The popularity of Loguetown exceeded Tsuru's expectations.
Although not much time had passed since the end of the East Blue war, nobles and merchants from various kingdoms in East Blue had already rushed in. They not only brought large quantities of goods to Loguetown but also greatly boosted the tourism industry.
All the inns in the town were fully booked.
Tsuru and her group searched the entire town but could not find a place to stay.
"Vice Admiral Tsuru, I..."
The adjutant unwillingly wanted to go find Bartolomeo.
The fact that the negotiation team couldn't even find lodging was a great disrespect to Marineford.
"We'll return to the ship."
Tsuru, however, didn't mind.
She could deliberately control the time of arrival in Loguetown to gain leverage at the negotiation table, and Reddy could just as easily use lodging to pressure them.
If they were deliberately given a dirty and messy place to stay, should they lose their temper or endure it?
Tsuru understood better than anyone the importance of redeeming the prisoners.
In reality, this negotiation was completely unfair. Gaining any advantage at the negotiation table was nearly impossible.
Still, Tsuru wanted to salvage the situation and reclaim as much advantage as possible.
"Would you like to come with me?"
Just as Tsuru and her group were preparing to return to the warship and wait for Reddy's summons, Nami caught up to them from behind.
Tsuru smiled when she saw Nami. "Little girl, can you help us find a place to stay?"
"Of course."
Nami grinned confidently, but her smile faded the next moment. "But you have to promise to take me to see Dr. Reddy."
Tsuru examined Nami again and shook her head. "Do you know why we're here?"
Although Nami had once tried to steal her wallet as a form of revenge, Tsuru saw it as nothing more than a childish prank. It was clear that Nami, as an outsider, had already fully integrated into the current Loguetown.
However, bringing an outsider to the negotiations would be deliberately causing trouble.
Tsuru could not possibly agree to Nami's condition.
Nami sneered. "Isn't it just to redeem prisoners? That's no secret in this town."
She then said with confidence, "I have a way to help you get the prisoners back at the lowest cost."
"Oh?"
Tsuru scrutinized Nami again, quickly swayed by the confidence on her face. "If you can really help us... then I agree."
"Follow me."
Nami felt excited and walked ahead to lead the way, avoiding Tsuru's gaze.
Once out of sight, a sly glint flashed in her eyes, and she felt a great sense of accomplishment.
Help the Marines?
No way!
Not taking advantage of them was already being kind!
Nami admitted she had acted impulsively earlier.
Among the three decrees, only the prohibition of violence in town was clearly stated, with no mention of the consequences for petty theft.
But she had genuinely been scared afterward.
Fortunately, Tsuru had generously forgiven her.
However, if she didn't take revenge on the Marines, her hatred for them would fester.
So she took the initiative to approach Tsuru's group.
Nami led Tsuru and the others through the already bustling streets to the road where the open-air workshop was located.
"Nami..."
A girl near the street entrance saw Nami and enthusiastically waved, but upon spotting Tsuru's group behind her, her eyes immediately filled with wariness.
"Marines?"
Soon, others also noticed Tsuru's group, stopping their work and eyeing them with caution.
Smoker had once done a decent job in Loguetown, earning some prestige for the Marines.
But now, Loguetown belonged to Reddy.
The Marines were naturally seen as enemies—this was a matter of stance.
Even children as young as five or six understood this clearly.
"You..."
The wariness in these children's eyes deeply pained Tsuru.
She carefully recalled that Reddy hadn't actually done much in Loguetown.
Eradicating gangs!
Issuing decrees!
At most, he had also lifted the island into the sky and built a passage.
And then... that was it!
Yet, with just these simple actions, Loguetown had become vibrant.
Couldn't the Marines do the same?
Of course they could!
Though they couldn't lift an island like Reddy to create a tourist hotspot, nor could they issue radical decrees, eradicating gangs was definitely within their capabilities.
Moreover, the Marines, backed by the World Government, had countless ways to achieve the same effects as the first two points.
Yet the reality was that only Reddy had succeeded.
Tsuru's mind flashed back to the young waiters outside the town and the children selling simple handicrafts to tourists. She smiled bitterly.
Commoners were actually the easiest group to satisfy.
This group only needed food and clothing to live their lives quietly.
Go a step further.
As long as there was hope for a better life, who would willingly become pirates?
This open-air workshop was crude, but the impact it had on Tsuru was immense.
"Uncle, please, pretty please?"
While Tsuru was lost in thought, Nami had already pestered the owner of a house, using every trick in the book—acting cute, whining, and even a sweet, childish voice—to quickly persuade him to provide lodging for Tsuru's group.
Nami repeated the tactic and soon convinced several other uncles.
One of them glanced at Tsuru's group and helplessly reminded her, "Nami-chan, we're only agreeing to let these Marines stay because of you. But don't let them cause trouble."
The others nodded in agreement, eyeing Tsuru's group warily.
This attitude made the adjutant and the other female Marines uncomfortable.
"Then we'll trouble you."
The open-air workshop was a place for crafting shell handicrafts, and the abundance of shells made the air quality terrible. Yet Tsuru chose to stay.
Because she had developed a strong interest in Nami.
After all, not everyone would tolerate having such a polluting open-air workshop outside their home.
But Nami had managed it.
"Little girl, what's your name?"
After arranging for the adjutant and the others to stay in the uncles' homes, Tsuru stood beside Nami with her hands behind her back, watching her process shells with a gentle smile.
"Nami."
Nami replied indifferently and continued working on the shells.
Tsuru wasn't annoyed and asked again, "You're not a local resident of Loguetown, are you?"
The earlier uncles and the children working in the open-air workshop all proved Reddy's prestige in Loguetown.
But Nami was different—she had tried to steal Tsuru's wallet.
This wasn't the behavior of a local resident.
Nami stayed silent.
Tsuru's smile soon turned serious. "You resent the Marines. Can you tell me why?"
Nami sneered. "The Marines are as despicable as pirates."
Tsuru was stunned. She had never imagined that in Nami's eyes, the Marines, who were supposed to protect civilians, were equivalent to pirates who plundered them.
For a moment, she didn't know what to say.
"Hey hey, is the old Marine lady here?"
Bartolomeo walked into the street with a look of disdain and soon spotted Tsuru, who appeared somewhat awkward. From a distance, he urged, "Reddy wants to see you. Hurry up and come with me."
Tsuru smiled bitterly.
She felt like she had been tricked, but she had no proof.
Soon, Tsuru gathered her subordinates again.
"Wait!"
Nami blocked Tsuru's group, her face full of distrust and wariness. "You promised me..."
"I won't go back on my word."
Tsuru smiled bitterly again.
Nami relaxed and turned to her worried companions with a grin, pumping her fist confidently. "Wait for me to come back. I'll take you all to greater heights!"
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