It had been a day since our meeting with Robin, and by midday the Going Merry and Wapol's ship were at anchor in the harbor of Drum Island, where snow carpeted every surface.
Beyond the slowly falling snow in the harbor, a main road led inward to a town lined with small wooden buildings.
The townsfolk, bundled up in heavy coats, bustled noisily. Further in, the Straw Hat crew—everyone except Luffy and Nami—stood clad in their thick winter gear, facing a single man.
"I apologize for the disrespect my militia and I showed when we first arrived."
"It's fine. We sail under the pirate flag; we weren't expecting any welcome party."
The man in leather armor bowed as he spoke, and Zoro, who stood at the front of the crew, answered him.
Meanwhile, villagers dashed through the streets, shouting:
"They say the pirates who just came killed Wapol and his men!"
"They brought back the doctors who'd been taken!"
"Patients, come quickly for treatment!"
"You don't have to worry about Wapol's return anymore!"
Amid their cheers, the man addressed us again.
"My name's Dordon, and I've been temporarily put in charge of the kingdom's civilian forces."
"When Wapol abandoned the kingdom and fled, he took the doctors with him. Thanks to you bringing them back, our patients can finally receive treatment."
"Doctors are the greatest asset of the medical powerhouse that is the Drum Kingdom. You have our deepest gratitude for returning them home."
Dordon and the crew remembered how the Going Merry and Wapol's ship approached the harbor.
At the docks, Dordon and the townsmen had leveled their guns at the ships. That was when Dordon spotted the Drum Kingdom flag flying on Wapol's vessel trailing behind the Merry.
"That's our kingdom's flag... How come?"
After seeing Wapol's ship under our banner, Dordon greeted the doctors at the harbor and then led the Straw Hats into town.
"By the way, this isn't even winter, but it's freezing and snowing," Sanji complained.
"This is a Winter Island, Sanji. It's an island where winter never ends, all year long," Vivi explained.
"Vivi, then a Summer Island must be scorching all the time?" Usopp asked.
"Right. And on a Spring Island, the summer is even hotter, while on an Autumn Island, the winter is even colder."
"The temperature swings between islands in the Grand Line are huge."
"Now I see why the weather changes so often out here," Usopp added.
"Out on the sea between those islands, there really is no such thing as consistent weather."
"Usopp, the Grand Line's threats don't stop at weather," Hancock said flatly.
"Beyond the climates we've mentioned, the Grand Line is full of bizarre phenomena you couldn't even begin to explain."
"Eek—hearing that from someone who actually experienced it makes it even scarier, Hancock!" Usopp whimpered.
After Vivi answered Sanji and Hancock replied to Usopp, Dordon spoke once more.
"As I said, our island is a Winter Island with endless winter, but this very climate allows many rare medicinal herbs to grow here."
"Plus, thanks to centuries of accumulated medical knowledge, we used to be counted among the fifty nations representing the World Government at the Reverie."
"But after Wapol became king upon his father's death, he exiled every doctor in the country except the top twenty."
"Drum Kingdom is supposed to be a medical powerhouse. Even after keeping the best twenty, expelling the rest was still a huge loss, wasn't it?" Zoro asked.
Dordon thought to himself, "Usopp, was that his name... When Wapol became king, he made absurd laws that tormented his people."
"He expelled the doctors to control the people," Dordon explained.
"He wanted them to be injured so they'd have to rely solely on the twenty doctors under his control."
"In time, that decision backfired, weakening the Drum Kingdom's standing as a medical powerhouse."
"Now, not only is it impossible to remain among the fifty nations at the next Reverie, but we even struggle to pay the Celestial Tribute required to maintain our World Government ally status."
"I think I killed that bastard pretty well...?" Zoro mumbled.
"Yes. And with the doctors returned, it seems the kingdom can finally start breathing again," Dordon replied.
Just then, a passing elderly couple approached Dordon, smiling.
"Mr. Dordon, do you know everyone's planning to vote for you in the election in two days?"
"Wapol's not coming back, so go do a good job if you're chosen king!"
"How could someone like me possibly...!" Dordon protested.
"You're truly trusted, Dordon," the woman said.
"I'm a sinner," Dordon admitted. "Back when Wapol ruled, I hid behind my soldier's uniform and turned a blind eye as our nation fell to ruin."
Vivi, hearing Dordon's words, turned to her friends.
"By the way, when are Luffy and Nami coming back? I hope Nami's condition hasn't worsened."
"If what Miss All Sunday said is true, on this island sitting directly on the straight course from Alabasta to Little Garden, we might run into Mr. 2," Usopp warned.
"If he knows anything about me, we could be attacked... or he might ambush Nami once he realizes she's my ally...!" Vivi fretted.
Hancock gently pushed Vivi's head with her fist.
"Ah..." Vivi gasped.
"Calm down, Vivi. I know you're carrying a heavy burden, but over-worrying won't solve anything," Hancock said.
"Too much worry just makes you fret and clouds your judgment."
"That's right, Vivi—Luffy's right there by Nami's side, so don't worry too much," Zoro added.
"And we're all here beside you, too," Usopp chimed in.
"I'd say that's pretty comforting, right, Vivi-chan?" Sanji smiled.
After hearing Hancock, Zoro, Usopp, and Sanji, Vivi's face brightened a little.
"Thanks, everyone. I'll trust you all."
Dordon stared at Vivi's sky-blue hair and name, thinking, "By the way, the name Vivi and that hair... could she be...?"
He glanced around to see the others at a distance, then turned back to her.
"Vivi… Princess?"
"...Yes?" Vivi replied, startled.
"Could you be Princess Vivi of Alabasta?" Dordon asked.
"Oh, no I'm not! You must have mistaken me~!" Vivi protested.
Dordon fell silent.
"Vivi, he's already figured it out. You've got no talent for acting," Hancock muttered.
"...Was I that obvious, Hancock?" Vivi asked.
"I once saw the princess from afar at the last Reverie," Dordon said softly.
"At the time, I had gone to the Holy Land Mariejois as part of Wapol's escort, and I witnessed from a distance the atrocity he committed against you."
He recalled the scene in the corridor of Mariejois, where Wapol, with a sneer, struck the ten-year-old princess across the face.
*****
"Kyaaa!"
"Your Highness!" Igaram cried.
"Oh dear! My hand just slipped, huh?!" Wapol drawled.
The blow sent Vivi tumbling to the floor.
"What do you think you're doing?!" Igaram shouted, scooping her up.
"I'm sorry! I didn't watch where I was going and caused trouble!" Wapol mocked as he looked down at them.
"Your Highness...!" Igaram stammered.
"Let's go, Igaram!" Vivi whispered.
They fled down another corridor. Dordon, as if hypnotized, ran after them instead of Wapol.
"Waaaaaah~!" Vivi's sobs echoed.
"Truly... it was a splendid decision, Your Highness." Dordon whispered.
In the secluded alcove, Vivi burst into tears in Igaram's arms, and Dordon watched from afar, his face full of regret.
*****
"Even minor disputes between nations can trigger a war," Dordon said.
"Yet at the Reverie, an event with the power to shape a nation's fate, Wapol assaulted the princess for a baseless reason."
"However, the young princess realized that the incident could escalate into war, so she covered it up to protect the peace between nations."
"From that, I learned what mindset a true leader must possess."
"That was all because Wapol was a madman."
"Even if it had happened to royals of other countries," Dordon continued, "I don't think any of them could have acted as calmly as you did at just ten years old."
"Ohh—That's amazing, Vivi!" Usopp exclaimed.
"D-Don't look at me like that!" Vivi blushed.
Dordon chuckled at her reaction, and at that moment the crew all gazed at her with affectionate smiles as Usopp spoke.
"But seriously, when exactly are Luffy and Nami gonna get here?" Usopp asked again.
"They went to see the top doctor in this country, Marimo," Zoro said.
"If we can get a proper diagnosis from that doctor, then investing some time is worth it," Sanji added.
"The doctors we brought back said Nami's illness is a rare one and recommended we go see that top doctor," Usopp explained.
"By the way, you said you expelled all but the top twenty doctors, didn't you?" Zoro asked Dordon.
"But why is this top doctor still here? Did she return after Wapol fled?" Sanji wondered.
"She's known as Dr. Kureha," Dordon said.
"Her personality's a bit eccentric, but her skill as a physician is acknowledged by everyone here. Even Wapol kept her around for that reason."
"She's one hundred... no, over one hundred and forty this year, right?" Usopp asked.
"One hundred forty?!" Zoro gasped.
"If I recall correctly, she's over a hundred years old, Your Highness. Though she's spryer than most young folks," Dordon said.
"Her treatments are reliable, but you might have to pay a hefty fee," he warned.
"How much are we talking?" Vivi asked nervously.
"Since Wapol took the doctors and fled, Dr. Kureha has been coming down regularly to various villages to treat patients," Dordon explained.
"I've heard that from some people, she once took half their entire fortune..."
"Half their entire fortune?!" Vivi cried.
*****
About an hour earlier, inside a tavern, a young boy sat on the table as an elderly woman administered an injection into his arm.
Her face was wrinkled but her frame still straight and strong. Dressed simply in long sleeves, she looked healthier than many around her.
"Thank you for treating my son, Dr. Kureha," the boy's mother said with relief.
"He had an infection in the bone—it was dangerous. If we hadn't caught it and treated it, he'd have died," Dr. Kureha replied.
"It was really that serious?" the mother gasped.
"By the way, I've been running low on food and liquor in my storehouse," the shopkeeper said.
"Your son's treatment will cost me half of your entire fortune," Dr. Kureha declared.
"Half? That's too much!" the mother protested.
"Don't be fooled, everyone! One injection for half someone's savings is highway robbery!" a patron shouted.
"Hmm... Are you even a doctor?" Dr. Kureha asked the man.
"He must be trying to rip us off," someone muttered.
"I heard the twenty doctors Wapol took are back treating patients!" the shopkeeper cried.
"Bring one of them here! Let's see if this old hag's scamming us!"
"Yeah! Don't rip us off, you 140-year-old witch!" another shouted.
"I'm only 139! I'm not 140 yet!" Dr. Kureha snapped.
"Either way, that's still a lot!"
As the tavern grew rowdy, the boy on the table looked up and smiled brightly.
"It doesn't hurt now, Grandma... Thank you so much."
At those words, the father and patrons fell silent, and Dr. Kureha looked down at the boy with a gentle smile.
"I've been given quite the tip. I'll lower it from fifty percent to forty-nine percent."
"Thank you... I'll pay that," the mother said.
"First, move all the store's liquor and supplies onto the sled outside. The rest under forty-nine percent will be recorded as a debt."
"Thank you for saving my son," the father bowed.
"Thank you, Grandma," the boy whispered.
Leaving the bowing father behind, Dr. Kureha turned and glanced at a woman in a wheelchair in the corner and the man standing behind her.
"You've been waiting, Straw Hat kid. Curious about the secret of my youth?" she asked.
"No, I came because I hoped you'd treat someone," Luffy said, pointing to Nami wrapped in a blanket in the wheelchair.
"Follow me. There's an empty house nearby. I'll take her there for her checkup," Dr. Kureha said.
"Understood, Doctor," Luffy replied.