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When Sabo and Thatch arrived at the school cafeteria, they were once again captivated by the beauty of the academy.
The cafeteria was spacious and bright, with top-notch hygiene. Although it was just a student cafeteria, it gave Thatch an unparalleled feeling compared to any place in the One Piece world.
"Have you ever seen such a beautiful restaurant before?"
"Well, it's not that I've never seen a place prettier than this, but those places felt very 'chaotic'."
As a former noble, Sabo had experience in this area.
He had been to many high-end restaurants and even royal balls. In terms of opulence, this school cafeteria couldn't compare; it lacked the dazzling luxury items.
But in those places, there was always an air of competition and scheming, not genuine places to enjoy a meal.
If he had to choose a place to eat, Sabo felt there was no place more comfortable than this academy.
"So many men!"
As the two were observing the cafeteria, they suddenly heard an exclamation from the side.
The voice was quite strange, so they turned their heads to look.
"Oh, it's that obnoxious brat."
Thatch's mood soured immediately upon seeing Kujaku.
"What happened?"
Sabo was puzzled. For someone as easygoing as Thatch to call someone 'obnoxious,' that person must be quite the troublemaker.
Thatch hadn't responded yet, but Sabo soon found out why Thatch felt that way.
"Running into you again, pirate. And this must be your roommate. Seems like you two get along well. Anyone who can get along with a pirate can't be a good person."
"...If you can't say anything nice, just don't speak."
Sabo, usually gentle, felt an urge to punch her after hearing Kujaku's words.
Sabo never had an issue with pirates.
He had promised his two brothers that they would meet again on the sea as pirates.
Though he had now changed his mind and decided to join the Pokémon Alliance, that didn't mean he had any prejudice against pirates. After all, Ace's father was the Pirate King, and Luffy's savior was also a pirate.
Moreover, given his brothers' personalities, it seemed unlikely they would ever become 'pirates.'
Nowadays, one couldn't just claim to be a pirate; it was akin to being a 'criminal.' It wasn't just a title; one had to commit crimes to earn it.
"Hmph, Margaret, let's go. Men are all pigs. There's a stall over there with something called hot dry noodles and spaguetti. They look delicious."
Kujaku had no desire to stay with Thatch. As for Sabo, who looked two years younger than her, she didn't have a good impression either.
She pulled the blonde girl next to her and ran off.
The blonde girl, named Margaret, came from the secluded Amazon Lily in the Calm Belt. Her attire was very primitive, exposing a lot of skin.
"Okay."
Though Margaret was curious about men, she cared more about her friend's wishes.
And with so many men around, she could take her time getting to know them later.
She was also curious about the hot dry noodles and definitely wanted to try them.
"Let's go get some food too."
Thatch didn't want to argue with kids and led Sabo to another counter.
They headed for a stall offering a dish called 'mala tang,' which looked quite appetizing.
As a chef, Thatch was eager to learn new cooking methods. This academy seemed to have many foods he had never seen before, and he wanted to study them thoroughly.
At the counter, the friendly lady behind it welcomed them.
As a resident of Alliance City, she was undoubtedly a staff family member working here.
"Auntie, how do we buy these?"
Thatch and Sabo curiously eyed the ingredients before them, unsure of the process.
"Just pick what you want to eat, put it in the basket, and bring it to me."
The lady smiled and handed them each a basket.
"Oh, okay, thank you."
Sabo nodded politely and took the basket.
It was their first time encountering such a dining method, and they found it quite interesting.
After selecting a variety of ingredients, they handed them to the lady, who weighed them. The total came to 200 copper coins, equivalent to 200 Berries.
To them, it wasn't an expensive amount, as neither of them was short on money.
Newgate, worried about his son not eating well, had even given Thatch a significant sum of money.
Sabo, after his parents fled the Goa Kingdom, had all the family property in his name. He sold everything for money decisively.
But 200 Berries were enough to feed three or four ordinary people.
Even though they were done selecting, Munchlax wasn't.
The food cabinet next to them had various ingredients suitable for Pokémon, and Munchlax ended up selecting food worth 800.
"Alright, find a place to sit and wait for your number to be called."
The lady handed them a number card.
They found a nearby seat. The cushions were soft and comfortable, and they began to observe their fellow students.
Most of them were young, but some were older.
The youngest might be around ten, while the oldest were in their twenties.
The oldest was likely Thatch, who got into the academy using 'VIP' status, at over forty years old.
As a former notable figure, Thatch's presence in the cafeteria surprised many.
All the division commanders of the Whitebeard Pirates had bounties, and as the fourth division commander, Thatch was no exception.
"Ee-bui~"
Suddenly, a little Eevee ran to Sabo's leg and bit his pant leg.
"Hmm? Whose Eevee is this?"
Sabo curiously looked at the Eevee and gently petted its head with a finger.
The little guy didn't resist, still holding onto Sabo's pant leg.
"Eevee! Stop that!"
A girl's sharp voice made Eevee break into a sweat.
"Eevee!"
Eevee let out a cry and quickly ran off.
"Sorry to bother you."
A little girl with short orange hair bowed to them, "Hello, I'm Koala, a student in Class 2. Please take care of me."
"Hey, we're in Class 2 too."
Thatch grinned upon hearing Koala was in their class.
"That's great. Is this your Pokémon? This Munchlax looks... very well-fed."
Koala glanced at the round Munchlax, worried it might burst.
"By the way, your Eevee looks like it's causing trouble again. Aren't you going to stop it?"
Sabo pointed to the Eevee tugging at another girl's skirt in the distance.
"Ah! Eevee!"
Koala ran off again.
"Looks like our class will be quite lively."
Thatch sighed, "That Eevee is still young and playful. Your Pokémon will probably have a lively period after it hatches."
"I'll take good care of it. How old is your Snorlax?"
"About five months. I didn't hatch it; it followed me on Pokémon Island."
Thatch scratched his head.
Soon, their mala tang was ready.
Snorlax's meal was served in a large bowl, more like a basin.
"This mala tang is great! I'll have it again tonight!"
"Indeed, it's convenient and delicious."
As a professional chef, Thatch immediately grasped the essence of the dish after tasting it.
The key was in the broth; the ingredients were just cooked in it.
After eating, they took a stroll in the park, seeing a few scattered people.
But they soon returned to their room.
Back in their room, they noticed a notification on the computer screens.
[School Notice]
[Please collect two sets of uniforms per dormitory from the dormitory office. Uniforms must be worn during school and even on weekends. Failure to do so will result in being treated as an outsider.]
[Tomorrow at 8 AM, please go to the teaching building to find your class. Students without Pokémon partners can meet their homeroom teacher then.]
[Have a good night.]
"I'll get the uniforms. Didn't expect to wear uniforms all the time. Shouldn't have brought so many clothes."
Sabo scratched his curly hair and left the room.
"8 AM?!"
Thatch was still struggling with the thought of getting up so early.
Waking up at 8 AM was torture for him.
Usually, the Whitebeard Pirates slept in and didn't have breakfast, so Thatch wasn't used to waking up early. He usually got up around nine or ten to prepare lunch.
Soon, Sabo returned with the uniforms.
"These look pretty good. I wonder what the girls' uniforms are like."
"Aren't they too white? They'll get dirty easily, right?"
Thatch looked at the uniforms, finding them quite nice.
But he preferred dark-colored clothes that didn't show dirt easily.
"Just wash them more often."
Sabo didn't mind at all.
(End of Chapter)