Part 10 - Who ordered sushi? 4/??

- You mean he won't keep his word? !! - The girl involuntarily exclaimed, pestering from the chair. - But you yourself said that Arlong always keeps his word when it comes to money !!! - with a distinctly audible note of despair in her voice, she said.

- And it really is, - Nami nodded in agreement.

- Ugh! - Nojiko naturally grabbed her head, collapsing back into the chair. Again! Nami did it again! Completely understandable words, and completely incomprehensible meaning!

If Nojiko could see Nami's face at that moment, then she would finally realize that her little sister is making fun of her in the most open way. And not only mocks, but also gets a lot of pleasure from it. And even the chosen topic could not spoil her mood. And why would it spoil? Everything that has already happened, what is happening now and what else was about to happen, is really nothing more than a play-off piece, personally written by Luffy. Moreover, the play, in his opinion, is so primitive and boring that he did not even deign to take part in its production. If it were otherwise, Nami had no doubt that the brains of her sister would not have been bent over by her herself, but by her captain. And, most likely, not only Nojiko's, but her brain too. And everyone who came in his way. However, Luffy opted for Usopp and Sanji's training instead of watching the play he wrote himself. Although Nami is the same and for a moment did not doubt that Luffy was so demonstratively withdrawn for more than one single reason. It would have been too easy for him. And boring. And it's too normal. True, one could only guess about other reasons for such a decision.

- If you say that Arlong always keeps his word when it comes to money, then why did you decide that he would break it? - After a while, without taking her hands off her head, Nojiko asked a self-evident question.

Nami was just waiting for this, so she eagerly launched into explanations right there:

- The fact is that my captain, over the past six months, very clearly explained to me the logic of people like Arlong ... well, or fish-men, if we talk about our case. And as he says, a person can follow either the Spirit of the word given to him, or his Letter. Do you know what's the difference?

Naturally, Nojiko didn't know. She was a smart girl, and she had to experience a lot in her life, but she had not yet seen the world as such. As Nami at some time, before meeting Luffy. And this despite the fact that by that time she had managed to visit almost all corners of the East Blue.

- The difference is that if you follow the Spirit of the given word, then by paying Arlong money, our village will really become free. Without any additional "buts" and all that other stuff. However, Arlong is one of those people who follow not the Spirit of the word given by them, but its Letter. This, in turn, means that if I bring him money, he will indeed sell me the village of Kokoyashi, but no one will stop him from capturing it again. Or establish a tax for any resident who decides to leave its borders. There are many options.

Nojiko felt a steel vice grip her chest. Eight years ... they endured eight years and ... and it was all in vain? Was all their suffering in vain? So, all this time, Nami risked her life for nothing? Before the girl could finally sink into a maelstrom of despair, Nojiko felt her sister's warm hand on her head.

- Don't worry, Nojiko, everything will be fine. More than anything you can be sure of that. I will personally oversee this.

And from the tone in which Nami's last words were spoken, Nojiko felt a slight chill of fear run down her spine. The girl had never heard such a tone from her sister in her life. Nojiko was ready to say it over and over again, but ... Nami changed.

- If everything is as you say, then why then did you tell Arlong that you collected the entire necessary amount? - asked another question Nojiko, when again took control of their emotions, and Nami returned to the stove.

- I asked almost the same question to my captain when he told me to do so, - the girl chuckled. - Tell me, what would you do if you were Arlong? Took the money and then start looking for a way to renew our contract on the same terms? Or would you rather take the money from me in advance, before I pay you, using a third party, pretending that you have nothing to do with it?

- It would be logical to use a third party, - Nojiko replied. - Are you saying Arlong will hire someone to take the money from you before you give it to him? But who will he hire? There are no people on the island who could cope with such a task ... and there are no people who would voluntarily want to take on something like that either.

- This brings us to the second reason why I told Arlong about the money, - Nami threw a satisfied smile over her shoulder towards her sister. - Don't you think that, given how long Arlong spent on our island, we almost never saw the Marines? Even if many are simply afraid to approach our island, the behavior of the marines is still extremely suspicious.

- Are you saying Arlong is paying one of the Marines? - Nojiko immediately realized where her sister was heading.

- It is obvious.

- Do you think Arlong will pay the Marines to take your money?

- It's Luffy who thinks so, but I agree with him, - Nami replied. - The only problem is that the Marines may simply not agree to take on such a job.

- Why?

- Let's just say, - a completely angelic smile blossomed on Nami's face again, - my new family, over the past few years, has managed to earn a very specific reputation for itself. If the marines who take bribes from Arlong have at least the rudiments of a brain, then they will not just refuse to work, but generally break off all relations with Arlong and his gang. But Luffy is sure that these marines do not have brains, and they will take up the work. And although my captain looks like a complete idiot even on his best days, I still don't remember a time when he was wrong.

- And what is the reputation of your new family?

- Mmm ... in short, they prefer not to mess with us. No marines, no pirates ... and most of the civilians, too.

- What kind of reputation do you have? - Nojiko frowned.

- Don't think about it, - Nami advised her from the bottom of her heart. - Better come on, go, wash your hands, I have everything ready.

Looking at her sister, Nojiko only now saw that Nami had been cooking more than just dinner all this time.

- Do you want to feed the marines who came for your money to death? - asked the girl, considering the amount of food prepared.

Nami looked a little confusedly at her sister.

- Feed to death? - She turned her gaze back to the pots. - You can't feed Luffy with just that much alone, let alone the whole pack of these buzzards. By their standards, this is nothing more than a light snack.

- By their standards? - Nojiko tilted her head.

- I'll introduce you now, - Nami blossomed with a smile. Having said this, the girl went to the window overlooking the side of the house opposite to the sun and, opening it, said: - Boys, stop lying around, I have everything ready, it's time to eat.

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