The chair spun around, and she was able to confirm his face.
A pirate of immense fame. One of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, Sir Crocodile.
Even she hadn't expected this. Robin broke into a slight cold sweat, unable to completely hide her agitation. Aware of her reaction but choosing not to point it out, Crocodile spoke.
"The Poneglyph in this kingdom supposedly records the location of a certain Ancient Weapon. My objective is to obtain that weapon. It is somewhere on this island."
"An Ancient Weapon..."
"I see you've heard of it. That saves time."
Crocodile smiled with supreme confidence.
She didn't know what would happen if she refused. She had to choose her words carefully. Robin focused entirely on this moment.
"I hear you've been living on the run since you were a brat. If you cooperate, you'll be done with that life, at the very least. I'll give you a secure life and a fortune."
"And in exchange, I hand over the information written on the Poneglyphs?"
"It shouldn't be a bad deal. You're the type who wants the Poneglyphs yourself."
Silence fell, and a heavy atmosphere drifted through the room.
It was a question she was not permitted to refuse. However, once she stepped in, it would be dangerous no matter how things turned out. Above all, teaming up with this man carried a peril that was directly linked to death.
Closing her eyes once to steel her resolve, Robin opened them and spoke firmly.
It was exactly the answer Crocodile had been seeking.
"Understood. I will cooperate with you."
"For the moment, you have my gratitude, Nico Robin. But don't forget: while you may have your hand on our throat, it is equally simple for us to dispose of you."
"I will keep that in mind."
She couldn't trust him from the bottom of her heart. But this was necessary to survive.
Just as their conversation concluded, the boy returned from the next room.
He carried a tray with a single steaming cup on it. He didn't go to Crocodile, but came straight to Robin and raised his arms.
"Tea's ready~. So, did you wrap up the talk?"
"Yeah. Now we can finally begin..."
Leaning back in his chair, Crocodile took a paper from his drawer and placed it on the desk.
Robin took the single cup from the tray the boy offered and brought it to her lips. It seemed she was too valuable to kill right now, so she dared not to suspect poison.
Her guess was correct; it was simply delicious black tea.
"Gather the members. Use the names on the list as officer agents."
"Is it okay to use guys not on the list?"
"I don't care. Just be careful with how you handle information. We need to proceed in absolute secrecy."
"Yup, Roger that. I'll handle that part smoothly."
"The organization's name is Baroque Works."
Crocodile grinned, exuding a belligerent aura in front of the two.
"We are starting a country-stealing operation. I expect good work from you."
As the President of the organization, that was his command.
"President" sounded nice, but the reality was piracy. What would happen if their existence was exposed?
It would be a lie to say she had no anxiety, but Robin kept her expression cool and accepted his words in silence.
A town surrounded by desert, baked under intense sunlight.
Named Yuba, it was built on a site that had originally been an uninhabited oasis, developed to serve as a resting place for travelers and merchants.
Though still in development, it had taken shape nicely as a town.
Considering it was just an oasis a few years ago, the efforts of the reclamation team were clearly visible.
It was just another day.
Koza, the son of the reclamation leader Toto, was walking down the street to help his father.
Turning a corner, he nearly collided with someone who suddenly appeared. He scrambled to dodge, but the other person tripped on their own and fell, the contents of the large backpack they were carrying spilling out onto the ground.
Koza was exasperated by the frantic, noisy display, but simultaneously worried for him.
"Owww..."
"A-Are you okay?"
Looking closer, it was a boy about his own age.
He was small, with hair the color of dull gold. Koza judged him to be male, though he had a neutral face.
Realizing Koza was there, the boy jumped up and hurriedly bowed his head.
"Ah, I'm sorry! I didn't notice you! Are you hurt?"
"No, I'm fine, but..."
"Whoa, crap."
The boy squatted down and began picking up the scattered luggage. Koza watched him panic, momentarily stunned, but then crouched down to help him gather the items.
There were various goods rolling around, and each one sparked Koza's interest.
Picking up a few, his eyes met the boy's, and the boy gave a bashful smile.
"Ah, sorry..."
"That's a huge load. Are you a traveler?"
"Umm, I'm a traveling merchant. I go from island to island, selling my wares."
At the boy's cheerful explanation, Koza's eyes went wide.
"A merchant? But you're just a kid."
"Even kids can travel, you know. By the way, would you like to buy something? I don't have anything huge, but I have all sorts of things I stocked from other islands. For example, let's see..."
While picking things up, the boy looked around, his eyes sparkling as he grabbed a specific item.
It was a glass container filled with white powder. He held it up to eye level, and a curious Koza brought his face closer.
"This is salt made in Water 7. It's rich in minerals and has a much deeper flavor than normal salt. They say just one tablespoon adds a ton of richness."
"Heh... wait, you're starting a sales pitch already?"
"Ah! I'm sorry. I have to gather my stuff first."
Startled, the boy went back to picking up his luggage.
Koza watched him with genuine wonder.
It wasn't just that he came from outside the island; something about this boy intrigued him. He stared at the boy's face and movements, making no effort to hide his curiosity.
Eventually, the blonde boy finished gathering his goods and carefully packed them into his massive backpack.
Muttering "Alright," he looked up and bowed to Koza once more.
"Thank you very much. Sorry for causing trouble."
"Ah, yeah. Hey, what's your name?"
He asked because he was interested.
Though the number of children had increased as the town got on track, there were still few of them. A boy of the same age was a rare existence, so it was only natural to be interested.
In response to Koza, whose curiosity was written all over his face, the boy returned a sunny smile.
"I'm Kiri. Nice to meet you."
Seeing a figure surprisingly devoid of any hostility, Koza grinned broadly, thinking, I bet we can be friends.
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