasn't entirely sure why she'd chosen to share this with him specifically, he felt compelled to offer some encouragement to this gentle and kind-hearted girl.
"You absolutely can do it, Princess Shirahoshi," he said warmly. "You should remember that when life closes one door, sometimes you discover that staying home is actually quite comfortable and... no wait, that's not right," he caught himself mid-sentence.
"What I mean is, you should be braver and believe that the future will be better than the past," he corrected with a genuine smile. "I have a feeling it won't be long before everyone from Fishman Island will be able to freely travel on the surface and explore the land above."
The atmosphere in the reception hall became increasingly relaxed as everyone continued eating, drinking, and chatting casually about lighter topics. After what felt like hours of pleasant conversation, the time finally came for farewells.
Jerry politely but firmly declined the palace's offer to provide an official escort back to their ship, insisting on maintaining their low profile as agreed.
After Jinbe led the group back into the bustling city center, he excused himself to handle some personal business, leaving the Black Star Pirates to explore on their own.
Before they knew it, the afternoon sun was filtering through the water above, casting dancing patterns of light across the coral buildings as they strolled leisurely through the busy streets.
"Let's head over to the Mermaid Cafe," Jerry suggested casually. "I promised Dora we'd visit when we came back to the island, and since we're here anyway, we might as well keep our word."
"Oh, and Skull," he added, turning to their intelligence officer, "didn't you mention that Jenny works there part-time now?"
"That's right! We should definitely check it out," Skull agreed enthusiastically.
Jerry glanced around at Carina, Carrot, and the others, but no one raised any objections. Since Deuce and several crew members had never visited the famous establishment during their previous stay, they decided to make it a group outing.
On the main thoroughfare of Coral Hill, the crew paused outside the entrance to the Mermaid Cafe, exchanging glances before pushing open the ornate doors and stepping inside.
The interior revealed a spacious and luxuriously appointed cafe filled with customers from various races and backgrounds. Beautiful mermaid waitresses glided gracefully between tables while part-time dancers performed cheerful routines for the entertainment of guests.
Business was clearly booming today—when the cafe needed extra help, they often invited mermaids from Mermaid Bay to work temporary shifts, resulting in an especially lively atmosphere.
Just as a hostess approached to greet the new arrivals, a familiar voice called out from across the room.
"Brother Jerry! Everyone!" Dora exclaimed joyfully, quickly swimming over to welcome them. She'd been working a part-time shift and was delighted to see her friends again.
"It really has been too long," Jerry replied warmly as the group exchanged greetings and introduced Carina and Carrot to their mermaid friend.
At other tables throughout the cafe, some guests looked up curiously at Dora's enthusiastic reception. When they recognized Jerry and Ace from their wanted posters, several patrons visibly tensed—both pirates now carried substantial bounties and were well-known figures in certain circles.
However, after seeing the new arrivals settle into their seats like ordinary customers rather than causing trouble, the other guests gradually relaxed and returned to their own conversations, though they continued stealing occasional glances in the pirates' direction.
Under Dora's guidance, Jerry and his friends found a comfortable table in a quieter section of the cafe. They spotted Jenny working efficiently despite the busy crowd, her slightly plump figure not hindering her flexibility as she darted between tables with practiced ease.
"Dora, if you're busy with work, don't worry about us," Jerry said considerately. "We can entertain ourselves for a while."
"Thanks for understanding, Brother Jerry! Let me get you settled with menus, and I'll come chat when things calm down a bit," she replied gratefully before hurrying back to her duties.
Recognizing how successful the cafe's business was that day, Jerry and his crew ordered generously from the menu before waving Dora away—he didn't want her getting in trouble for socializing instead of working.
Soon their table was laden with an impressive array of cafe specialties. However, since this was a mermaid establishment, all the offerings were vegetarian—various seaweed dishes, fruit arrangements, and sweet desserts, but no meat or fish.
"No problem at all," Ace declared cheerfully. Despite having just finished a royal feast, he claimed to still be hungry and dove enthusiastically into the new spread of food.
"Well, I'm definitely not full yet either," Jerry agreed, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Turns out that royal dignity can't fill our stomach."
With that philosophical observation, he began helping Ace work through their orders. During the palace banquet, he'd eaten politely but hadn't really satisfied his appetite.
Ignoring Jerry's commentary, Deuce pulled out his journal and began writing notes about their palace visit and cultural observations.
Skull looked around the cafe with his usual keen interest in gathering information, while Carina and Carrot focused on enjoying the excellent coffee and elaborate desserts.
"This place is so lively and fun," Carrot observed between bites of a particularly decorative cake, "but unfortunately there are no carrots on the menu..."
Even while enjoying other treats, the little rabbit couldn't stop thinking about her favorite food. Carina nodded sympathetically as she surveyed their surroundings.
"Don't worry, Carrot. We can go explore the shopping district after this," she suggested.
"Really? Sister Carina, is there somewhere specific you want to visit? I'd love to come along!" Carrot replied excitedly.
"I was thinking we could check out some of the famous clothing stores on the island. We should get you some new outfits too," Carina explained.
After they'd finished eating and drinking, the two young women were clearly eager for some retail therapy. Perhaps they hadn't shopped enough during yesterday's exploration, because Carina suddenly held out her hand toward Jerry with obvious expectation.
"Time to pay up! I need shopping money," she declared boldly.
"Uh... sure, no problem," Jerry replied without missing a beat, pulling out a well-stuffed wallet and handing it over. "Just remember to pick out plenty of things for Carrot too. It's not fair for the kid to keep wearing the same few outfits over and over."
Even without counting Tesoro's generous investment in their cause, Jerry's crew had accumulated substantial funds through their various adventures. Between the occasional pirate encounters during their travels and the significant winnings he and Skull had collected at Gran Tesoro's casino, money wasn't a concern.
After grabbing Carrot's hand, Carina headed for the exit with obvious purpose, already planning their route to the island's numerous clothing boutiques and design shops.
After a considerable time had passed, the crew had managed to clear most of the food from their table, with Ace making by far the largest contribution to this effort. Apart from Devil Fruits, no one had ever heard him complain that anything was inedible.
Finally, during a lull in the cafe's busy afternoon rush, Jenny and Dora found time to walk over and join their friends.
"Phew! Finally finished with that crazy rush," Jenny sighed dramatically as she plopped down in an empty chair. "I'm practically wasting away from exhaustion... does this count as a workplace injury?"
"Eh? But Sister Jenny, wouldn't being thinner be good for you?" Dora asked innocently.
"Get out of here with that nonsense, you little brat!" Jenny retorted with mock indignation. "What do you know about these things? You're too young to understand the appeal of having some curves. Everyone's always mistakenly thinking skinny is better."
"Girls with a little meat on their bones like me are actually the ideal," she declared with obvious pride in her fuller figure.
Jenny, who usually preferred staying home during her free time, complained that today's workload had been particularly intense. Meanwhile, Dora, who ventured out almost daily, hadn't found the pace challenging at all—but then again, she was only helping part-time at the cafe rather than working a full shift.
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