Late at night, after returning to the guest room of the restaurant, Tony, Robin, and Nami settled in. Due to Robin's addition to the crew, Tony had asked the owner to prepare an extra room. The owner was delighted to comply, eager to cater to his valuable customer.
Back in his room, Tony couldn't help but grumble inwardly. His little Nami had been "taken away" by Robin. In the past, Tony could make the excuse of sharing a room with Nami to save money, but now... it was a necessary expense.
Alone in the empty room, Tony lay awake, listening to the voices of the two women chatting and bonding. It was hard for him to get any sleep.
Morning came, and Tony, his eyes heavy with dark circles, joined the two downstairs for breakfast.
"Ah? Tony, what's up with your eyes?" Robin immediately noticed his exhausted state.
Tony wanted to complain about how it was because of them staying up late, talking and keeping him up, but he held it back. Instead, he put on a forced smile and said, "I was just thinking about that crocodile. You know, I got so caught up in it that I ended up staying up all night. I'll catch up on sleep later, in the afternoon."
"Hmm?" Robin looked at him, as if deep in thought.
Meanwhile, Nami, unconcerned, dug into her breakfast with great enjoyment.
Just then, Princess Vivi and her bodyguard, entered the restaurant for their own breakfast. While the palace had high-level chefs, Vivi preferred to eat out. As the princess of Arabasta, she had too many restrictions on her life. She had little to no contact with people outside of her father's trusted circle, and the lack of real friendships weighed on her.
Her father's overprotectiveness only fueled her curiosity about the outside world, and every chance she had to step out of the palace was like a breath of fresh air—she could meet new people, try new things, and feel like a normal person, if only for a short while.
As they walked past Tony's group, Nami made eye contact with Vivi. Noticing their similar age, Nami couldn't help but greet her.
"Hello! I saw you here yesterday too, looks like we're fated to meet. Would you like to be friends?"
Vivi was momentarily stunned. She hadn't expected to speak to anyone other than her bodyguard today, especially not someone her age. With a bright smile, she eagerly took Nami's hand.
"Of course, Nami! My name is Vivi. I'm so happy to meet you!"
The word "friends" was something Vivi had longed for. It felt almost like a dream as she continued to hold Nami's hand, reluctant to let go.
The bodyguard, however, was visibly displeased. He still had trouble adjusting to new people approaching Princess Vivi, always suspecting they had ulterior motives.
"Princess Vivi," he said coldly, "we should focus on breakfast."
Nami quickly responded, not wanting the situation to be awkward. "We've got breakfast here too! Boss, please bring me two more of your signature meals."
"Vivi, join us! Meals are always better when shared with friends!"
"Mm-hmm!" Vivi eagerly agreed, her spirits lifted by the offer.
The bond between the two girls seemed to blossom, with Tony observing the scene, feeling a sense of relief as the situation lightened.
Vivi didn't wait for Igaram to speak and immediately agreed to the invitation. Tony couldn't help but laugh at the flustered Igaram, shaking his head. Once a girl decides on something, there's no room for negotiation.
Igaram, defeated, had no choice but to sit down and join Tony and the others for breakfast. Nami and Vivi, chatting away happily, became fast friends. Vivi didn't hide her identity as a princess, straightforwardly telling Nami who she was. Nami was a bit surprised but didn't dwell on it. In fact, she was more concerned about Vivi learning the truth about her identity.
Because of the public's misunderstanding of pirates, Nami didn't have the courage to reveal that she was one. Instead, she simply said she was traveling. Vivi didn't suspect anything, and after breakfast, she cherished the chance to be with her only new friend. Vivi invited Nami and Tony to visit the palace.
Tony and Robin, however, paid no attention and refused the invitation. With their identities—Tony being a super rookie with a 300 million bounty and Robin being known as the "Devil Child," a person the World Government was desperately seeking—it was too risky to visit the Arabasta Kingdom openly.
The king wasn't a fool. Even if Nami alone might not raise too many questions, a visit from all three would certainly spark an investigation into who was around his daughter. The consequences were all too clear.
Tony reminded Nami to be back before 8 PM to avoid any issues, and she agreed without hesitation, dragging Vivi off towards the palace.
Watching them leave, Tony felt a sense of relief. Nami had stepped out of the shadows of Cocoyasi Village, finally making up for her childhood regrets. More importantly, Tony would finally have some alone time with Robin.
"Heh heh heh..." Tony chuckled. "Robin, while Nami's off sightseeing, let me take you shopping for some clothes. Two sets of clothes just isn't enough."
"Girls need to dress up a little more, after all," Tony added with a grin. "As the captain, it's my responsibility to make sure my crew is well-prepared."
In truth, Tony was more interested in seeing Robin wear different outfits just to please his eyes.
Upon hearing the suggestion, Robin happily agreed. What woman doesn't love to dress up and look her best?
Soon, Tony led Robin into an upscale boutique.
"Heh heh heh..." Tony grinned, pleased with his clever plan, as he watched Robin walk into the changing room with a dress in hand.
Three minutes later, Robin emerged, her face slightly flushed with embarrassment, standing before Tony.
"Tony, how does this one look?" she asked.
Tony was momentarily stunned, his eyes glued to Robin. He instinctively swallowed hard.
She wore a pristine white dress that hugged her figure perfectly, accentuating her elegant neck and the delicate outline of her collarbone. Her cheeks were tinged with a faint blush, and her graceful movements gave her an even more regal, feminine charm.
Tony, captivated, couldn't help but say, "You look beautiful, Robin! If we set sail like this, I'm afraid everyone we meet will be drawn to us just because you're too stunning."
"Heh heh heh, Tony, you're so funny," Robin giggled, covering her mouth with a smile, clearly pleased with his compliment.
Though they had only known each other for a little more than a day, Robin felt incredibly at ease with Tony. Unlike other pirates, this man seemed completely different. He lived like an ordinary person, enjoying the simple pleasures of life. It was something she had long yearned for.
In the past, survival had been her only concern—every day, she had to live in constant fear, always calculating and guarding against others. But now, with Tony, she no longer worried about that.
For some reason, she felt that Tony was fundamentally different from anyone she had ever met. Perhaps it was his words that night, or perhaps it was his innate charm that had deeply moved her.
She wanted to return the weight of the word "partner" that Tony had used, vowing never to betray him and to stand by his side through thick and thin.