Chapter 53: Sent to the Queendom of Crossdressers
"For... me?"
Nami pointed to herself, her expression one of pure disbelief. She had considered a thousand possibilities, but this wasn't even on her radar. The reason was completely beyond her expectations.
"Why? I'm pretty sure we've never met before." Nami could swear on her life that in all her years, she hadn't crossed paths with Yumesaki even once.
On what basis was he claiming this was for her sake? Was he just playing a prank on her?
Deeply confused, Nami scrutinized Yumesaki's face. She realized that despite his relaxed demeanor, he didn't seem to be lying, which only made her more baffled.
Yumesaki simply smiled, offering no direct answer. Instead, he deftly changed the subject. "Where are you heading next? Shall I give you a lift?"
Nami realized he had no intention of satisfying her curiosity yet. There's definitely a secret here, she thought. Her interest was fully piqued now. Leaning in, she wrapped her arms around Yumesaki's sleeve, her voice turning sweet and persuasive.
"Actually, I just set out to sea, and I don't really have a destination in mind. How about I tag along with you guys for a bit?" she cooed. "Surely you wouldn't want to see a girl as cute as me get captured by pirates and sold into slavery, right?"
Yumesaki didn't flatly refuse, but he spoke with a subtle hint of truth. "If you follow us, you won't be able to achieve your dream."
Nami's dream was to draw a complete map of the world's oceans. However, Yumesaki had no plans to wander aimlessly; he only traveled to places that caught his personal interest.
"That's fine!" Nami shot back instantly. "I'll stay with you for now. Once I have a place I really need to go, it won't be too late to leave. I just hope Master Yumesaki is willing to protect me for a while. Pretty please?"
As she spoke, she made sure to use her well-developed charms to her advantage, pressing slightly against him to give Yumesaki a bit of a "visual bonus." When it came to physical persuasion, she was truly a master of her craft.
"Alright."
Yumesaki nodded in agreement. Since she was putting in this much effort, it would feel almost rude to say no. Watching from the sidelines, Robin let out a faint, knowing smile. Nami was still the same Nami she remembered.
With that little incident settled, the group set sail once more.
By midday, they had returned to the Baratie for lunch. This was Nami's first time stepping foot on the famous floating restaurant. She had heard of its reputation long ago, as it was legendary throughout the East Blue. Back then, she had been pouring every ounce of her soul and every Berry she owned into saving Cocoyasi Village—she never had the luxury or the money to eat at a place like this.
One meal here cost as much as a week's worth of food elsewhere. It had been an impossible dream.
But now, thanks to Yumesaki, she was finally tasting the Baratie's cuisine. The rumors were true—it was exquisite. Even better were the atmosphere and the service.
Specifically, the service from a certain blond-haired cook named Sanji. From the moment she walked in, Sanji had been a whirlwind of motion, doting on her with meticulous attention.
"Miss Nami, are you thirsty?"
"Miss Nami, I've crafted this special drink just for you. It's perfect for settling the stomach after a meal."
"Miss Nami, I've prepared this delicate dessert for your palate. Please, have a taste."
"Miss Nami, this is—"
"Don't you have your own work to do?" Nami finally asked, unable to take the constant hovering.
The blond cook replied with a dead-serious face, "Of course I have work. My job is to provide the most exquisite service possible to both you, Miss Nami, and the lovely Miss Tsunade."
Nami blinked, a realization hitting her. "Oh, is that so?" She felt a momentary twinge of guilt for misunderstanding his professionalism.
Beside her, Yumesaki commented dryly, "Not even close. This guy is just a pure, unadulterated pervert."
Sanji turned red with rage. "You! Don't go spreading lies—"
"Minato."
Yumesaki didn't wait for him to finish. He simply raised a hand and snapped his fingers. In an instant, Minato Namikaze appeared out of thin air behind Sanji. His right hand dropped onto Sanji's shoulder, and with a soft whoosh, they both vanished.
A second later, Minato reappeared in his original spot.
From outside the restaurant, a heavy splash echoed as something large hit the water. Yumesaki glanced out the window, watching Sanji flailing in the sea, desperately treading water as he began the swim back to the Baratie.
"How many times has it been now? You really never learn, do you?"
Over the past few days of dining at the Baratie, Sanji had consistently tried to put the moves on Robin. Eventually, Yumesaki had grown tired of it and had Minato use his Flying Thunder God technique to toss the cook into the ocean to cool off. He'd hoped it would make the flirtatious chef back down.
The result, however, was always the same. No matter how many times Sanji was thrown into the sea, he would simply swim back, change his clothes, and resume his pursuit of Robin. His stubbornness in the face of beauty was truly unparalleled.
Fortunately, to prevent Cosette from recognizing him, Sanji kept a respectful distance from her. At least Cosette was spared his antics. It was a small mercy in a chaotic situation.
Faced with Yumesaki's warning, Sanji didn't seem bothered at all. Instead, he spoke with a tone of unshakable conviction. "No matter the cost, I will never let the flame of my love for beauty die out! I will never stop chasing the sublime!"
Typical, Yumesaki thought, momentarily speechless.
But then, a wicked idea crossed his mind. "You know, Sanji... in the Grand Line, there is a certain pink-colored island. On that island sits the Kamabakka Kingdom."
"Every single citizen of that nation is a true 'Queer.' Their King is a man dubbed a Miracle Worker—the strongest 'Queer' King in history... Emporio Ivankov."
"Ivankov is a user of the Horm-Horm Fruit. He can manipulate human hormones. With just a touch, he can turn a man's man into a literal woman."
Swimming in the water, Sanji heard Yumesaki's words and felt an involuntary shiver run down his spine. For some reason, he had a very, very bad feeling about this.
"You... what exactly are you trying to say?" Sanji asked, swallowing a sudden surge of nausea.
Yumesaki leaned over the ledge, a meaningful smile playing on his lips. "What I'm saying is... if you can't learn to behave yourself, I'll have Minato drop you off at the Kamabakka Kingdom. I'm sure they'd love to help you become a 'Queer' yourself."
At those words, a wave of pure ice seemed to sweep through Sanji's veins, freezing him to the marrow. He looked at Yumesaki's smiling face and realized with horror that this man was entirely capable of following through on such a threat.
The mere thought of a future as a member of the Kamabakka Kingdom made Sanji feel like death would be a kinder fate.
"You... you... you're a monster!"
Yumesaki replied nonchalantly, "To deal with someone as persistent as you, one must be ruthless. I truly hope you don't bring this on yourself, you pervert. Because if you do become a girl, I'll make sure to find you a nice, sturdy husband."
Inside his head, Sanji screamed a litany of curses. He's a beast! A total beast!
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