The moment Kyōka Suigetsu was released, every person in the drawing room fell completely under Aike's control of their five senses.
"W-what's happening to me…?" Kaya swayed dizzily. She glanced at Nami and Carina, then noticed her butler standing frozen like a statue. Worry filled her voice. "Klahadore?"
"No need to worry, Miss Kaya. He's only hypnotized for the moment," Aike said gently reassured her. "I did it because this transaction also involves your butler."
"...?"
Kaya looked at him in confusion.
"You can hear it straight from him."
Using Kyōka Suigetsu, Aike forced Kuro to confess every detail of his plan, including how he murdered Kaya's parents.
By the time he finished, Nami and Carina fully understood the scheme.
"There are pirates like this?" The two girls stared at each other, dumbfounded.
They'd worked for plenty of pirate crews before, but every captain they'd met dreamed of ruling the seas. Yet this guy was so sick of being a pirate that he faked his own death just to retire as a rich man. Truly a once-in-a-lifetime sight.
Even Tom looked shocked. Faking your death to escape the life? Understandable. Disguising yourself for years just to steal an inheritance? That's next-level stupid.
"So he's actually weak, right?" Nami asked, glancing at the blank-faced Kuro.
"Quite the opposite," Aike chuckled meaningfully. "In terms of raw strength, he might be one of the top three pirates in the entire East Blue. Even that fishman Arlong—who's been hiding here—probably couldn't beat him for sure."
Arlong.
The name hit Nami like a thunderbolt. She instinctively flinched, her eyes locking onto Aike.
Three days ago he'd said something similar. Now he deliberately dropped Arlong's name again. Was it coincidence… or did he already know everything about her?
She stared at him for a long time, but Aike's expression remained perfectly casual.
Meanwhile, Kaya had heard the full confession. Her newly opened eyes were red with tears.
"H-how could this be…?! No… it can't be true! Klahadore would never—!"
She still clung to a shred of denial. So Aike delivered the final blow: Kuro's old 16,000,000-berry wanted poster.
That ironclad proof from the Marines shattered her last defenses.
"Waaaaah—!"
Kaya buried her face in her hands and sobbed.
Nami and Carina immediately rushed to comfort her. Tom helpfully passed tissues every few seconds, already treating her like the new lady of the ship.
Ten minutes later, once Kaya had calmed down, Aike finally got to the real transaction.
The terms were the same as Nami and Carina's: Join the crew of the Libra for thirty years. In return, Aike would cure her chronic illness and avenge her parents.
"So, Miss Kaya—do you accept?"
"I… accept." Hatred flashed in her teary eyes. The trust she once had for Kuro had turned into pure loathing.
"Contract sealed!
"You're now the ship's doctor."
Golden light from the scale enveloped them; an invisible bond formed between master and crew. At the same time, the sickly pallor left Kaya's cheeks, replaced by healthy color. For the first time in years she could breathe without pain.
"My illness… it's gone?!" She stared at her own hands in disbelief.
"Now only one thing remains." Aike turned to Kuro with a playful smirk and snapped his fingers.
Hypnosis lifted.
The moment Kuro regained consciousness, he found every eye in the room fixed on him, filled with amusement, disgust, and burning hatred.
"Y-young miss—"
"No need to keep acting, Captain Kuro of the Black Cat Pirates." Aike cut him off.
Kuro's pupils shrank, but he quickly forced a calm smile. "I'm afraid you're mistaken, sir. My name is Klahadore. I've never heard of this 'Kuro' you speak of."
Aike simply tossed the wanted poster at his feet.
"At least now you can die informed."
He raised his right index finger.
An overwhelming sense of death instantly enveloped Kuro.
Almost on reflex, Kuro vanished with Silent Step.
It was useless.
The instant he disappeared, Aike vanished too. A heartbeat later he reappeared directly in front of Kuro, finger pressed against the pirate's heart.
"Hadō #1: Shō!"
BOOM!
A jet of blood exploded outward. Kuro's heart was obliterated in an instant.
The 16-million-berry pirate captain died without even a scream.
Nami, Carina, and Kaya stood frozen.
That was supposedly one of the strongest pirates in the East Blue? Then just how terrifyingly powerful was their boss?
Nami's thoughts raced. Carina fully surrendered to reality: "Maybe this kind of life isn't so bad after all… At least no one will ever threaten us again."
Kaya threw her arms around Aike, tears flowing once more. "Thank you… thank you so much!"
Aike smoothly slid an arm around her back, gently stroking. Mission accomplished, another beauty secured.
Afterward, the truth about "Klahadore" was revealed to the entire household. The servants and Merry were furious, especially Merry himself, who had trusted Kuro completely. Learning that the man murdered the master and mistress and planned to do the same to Kaya… They all agreed: he deserved to die.
Merry did try to dissuade Kaya from sailing.
"The real sea is nothing like storybooks, Miss. Your body—"
"No need to worry, Merry. The boss already cured me. Look!"
Kaya spun in place. In the past she would have collapsed gasping; now she was perfectly fine.
"Truly…?! This is wonderful! The master and mistress would be so happy!"
Seeing her truly healthy for the first time, Merry tearfully gave his blessing.
"I'll look after the estate until you return, Miss."
"Thank you, Merry…"
Kaya hugged him tightly.
Despite Kuro's betrayal, she still had Merry and the others. And now she had Aike, Nami, Carina, and Tom, her new family.
She didn't feel alone anymore.
The next day, Aike used Kuro's old contacts to lure the remaining Black Cat Pirates to the island. They arrived expecting easy pickings. They left in body bags.
With Syrup Village's problems solved, it was time to set sail again.
A huge crowd gathered at the shore to see Kaya off, servants and grateful villagers alike. Merry, a grown man, bawled like a child. Kaya leaned against the railing, eyes red, waving until the island disappeared over the horizon.
"Goodbye, everyone! Take care of yourself, Merry!"
The warm farewell stirred complicated feelings in Nami's chest. She thought of her own village… and the hateful glares she always received.
A bitter smile tugged at her lips.
"Maybe… I can never go home again."
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