"I'm going to nurture Leafie with Papa!" The blonde-haired girl said, already making a nickname for Ralts.
Sakura raised his arm, stretching his lazy body. "Sorry she's not for sale, and where is that 'papa' of yours? A little girl like you shouldn't be wandering around here alone. Thugs members wander around this area, you know?"
"Papa is right here-..., papa? Papa~!! Waah~ Papa where are you," the girl looked around to see nothing, then her mood went sour as she started crying.
'…I hate children,' Sakura sighed at the child who suddenly wailed, their mood unpredictable.
"What's your dad's name? Fortunately Marine base is near here so I can take you there."
'Consider it a side-quest,' Sakura told himself. Even before he transmigrated, he had hated toddlers or children crying.
"Daddy Masterson…"
Without an adult to rely upon, the blonde-haired girl took Sakura's unreliable hand and walked up to the marine base.
On his right was the blonde-haired girl. On his left was Ralts. Sakura looked like a kindergarten teacher walking the students.
At this moment, as Sakura matched his pace with the children, a random thug member popped out of nowhere making Sakura suspect this to be an 'escort mission', the type of mission he hated the most.
"Heh, old man! Hand over the child, with her looks she could sell for millio-"
"Right right, shut up," Sakura replied nonchalantly. He flickered his finger and a small orb of flame flew to the thug lighting him ablaze.
"Ah, hot! Hot! Hot!" The small fire spread all over his clothes as the thugs panicked, eventually disappearing in the three sights.
With the thug gone, Sakura kneeled to match the blonde girl's eye level. Looking directly at her eyes, he asked. "Little girl, what is your name?"
"Carol. Mister, how did you do that?"
"It's nothing too great. By the way, is your father important to you, Carol?"
"Obviously! I love Papa and he treasures me!"
"Then, if a random stranger suddenly appeared in front of your papa and told him to 'sell your daughter', do you think he would willingly sell you?"
"No way! Papa always says that I am invaluable! He would shoot the person who said that! Mister, why are you saying such a sad thing?"
Carol had slightly opened her heart to Sakura as her initial cheekiness had gone.
"That's right, Carol. If I were him and heard you say you want to buy Ralts, I'd be greatly sad," Sakura patted the little girl's head.
Carol gasped realizing what Sakura was trying to say. To him, this little green creature must have been like his daughter, yet, she suddenly asked him to sell his daughter to her.
It was too heartless of her to do, and upon realizing it, Carol teared up. "I'm sorry, mister, I didn't mean to…"
"It's okay, we make mistakes. Look, even Ralts forgives you."
"Ralts!" Ralts walked up to Carol and patted her head with her tiny hand.
'That should do it. Traumitizing children is always the best lesson for them,' Sakura nodded at his smartness.
'By the way, where have I heard that name? A girl named Carol and her parent are called Daddy. Eh, it should be nothing important if I forgot about it.'
…
After the three arrived at the marine base, a recruit reported a sighting of Daddy heading toward the coast.
That meant more walking.
By this time, Sakura would have quit here because one, he got Carol out of the dangerous place, and two, the coast was too far.
But upon seeing Ralts so happy over making a new friend, he couldn't help but smile, leading the two.
'How weird. I asked the system for a caretaker but instead, I became one…' Sakura thought helplessly.
He even saw Roja mid-way through the coast, kicking an abandoned ship, but they merely waved hands to greet each other before doing what they had to.
A while later, the three arrived at the coast.
By that time, the sun has already started sinking down, the wave hitting the coast.
On the sand coast, lay a single person, his shoulder bleeding. Behind him were groups of people bidding farewell.
They were pirates.
"Papa!" A shadow cast over Carol's face as she rushed over Daddy.
That's right. The person lying in the sand with shoulder bleeding was Daddy Masterson who had lost to a gun duel.
'What are they doing here at Loguetown!' Sakura thought to himself, his eyes never leaving the red-haired person.
They were the Red Hair Pirates.
"Red Hair Pirate's captain, the youngest Four Emperors, a former apprentice of Roger Pirates," Sakura called out to Shanks, assumably playing with his life.
Although Shanks was gentle to his affiliates, He was shown as ruthless to his enemies in the manga, so who knows, Shanks may kill him in retaliation for saying too much.
But it was so damn fun playing with his life!
"Cap'n, that guy knows of your origin," Beckmen, the vice-captain of Red Hair Pirates whispered to Shanks.
"Leave it, gehahaha, we have a party to celebrate. Yasopp's victory," Shanks laughed vulgarly.
Hearing this reaction of Shanks made Sakura want to play with his life more. "I'm Sakura Sonata, the shop owner of Startend Internet Cafe visit my shop someday with Uta."
""""Ha?"""" At this moment, the air froze as the old Red Hair Pirate's crewmate turned their heads to Sakura.
Shanks froze mid-step, placing the sake bottle on his shoulder, the air thickened—not with Haki, but something heavier. The silence before storms.
"Brat, how do you know that name,"
Beckman placed his hand above the barrels. The scent of gunpowder and burnt metal clung to the air—like the bullet was growling to be released.
This wasn't a threat. Sakura speculated he would lose his life depending on his answer. Instantly, nervousness amassed, almost swallowing him as sweat dripped down.
He had said too much but who could help it? Provoking this kind-minded idiot was too much fun.
Sakura raised his hands and said. "I'm just a lazy person who encountered you guys by chance. I have no intention of telling marines or world government involving her safety,"
.
.
.
Suddenly, the weight on the air lifted as Beckman released his grip.
Shanks didn't even glance back. Just a slow, deliberate sip from his sake bottle.
The second the Red Hair Pirate vanished over the horizon, Sakura's legs folded like a puppet that had cut its string. His lungs burned—greedily sucking breath to compensate for his lost breath earlier.
"Haa… that was intimidating. To think it's this bad even without using his Conqueror's Haki. As expected I'm just a fodder level."
Even with Shanks gone Sakura's hand refused to stop trembling. Worried, Ralts' tiny arm wrapped around his shaky wrists.
"Thanks, Ralts. It's fine. It's what I did to myself, the thrill-pursuing action doesn't suit my personality…" Sakura sighed.
"Mister, mister... what is Four Emperor?"
Carol innocently asked. As none of the heavy air was directed at her, she couldn't comprehend the mental struggle Sakura had earlier. It looked like nothing but doing a stare-off to her.
"Hm? The Four Emperors are terrifying beings, but they also act as an anchor to the citizens living in their territory. Four Emperors will provide you almost absolute safety if you pay them stuff... By the way, don't call me mister, I'm only 17 this year..."
...
"Heh, an interesting kid," Shanks mused, swirling his sake bottle. "Where'd he hear about Uta?"
Beckman exhaled some smoke. "A reckless rookie staring down an emperor with no backups. Reminds me of some idiot I know."
"Hey, we were all brats once! Even you had your days," Shank burst out in laughter.
"Enough nostalgia! It's a banquet! Y'all, let's party over Yasopp's victory!"
"Wooh!"
The Red Hair Pirates were as rowdy as ever.
.
.
.
Ever since that incident, a few days have passed
With Ralts motivating him to go outside, Sakura somehow helped two more people after the initial three, completing the side quest.
[Side Quests: Law-Abiding Citizens]
Help out five or more citizens
Rewards: Unlock a part of the system's function
[Calculating the host's accomplishment rate…]
[Calculaton complete!]
[Host has helped a child find her father - brought an injured man to the doctor - reminded the four emperors of its daughter - delivered a forgotten bento for a shop owner - and prevented a person from being injured by a falling flowerpot.]
[Host has accomplished the Side Quests with flying colors!]
[Rewards have been raised. Awarding the host with extra skill: Law Of Programs.]
[Shopping System has been unlocked!]
[Which internet cafe only provides computers for service? The real internet cafe provides nutritional foods and drinks, along with game merchandise for its customers!]
"Is that the case?" Sakura asked confusedly. Having never visited an Internet Cafe, he didn't know what it looked like.
[That is the case.]
[Daily Shop]
23:59:31s before reset.
"Th-this!!" Sakura opened his eyes wide at the content of Daily Shop.