16 Reward
As Cherry was about to look around for whomever could pay out the bounty, a rather short and stocky man came running up to her.
He was middle aged, very well dressed, has slicked back brown hair, and a curly mustache that covered half his face.
"Hello and thank you very much for dealing with these ruffians! I'm the mayor here in Red Delta, but you may call me Maximillian. You're a bounty hunter, yes? I can have the bounties settled by tomorrow! You handled those pirates with such ease, not to mention with hardly any collateral damage! I would very much like to invite you to dine with my family this evening!" The mayor rattled off like a machine gun of words.
"Uh, well, okay I guess..." Cherry replied. He was handling the bounty for her much faster than she expected, so she felt it would be rather awkward to decline his invitation.
"Excellent, Excellent! We'll need to get you into something presentable though! My wife is very particular about appearances! Oh my, please don't make such a face, miss bounty hunter! She's a very kind woman, I assure you! She just has her own ideas about how people should dress during formal occasions!" The mayor prattled on as he guided Cherry to a tailor nearby.
Cherry was becoming increasingly annoyed. She didn't mind the dinner so much since she'd get to eat professional cooking, but now she had to play dress up too?!
Still, she resisted the urge to give the mayor a royal wedgie. She was saving a lot of time even if she hated every second of it.
The tailor was much more bearable, especially since the mayor couldn't follow her into the dressing and fitting rooms.
According to the tailor, the mayor brought a lot of his house guests to this tailor and covered the expense himself.
After her measurements were taken, the tailor got to work quickly. Meanwhile, Cherry was guided around town by the mayor and introduced to everyone they met as the town's hero.
Cherry didn't much like the title of hero. It had its benefits, but for the most part it was just restrictive and took a lot of work to maintain. One screw up and everyone turns against you.
After a while they returned to the tailor and Cherry was 'forced' into her worst nightmare... a dress!
She hated it!
And she hated that she actually looked good in it too!
She sighed and resigned herself to her fate while the mayor led her to his manor.
...
Cherry had to admit that the mayor had a good eye. She had expected a gaudy mansion, but it was actually quite tasteful. The front garden was laid out well and well maintained. The architecture was fancy, but not too busy. Most importantly, everything was tied together into a harmonious whole.
She had at first wondered why the pirates hadn't trashed the place. However, that question was answered rather quickly when she saw the cannons in a number of open windows, pointed at the front gate.
When they reached the front door, the mayor opened it an motioned for Cherry to enter first.
As Cherry stepped over the threshold there was a bright flash and a voice sounded out *Gacha*.
A middle aged woman with long strawberry blonde hair, a pretty face, and painted covered overalls stood just off to the side while holding up a camera den den mushi.
"Ah! Damnit, how'd you know?! Max, did you tell her?!" She exclaimed.
"No darling, I didn't, I promise!" The mayor pleaded, waving his hands innocently.
Cherry had detected the mayor's wife and the camera den den mushi with her Life Sense before walking inside, of course. So, naturally she had struck a pose before the picture was taken.
A pose that seemed to say "I am the heavens above all, none are my equal!" and was filled with a certain divine dignity. She had seen quite a few cultivators like that in her past life so it was easy for her to imitate.
"I'm sorry about this, Savior Cherry. My wife is an artist you see. She especially likes to paint the moment a person who feels out of their depth enters our home. The camera is for preserving it to paint later." The mayor scratched his head embarrassed while his wife pouted.
"Anyways!" He changed the subject. "This is my beautiful and talented wife Arrieta. Arrieta, this is Cherry, the bounty hunter who saved our town."
Cherry was rather relieved that Arrieta wasn't a stuck up rich lady. So she didn't mind so much that she had tried to capture her in an embarrassing light for the sake of her art.
After a short tour through the home and seeing some of Arrieta's work, dinner had been prepared and they went to the dining room.
"Jeeves, please go tell Marlene that dinner is ready and that I'd like her to join us! I believe that girl will be happy to meet someone with a strong sense of justice, like her sister." The mayor instructed.
After a couple minutes, a familiar bookish young woman entered the dining room.
Upon seeing Cherry, she also recognized her, after all she had just been saved by her earlier this day.
Her eyes wandered up and down Cherry in her dress. It was much more form fitting than her usual choice of clothing.
"Ah! U-um, that's a.. a very nice dress. Yes, that's what I was admiring, the dress!" Marlene scrambled for an excuse.
"It seems fate is kind for us to meet again so soon. I hope the dress is to your liking." Cherry teased.
"Oh, you've met before?" The mayor asked, obliviously.
"Y-yes. She, u-um, saved me from a pirate earlier." Marlene stammered.
"Ohhh! Then I must thank you again, Savior Cherry! If there's anything I can help you with in Red Delta, do let me know. Since you're acquainted already, you can sit next to Marlene." The mayor said.
Marlene began to fidget and seemed to be having an internal struggle about whether to flee or stay.
*Flash* *Gacha*
Arrieta's camera den den mushi took a picture of Marlene in that moment. Marlene's face drained of color in horror and realization.
"Oh! Nice one, Arrieta! Can I get a copy of that later?" Cherry asked.
"Of course! Anything for the savior of my family and town!" Arrieta declared proudly.
The colorless face of Marlene turned beet red.
"MOM!!!" Most of her nervousness turned to rage.
"What, should I show Cherry your baby pictures as well?" Arrieta tilted her head innocently.
While Marlene was deciding whether to commit matricide or die of embarrassment, their meal was rolled in on carts by the Chef and some maids.
The meal was exquisite and surprisingly the company was as well.
...
Maximillian and Arrieta had insisted she stay with them for the night, or even for the rest of her stay in Red Delta. Cherry decided to accept as even Maximillian's ceaseless chatter had started to grow on her.
In the morning, Cherry and Mayor Maximillian went to withdraw the amount for the bounties on the Twin Pirates Pedro and Peter, rounded up to an even 50,000,000 Beri since she had saved his daughter as well.
Cherry decided shop around for the materials she came here for, specifically various metals.
She managed to acquire everything she was looking for and even a few interesting minerals she hadn't been.
The purpose she had in mind for these things was to create superior alloys with her devil fruit ability to make new weapons, as well as to improve upon her current sword.
Upon exiting the last store in the afternoon, she noticed there was a bit of a commotion going on down the street.
Cherry walked over to see what was happening. She saw a woman with long strawberry blonde hair in a wine colored suit with a marine captain's coat over her shoulders. She was talking to one of the townspeople who pointed at Cherry when they saw her.
The woman sauntered over to Cherry and asked "Might you be the bounty hunter Harpin D. Cherry?"
Cherry simply nodded.
The woman spoke once more. "Hina would like to thank you for protecting Red Delta, on behalf of Hina and the marines."
