"Luffy, we don't have any Berries," Uta suddenly realized.
"Just pick whatever clothes you like; there's no need to worry about that," Luffy replied, shaking the card in his hand.
Since all the garbage was dumped at Gray Terminal, the streets here were indeed spotless, filled with people dressed in fancy clothing. Luffy walked with his hands in his pockets, trailing a little behind Uta.
For Uta, the experience of picking things up without paying was new. She cautiously asked a vendor for a candied apple, something similar to a sugar-coated fruit skewer, then looked up at Luffy with hopeful eyes.
"Charge it to the Marines' account. Is that alright?" Luffy handed his card to the vendor.
"Of course! The Marines get these perks, especially a card like this… Only those from Marine Headquarters have these, right? You must be the descendant of someone important," the vendor remarked in awe, glancing at Luffy's card.
Regular Marines certainly didn't enjoy these benefits, but Headquarters officers like Vice Admirals did.
Seeing that the card worked, a happy smile spread across Uta's face. She took a small bite of the candied apple.
"It's delicious!" The sweetness of the syrup mixed perfectly with the slight tartness of the apple, making her cover her cheeks in delight.
"Luffy, you should get one too!"
"I'll pass," Luffy said, uninterested in sweet treats.
"Come on… It's really tasty!" Uta insisted, holding her candied apple up to Luffy's face.
Reluctantly, Luffy took a small bite, just of the sugar coating, which seemed to satisfy her.
"See? Isn't it good?"
Not minding at all, Uta licked the spot Luffy had bitten, beaming. She spun around, weaving through the bustling street as her sweet voice filled the air. Even the adults glanced back at the little red-and-white-haired sprite as she passed.
Luffy bought a big shopping basket to hold their purchases and went from store to store, picking up any spices and supplies he thought might be useful. Soon, the basket was filled with jars and bottles.
Meanwhile, Uta headed straight for a clothing store. Being in the Kingdom of Goa's inner city, the shop was as lavish as one might expect.
With her arms crossed, Uta scrutinized the high-end clothing on display, a slight look of dissatisfaction crossing her face.
The shopkeeper stood attentively by her side, aware from Uta's demeanor that she was likely a noble's daughter. He didn't dare offend her in the slightest.
"These clothes seem so… ordinary," Uta said, disappointed.
"It's because you're used to wearing nice clothes, Uta," Luffy replied. Dream Uta wore different outfits every day, so it was no wonder the usual luxury brands didn't impress her.
"Hmph! It's all your fault, Luffy! Now even the elite brand Doskoi Panda seems bland." She pouted, her cheeks puffing like a little dumpling.
The shopkeeper's face showed surprise; Doskoi Panda was a top-tier brand in the East Blue, with prices starting at 10,000 Berries for a single piece.
"Why don't you open a clothing store, Luffy?" Uta suggested.
"Maybe I'll buy one in the future," Luffy replied. Designing clothes wouldn't be too difficult; he could just replicate things he'd seen. Besides, making clothes that pretty girls would wear sounded fulfilling.
"For now, just pick out some clothes; otherwise, the shopkeeper might cry," Luffy said, glancing around and spotting the lingerie section for girls.
"You haven't worn these types of clothes before," he pointed out.
"Oh, these are supposed to go… underneath, right?" Uta tilted her head, gradually piecing together the purpose of these inner garments from her instincts and the store's displays.
As she picked up some simple cotton undergarments and wandered further, she stumbled upon the adult section filled with daring and modern designs.
Uta's world expanded yet again.
"Wait… there are styles like this for undergarments?"
She stared, wide-eyed, at the delicate, strappy items labeled as "clothing" but priced like treasures.
"These are the kind of things even adults rarely wear. Let's stick to the children's section," Luffy said, quickly taking Uta's hand and pulling her back to her area before she explored any further.
"Luffy, those clothes are kind of scary… Maybe we should try them secretly in the dream world?" she whispered to him.
"Well…" Luffy paused, remembering his own childhood curiosity from TV dramas.
"Those are… advanced outfits, but they're for adults," he replied, tapping her on the forehead gently. "Forget about it."
"Ugh, adults get all the fun," Uta grumbled, holding her head, still a little intrigued.
"Come back anytime!" The shopkeeper waved them off, beaming as he watched the two kids walk away.
"Alright, let's head back. We can always come back to shop again," Luffy said, looking at the mountain of supplies they had accumulated. They'd need to be careful on the way home.
---
"Good morning, Miss Makino!" Ace greeted, having only woken up by noon. Sabo stood next to him.
"I didn't see Luffy or Uta around today," he remarked.
"That's because they went to the city early to shop for things," Miss Makino replied, handing food and water to Ace.
"They're really close, aren't they? Always inseparable," Ace said, a bit envious.
Ever since Luffy had saved him, Ace had felt a desire to be closer to him. Luffy, like himself, was a child the world shunned. If they didn't get stronger, they'd all be at the mercy of the government someday.
He thought to himself that he couldn't tell Luffy about his father. Still, it felt sad to think he didn't even know who his parents were.
"You and Sabo are close too," Miss Makino reminded him.
"And you've even started greeting people properly. Next up, let's work on math!"
"Ugh… Sabo can do that. He's good at it," Ace replied, grimacing.
"Basic math is important, Ace. You'll do great!"
"I still need to train…"
"Then give it your all!" Miss Makino encouraged him, pumping her fists. "A serious Ace is a handsome Ace. You can do it!"
Ace turned his head, feeling his face grow warm.
"You really can't handle Makino, can you?" Sabo teased, grinning.
"Sh-shut up!" Ace grumbled, burying himself in the food Miss Makino had prepared.
It wasn't until the afternoon that Luffy and Uta returned, their pile of supplies stacked like a small mountain.
"Hey, Ace, Sabo! I brought you guys something cool," Luffy called, handing them slingshots, blunted practice swords, clothes, and some snacks.
"Whoa!" Their eyes lit up at the weapons, more so than the snacks. It seemed that something violent inherently appealed to young boys—a trait likely hardwired into their DNA.
"Miss Makino, I got something for you too." Luffy presented her with shiny trinkets and a new set of clothes.
"Thank you,
Luffy. These must have been expensive."
"I don't know. I didn't ask about the price. I don't really care about money."
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