"Funing, this is Mr. Norton. He's your father's benefactor. If not for Mr. Norton, your father wouldn't have made it back alive from this voyage," the duke said.
"Really? Thank you so much!"
After thanking Norton, Funing seemed to process the rest of it a beat later.
"Dad… you ran into danger on this trip?!"
"Yes…" The duke showed a lingering look of fear as he recounted everything that had happened on the journey, though he deliberately left out the part about Norton taking possession of the ship and treasure.
Funing listened obediently, worry repeatedly surfacing on her striking face. Several times she threw her arms around the duke and cried so pitifully that anyone watching would have felt their heart soften.
The duke immediately grew flustered and started comforting her instead.
Norton and Nami quietly exchanged a glance.
The same phrase appeared in both their minds at once:
Doting father.
It took quite a while before Funing's sobbing gradually subsided.
The duke wiped away the tears at the corners of her eyes and said tenderly, "There, there. Don't cry, my dear. Aren't I back safe and sound?"
Only after Funing had finally calmed down did the duke bring up the real matter at hand.
"The White Pearl is almost finished, isn't it?"
"Yes, Father! It's nearly ready for the launch ceremony!" Funing's face lit up with excitement.
The duke looked uneasy.
"I just don't know what sort of accident might happen this time."
"It'll be fine, Father! No matter what challenge comes, the White Pearl can handle it!" Funing declared.
On this point, Funing was actually more optimistic than the duke. Her eyes shone with complete confidence in the White Pearl.
"If that's truly the case, that would be for the best…" The duke nodded, then said to her, "Mr. Norton is your father's lifesaver. Because of that Sea King, he needs a new ship."
"So why not entrust the White Pearl to Mr. Norton? I've seen his spirit with my own eyes. He's a man who can stand against fate!"
Funing blinked in surprise.
"But… His Majesty the King already reserved this ship."
"What?" The duke froze. "Since when?"
"While you were away these past few days, His Majesty personally visited our castle and reserved the ship from me…" Funing explained what had happened.
"How could this happen…" the duke murmured dejectedly. "Then there's nothing to be done…"
If the king had personally stepped in, even a duke like him had no way to refuse. The previous ship had been taken away in exactly the same fashion.
Power spoke louder than anything.
"Forgive me, Mr. Norton. If His Majesty has already reserved the White Pearl, then I can't hand it over to you. But don't worry—I'll find you another ship…"
Norton cut off the duke's apology, his smile blazing like fire.
"What are you saying? The White Pearl can only belong to me!"
"Only I can command this ship. No one else has what it takes!"
The duke hurriedly tried to stop him.
"Mr. Norton, don't act rashly! The king's will cannot be defied!"
"Just like fate?" Norton bared his teeth in a grin. "The last ship was taken by the king too, wasn't it? And in the end, it still couldn't escape being destroyed."
The duke fell silent.
That much was true. If the king hadn't already reserved the White Pearl, the duke absolutely would have persuaded Funing to entrust it to Norton.
But the White Pearl had already been claimed by the king.
Norton patted the duke on the shoulder.
"I'm not like you. I'm not afraid of royal authority. If there's something I want, I'll get it. Take me to your king. I'll convince him in my own way."
"Don't do anything reckless!" the duke said, grabbing Norton's fist in agitation.
He had already seen how Norton handled problems.
With his fists.
The duke knew exactly what Norton was thinking.
"I'll take you to see His Majesty, but I won't help you in any way. Whether you can make the king give up the White Pearl will depend entirely on you."
Then, with a stern expression, he added, "And one more thing: you are absolutely not allowed to use force against His Majesty."
"Yeah, yeah, I got it." Norton waved him off carelessly. "I know what I'm doing."
---
At the Same Time, Inside the Royal Palace...
The king stood humbly beside the throne.
But seated on the throne was a man wearing a transparent bubble-like helmet over his head. His hair stood upright in rigid strands that curled at the tips, and he wore a white one-piece suit resembling a spacesuit.
"Is that ship finished yet? Hurry up and send it over! I only came down to this lower world after hearing about that unlucky girl's shipbuilding story, so don't waste my time!" the man in the bubble helmet shouted.
The king bowed and scraped.
"At once! I've already sent someone to fetch it, Saint Ari. Please wait just a little longer!"
Even the king himself had never expected that the duke's daughter Funing's shipbuilding story would attract one of the Celestial Dragons—the World Nobles who lived high above in the Holy Land of Mary Geoise.
Saint Ari let out an irritated snort.
If not for that fool Joseph constantly bragging about the ship he bought at Sabaody, he never would have bothered coming all the way down to this lower world over some mere ship.
A cursed ship built by an unlucky girl has to be rarer than the treasure ship Joseph bought! Just wait, Joseph—I'll make you die of jealousy!
---
Back at the Castle...
After inspecting the ship, the duke led Norton and Nami back through the castle.
"Funing said that if the White Pearl is destroyed again, she'll give up shipbuilding and agree to enter the Church instead. That was a path I once recommended to her," the duke said as they walked.
"Wouldn't that be exactly what you want?" Nami asked curiously.
The duke shook his head.
"Compared to fulfilling my own wishes, I would rather see Funing doing what she truly loves. Shipwrighting may be regarded as lowly work, but the passion and joy she shows while doing it are real. She is my daughter. It is a father's duty to protect his daughter's dream."
Nami fell silent, moved by the depth of that fatherly love.
She had never known a father's love herself.
She was an orphan. She had no father, no mother. Bell-mère had raised her.
"And you're no longer afraid of the other nobles mocking her?" Norton gave the duke a long look.
The duke let out a low snort, a proud expression appearing on his face.
"I am a duke. In this kingdom, only the king stands above me. No one dares mock my daughter to my face."
Hearing that, Norton couldn't help reassessing him a little.
Weak though he was, the duke had used his authority well to shield his daughter as she grew up.
Just then, the duke's daughter Funing came hurrying up from behind them.
"Father, a messenger from His Majesty wishes to see you!" she said.
At once, the duke perked up.
"Funing, take Mr. Norton and Miss Nami around for a while. I'll be back shortly."
Then he paused and said to Norton, "Please rest assured, Mr. Norton. Once I'm done, I'll take you to see His Majesty immediately."
With that, the duke turned and left.
Following his instructions, Funing took Norton and Nami on a brief tour around the castle.
Along the way, Nami and Funing got along extremely well.
In contrast, Norton could barely get a word in.
Then suddenly—
The sound of shattering glass rang out overhead.
The three of them looked up just in time to see Sanosuke crash through a window from the castle banquet hall above, stomping on top of someone as he leapt down.