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After saying goodbye to Crocus, the Merry shot up into the sky, heading straight toward Whiskey Peak.
Inside one of the ship's empty rooms, Vivi sat frozen in despair, facing Logan and the other girls who looked like they were holding court for her trial.
Thanks to Makino's quick explanation, Kaya and Nami soon understood the whole situation.
"You've got some guts, huh? Sneaking onto the Merry to steal stuff?"
"Spill it—do you have any accomplices?"
Hands on her hips, Nami glared down at Vivi with the ferocity of a tax collector.
Terrified, Vivi pointed at Logan, stammering, "H-he… he threw him into the sea…"
The girls all blinked—no need to ask, that "him" was obviously a guy.
"He was a Baroque Works agent. Deserved what he got," Logan said casually, waving a hand.
Those bastards working under Crocodile had done all sorts of evil. Getting tossed into the ocean was getting off easy.(Yeah, I changed the outline—Crocodile's definitely going down.)
"And you?" Nami continued the interrogation. "You're with Baroque Works too, aren't you?"
Vivi shook her head so hard it was a blur. "No! I'm not! I swear!"
"I'm Vivi, Princess of Alabasta! Please don't kill me!"
Her voice trembled, already laced with tears.
"Princess?!"
"You mean… you're the king's daughter?!"
"So you're rich, huh?"
Nami's brain instantly switched gears, her tone softening as the realization hit.
If she's loaded, then everything's negotiable!
I mean, it's just a failed theft—no big deal.
A little "compensation" of, say, ten million Berries, and the whole thing could blow over nicely.
Vivi quickly picked up on what Nami was hinting at and nodded furiously. "Yes, yes! I can pay you back for your losses!"
Wait… what losses?
She hadn't even stolen anything yet before getting caught.
"Anyway… if you let me go, I'll pay you. I promise!"
Nami's smile turned sugary sweet as she rubbed her hands together and leaned in. "Dear Princess Vivi~ tell me, how much is your lovely life worth to you?"
"H-how about… a million Berries?" Vivi whispered, testing the waters.
"A million?!" Nami's face dropped instantly. "You're a princess, and that's all you've got?"
What is this, pocket change for beggars?!
"But… but that's really all I have left…" Vivi's eyes filled with tears again.
If it were the old Alabasta, she could've easily pulled out ten million without blinking, but now…
"Nami, stop scaring her," Tashigi, who had been watching quietly, finally spoke up. "Vivi looks like she's about to cry."
Then, frowning, she asked, "But seriously—if you still have a million, why would you try to steal food?"
Vivi bit her lip and turned to Logan.
She knew he was the captain—the one who truly decided whether she lived or died.
"Captain Logan," she said softly, "I really can pay. If you think one million is too little, I can offer two million. Please, just don't hurt me…"
The way she gritted her teeth at "two million" made it clear—this was no small sacrifice.
Given how tight things were in Alabasta right now, coming up with two million would practically bleed them dry.
Logan chuckled and shook his head. "Princess Vivi, with all the chaos in Alabasta right now, are you sure you can afford that?"
"Besides," he added slyly, "did I ever say I'd settle for just two million?"
"At least five million Berries."
"Five million?!" Vivi's heart skipped a beat.
That much money would bankrupt the kingdom!
"Captain," Nami chimed in with perfect timing, "if Vivi can't come up with five million, what should we do with her?"
Logan rubbed his chin thoughtfully, looking Vivi up and down with exaggerated seriousness. "Sell her, maybe? I heard royal princesses fetch high prices at slave auctions."
"With looks like hers," he added, smirking, "we'd easily make five million—probably more."
"I like that plan!" Nami said brightly, clapping her hands.
The other girls—Kaya, Makino, and Tashigi—could only sigh helplessly.
What a pair of sadists.
Scaring such a pretty girl like this… really now.
Meanwhile, Vivi's imagination was spiraling out of control—she could see herself locked in a cage, curled up, covered in bruises, while rich nobles of all races bid on her like she was livestock.
"N-no… please, don't…" she stammered, shaking her head so fast her hair whipped around.
Logan figured she'd had enough. Any more, and she might actually break down.
"Alright, Vivi," he said, smiling. "Forget the five million. From now on, you're joining my crew."
"As long as you're part of the Logan Pirates, we're family. No talk of money—too vulgar."
"Join your crew?!" Vivi stared at him, then quickly shook her head.
"No, I can't. There's something important I still have to do—I can't leave yet!"
"How about this," she offered nervously, "let me finish my mission first, and then I'll join, okay?"
She didn't dare outright refuse him—this was the best compromise she could think of.
"You mean the Baroque Works conspiracy, right?" Logan said casually. "No need to investigate. It's Crocodile. As long as you join my crew, your problem's my problem—I'll deal with him for you."
Vivi froze, eyes wide. "H-how do you know about that?!"
"Easy," Logan said smoothly. "I've got a spy inside Baroque Works. You probably know her—Miss All Sunday."
Vivi's jaw dropped. "It's her?!"
Her mind immediately pictured the elegant, intellectual woman she'd met before.
"Wait a second—who the hell is Crocodile?"
"And since when do you have people in Baroque Works?!" Nami asked, totally lost.
She'd been playing along a minute ago, and now she was just confused.
Logan decided to answer selectively. "Crocodile's one of the Seven Warlords, same as Mihawk."
"Except he's way slimier than Mihawk ever was."
"....."