Chapter 543: Hancock's Differential Treatment, Easy-to-Coax Perona
While Nami and Zoro exchanged casual banter across the table, Perona sat off to the side, her mood visibly sinking with every passing second. Hawk-Eyes remained entirely silent, waiting with the stillness of a statue.
Nami let out a heavy breath. "That was a stroke of absolute luck... But speaking of the war, which of the Warlords actually sat this one out?"
Zoro leaned back, crossing his arms. "From the looks of it... Hawk-Eyes didn't stick around. Once he saw Ace vanish, he turned right back around. And then there's..."
"I didn't go either!" Hancock cut in, her voice ringing out with absolute certainty. "The Calm Belt is far too out of the way for such nonsense! More, I refused to miss out on seeing Mr. Ren just for some pointless battle!"
Nami stared at her, completely speechless. Zoro scratched his chin, thinking over the remaining roster. "Right, that makes sense. Jinbe was apparently locked up in Impel Down but managed to break out. And then... oh, right. Moria supposedly died in battle."
The moment those words left his mouth, Perona bolted upright. Tears instantly welled in her wide eyes. "No! Lord Moria isn't dead! He would never die!"
Hancock cast a sidelong glance at the weeping ghost princess, her tone dropping into a low, measured drawl. "Tell me, did this Moria fellow ever suffer a defeat?"
Perona froze, the tears halting on her eyelashes. She blinked, then slowly raised a trembling finger to point directly at Nami and Zoro. "They are the ones who beat him... Wait, do you know something?!"
Hancock sighed, resting her chin on her hand. "If he was humiliated by a rookie pirate crew, the World Government would never let him keep his seat. Becoming a Warlord always serves a specific political purpose. The moment an opportunity arises to purge a weak link, the higher-ups will absolutely seize it..."
Zoro barely reacted to the political implications, but Nami leaned forward, her eyes widening in realization. "Wait, so Moria dying in the war might be a complete cover-up? You mean he was actually assassinated by another Warlord?! And the World Government gave the order?!"
Perona stood completely stunned, her lower lip quivering before a fresh wave of tears spilled over. "Is that true?! Was Lord Moria really killed by those government dogs?! The only person twisted enough to do that... is Doflamingo!"
Hancock offered no further comment, turning her attention away. Perona buried her face in her hands, sobbing loudly into the quiet dining room.
Hawk-Eyes finally shifted his gaze, his deep, golden eyes settling on the crying girl. "Given the chaos of that situation, Moria might not have perished. However, he certainly would not have escaped unscathed."
Perona instantly dropped her hands, looking at the world's greatest swordsman with a tear-streaked face. "Really?"
"It is merely a prediction."
A massive breath of relief escaped Perona's lips. She wiped her eyes, her usual bratty confidence slowly returning. "I knew it! Lord Moria is incredibly powerful, there is no way he would just die like that! He must be hiding somewhere to recuperate! He has to be!"
Nami and Zoro exchanged a brief look but kept their mouths shut, perfectly willing to let her hypnotize herself into a better mood. Besides, there was no definitive corpse, meaning Moria's fate was still up in the air.
Because Zoro and his makeshift crew had ordered hot pot, the kitchen prepared their meal with incredible speed. Perona, despite her gothic aesthetic, possessed the heart of a young maiden. The moment a serving cart rolled up, loaded with a vibrant array of fresh ingredients, beautifully sliced meats, and colorful drinks, her sorrow vanished entirely. A massive smile broke across her face.
Zoro eyed the split pot placed in the center of their table, the two distinct red broths bubbling gently. "Oh! Now this is something to look forward to! But Shopkeeper Ren, why did you leave three raw eggs on the side?"
Ren wiped his hands on a towel and gestured to the table. "When you finish eating the main ingredients, you can crack those eggs directly into the tomato broth on that side to make a rich tomato and egg soup. If you want, I can bring out some minced meat and fresh cilantro to top it off. Once you see it boiling, just turn the dial down to a low simmer."
Zoro grinned, highly impressed. "As expected of Shopkeeper Ren! You really think of every little detail!"
Perona clapped her hands together, her eyes sparkling as she looked at the spread. "Finally, I have met a decent man! You stupid monkey! And you, Hawk-Eyes! You two should take notes from him! Look at the gap in class! The gap is massive!"
Zoro scowled, deciding it was not worth the effort to argue. "You... whatever, let's just eat."
"Shopkeeper Ren, Shopkeeper Ren!" Perona leaned over the table, pointing at a tall, frosted glass filled with a vibrant pink liquid. "What kind of juice is this? It looks so pretty!"
"That is a strawberry guava juice," Ren explained patiently. "I mixed in some fresh passion fruit and crushed ice for texture."
"Oh! That sounds absolutely delicious!"
Hancock watched the exchange from a distance, finding herself rather approving of Perona. The girl's compliments toward Ren were incredibly accurate. She briefly wondered how a failure like Moria had managed to secure such a fiercely loyal and perceptive subordinate. It was almost a waste; Hancock genuinely considered dragging Perona back to Amazon Lily.
Turning her attention back to the man of the hour, Hancock looked at Ren with deep anticipation. "Mr. Ren! What about my dish?"
"Just give it a moment. By the way, I haven't asked yet, but is there anything you don't eat, girl? Any aversion to spicy food or specific ingredients?"
Hancock shook her head rapidly, her earrings swaying. "I am not picky at all! I will happily eat whatever flavor you make for me!"
Ren gave a small nod. "Understood. Just wait a little longer."
As Ren walked back toward the kitchen, Hawk-Eyes cast a very subtle, sidelong glance at Hancock. She caught the look immediately, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "Hawk-Eyes. What exactly do you want to say?"
It was Zoro who carelessly blurted out the question hovering in the air. "Huh? Wait a second, is Shopkeeper Ren actually thirty or forty years old?"
Perona paused mid-sip, her eyes widening. "No way! If he is, his skincare routine is insane! I need to learn his maintenance secrets right now!"
Hancock slammed her hand on the table, her voice rising to a furious shout. "He is not! My Mr. Ren is very young!"
Zoro scratched the back of his head, completely confused. "Then why does he call you 'girl' like you're a kid?"
The temperature in the room plummeted. Hancock glared at the swordsman, her voice dropping to a freezing, lethal whisper. "If you ever dare to use that address for me, I will leave you as a complete corpse, and that is only out of respect for your familiarity with Mr. Ren."
Zoro swallowed hard, a drop of cold sweat sliding down his neck.
Nami let out a long, exasperated sigh. "It is because Hancock first came to this restaurant when she was very young. About ten years have passed in her world, but due to the time difference, only about half a year has passed here for Shopkeeper Ren. In his eyes, Hancock is still the exact same person she was back then, which is why he still uses that address."
Zoro nodded slowly in understanding, while Hawk-Eyes remained completely silent, simply absorbing the information.
Hancock brought both hands up to cup her flushed cheeks, her lethal aura vanishing into pure infatuation. "Is that Mr. Ren's special pet name for me? I am truly too happy!"
Nami completely ignored the display, having long since grown immune to Hancock's antics. Yakumo Yukari and the others at the neighboring table shared the same sentiment, paying the Pirate Empress no mind.
Reimu, however, took a sip of her tea and looked over with a blank expression. "Hey, Yakumo Yukari, does Shopkeeper Ren have a special pet name for you?"
Yukari snapped her fan shut, glaring at the shrine maiden. "Why are you dragging me into this nonsense again?!"
"I guess that means no..."
Yukari suddenly felt a deep, deep wave of regret for bringing Reimu along today.
Lucifer, casually picking at her massive food platter while keeping her eyes glued to a movie on her screen, spoke up in a lazy drawl. "Nami, if the time difference works like that, doesn't that mean you can stay here for a very long time without missing anything back home? That sounds like a pretty good deal."
"Nami, hurry up and get up here!"
Hearing Rantabi calling her from the upper stairwell, Nami gave a quick shout of acknowledgment and jogged toward the steps.
Watching her go, Hancock ground her teeth together so hard they nearly cracked, her beautiful face twisting with sheer, unadulterated envy at Nami's free access to the upper floors.
Meanwhile, Perona paid no attention to the drama. She stared intently at the split pot, watching the broth begin to bubble. A rich, sweet, and spicy aroma wafted up, filling her senses. She quickly reached out to adjust the heat dial, her mouth watering. "Eat, eat! Let's eat!"
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