Zoro slowly walked toward a nearby room, silent as ever.
Perona, curled up on the sofa, immediately called after him, "Green Algae Head, where are you going?"
Her voice trembled, full of fear. The castle was enormous and hauntingly quiet. During the Thriller Bark incident, she had Kuma with her, but now, alone and injured, panic rose in her chest. What frightened her most were the dark corridors and the creeping thought of insects in every shadow.
Zoro paused but didn't respond, only lifted his foot and continued walking.
Perona hugged her knees tighter and murmured over and over, "Kuma‑shi, Kuma‑shi."
After a long moment, Zoro reappeared carrying a glass of water and set it on the table in front of her.
"Drink it if you want, I haven't touched it," he said, his voice blunt and neutral.
Perona pouted, arms tightening around her legs, and thought to herself that despite his rough manner, this man wasn't entirely useless.
Seeing her hesitate, Zoro repeated, "Drink it, or I'll pour it out."
Perona scoffed under her breath, "Hmph, I am the Ghost Princess, there were plenty aboard Thriller Bark who would gladly fetch me water!"
Zoro blinked, unbothered by her attitude, and she finally picked up the cup and gulped it down in big, thirsty swallows.
The glass emptied quickly.
Zoro set the cup down and went inside again, returning moments later with another full glass. Perona drank that too without hesitation, her thirst so great she barely noticed the cold water running down her chin.
Zoro brought out another cup again, placing it before her without a word.
Perona suddenly kicked her legs in frustration, "I am not a water barrel, I want food! I want food now!"
Her small feet thudded against the floor like a child who hadn't eaten for days.
Zoro mumbled under his breath, voice flat, "Women really are difficult to deal with."
Silence lingered as Zoro sat aside, pulling his kaido from its sheath to clean and sharpen, his expression unchanged while his hands worked.
Perona hugged her knees again, watching him occasionally, and wondered what it would be like if this man were Kuma‑shi. Of course, she immediately shook the thought away, knowing that Kuma was gone. She didn't even know where on Earth she was.
With that thought, her eyes watered again and sobs began quietly at first, then louder.
Zoro didn't flinch at first, merely continued working on his blade. But as her cries grew louder, he finally looked over with annoyance, "What do you want, just say it, and stop crying."
Perona's tears only poured more freely, her voice catching with emotion.
"Why are you crying? Go find your Kuma‑shi!" Zoro blurted without thinking, and immediately regretted it as her sobs sharpened.
"Kuma‑shi… Kuma‑shi never yells at me," she whimpered.
Zoro stood there, wordless at her response, his face unreadable.
Hawkeye had already prepared dinner by the time Zoro and Perona were called to the table.
Perona instantly dropped etiquette and devoured her food with an intensity only matched by someone dying of thirst and hunger. The elegance she once held on Thriller Bark was gone, replaced by ravenous bites and greedy gulps. It was unsettling and almost comedic to watch.
Zoro, having trained hard every day, used a lot of energy. He ate heartily too, but never with the same desperation as Perona.
Still, he said nothing about her eating habits, inwardly appreciating the honesty — no pretending, no airs, just pure hunger. That was something a warrior understood.
Hawkeye maintained a calm, composed demeanor, eating slowly and precisely.
He watched Perona finish her food quickly and nodded with understanding. Anyone sent flying by Bartholomew Kuma would have been without nourishment for days, and Perona was clearly exhausted from the ordeal.
Later that night, Zoro opened his door and froze when he saw Perona sitting on his bed, knees hugged tightly as she stared quietly into the darkness.
His immediate reaction was confusion, and then irritation.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, voice rough.
Perona looked up, her beautiful eyes red from crying.
"This room… it has a bed and light. Everywhere else is dark and scary. You wouldn't make a fragile girl sleep somewhere dark, would you?"
Her voice was pitiful, and for the first time Rolan wondered if she really was just clueless or truly desperate. He turned to leave, but before he could make a step, Perona lunged and wrapped her arms around him.
Zoro froze, stunned.
"What are you doing!" he snapped, face flushed, struggling as she held him tight.
"Negative Hollow!" she cried, summoning a small glowing ghost that passed through Zoro's chest.
Zoro staggered back, suddenly kneeling on the floor.
"I'm such an idiot, to even think I want to be the world's greatest swordsman, I should just be a paramecium in my next life," he muttered, voice oddly hollow.
Perona smiled, delighted. This tactic had never failed her before.
After a moment, Zoro straightened himself and pushed her away again.
"Negative Hollow," she tried again.
"Ah, Princess, I am sorry to dwell on the same land as you," Zoro deadpanned, voice flat.
"You wicked woman, what do you want?" he continued without emotion, his voice like ice.
"Negative Hollow."
"I am truly sorry for making you breathe the same air as me," he added, expression blank.
…
The next morning, dark circles under his eyes, Zoro stood across from Hawkeye, who had a knowing look in his eye.
Last night, Zoro had resisted Perona's insistence on staying in his room, but eventually she had clasped him like a plush doll until he finally gave in and endured a night being held like a child's toy.
No matter how strong his will, who could sleep peacefully while being hugged all night by a persistent, small woman?
Hawkeye watched him, a slight half‑smile forming, as if thinking Zoro and Perona made an oddly matched pair.
Zoro felt that intense look and muttered, eyes still tired, "What's with that expression?"
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