"Karl, you're famous now!"
"The whole world knows you—how do you feel about that?"
On the deck, Karina and Nami held today's World Economy News Paper, sidling up to Karl with bright smiles.
"What's there to feel… Isn't becoming world-famous only natural for me?" Karl and Little White—man and dragon—each bit into a big roast drumstick, words a bit muffled.
"Pfft… as expected, so full of yourself!"
Karina poked Karl's forehead with a finger, laughing.
"Cocky, sure—but not wrong."
Nami backed Karl up, then held the paper above her head. "I'm keeping this issue. It's the first time Karl's headline shook the world."
On the long sofa not far away, Robin and Perona were poring over a second copy.
"No wonder they're the world's biggest paper—their eyes really are everywhere."
Robin first marveled at Morgans' reach, then smiled wryly. "Not that it's surprising. Alabasta is a major kingdom; a battle that lasted for hours—if no one had snapped photos, that would be the strange part."
After rereading the article and finding no trace of herself, Robin finally set the paper down and glanced at Perona beside her.
"So strong…"
Only then did Perona seem to come back to herself, face full of wonder. "When did Karl beat someone on Lord Moria's level again?!"
Watching Perona act perfectly in line with her loli look, Robin thought that without Perona saying it herself, she would never believe this "little girl" was the second oldest aboard—about to turn twenty.
So Robin couldn't help asking, "Perona, interested in trying a different style?"
"Eh?"
Perona blinked and turned to Robin. "Different style—what do you mean?"
Gentle by nature, Robin hesitated a moment.
"What Robin-nee means is… the way you dress now is kinda tacky."
Right then Karina came over, patted the little crown on Perona's head, and said bluntly, "Honestly I've wanted to say it for a while. You're almost twenty—why are you still dressed like a child?"
"Hah? Who are you calling childish?"
Finally catching Robin and Karina's drift, Perona puffed her cheeks and glared at Karina.
"No backtalk!"
Karina ruffled Perona's twin-tails again, then suddenly pulled her up from the sofa and toward the cabins. "We've got time today. I'll give you a makeover—just wait, you won't recognize yourself."
"I'm coming too, I'm coming—"
"Ara ara… include me as well!"
Hearing this, Nami ditched Karl and hurried after them.
Robin followed close behind.
Soon the deck held only the man and dragon still eating.
If he weren't greasy all over, Karl would have joined in with suggestions too.
In his eyes, Perona right now was a beauty whose looks were sealed away by a cutesy spooky style.
Nearly twenty, the figure beneath the princess skirts was actually better than fifteen-year-old Karina's, and that pretty, cute face was being buried by trash makeup.
With proper styling—change the hair and wardrobe—Perona's looks would skyrocket by several levels.
Sure enough—
three hours later.
When Karina led the new Perona out, Karl—the dyed-in-the-wool LSP—had his eyes light up, and gave a hearty thumbs-up. "Gorgeous, Perona!"
"R-really?"
Shy under Karina's tow, Perona's eyes sparkled at the knight's praise.
"Yeah… super gorgeous!" Karl nodded hard.
Perona had shed her immaturity and completed a head-to-toe transformation.
First, the hair—
the ever-present crown was who-knows-where, and the twin-tails had become straight pink long hair.
A natural-style makeup graced her face, with red lipstick—finally looking like a proper, legal loli.
Then the outfit—
the kiddie clothes were now an off-shoulder black gothic dress, no longer hiding the almost-twenty figure, fuller even than Karl remembered.
Those black-and-white striped stockings were now simple black nylons.
The red umbrella had become a black one, far higher in looks and price.
From head to toe, only the wine-red shoes remained—the one part of her old look that the three girls approved.
Just a new hairstyle and wardrobe, plus the right makeup, flipped Perona from "cute spooky kid" to "dark princess."
Give her a tall hat and a bit more length and curl in the hair, and Perona now would be a spitting image of how Karl remembered her two years later.
"Well? Not tempted?"
Watching Karl take in every detail of Perona, Karina smiled playfully.
"Yeah… super tempted!"
Honest words from a true gentleman—Karl nodded again and again.
Perona ducked her head in embarrassment, wishing she could bury her face in the giant panda plush that seemed a size bigger after the outfit change.
That little motion, against the dark-princess look, added perfect contrast—charm blazing.
Karl had to admit it.
This Perona really set his heart racing.
Such a girl—irresistible.
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