Chapter 17: Nico Robin

Adrian's nervous system was jolted by an unexpected surprise. Despite his remarkable self-control, he almost gave in to the impulse of grabbing the Devil Fruit and eating it on the spot!

Even so, Adrian couldn't help but reach out and touch the treasure chest in his arms.

"It really is the Ghost Fruit, one of the rare and mysterious Devil Fruits..."

Just as Adrian's mind was racing with thoughts, a soft voice interrupted him.

"Hello, may I ask if you still need the Devil Fruit Illustrated Handbook in your hands?"

The speaker was a slender girl in brown clothes, about five or six years old, with fair skin. Her shoulder-length black hair hung loosely behind her, and her expression was anxious.

"I know this may seem a bit impolite, but I really need it right now, sir."

"No problem; I've already found what I need." Adrian said as he closed the handbook and handed it to the little girl.. "May I ask, young miss, did you suddenly awaken some peculiar ability?"

"Yes, it's petal-like abilities..."

The young girl, or rather, Robin—Nico Robin—was browsing through a guidebook about Devil Fruits while answering Adrian's questions.

"Having petal powers? That's a truly beautiful and unique ability"Adrian expressed in surprise. Encountering Nico Robin so coincidentally was unexpected, and it seemed she had recently eaten the Flower-Flower Fruit.

He kindly suggested, "This lovely young lady, the information you're looking for should be on page 87."

Hearing this, Robin quickly flipped through the pages and found the relevant description. "Indeed, it's the Flower-Flower Fruit. It lets any part of the body bloom like a flower, growing on anything physical. It can be used for attacks or other purposes.

Suddenly, Little Robin's face turned pale, as if she had lost strength. The Devil Fruit guidebook in her hand slipped quietly from her grasp.

"Is there a problem, young lady?" Adrian asked.

In an instant, Adrian bent down, picked up the almost-fallen Devil Fruit guidebook from the ground, gently tapped the book cover a few times, and the snapping sound awakened Little Robin's senses.

"I ate that thing..." Robin spoke nervously, her words a bit disjointed. "The Devil Fruit, the Hana Hana no Mi… this afternoon… I was so hungry, and now, they all called me a monster…"

Looking at Robin, who was on the verge of tears, Adrian suddenly felt a bit awkward. Why did he feel like he was about to become some kind of "caring big brother"?

Witnessing Robin in such distress, on the verge of tears, Adrian couldn't help but feel a surge of sympathy.

"Have you tried using your abilities?" Adrian asked gently.

Robin wiped her eyes and nodded slightly.

"Can you show me?" Adrian asked.

After a moment of hesitation, Robin, experiencing a gentle attitude for the first time since consuming the Devil Fruit, nodded involuntarily.

She reached out her hand, activated her powers, and whispered, "Blossom Arm."

Suddenly, in the soft and delicate palm of her hand, a lump appeared out of nowhere and slowly grew. Before long, the lump transformed into an "arm" roughly the size of Robin's own, with five fingers spreading out like petals.

Adrian asked, "Do you find this ability frightening?"

Robin nodded silently, dispelling her power at the same time.

Well, actually, I think this ability looks quite eerie. As someone with normal aesthetics, I can't help but find this thing fascinating... It's just like a new arm growing out of a person's existing arm.

Now, I understand how Robin developed her peculiar and unique sense of aesthetics...

After some thought, Adrian reached for and lifted the "Devil Fruit Encyclopedia" in his hand.

"Do you still remember the description of the Hana Hana no Mi (Flower-Flower Fruit) in the book?" he asked, then continued with answer. "The Hana Hana no Mi not only allows any part of the body to bloom like a flower but can also grow on anything with a form."

Adrian encouraged, "Perhaps you can try growing flowers on this book."

Robin obediently accepted Adrian's suggestion and used her ability to grow a hand on the cover of the "Devil Fruit Encyclopedia."

"You can try flipping the pages… what do you think now?"

Consuming a considerable amount of physical strength, Nico Robin, slightly panting, lifted her head with a bewildered look.

Adrian smiled and said, "This means you can have an extra hand compared to others, to read, to write, to do anything you want."

Nico Robin's eyes suddenly lit up.

"Devil Fruits aren't as ominous as the rumors suggest, symbolizing the birth of monsters. They're just unique abilities, powers that people can master," Adrian clarified. "The nature of Devil Fruit power isn't inherently good or evil; it depends on the user. If someone calls you a monster because of it, don't pay them much mind. Ignorant people fear what they don't understand, while wise individuals use every tool at their disposal wisely."

Nico Robin nodded in understanding and then asked, "Big brother, are you also a Devil Fruit user?"

"No, not yet, but perhaps soon," Adrian replied. "Just remember, after eating a Devil Fruit, you lose the ability to swim in the sea."

"Why is that?"

"Because those who eat Devil Fruits are cursed by the sea and become like sitting ducks, losing all strength when immersed in water," Adrian chuckled. "If you fall into the sea, you'll sink like a stone and won't be able to get back up."

"That's a shame..." Nico Robin said regretfully, "Does that mean I won't be able to swim anymore in the future?"

"Do you like swimming, Miss?" Adrian asked with a smile.

"Don't call me Miss," a blush suddenly rose on Nico Robin's face. She realized that she hadn't introduced herself to the big brother in front of her. "I have a name, I'm Robin, Nico Robin."

"I'm Adrian," Adrian smiled. "So, Robin, do you like swimming?"

"I really like it. I used to take a bath every night, but my aunt scolded me for using too much water," Robin shared, sticking out her tongue. "So, I have to wait until after 10 o'clock every day to avoid being bothered."

"But it's almost 8 o'clock now," Adrian pulled out a pocket watch and showed it to Robin. "Since you have a family, is it okay to stay out this late?"

"What?" Robin's face changed, and she hurriedly ran outside. Today, she had been so excited that she lost track of time.

"Big brother, I'm going home now!"

With just a hasty farewell, Robin quickly walked towards the library's exit.