Morning.
"Good morning~ Miss Tohru~ Kuina~"
Nami, with panda eyes, yawned widely and sat down at the dining table.
"Good morning, Nami, breakfast will be ready soon!"
Miss Tohru said with a smile.
"Good morning, Miss Nami, did you not rest last night?"
Kuina pushed a glass of milk in front of Nami and asked with concern.
"No, I'm fine, I was just thinking about some things!"
Nami took a sip of milk and entered a daze.
Her expression was sometimes regretful, sometimes relieved.
After a good while.
Nami took a deep breath and made a decision.
"Miss Tohru, Kuina, and Mr. Roland, there's an island nearby. After breakfast, I'll show you the way, you can take me there, and then I'll go by myself!"
Nami said.
"Eh, eh, eh~ Miss Nami, are you leaving?"
Kuina, understanding Nami's meaning, immediately widened her eyes, her face filled with reluctance.
"All good things must come to an end. The memories of this week are my most precious memories; I will never forget you all!"
Nami forced a smile.
If she could, she would also want to live peacefully like this forever.
But...
She still carried the fate of her village on her shoulders.
And having once harbored ill intentions, she no longer had the right to stay.
"So sudden? I still have so many things I want to talk about with you, Nami!"
Miss Tohru sighed.
"Let's save it for next time. I've been out for a while now, and if I don't go back, my sister will be worried!"
Nami found an excuse.
"I see..."
Miss Tohru pursed her lips, and the next second, her eyes suddenly lit up.
"By the way, since that's the case, why don't we see you back?"
"No, no, no, this, this, this... that's too much trouble!"
Nami waved her hands repeatedly, a panicked expression on her face.
Only she knew how dangerous Coco Yashi Village currently was.
As long as Arlong and his crew existed for one day, that place would be the most dangerous in the East Blue.
She absolutely did not want her friends to be in danger because of her.
"No trouble! No trouble at all! Anyway, we're also on a journey, right, Roland!"
Miss Tohru looked at Roland for his approval.
"Mm!"
Roland smiled and nodded.
"That's great!"
Kuina clapped her hands happily.
"By the way, Nami, you said your hometown is Coco Yashi Village, right? The oranges from your hometown are very delicious; I've had them before!"
"Really? Then we definitely have to try them!"
Miss Tohru echoed.
"No, no, no, if you want to eat oranges, I can bring them to you; you don't need to go there!"
Nami politely refused.
"What? Nami, are you not welcoming us as guests? Or are you still thinking about the hundred thousand Berries for food and lodging? If that's the case, we can also pay!"
Roland said with a half-smile.
"No, no, no, how could I not welcome you? Of course, I welcome you, it's just..."
Nami hesitated, beads of anxious sweat trickling down her face.
"No, it's just that I've looked at the map, and at this speed, we should reach Coco Yashi Village by evening!"
Roland grinned.
"Really?"
"That's great!"
Thor and Kuina high-fived happily.
Only Nami felt a secret unease.
She never imagined things would come to this point.
Her mind was a complete blur.
Her heart was caught in a fierce internal struggle.
What to do?
What on earth should she do?
Should she come clean with Roland and the others, tell them about the current situation in Coco Yashi Village, and make them retreat in the face of difficulty?
That would only create problems for them.
Through their interactions, Nami already knew that Roland and the others would never stand idly by while their friends suffered.
If they were to confront Arlong and his crew directly, what would be the outcome?
Although Roland had displayed mysterious abilities, Nami hadn't actually seen him make a move.
The same applied to Thor, and the only one who might have some strength, Kuina, was still a child.
Nami absolutely did not want to see a child risk their life fighting for her.
Their own combat strength was unknown.
In contrast, Arlong and his crew...
The terror of the fish-men was deeply etched in Nami's heart.
She absolutely could not let them clash.
But...
If she didn't come clean, how else could she dissuade them?
"Ahhh, this is so frustrating…"
Nami clutched her hair in distress.
Watching the troubled Nami, Roland's lips curved into a slight smile.
He could largely guess what Nami was thinking at the moment.
Since Nami hadn't asked, he naturally wouldn't say anything proactively.
He would just let things unfold a little longer.
After all, what needed to be done had already been decided.
Nami's action of sneaking into the storage room last night had determined everything.
If Nami had chosen the treasure, Roland wouldn't have stopped her; he would have let her take the treasure to save the village.
And that would have been it; both parties would have been even, and he wouldn't have gone out of his way to meddle in Coco Yashi Village.
Roland wasn't a big fool; he wouldn't pour out his heart to Nami just because she was a beauty.
True sincerity for true sincerity—that was the minimum requirement.
Fortunately, Nami chose their friendship.
Thus, events took a different turn.
It was time to resolve the crisis of Coco Yashi Village in advance.
Time passed bit by bit.
Before they knew it, evening arrived.
The sun was setting in the west.
The fiery red sunset glow illuminated the sea.
"Nami ~ Nami ~ I can already see an island; is that Coco Yashi Village?"
Kuina pointed at the small black dot on the horizon and asked.
Slap! Slap!
Nami slapped her own face, clearing away unnecessary thoughts.
It had come to this; like an arrow on the bowstring, it had to be loosed.
"That's right, that's my hometown, Coco Yashi Village!"
Nami had made up her mind.
Since Roland and the others' visit was unavoidable,
Then she would find a way to prevent them from being targeted by Arlong and his crew.
"Everyone, can I take over the navigation from here? Let's land on the back side of the island; it's a bit closer to my house!"
Nami asked.
"Of course!"
Roland and the others naturally had no objections to this small request.
"Heh heh, the show is about to begin!"
Roland smiled faintly, and at the moment the fishing float sank into the sea, he sharply pulled up the rod.
[Ding Dong]
[Lucky Moment! Congratulations, Host, for acquiring A-rank sword skill — One-Blade Throat Severing, Hundred Steps Flying Sword!!!]
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