Translator: PapaSmurf0700
Soon, the Straw Hats anchored their ship near the train station platform. Chopper quickly checked on the old woman, Kokoro, and determined that she was just drunk. He promptly fetched some sober-up pills and administered them to her. Before long, Kokoro regained consciousness, and the group began to chat.
The little girl introduced herself to Luffy and the others. "Thank you for your help, my name is Chimney," she said, pointing to her side. Then, gesturing towards the rabbit, she continued, "And this is Gonbe, the kitten."
Sanji raised an eyebrow, clearly puzzled. "This thing is a cat? I thought it was a rabbit."
Chimney smiled and then pointed to Kokoro, "This is my grandma, named Kokoro."
Kokoro, now sitting up in her chair, chuckled and added, "Hahaha, that's right, it's me, the old woman."
Luffy, getting straight to the point, asked, "Hey old lady, why do you call us idiot pirates?"
Kokoro responded with a hearty laugh, "Hahaha, isn't it obvious? A guy who calls himself a pirate but does good things like saving the country instead of burning, killing, and looting—only an idiot pirate does that, right? Besides, you've done so many good deeds, yet you still end up with bounties from the navy. From here on, all you'll be doing is running from them. Aren't you idiots for that?"
Luffy, his face lighting up in understanding, slapped his palm. "Oh, so that's it!"
Seeing Luffy's quick acceptance, Usopp, unable to contain his frustration, punched him on the back of the head. "You accept it too fast!! Idiot!"
Kokoro burst into laughter at the scene. "Hahaha," she roared, then added, "However, the more idiotic pirates like you, the better for the sea, hahaha!"
At that moment, Nami, curious and puzzled, asked Chimney, "Did the ship that just passed us use steam for power? But how does a ship with that shape travel on the sea? Could it be running on those rails we saw in the sea?"
Chimney replied with a hint of pride, "That's right. That's a unique creation in the world, the greatest work of Mr. Tom. It's called the Sea Train, Puffing Tom. It travels along the railway tracks on the sea surface, which is quite convenient. There are warning signs around the tracks because it's very dangerous to sail too close, like you did a little while ago."
She added, "Although there's a warning sign, the frog won't understand it."
Luffy, unable to hold back, blurted out, "It's too much for you to let the train knock the frog into the air. I obviously planned to catch it and eat it."
Chimney's expression turned a bit aggrieved as she explained, "Ah! The frog is called Yokozuna, and it's actually the troublemaker around our train station. It likes to challenge others, always trying to beat the sea train. Like the impact you saw, it won't kill him; he has survived many such encounters before."
Luffy, suddenly enlightened, looked impressed. "Challenge? Oh! Is that why it didn't escape? That guy really has perseverance! I've decided not to eat him anymore!"
Usopp, rolling his eyes, muttered, "People won't thank you for that!!"
Chimney, sparked by a sudden thought, turned to look at Luffy excitedly. "Right! I remember you're going to be the Pirate King, right? Mr. Tom, he's the one who built the Oro Jackson – the ship for the previous Pirate King."
Just the mention of the Pirate King made Luffy's eyes light up with excitement. "Wow!! Really!!"
Kokoro, sitting nearby, laughed along, adding her own cheerful, "Hahaha, that's right."
Granny Kokoro, with a twinkle in her eye and a note of pride in her voice, told Luffy, "Tom is the world's number one shipbuilder! And don't be fooled by my current appearance. Back in the day, I was the secretary at Tom's shipbuilding company." She seemed to drift into fond memories as she picked up her wine bottle and took another swig.
Chopper, always the caretaker, expressed his concern, "Hey, old woman, you shouldn't drink now, it will make your health worse."
But Granny Kokoro just laughed heartily, brushing off Chopper's concern with a wave of her hand. "Hahahaha, it doesn't matter, I'm an old woman, and I just like to drink."
Seizing the moment, Bai Ye interjected, "If you really want to drink, why not try mine instead?" He produced a wine jar, seemingly out of nowhere. "Not only does it taste better, but it's also good for the body."
Chopper chimed in, adding credibility to Bai Ye's offer, "Yes, Bai Ye's spiritual wine is even praised by Doctor Kureha."
Granny Kokoro looked from Bai Ye to the wine jar he held. A spark of curiosity appeared as she pursed her lips and said, "Oh? If that's what you claim, I must give it a try."
She took the jar from Bai Ye and, upon opening it, was instantly captivated by the enticing aroma. After just a small sip, she let out a sound of pure enjoyment.
Watching Granny Kokoro savor the wine, Bai Ye was reminded of the many story about her.
What she had just shared was indeed true. Kokoro wasn't only the stationmaster of the sea train but had also once served as the secretary for Tom's Shipbuilding Company. This same Tom was the famed fish-man who had constructed a ship for Pirate King Roger. More intriguingly, the plump woman with unconventional makeup and a penchant for alcohol standing before them wasn't actually human but a mermaid.
When Bai Ye first saw Kokoro in her mermaid form in an anime, he was quite startled by her unconventional appearance. It was known that in her youth, Kokoro had been quite beautiful. Reflecting on this, Bai Ye felt a sense of pity, wondering what experiences might have led her to abandon care for her physique.
Bai Ye speculated, though not reliably, that Kokoro might have suffered some emotional traumas in her younger years. As a mermaid, she had traveled thousands of miles to the capital of the seven waters, drawn by her admiration for Mr. Tom. Intriguingly, despite her admiration for Tom, Kokoro did not marry him but instead wed a human male. Together, they had a son who was part human, part mermaid, and who also chose to marry a human woman. This union explained why Chimney, their descendant, had two legs instead of a mermaid tail. Because of her mermaid heritage, Chimney was also an exceptionally skilled swimmer.
These details not only enriched the backdrop of their stories but hinted at the historical tensions between humans and mermaids. Such history might shed light on why Kokoro ended up living solely with Chimney.