In Kesha Town, Uta was browsing through clothing options. She wasn't particularly impressed, given that even the stores in Goa Kingdom hadn't piqued her interest. Today, however, she was choosing clothes for Nami and Nojiko.
"These outfits suit you well; go try them on," she said, holding a few dresses up to Nami.
Nami hesitated, "But we don't have any money."
"Consider it a gift of friendship," Uta replied with a grin.
"…"
Nami and Nojiko stood there, stunned. They couldn't fathom her thought process. These were brand-new clothes, and she was just giving them away as a token of friendship? Remembering the "friendship fee" they had charged earlier, Nojiko felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment. She had been a little jealous of these two well-dressed kids, and seeing the ease with which they handled the Navy's expense card had inspired her to come up with that "friendship fee" idea.
But this girl—she was unbelievably kind. Why would she want to give them clothes too?
Before they knew it, Uta was gently nudging them toward the dressing room. When they emerged, clothed in the fresh, clean dresses, it felt like a dream. Nami twirled in front of the mirror, completely taken with how the skirt fluttered around her.
"These… are too much. Bell-mère will be upset," Nojiko fretted, pressing her hands to the new dress, her eyes misting up.
"Don't worry about it. What matters most is happiness, not money," Luffy said, holding up a shirt. "How about we give these to Bell-mère? In return, she can tell us stories about the war to make up for the trouble we're causing her."
"Th-thank you…" Nojiko murmured, guilt weighing on her.
Neither Uta nor Luffy seemed to have a firm grasp of money. Luffy's finances came through the Navy, and the Navy's money originated from the World Government, which printed it at will. Except for Skypiea, where they had their own currency, the entire world used Beli. An economist would have a field day with the hyperinflation possibilities, but the government didn't bother with such concerns.
In a small village like Cocoyasi, most people considered spending 10,000 Beli in a month to be living large. Meanwhile, a minor mountain bandit's bounty could easily reach 8 million Beli. So, as far as Luffy was concerned, he could spend freely. He doubted he'd ever drain the Navy's coffers—or his grandpa's salary, for that matter.
Nami was too young to fully grasp the implications. She wasn't as mature as Nojiko, who was feeling the pangs of guilt. Nami experienced only a fleeting worry, quickly forgotten in her excitement over the new dress. A joyful smile spread across her face.
Seeing that smile, Luffy felt a sense of satisfaction. Everyone's actions require a reward to motivate them, even selfless acts. Luffy's reward was this simple feeling of fulfillment.
As he admired little Nami, he thought she had the potential to become something extraordinary in the future.
"Next, let's get food. Uta and I aren't good at cooking, so maybe Bell-mère can prepare our meals?" Luffy asked Nojiko and Nami.
In truth, Luffy could cook if he had to, but it was tedious, and he preferred not to.
"Bell-mère is an amazing cook!" Nami replied excitedly, nodding.
So, Luffy bought a cart, filled it with food, and loaded it to the brim. Nojiko and Nami looked on in awe as the cart overflowed with supplies.
"Because of training, I eat quite a bit," Luffy explained.
Since leaving Shanks' crew, he had noticed a slight decline in his progress. It had to be the food.
Luffy figured that a standard training regimen doubled one's growth rate, daily persistence tripled it, and optimal food could quadruple it. With Uta's help, the first two were covered, so the issue had to be the diet. He'd have to call his grandfather to sort this out.
…
Bell-mère, cigarette in hand, eyed the mountain of food the kids brought back.
"Here's the deal—I'd like you to help us with our meals," Luffy said.
"Sure," Bell-mère replied without hesitation. There was no reason to refuse, and it would mean better meals for her two girls as well.
"Wow, you're eating three meals a day?" Nojiko asked in amazement.
"Yes, but I'll need to ask my grandpa about the food situation…" Luffy said, pulling out a Den Den Mushi in front of Bell-mère and dialing Garp.
"Oi, Luffy! What is it this time?" Garp's irritated voice came through. "I'm in the middle of a donut-eating contest with Sengoku. Don't interrupt me!"
Bell-mère's eyes widened as she recognized the voice. "Vice Admiral Garp…!" she whispered, stunned. As a former enlisted Marine, hearing the voice of a living legend was nothing short of a shock.
Meanwhile, Garp was surprised to hear another voice alongside Luffy's. "I'm Bell-mère, a retired Marine, reporting in, sir," she said, sitting up straight as if he could see her.
Garp grunted in acknowledgment, "So, my grandson's bothering you, huh? He's always up to something. See if you can turn him into a proper Marine for me…"
"Actually, Grandpa, is there any way to grow stronger just by eating?" Luffy interjected.
"Looking for shortcuts, are you? There's no such thing—"
But Sengoku cut in with a cough. "Actually, there's the Kamabakka Kingdom's Attack Cuisine, which not only tastes good but also strengthens the body. Our Marine culinary program has something similar."
"Oh yeah!" Garp said, remembering. "Our Navy has its own methods. I'll transfer you to the head chef—he'll know what to do."
"But can you cook?" Garp asked.
"No need to worry about that," Luffy replied, satisfied with the answer.
"Darn kid always calls just to ask questions," Garp grumbled, hanging up.
Sengoku chuckled. "Quite the energetic one. Should we enroll him in the recruit training program? I could see him training alongside Peacock and Hibari under Z. At least we'd have someone for the next generation."
Garp gave a half-laugh. "Kid's already attached to Shanks' girl… Anyway, time for the donut competition!"
"You started early, didn't you, you old fox!" Sengoku accused, stuffing a handful of donuts into his mouth.
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