13 Romance Dawn
"You look tense, Rika? Why is that?"
While drinking apple juice in this tavern Naeim looked at the cute little girl who was preparing some rice balls with all she had, from time to time her little body was trembling with fear.
"If you add more sugar, will he like it?"
"Is that rice balls? You should add salt instead of sugar, little girl."
"Ah… I already added sugar…"
It looked as if the little girl was going to cry at any moment, so Naeim gently consoled her.
"It's okay, he'll love it even if it's full of dirt, you made it with all your heart after all."
"Really!!"
"Of course."
…
"I have to think of a way to infiltrate the marine base and deliver food to that big brother, or else he will die of hunger…"
"I will not allow you to infiltrate the marine base, that is against the rules."
"Mom! I won't let them see me, I'll go quickly and come back quickly, that big brother hasn't eaten anything for three weeks!"
Naeim looked at the woman of average height and weight, with brown hair tied back and wearing a dark green dress, who was only afraid for her daughter's safety.
"Are you going to let her go there?"
"She's just a child, I don't think they'll hurt her, right?"
Naeim can sense her nervousness, too. She was not sure of what she said.
"Sigh~ Alright, I'll go with her then."
"Really, Big Brother!?"
"Well."
Naeim smiled while stroking her soft hair.
"You don't need to worry about her safety, Ririka-san."
The bartender woman looked at Naeim with eyes of great thanks.
"Thank you very much. When you get back, I'll treat you to a free meal."
…
Naeim and Rika soon arrive at the marine base.
Naeim wasn't surprised when he saw Luffy and Coby clinging to the wall of the base watching Zoro who was tied up in the arena.
Rika wanted to go get a short ladder from nearby but Naeim carried her over his shoulders and jumped across the wall.
Luffy and Coby's gazes shifted from Zoro to Naeim who lowered Rika and let her go to Zoro.
"This guy… Isn't he the guy who encountered Alvida on the Merchant Ship earlier!? What is he doing here?"
Coby said in amazement.
"He's that flames guy."
Even Luffy had an impression of Naeim but had no reason to interact with him.
"Ah, what are you doing!? This is dangerous! Please stop her, or she will be killed! Why did you let her go there!!"
When Coby saw Rika go to Zoro he couldn't help himself, this was a terrifying pirate hunter after all!
…
"What?"
Rika stopped in front of the tied Zoro and took out the rice balls she had prepared for him.
"Aren't you hungry? I made onigiri for you."
"They'll kill you, little girl, leave from here."
"You haven't eaten anything in a while, Oni-chan, have you?"
"Here, it's my first time making onigiri but I made it with all my heart!"
"I'm not hungry! You're bothering me! Come back to your home quickly!"
…
After a while, Morgan's son arrived, and just like in the original story, Helmeppo wanted to throw Rika out of the base.
"Oh, throw up that little girl out."
The soldier froze after hearing that.
"I ordered you to throw her out! Are you disobeying my orders?"
Helmeppo was so intent on throwing Rika out that he didn't notice Naeim who had just arrived and stood behind him with an indifferent expression.
"You want to throw a little girl out, don't care if she gets broken bones or even dies, right?"
"You even didn't see me standing there not far away?"
"Yes, as if I care-"
Helmeppo realized someone else had said it when he felt a strong hand grab his head.
"Then it's okay to crush your empty skull right?"
Helmeppo shivered when he felt death approaching so much that he peed his pants.
"W-Who are you!?"
"D-Dad is Captain Morgan! If you hurt me he will kill you!"
"You two! Save me!"
Boom!!
"Argh!"
Naeim crushes him to the groundbreaking several bones in the process.
"Okay, take that scum away."
"Haayyy!"
The two marines took the unconscious Helmeppo and ran away.
"Let's go."
Naeim took Rika in his arms and left the marine base.
"Who's this man?"
Zoro stared back in amazement.
…
Naeim didn't want to interfere with the plot of the story too much, but he definitely wouldn't let the marine throw Rika away.
Although Luffy was going to save her, at this moment, it was Naeim who was in charge of Rika, not Luffy.
"Stop crying, Rika... I told you earlier, he'd eat it even if it was full of dirt, right?"
"Emm..."
Rika nodded with teary eyes.
"Soon you will know I was right."
…
The sky has already darkened and Luffy has left Shells Town with his first crew member, and the town's crisis has been resolved after the overthrow of the tyrant Morgan.
After Coby leaves with the marines, only Naeim and mother Ririka and her young daughter are left at the bar.
He was going to spend his last night here before leaving.
Rika has already fallen asleep after a volatile day, leaving only Mother Ririka and Naeim still awake.
"Thank you for saving my daughter, I am really grateful for that, sir."
The good smell of food wafted through the closed bar, enhancing Naeim's calm mood.
"Rika is a good girl, I would feel sad if she was harmed in any way… By the way, if I may ask, where is her father?"
The mature woman's body trembled after hearing Naeim's question.
"... My husband is already dead."
"Ah, sorry about that."
Naeim was no longer interested in this matter and started eating his dinner quietly.
He didn't have any inappropriate thoughts toward this woman so he really enjoyed the food.
Soon he fell asleep in one of the empty rooms, his first day in the pirates world had already ended.
The next morning he headed for Conomi Island.
______
RyuGin:
I created a P@treon account for this book, guys.
The update on Webnovel will be unstable for a while until I fill up 20 chapters ahead of the p@treon account, while it will be stable on the p@treon on a daily basis.
For those who want to join from now on and encourage me to continue writing this novel I'll be grateful.
www.pa treon.com/RyuGin
