"Places beyond the reach of the Government's eyes... they really do exist in this world."
Nico Robin stared with guarded eyes at the boy who spoke in such a light, breezy tone.
They were in a narrow alleyway draped in darkness. She had been moving stealthily, staying hidden, yet this figure had appeared soundlessly to block her path. It seemed he had targeted her specifically. However, he showed absolutely no intent to attack, which only left her confused.
He wore a black coat with a hood pulled deep over his head, leaving only his mouth visible. Judging by his short stature and the timbre of his voice, he was likely a boy. He was a riddle, and visibly suspicious.
She had lived her life in the shadows, fleeing from the eyes of others.
Her wariness was far greater than that of an ordinary person; her guard was up, her expression grim, refusing to trust him easily.
The boy, on the other hand, wore a soft smile—at least, that was what his visible mouth suggested.
His voice was bright, strangely cheerful, as if trying to slip past her heavy defenses. He spoke to Robin with a familiarity that felt uncomfortably close.
"There is someone I want you to meet. If it goes well, you can get a life much easier than the one you have now."
"I don't trust you... Who are you?"
"Who knows? To find out, you'll just have to come with me. We're in the same boat; neither of us can reveal our identities easily, right?"
Hearing his phrasing, she judged that he was not someone to be underestimated.
Robin grabbed her left arm, as if hugging herself.
"You seem to know a lot. Did you investigate me?"
"Sort of. I had a hard time finding you. You're good at hiding."
He shook his head and sighed theatrically, "Good grief," before continuing in that same bright voice.
"But I am a pro at hide-and-seek. Lately, I've gotten especially good at both hiding and finding people. You can run away now if you want, you know? I'll just find you again."
"I see... I'll pass. It sounds like you actually would find me."
"Then that saves time. I'd love an answer to my earlier question."
"But you understand that I won't trust you that easily either, correct?"
Seeing the look in her eyes, which made no attempt to hide her suspicion, the boy nodded simply.
"Yup. If you weren't like that, you wouldn't have been able to keep running this long."
"So, what now? If we keep this up, we'll be talking forever."
"Well, look, I just need you to think about it carefully. True, you might not be able to trust me. But either way, you're not exactly in a position to walk in the sun, are you?"
Robin fell silent at his words.
She knew that. A life where she could walk openly down the street was a luxury she lost long ago.
Realizing just how much he knew about her, she felt anxiety, but simultaneously, her interest was piqued.
"We are two of a kind. If you fear being seen, you have to hide in the deep darkness. I can take you there, you know? Into the deep, deep shadows where the Government's eyes cannot reach."
"In exchange, it sounds like I won't be able to leave..."
"You can survive if you fulfill your role. But if you betray us, no one survives. Although, if you manage to deceive my eyes, that might be a different story."
His voice was high-spirited, devoid of any fear. He was no ordinary child. In fact, he didn't feel like a child at all; he radiated a distinct, tangible danger.
Most adults she met didn't terrify her as much as he did.
Giving up on fleeing, Robin let out a small sigh.
"Even if you refuse this offer, you'll only end up doing similar shady work anyway. In that case, wouldn't it be better to choose a job that guarantees your safety for the time being, and pays a lot of money?"
"'For the time being,' is it...?"
"You are safe until you fulfill your role. You have a special power."
"Is that about my Devil Fruit ability? Or is it something else?"
At Robin's question, the boy's mouth curved into a wide arc.
He must have decided it was better to be upfront. He spoke without hiding anything.
"We need a human who can read a special text. There are barely any people in the world who can read it."
"I thought so."
"Interested? Our immediate goal will be to obtain that."
Robin kept her mouth shut and thought.
Indeed, that was something she desired as well. If possible, she wanted to find as many as she could. But in her current situation, unable to move freely, searching was difficult; she had her hands full just staying alive.
She couldn't trust him, but it seemed their goals aligned.
"I absolutely have to bring you in. But if possible, I don't want to hurt you, and threats don't seem like they'd work on you. I'd really prefer you to come voluntarily. What do you say?"
"Let me ask one thing. Who is behind you?"
"That is a secret. What we are trying to build is a secret society wrapped entirely in mystery. That's exactly why, if it functions well, no one will even sense our existence. You won't have to keep running anymore."
Robin closed her mouth for a moment, contemplating.
"Will it work?"
"Of course. That is what I am here for. Though, I'll need your cooperation too."
Even after thinking it through, ultimately, there was only one option.
She had done anything and everything to survive. Because she couldn't live otherwise.
She couldn't live like other people. A normal life was foreign to her.
To survive, she had to follow him.
Understanding that the look on Robin's face had changed, the boy smiled beneath his hood.
It was the moment a new companion—one for a journey that would likely be long—was added to the fold.
Stepping into a room where the air was so cold one would never guess it was in a desert nation, Robin felt an indescribable pressure. She identified the back of the man radiating that aura.
There was a lavish desk and chair, and a man sat there, facing away from them.
She could identify his face using her ability without walking around to the front, but she felt a strange hesitation—a sense of crisis that a careless move might cost her her life. Robin refrained from using her powers.
"I'll make some tea. It's a bachelor pad, so don't expect anything fancy."
The boy who had entered behind her moved to the adjacent room.
His steps were light, as if he were just visiting a friend; he was the only one lacking tension. Yet, perhaps because of that, his absence made the air feel suddenly heavier, and Robin's complexion paled slightly.
She had anticipated it, but it seemed she had been recruited by an outrageous individual.
As she waited quietly, the man with his back to her finally opened his mouth.
"I hear you can read the Poneglyphs."
So that was the target, after all. Just as she had been told.
With this type of person, it was better not to lie. It was especially dangerous in this opening move.
With practiced composure, Robin nodded calmly.
"Yes. I can read them."
"I've been looking for talent like that. Have you made your decision?"
"Well..."
She paused to think before responding to the query.
"What will you do once you find the Poneglyphs? I want to hear that first."
"Hmph. Since you'll be acting as the Vice President—my public face—I suppose I can tell you."
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