Chapter 13 UndercurrentsFor the next two days, Nojiko arrived at the villa every morning without fail.
Nojiko brought some mild herbs she had picked and dried herself, which she brewed into a decoction for Kaya.
Although the effects wouldn't be immediate, Nojiko's meticulous care and concern, along with the occasional amusing anecdotes about taking care of her younger sister Nami, made Kaya feel incredibly warm, and a smile returned to her pale face.
"Nojiko-neechan, with you here, time seems to fly by," Kaya said softly, holding the warm bowl of medicine.
The large villa was often empty except for Kaya and her maid; the butler, Kuro, was always busy. These moments of companionship and conversation were especially precious to her.
Nojiko gently smoothed her slightly disheveled blonde hair, her voice gentle: "You're too lonely. Once you're feeling better, you should go out more."
Kaya's eyes dimmed: "Mr. Krabatel said it's not safe outside, and my body can't take it..."
Nojiko sighed inwardly. This girl, protected in her luxurious cage, was even more innocent and fragile than she had imagined.
That butler was definitely suspicious.
On the afternoon of the third day, Nami, under the guise of buying daily necessities, strolled around the village, actually keeping an eye on the villa and its surroundings.
She couldn't clearly sense any presence, but her keen eyesight and intuition as an excellent navigator remained.
Outside a small grove near the edge of the village, she glimpsed two furtive figures.
The two were dressed very differently from the ordinary villagers; one was tall and thin, the other short and stout, their movements agile, their eyes shifty.
They hid behind a tree, pointing and whispering in the direction of the villa.
Nami immediately used the terrain and debris for cover, silently approaching and hiding behind a low wall, her ears perked up.
"...Captain Kuro said, in three days, we'll make our move after the butler pretends to leave," the tall, thin man whispered.
"Tsk, a little girl, is it really necessary to go to such lengths?" the short, fat man said impatiently.
The tall, thin man chuckled sinisterly, "What do you know! We need to make it look like an accident, or frame those newcomers. That kid in the straw hat, and the two beauties with him, they don't look like good guys, perfect scapegoats."
"Alright, alright, I'll listen to the captain, but those outsiders... they look like trouble."
"What's there to be afraid of? Even if they're tough, they're just a bunch of greenhorns and girls. We'll take care of them when they get in the way!" the short, fat man spat.
Nami felt a chill run down her spine. She held her breath until the two men whispered and left before cautiously retreating back into the village, her heart pounding.
She didn't dare delay and immediately returned to the inn.
"Luffy! That butler was definitely up to something! They're going to kill Kaya! In three days! And they're trying to frame us!"
As soon as she entered the room, Nami eagerly recounted what she had heard.
Luffy was standing by the window. Hearing this, his face showed no surprise; he simply gave a curt "Oh."
Nami panicked: "We have to tell Kaya right away! Or we can just expose that butler!"
"No rush," Luffy turned around.
Nami's eyes widened: "No rush? Kaya will be in danger!"
Luffy looked at her, his eyes calm and unwavering: "We'll save her when she's really in danger."
Nami paused, then understood his meaning, a complex expression crossing her face. "You...you want to wait for them to make their move before you act? That way, Kaya will be more grateful and trust you more?"
"That's more effective," Luffy replied matter-of-factly.
Nojiko sighed softly beside them, saying, "It's cruel, but it's the fastest way to make Miss Kaya see the butler's true colors and completely rely on us. Luffy won't let anything really happen to her."
Nami bit her lip, a bitter feeling welling up inside.
Even though she knew Luffy was like that, using such scheming on a girl as innocent as a blank sheet of paper still felt...a bit excessive.
"You...you've really calculated everything perfectly," Nami said softly, a hint of barely perceptible resentment in her voice.
Luffy walked up to Nami, reaching out to ruffle her orange hair. The gesture wasn't gentle, even somewhat casual, yet it made Nami stiffen.
"I won't let her die," Luffy said, his voice filled with unwavering confidence.
Nami looked up at his face, so close to hers. It remained expressionless, but his words strangely soothed the unease in her heart.
Nami turned her face away, her ears slightly red, and said nothing more.
Late at night, Nojiko washed away the faint scent of herbs from her clothes, changed into clean pajamas, her hair still damp.
Nojiko pushed open the door to Luffy's room and went inside.
Luffy stood by the window, his gaze seemingly fixed on the extinguished villa on the distant hillside. He didn't turn around when he heard her.
Nojiko walked over and gently hugged Luffy from behind, pressing her face against his broad back.
Luffy's body heat seeped through the thin fabric, carrying a reassuring warmth, though Nojiko knew that beneath that warmth lay a deep calculation.
"Thinking of Kaya?" Nojiko asked softly, her voice exceptionally clear in the quiet night.
"I'm thinking about how to make her like me," Luffy's answer was direct.
Nojiko smiled silently, her arms tightening slightly. "Do you scheme like this with us too?"
Luffy was silent for a few seconds, then turned to face her. The room was dark, only the faint moonlight filtering through the window, outlining his deep features.
Luffy looked down into Nojiko's blue eyes, eyes that remained calm even in the darkness.
"You are already my women, there's no need for scheming."
Luffy spoke, his fingers brushing her slightly damp hair, the movement a little awkward, yet carrying a sense of asserting ownership.
Nojiko gazed at Luffy, unable to discern the emotions in his eyes in the darkness, but whatever the truth of his words, at least for this moment, she was willing to believe it.
Nojiko stood on tiptoe, tapped his chin, then buried her face in his chest.
The moonlight flowed silently, the sound of the tide outside the window rising and falling rhythmically.
Meanwhile, in the master bedroom on the second floor of the villa, Kaya hugged her soft pillow, but couldn't fall asleep.
The conversation she had with Nojiko during the day, and Mr. Luffy's brief visit a few days ago, kept replaying in her mind.
Mr. Luffy… his gaze was so unique.
Unlike Mr. Krabatel, who always wore a perfect smile, and unlike the village boys who were either shy or reckless.
He was calm and spoke little, but every word he uttered was direct and to the point.
Nojiko called them pirates, but Kaya felt they were completely different from the vicious pirates she had read about in books.
Especially Mr. Luffy… He seemed to be hiding many secrets, powerful and mysterious, making one want to explore him.
Thinking about it, Kaya felt her cheeks begin to burn again. She buried her face in the pillow, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curl up slightly.
[System Notification: Kaya's favorability is slowly increasing: 22/100, curiosity deepens, a vague sense of affection has emerged.]
Outside the villa, in the shadows away from the main house.
Kro pushed up his glasses, the lenses gleaming coldly in the moonlight. Standing before him were two figures, the cat-man brothers Nami had met during the day—Sam and Banchi.
Kuro's voice was low: "Three days later, I'll leave for half a day under the guise of purchasing supplies. You guys use that opportunity to sneak in and deal with Kaya. Make sure it's done cleanly... like an accident."
"Don't worry, Captain, a little girl, a piece of cake," Banchi grinned, rubbing his hands together.
Sam was more cautious: "Captain, those outsiders..."
Kro thought for a moment and made a decision: "If they know what's good for them, they might live a few more days; if they get in the way, get rid of them all. That guy in the straw hat has a certain aura about him, don't underestimate him."
The cat-men exchanged a glance, nodded in agreement, and silently disappeared into the darkness.
Kro stood alone, gazing in the direction of the villa, a classic villainous smile playing on his lips.
Three years of planning, finally time to reap the rewards. Any variables must be eliminated!
In the hotel room, Luffy leaned against the headboard, Nojiko already fast asleep beside him.
Luffy's eyes were closed, yet his Observation Haki, like an invisible net, had already enveloped most of the village.
The whispered conversation between the cat-men brothers and Kuro echoed clearly in his ears.
Three days later?
Perfect.