Chapter 37: The Prison Chief's Proposal
Once the guards finished cleaning the bloody mess, a single order circulated among them: If an unknown woman is found on the island, inform the Chief immediately.
That was all Shun needed to say. Fear was a simple but effective tool for men like these.
He was waiting calmly in his office when an excited shout came. "Chief!"
Shun's hopes rose, only to be dashed by the guard's report. "There are Revolutionary Army rats causing trouble! They're recruiting and trying to reach out to the prisoners!"
"The Revolutionary Army?" Shun had almost forgotten they were here. Annoying. If they'd just lay low for a week, I'd be handing this place over to them. The thought was deeply irritating. "Deal with them. Send more men. More importantly, have you found a woman?"
The guard didn't dare question the order.
Three hours later, a skirmish between the weak Revolutionary forces and the prison guards ended in a stalemate. Just as Shun was growing impatient, another guard rushed in.
"Sir! We found a woman! A prisoner was hiding her. She surrendered after a brief fight!"
Finally. "Good. Bring her to my office. Do not harm her," Shun commanded, a note of praise in his voice that made the guard ecstatic.
Soon, a woman in tattered clothes, her wrists bound in Seastone cuffs, was ushered into the room. "Leave us," Shun ordered, and the guards scrambled to obey.
He looked at the woman before him. "You are Nico Robin. I know of you," he began, adopting the role of Prison Chief. "I am Shun, the new chief of this facility."
"Thank you for the introduction. You're surprisingly kind," Robin replied, her voice a mask of calm.
"This is a country built upon a bridge that has been under construction for over 700 years," Shun explained, his tone matter-of-fact. "It is built by criminals, political dissidents, and citizens from nations that defied the World Government. In other words, slaves. You are now one of them, destined to labor here until you die."
"When will the bridge be finished?" she asked.
"No one knows. That is the core of the torture—the eternal, hopeless labor." Shun met her gaze directly. "So, what do you think? Would you like to become my wife? I can offer you privileges in this country."
The sudden proposition caught her off guard. She studied the white-haired boy with his pale eyebrows and eyes. He was handsome, she supposed. But she had finally found friends who would protect her. She had to get back to them.
"Seducing me? You should work on creating a better mood," she deflected, using the same teasing words she had once used in the original.
"Mood? How about this: I'll set you free," Shun countered.
Robin's eyes widened slightly. "Is that allowed? To let the 'Demon Child' escape?"
"My grandfather is Sengoku, the Marine Fleet Admiral. I'm here out of boredom. This country means nothing to me," Shun stated casually, shocking her into silence. A position even higher than Aokiji or Kizaru... no wonder his aura is so overwhelming.
"You were saved by a brat named Soran, I heard?" Shun continued.
Robin's composure broke. "That girl has nothing to do with this! I don't know her!"
"I never said Soran was a girl. So, it was her." Shun's smile turned predatory. "The punishment for aiding a traitor here is severe. A little girl like her wouldn't last a day."
"You scum!" Robin gritted her teeth.
Shun stood and lifted her chin. "So, what do you think of my offer now? More appealing?" He was thoroughly enjoying this roleplay.
"Spare her. You can do whatever you want with me," Robin whispered, her expression defeated. She couldn't let an innocent girl suffer for her sake.
"You misunderstand. I want you as my wife. Willingly." He locked the office door and sat back down. "Now, come here... and kiss me. Willingly."
A shiver ran down her spine. But she had no choice. With heavy steps, she approached him, leaning in until their lips were almost touching. Then she froze, unable to make the final move herself. She would have preferred if he just forced himself on her.
Seeing her hesitation, Shun made a show of reaching for his Den Den Mushi.
In that moment, a decision was made. Smooch—
A soft sound filled the room as Robin closed the distance, her lips meeting his for a brief, chaste moment. As she tried to pull back, blushing, Shun's hand gently cupped the back of her head, drawing her into a deeper kiss.
Mmph!
A muffled sound escaped her as the kiss deepened, lasting for a full minute. When they finally parted, Robin was panting heavily.
"You beast..." she breathed, all traces of her earlier teasing gone.
"Let's continue," Shun said, pulling her onto his lap.
---
Six hours later, Shun sat calmly in his office chair, Robin fast asleep and exhausted in his lap, her arms wrapped around him.
"I got a bit too excited," he sighed, kissing her hair. The gesture made her stir awake.
"Are you awake? My apologies, I was carried away," he said, not sounding sorry at all.
He glanced at the torn clothes on the floor. "Wait here. I'll get you something new to wear."
Once he left, Robin let out a heavy sigh, looking at her situation. What am I doing? My first time with a man I just met, and one younger than me... I need to get back to Sabaody. To do that, I must gain his trust.
Meanwhile, Shun rounded a corner and used his Arc of Embodiment to create a perfectly sized set of clothes for her. After six hours, he knew her measurements intimately.
When he returned, he found Robin sitting calmly in his chair. He handed her the clothes. "Wear these for now. We'll go to my residence; you can bathe there. I'll have more clothes for you later."
His gentle care surprised her. She was a prisoner, yet he was treating her with a consideration she hadn't expected.
They went to his house, where Shun insisted on helping her bathe, citing the Seastone cuffs. His "gentlemanly" assistance earned him a "reward," which he took for himself. Afterward, they sat together on a warm sofa, a stark contrast to the freezing world outside.
"When can I leave?" Robin asked, her voice soft as she clutched his arm—a gesture she would have found unimaginable hours before. She had learned what kind of behavior made him more amenable. "My friends are waiting."
"Hmm? How about tomorrow?" Shun's answer shocked her. She had expected delays and more outrageous demands.
He pulled her closer, his hands wandering. "I told you, being my wife has its privileges." Feeling a sudden warmth, Robin daringly kissed him.
After a moment, she pulled back. "Soran and the others... can they be freed, too?"
This time, Shun feigned a troubled expression. "A single prisoner can be overlooked, but an entire cell... that would require significant effort."
Seeing his hesitation, Robin knelt before him and got to work on that "significant effort."
---
The next day, Robin met with Soran and the others.
"Big sis, are you okay?" Soran asked, her worry easing when she saw Robin's clean clothes and improved complexion.
"I'm fine, Soran. Thank you." Robin smiled. "I've spoken to the Prison Chief, Shun. He's agreed to release you. You're all free."
A wave of shock and ecstatic disbelief swept through the cell. "W-What?!" "Are you serious?" "How did you manage that?"
Soran was happy but worried, fearing Robin had taken their hardships upon herself—a fear that was not entirely unfounded.
"It's alright, Soran. The Chief is a... good person. You can see the outside world now." "Good person?" one of the cellmates interjected fearfully. "That new chief killed half the guards for disobeying him! Though, I suppose from our perspective, that does make him a good person."
Robin was stunned. This was a far cry from the kind and gentle man she had experienced.
As she processed this, Shun arrived. "Robin, let's go," he said, casually holding her by the waist as if it were the most natural thing, making her blush under Soran's gaze.
The cellmates finally understood the price of their freedom, weeping with gratitude for the noble woman's sacrifice.
---
"What's wrong, Shun?" Robin asked, noticing he was being particularly touchy.
"Revolutionary Army rats. They've invaded the prison and are trying to take over the country," he stated calmly.
"Aren't you worried?" "Worried? Why would I be? They're weak. Besides, I don't care about this country. I'm not even the real Prison Chief."
Robin's eyes widened. "What?" "I lied to everyone after getting rid of the real chief. Did you really think someone as strong and handsome as me would be assigned to a place like this?" He laughed, and Robin couldn't help but laugh with him at his arrogance.
"You said you wanted to meet your friends. I'll take you to them. As for Soran and the others, leave them to the Revolutionary Army; they're harmless to prisoners. I've already weakened the guards for them." He was finally being honest... sort of.
He held out his palm, and a soft paw-pad became visible as he dropped the invisibility magic concealing it.
"!!" Robin stared. "That paw! It's cute!" she exclaimed, instinctively touching the soft pad before catching herself. "Is that Kuma's? Did he die? But it's been too short a time for the fruit to respawn..."
"I'll explain later. For now, get in." A large, transparent bubble formed from his paw. "We're flying to Sabaody."
Once they were seated comfortably inside, Shun handed her a newspaper. The headline detailed the upcoming execution of Ace, Luffy's brother.
Robin's blood ran cold. "A war between the Marines and the strongest man in the world..." She knew Luffy; he wouldn't go to Sabaody. He would head straight for the war.
"You're worried about your captain?" Shun asked. "Of course. He's reckless; he'll charge right into that war..."
"How about this: I'll save your captain and his brother. In return, you become my wife in truth." It was a devil's whisper.
Robin was skeptical of his ability to intervene in such a massive conflict, so Shun demonstrated his speed and teleportation. It was enough.
She finally nodded. Luffy had saved her life; how could she hesitate to save his? She agreed, sealing the deal with a kiss.
Shun reached into his pocket, using the motion to create a simple, elegant ring of white diamond with his magic. He slipped it onto her finger and kissed her once more, a final seal on their new pact.
Five days left until Ace's execution.