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"On the way here, Genzo-san mentioned that Bellemere-san used to be a brave marine soldier?"
Zyhark wasn't in a rush to proceed with the orange trade, instead starting a casual conversation with Bellemere.
To him at this moment, a few tens of thousands of Berries really didn't count for much.
"Ahaha, ahahaha, that was a long time ago, it wasn't really about being brave, just wanted to contribute a bit of my strength to justice," Bellemere said somewhat embarrassedly, scratching her head.
Even so, reminiscing about her life in the navy, her eyes still showed a hint of nostalgia.
"It seems then, Miss Bellemere was indeed an excellent marine," Zyhark noted, his voice carrying a bit of emotion.
Such a justice-minded Bellemere could hardly imagine, ten years later, Nami's hard-saved one hundred million Berries, meant for the entire village, would be robbed by a navy colonel, a scum like Nezumi who colluded with Arlong!
"There are many marines much more capable than I am. And now, I'm just a simple villager growing oranges," Bellemere said with a happy smile.
Suddenly, Aqua's irreverent laughter erupted from the other side of the living room.
"Pffhahaha! Drawing the entire world's sea map? Even though she's just a kid scared of strangers!"
Hearing about Nami's dream from her, Aqua couldn't help but burst into laughter, slapping the floor of the living room until she almost cried, "Zyhark, this kid really is just like Luffy, an idiot, ahahaha!"
Holding her navigation book, little Nami, red-faced with effort, retorted loudly, "Don't laugh at my dream, no matter how difficult, I will make it come true and show you!"
"Then, like Luffy who wants to become the Pirate King, join the Axis faith, and become a devout and loyal follower of me, the goddess?" Aqua suddenly turned serious, looking at Nami.
"What Axis follower, I don't want to join any weird cult."
Nami pouted, her eyes full of wariness looking at Aqua, who was all smiles.
Planning to become the Pirate King, that "Luffy" guy sounds like an idiot!
At the same time, she secretly noted this idiot-linked name, to avoid if ever encountered!
"Is that so? Think carefully, without the goddess of water's blessing, you'll never be able to draw a complete sea map." Aqua enticed her.
"How can you guarantee joining this organization will bring the goddess of water's blessing?" Nami tilted her head, skeptical.
"Because I, Aqua-sama, am the goddess of water!" Aqua proclaimed proudly, her face beaming with pride.
Look up, be astonished, worship, feel fortunate to be speaking face-to-face with a goddess!
In Aqua's fantasy, Nami should look surprised like this, but in reality...
"Oh."
Nami merely glanced at Aqua lightly, convinced she'd have to be brain-dead to believe such nonsense.
Even Nojiko, who was eavesdropping on their conversation, lost interest and looked away.
"Darn it, what's with that look? Underestimating my power?!"
As a goddess very concerned about face, Aqua immediately got angry.
"Seems I need to demonstrate the terror of the goddess of water before persuading you!"
Saying so, Aqua stepped back, her foot glowing blue, and the air around her gradually became moist.
Zyhark, about to warn her not to summon a flood and drown the place, saw Aqua snap her fingers, holding two folding fans, and shoot two thin streams of water to fill Nami and Nojiko's tea cups.
The small rainbows, like bridges between them, left Zyhark heaving a sigh of relief, "That idiot goddess finally knows how to act appropriately..."
Watching Aqua, surrounded by streams of water and admired by the astonished looks of the two young girls, Zyhark couldn't help but smile warmly. It's been a tough journey indeed.
"Aqua-san, is she... a Devil Fruit user?!"
Bellemere's pupils contracted, and she suddenly stood up from the sofa. As a former marine who had been out at sea, she knew far more than Nami, Nojiko, or village guard Genzo.
"Though there's a bit of a difference, it's more or less the same thing," Zyhark vaguely answered.
"Aqua, so amazing!"
Nami looked up at Aqua, surrounded by water, with admiration. Closing her eyes, she could feel the cool, refreshing breeze, just like the sea wind, filling the cramped room!
Naturally, she didn't know about Devil Fruits, so she straightforwardly believed Aqua's claim of being the goddess of water.
"Can I really draw the perfect and comprehensive world sea map with Aqua's blessing?" she asked with a youthful voice.
"Of course!" Aqua replied, without a hint of hesitation, the very picture of unbridled confidence.
"Then I want to join, I want to join the Akushisu faith!"
"It's Axis, Axis!"
"Right, right, that's the one!"
The two, differing greatly in age but seemingly on the same intellectual plane, quickly agreed.
Aqua, thereby, gained a little bit of faith power from her new follower.
"Wait, since Aqua is the goddess of water, she can surely irrigate the orange grove quickly, right?"
Nojiko, a bit more mature, curiously asked Aqua, considering the severe drought this year severely impacted their orange grove. Normally, Bellemere had to travel several kilometers to water the grove.
If Aqua could help, it would save Bellemere a lot of hard work!
"Nojiko, we shouldn't bother guests with such things, got it?"
Straightforward Bellemere immediately saw through Nojiko's small scheme.
"I got it, Bellemere." Nojiko mumbled, lowering her head.
However, Aqua, basking in the adoration of her new followers, wasn't thinking that far ahead.
"Irrigating a mere orange grove is no trouble at all!"
"Nojiko, that was your name, right? Come on, let me show you the power of the goddess of water!"
"Really? That would be great!" Nojiko's face lit up, instantly brightening from her previous dejection.
Thus, along with an equally cheerful Nami, she led Aqua out of the house toward the nearby orange grove.
Watching their figures disappear in an instant, Bellemere hurriedly apologized to Zyhark: "I'm sorry, Mr. Zyhark, those kids are too thoughtless."
"Miss Bellemere, there's no need for such formal apologies."
Zyhark took a sip of his tea, calm and inscrutable, "Perhaps, it might be Aqua who will end up causing trouble for you."
He seemed to anticipate the ensuing chaos but showed no intention of stopping it.
This time, he wholeheartedly supported Aqua in causing a commotion.
"Ah? You mean..."
Bellemere brushed her hair back, her face filled with confusion.
Minutes later, when she witnessed the devastating flood summoned from the sky, completely destroying their orange grove, she finally understood Zyhark's words.
"My orange grove!!!"
(End of Chapter)