Luffy followed Dr. Kureha into an empty house, with Nami in a wheelchair.
Dr. Kureha lifted Nami's clothing to just below her chest and examined the red blotches on her skin.
Then she let the fabric fall back into place, straightened up, and, holding a stick thermometer marked with temperature units in her other hand, spoke.
"Her temperature is 38.2 degrees, and you said you've already given her antibiotics."
"The really fortunate thing is that the feverish symptoms at those spots you mentioned yesterday are gone."
"That's thanks to prescribing the proper treatment for Kestia—I'm glad my teaching paid off."
"So Miss... no, Robin—that person was your disciple?"
"I'm not sure she'd consider me her teacher... but I never expected to hear her name coming from your mouths."
With that, Dr. Kureha downed the sake from the bottle she was holding.
Luffy, who had been staring out the closed window upon hearing that, turned his head and spoke.
"I once had a brief connection with her and got some help."
"By the way, how much do you know about Robin...?"
"I know as much as anyone else would, but it's not all that important to me."
"Our first meeting wasn't exactly pleasant. She broke into my house intending to steal."
"Stealing?"
"Yeah, Orange-Haired One. She was in a hurry copying and using my medical texts."
"She tried to soak up the essence of my years practicing as a doctor in just a few hours."
"So how did you two end up in a teacher-student relationship...?"
"Because I liked what she said at the time."
****
Hearing Nami's words, Dr. Kureha recalled memories from her study in the house several years ago.
At the time, the floor of the study was littered with books and hastily scrawled papers strewn everywhere.
In the center of the room stood a younger-looking Robin, facing Dr. Kureha as she entered.
"So you're the book thief they've been calling the island's medical text specialist."
"...You finished your treatment faster than I expected."
"And what are these powders floating around you—did you eat a Devil Fruit?"
"..."
"But stealing it outright would have been easier and quicker. Why bother copying it and then trying to steal?"
"If I stole the entire book instead of copying it, those who could save lives with its knowledge would lose access."
"I hated that knowledge capable of saving someone's life couldn't fulfill its purpose because of me."
"...Is that all?"
Robin used the powders created by her Devil Fruit ability to envelop the scattered books and lift them in front of her chest.
She caught the books in her hands, placed them back on the shelf beside her, and continued speaking.
"Medicine is the history humanity has built up in the face of suffering and death."
"Even in the name of a single herb or a line of treatment records, there are echoes of someone's agony and the struggle to prevent it."
"I believe that knowledge humanity has accumulated and left traces of must continue and prosper."
"So... I couldn't bring myself to steal it outright."
"Thief or not, you carry yourself so boldly..."
After shelving all the books, Robin spoke to Dr. Kureha, who was staring at her.
Dr. Kureha responded harshly, but her fierce aura had softened compared to before.
"Why copy the books just to have them?"
"...Because I want to live."
"To sell them for living expenses?"
"I don't want to harm others just to survive."
"...You say it as if people have to be harmed for you to live."
"There was a time I tried to justify harming others by blaming my circumstances."
"But after I decided against that, I thought of another way."
"If I didn't want to hurt anyone, I needed the power and knowledge to save myself."
Robin looked at the powders enveloping her hands and continued.
"It's a lie to say it was to save others—I didn't have the luxury to think that way in my situation."
"Dr. Kureha, I want to learn medicine so I can survive."
****
"Kuhahahaha! At least I liked that she was truly honest!"
Dr. Kureha laughed at the memory, then drank from the sake bottle once more.
"Haah... This harsh world doesn't give you the luxury to help others."
"And because there are those selfish bastards who hurt others, doctors like me are needed even more."
"In a world overrun by people like that, not harming others—that's how you live righteously, isn't it?"
"I agree with you, Doctor."
"That alone didn't earn you a spot as my disciple, Straw Hat. If she'd just been diligent, I'd have taught her the basics and sent her away."
"But that girl's natural level was on another plane. She grasped even the most difficult concepts without a second thought."
"So I taught her at her pace, even accelerated my lessons, but later I realized that was pointless."
"How smart was she, exactly?"
At Nami's question, Dr. Kureha recalled the snowy plains, when Robin had stood in the doorway with a knapsack, greeting her.
"Teacher, thank you so much for everything."
"Ha, what kind of teacher would I be to someone I've only taught for three years..."
"Pouring water into a hole that never bottoms out... do you think speed matters?"
"But three years still seems like enough to say that much..."
"Robin had repeatedly gone far off purposely to avoid the government's pursuit."
"In reality, she only studied under me three or four months each year. In nearly a year, she absorbed all the medical knowledge I'd accumulated on Drum Island to make it her own."
"My word..."
"Nami, I'm not exactly someone who studied a lot, so I can't really empathize with your surprise."
"Luffy, even if not the best, reaching expert-level knowledge in any field takes at least a year—it's impossible otherwise!"
"Haha, so the young lady is doing me the courtesy of voicing my thoughts."
'In the original story, Robin only learned to read the ancient Poneglyphs by peeking.'
'Was that talent enough to extend beyond archaeology and into medicine?'
"But she's on the run from the government... are you all right with that, Doctor?"
"Orange-Haired One, do you know the secret to my youth as I approach 140 next year?"
"It's living happily. You can't be happy if you live shackled by trivial reasons that keep you from what you want."
"Ah..."
"Of course, after Robin had fully received my instruction, government agents did come looking for me."
"But I'd already asked the living former king to look after me, so it was handled with polite cooperation."
"So happiness isn't the only secret to youth, it seems."
"Straw Hat, if you want to live young, happiness matters, but to live long, you need ability."
"Doctor, you're someone who has both."
"If I had to attribute it to anything, it'd be good fortune."
'In the original story, her apprentice wasn't Robin but a blue-nosed reindeer named Chopper, who ate the [Chop-Chop Fruit] and gained human intelligence.'
'Is the current destruction of the original story also because I met Robin when I was young?'
After hearing Dr. Kureha's answer, Luffy thought that and turned his gaze back out the window.
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'What could be more rewarding than the fact that a young girl, who had lost her parents and had no memories of a past life, could swear not to give up becoming a better person because of meeting someone who cherished her?'
With that thought, Luffy looked out with a stern expression,
'But if she's now beyond abandoning that vow and so broken she can't even find a trace of goodness...'
Luffy clenched his fist, wearing a grim look, and continued his train of thought.
'I might have to be the one to put an end to Robin's life myself.'
'Because that would be the action that takes responsibility for giving her hope.'
****
"You're here, Luffy! Is Nami all right?"
"Sanji, the treatment went fine, but we have to monitor Nami's health for a while."
"Everyone, say hello to Dr. Kureha!"
"Haha, is everyone feeling happy?"
After Luffy spoke, Nami in the wheelchair he pushed replied, and Dr. Kureha, who came along, greeted the group.
"Dr. Kureha?!"
"She's the Drum Kingdom's best—"
"140-year-old demon crone?"
"She looks barely aged for her years! I'm genuinely envious!"
"Who said I was 140?!"
"Kuaaaahh~!"
Then Dr. Kureha kicked the bodies of Usopp, Sanji, and Zoro in midair—in that order—leaving out Hancock, who had spoken last.
"Doctor! Even when I'm 140, I want to have skin that's as wrinkle-free as yours!"
"You think that's up to you? You brat whose face proves life isn't fair at birth?!"
"If you really want it that badly, don't be complacent because you're pretty—start taking care of your skin properly now!"
"I'll remember that!"
(I only called her by name, so why—)
(Damn you, Marimo! We got hit because of you!)
(I spaced—I said 139...!)
As Hancock answered Dr. Kureha and the three men were kicked into the snow, Karoo stamping to bury them beneath it, Dordon looked at Dr. Kureha and spoke.
"Dr. Kureha, what brings you all the way out here...?"
"I came to see how this pirate crew is faring, and as a bonus, to see how the next queen manages herself."
"I'm not qualified—"
"If you want to see this country completely fall apart under another ruler, just stand there doing nothing."
"Hey, Luffy? Dordon said he had something to tell you."
"Ah, right—Princess... no, Vivi."
"It was a message from Luffy's older sister."
"...Anne, to me?"
"When she first saw you, she spoke of the pirates who invaded the country, forcing Wapol to flee with his soldiers and doctors."
"That pirate crew numbered five, including the one who claimed to be their captain, 'Blackbeard.' The country fell to the hands of just five people."
"And the one who said she came here chasing that Blackbeard was a woman calling herself your sister, Anne."
Dordon recalled a woman weeks ago, wearing an orange hat and a cloak, seen from behind.
In Dordon's hand as he watched her was Luffy's wanted poster, with a 100 million beli bounty.
****
"Hey Dordon, if you have a moment when Straw Hat gets here, please tell him what I said."
"Tell him I came chasing Blackbeard, who killed a crewmate on our ship, and that I'll only stay in Alabasta for ten days."
"Catch that woman, Dordon! She ate ten servings and didn't pay!"
"What is this situation? Explain yourself, Anne!"
"Hehe! Please take care of the bill~!"
****
'So Anne, just like in the original story, ended up chasing Blackbeard here.'
'And how many times have I told her not to dine and dash like that...!'
Luffy thought that and passed a heavy bag of money into Dordon's hand as he remembered Anne's retreating figure, then spoke.
"Haah... I'll apologize on behalf of my sister, Dordon. Use this money to compensate the restaurants she wronged."
"It seems the amount you're giving is more than what your sister owes all those restaurants combined..."
"Compensation is usually calculated as the damage plus a little extra."
****
After some time had passed since Luffy handed over the money and as the Merry was departing Drum Island, at the harbor Dordon looked at Dr. Kureha and said:
"By the way, Doctor, you let that patient leave much sooner than usual."
"That Orange-Haired One's illness would normally take a full ten days to cure. I would have forced her to stay in bed, no exceptions, but I gave up."
"She herself refused because of her friend in urgent need of care... but I didn't think that captain would let her die."
"I didn't expect you to refuse payment entirely."
"Considering you brought back the doctors taken by Wapol, you don't need to be paid."
"I was so exhausted managing all those patients by myself. Now I can finally rest."
"Thank you so much for all your hard work."
"Of course, I also liked that the Straw Hat seemed like a conscientious young man, rare these days."
"I agree with the Doctor."
"Although they fly the pirate flag, the captain and his crew all seem like good people."
"I packed plenty of my medicine and sedatives; nothing major should happen."
As she said that, Dr. Kureha held up Luffy's wanted poster—the 100 million beli bounty—and continued.
"Dordon, do you know Gol D. Roger?"
"...Who in today's world doesn't know Gold Roger?"
"Hm, so that's what they're calling him now?"
Dr. Kureha remembered Robin's greeting in the snowy plains and Luffy's full name printed on the wanted poster as she spoke.
"It seems my apprentice has gotten herself involved with an extraordinary fellow."
At that moment, on the deck of the Merry, the crew—using paper-wrapped bones as handles—were chomping on chunks of meat still attached to the bone.
Among Zoro, Sanji, Usopp, Hancock, Karoo, and Luffy—who was biting into the biggest chunk—Zoro looked at Luffy and said:
"This meat is good, Luffy. What animal is it?"
"I picked up some venison, Zoro. But it's from a deer with a blue nose."
"A blue nose? Isn't that spoiled meat?!"
"The guy selling it said he caught a species of deer that naturally has a blue nose, Usopp."
"But since nobody bought 'blue-nosed deer' meat, I got it cheap."
"Usopp, my tongue, which can definitely tell spoilage, is telling me this is fine."
"This meat is fresh and well-grilled; none of that off-flavor you get from spoiled meat, so rest easy."
"Sanji's right, Usopp; there's no way Luffy would ever give us spoiled meat."
"If it was completely rotten, he'd have thrown it into the sea, and if it was a little off, he'd eat it all himself."
"That's right, Hancock. Luffy isn't someone who'd give us inedible food."
"But Luffy does seem to be in charge of cooking with slightly spoiled meat and eating it often..."
"You just boil away the odor, Usopp. Luffy eats slightly spoiled meat fine, no problem."
"Sanji, I'm not a garbage disposal."
"A little spoilage is okay, right?"
"...I suppose."
'In the original story, Chopper, a reindeer born with a blue nose on Drum Kingdom, became Luffy's comrade.'
'Chopper ate the [Chop-Chop Fruit], one of the Zoan-type Devil Fruits that grants human intelligence and traits, and became Kureha's friend and the apprentice of Drum Kingdom quack doctor Hiriluk to learn medicine.'
'But according to what I asked Dr. Kureha, Hiriluk died earlier in this world than in the original story.'
'Also, in the original, Chopper—being a reindeer with a human physique—was driven out after approaching the village and rumors spread that he was a monster, but when I asked the islanders, none of them had heard such rumors.'
'Considering that, Chopper in this world would have lived without eating a Devil Fruit or meeting Hiriluk until today...'
As Luffy thought that, he looked down at the large chunk of meat in his hand,
Crunch!
and bit into it so large that his mouth was full, thinking:
'So this is how Chopper tastes.'