Because the large ship was too conspicuous, and its mast flew a flag with the Celestial Dragons' emblem, Ian decisively ordered the accompanying Shipwrights to sail it away and return to the Holy Land on their own.
The oppressive power that the Celestial Dragons' status brought to this world was too strong; if he flaunted his Celestial Dragon identity everywhere he went, it would strip much of the fun from his East Blue journey.
"Without a ship, we'll have to find another way to leave Syrup Village in the future~"
Watching the large ship disappear around the island's corner, Ian retracted his gaze and looked up at Syrup Village, then slowly said, "But don't worry too much. If This Young Master remembers correctly, Syrup Village has a talented person who has been designing and researching shipbuilding since childhood!"
"So, what we need to do next is to enter Syrup Village as wealthy individuals seeking Shipwrights, then find this talented shipbuilder and have him help us build a large ship that can give birth to a ship spirit!"
"I've even thought of a name; the large ship This Young Master will ride in the future will be called—the going merry!"
After speaking, Ian's eyes narrowed slightly, and the image of the going merry, which had brought countless anime fans to tears in the original work, involuntarily appeared before him.
Although Luffy's whereabouts were unknown due to his appearance, to prevent any accidents, Ian naturally had to eliminate or intercept the companions and ships Luffy would recruit after setting sail.
Fighting against a fated person brings endless joy.
Of course, besides finding Merry, who built the going merry for Luffy in the original work, Ian had another objective.
Kaya, the owner of the large house in Syrup Village.
The current timeline is about a month before Luffy sets sail, which means Kaya is now seventeen or eighteen years old, a blooming age. As a transmigrator and a noble Celestial Dragon, if this flower were to be picked by someone else, it wouldn't just be a lack of romance; it would be no different from having grass growing on his head.
Of course, purely as a transmigrator, Ian preferred the innocent and kind-hearted rich, fair, and beautiful type like Kaya over those like Robin or Nami.
So, on this trip to Syrup Village, the going merry must be intercepted, and Kaya must also be taken away.
As for the long-nosed sniper who would grow up to be a member of the Straw Hat Pirates, Ian naturally wouldn't be soft-hearted; he had to nip them in the bud before they could grow.
Although Syrup Village was just a small village hidden in a corner of the East Blue, its scenery was exceptionally beautiful. If it were on Earth, it would definitely be a popular internet-famous spot attracting countless visitors.
Even though Syrup Village had a spectacular appearance in the original work, and a battle erupted there due to the pirate Kuro, known as 'The Hundred Plans,' hiding his identity and lurking there, it was ultimately just a fictional presentation in an anime. Now that Ian was here in person, he truly appreciated the village's exquisite beauty.
Emerald green slopes undulated, vibrant flowers bloomed freely, and farmhouses and wooden cabins were scattered across the land like toys carefully placed by angels. Expansive forests and vast grasslands spread wantonly along gentle slopes, eventually intertwining and merging with the scattered houses in the village, like a beautiful oil painting meticulously drawn on a postcard.
On the green carpet-like slopes, small wooden houses adorned with flowers were dotted, and occasionally, wisps of cooking smoke rose, adding a touch of warmth and vibrancy to the scene, making Ian feel as if he were inside an oil painting, his mood inexplicably cheerful.
As Ian and his group of six entered Syrup Village, the villagers were quickly drawn to their appearance. Some stood at a distance, curiously observing, while others stood in front of their homes, pointing and whispering with curious expressions after Ian's group passed by.
At this, Gunko felt an inexplicable surge of anger.
A group of commoners dared to point fingers at them, who were of noble status. If Ian hadn't already told her not to be too overbearing, let alone these villagers pointing fingers behind their backs, the mere fact that the villagers didn't kneel before Ian would have been enough to make her furious and have them all executed.
Soon, news spread like wildfire that a Noble Young Master and several extremely beautiful women had arrived in Syrup Village, attracting even more villagers to come and watch.
In a short while, over a hundred villagers gathered in the village, including adults, children, youths, and young maidens.
"Where did this man come from? He's surrounded by so many beauties, I'm so envious!"
"Don't be envious, look at his attire; he's at least a rich young master!"
"I never thought there'd be such a Noble Young Master in the East Blue. Waaah, how great would it be if I could be by his side!"
"So handsome, so handsome! I wonder where this Noble Young Master is from. I really want to go up and meet him!"
"Forget it, sis, with your looks, you're not even fit to carry the shoes of those women by his side!"
Among the attracted villagers, the young men envied Ian for being accompanied by several beautiful women, while the young maidens were drawn to Ian's noble demeanor and handsome appearance, their eyes sparkling with hearts. If it weren't for Gunko's strong aura beside Ian, these maidens would probably have rushed forward already.
Hearing the continuous chatter from the surrounding villagers, Gunko's desire to kill intensified. Her small fists, hidden within her long sleeves, clenched tightly, and the murderous intent in her black and white eyes grew stronger.
"Hello everyone~"
Just as Gunko was about to lose control of her murderous intent, Ian suddenly stopped, and with a gentle smile, politely said, "I am Nelona Ian. The ship I was traveling on, being old and unmaintained, malfunctioned and sank to the bottom of the sea. Therefore, I have come here to find someone who can build a ship."
"Then you've come to the right place!"
As soon as Ian finished speaking, a Burly Man immediately stepped out from the crowd watching from a distance. "Many villagers in our Syrup Village work as Shipwrights, and one of them is particularly skilled in design and decoration!"
"Oh?" Ian's face showed surprise. "That's wonderful! Could you introduce this person to me?"
"This person, skilled in design and decoration, is not currently working as a Shipwright. His name is Merry, and he is Miss Kaya's servant! So, whether he can be persuaded depends on Miss Kaya's approval!"
The Burly Man shook his head and continued, "Also, although Miss Kaya is beautiful and kind-hearted, you might not be able to see her because she is unwell, and her Butler doesn't allow anyone near her. Even a boy from our village who is quite close to Miss Kaya has to secretly climb a tree to see her!"
"I see," Ian blinked. "In that case, This Young Master will go meet this Butler first! I believe that with enough sincerity and compensation, this Butler should allow Merry to help me design and build a ship!"
Saying this, Ian pulled out a money pouch from his 懷裡, took out a gold bar, and threw it to the Burly Man. "Since I'm new to this noble place and unfamiliar with it, I hope you can help lead the way!"
Unexpectedly, Ian was so generous. The Burly Man's eyes immediately lit up. After taking the gold bar, his attitude instantly changed, and he bowed his head to Ian, saying, "Please follow me, sir!"
With the Burly Man leading the way, Ian's group soon arrived in front of the Syrup Village mansion.
It was called a mansion, but it was actually a villa.
The villa's courtyard gate was tightly shut, with children occasionally running past the front, but it was quiet inside the gate.
In front of the villa's main door in the courtyard stood a gentleman with a slicked-back hairstyle, dressed in a suit and wearing glasses.
As if knowing guests had arrived outside the courtyard gate, the man habitually pushed up his glasses with his wrist. A sharp glint appeared in his eyes behind the lenses, giving his otherwise gentlemanly appearance an eerie feeling at that moment.