Lorne maneuvered the sailboat to a steady halt in the mooring area specially prepared by Baratie for small vessels.
He jumped onto the deck and stretched his stiff body.
The air was filled with the rich aroma of seafood and spices, and the long-lost sense of lively bustle refreshed his spirit.
At this moment, there weren't many customers in the restaurant; sparse conversation mixed with the light clinking of cutlery.
Lorne directly found a quiet seat by the window and sat down, waving for a waiter to come over.
A young boy with brilliant blonde hair and eyebrows curled in a peculiar way walked over.
He looked no more than eleven or twelve years old, yet he wore a proper waiter's uniform and held an order book, looking like a little adult.
"Guest, what would you like to order?"
Sanji's voice still carried a hint of childishness, but his attitude was very professional.
Lorne's gaze paused for a moment on those iconic curly eyebrows before shifting away as if nothing had happened.
"seafood risotto, and a bowl of clear soup."
After ordering, Lorne thought for a moment and added:
"Bring me a few more of your signature dishes as well; I'll leave the recommendations to you."
Sanji took down the order efficiently, nodded, and turned to walk toward the kitchen.
While waiting for his meal, Lorne propped up his chin, idly listening to the chatter of the surrounding diners.
"Did you hear? That guy Krieg is finished! The entire fleet, over three thousand people, were all frozen into blocks of ice!"
A merchant with a fleshy face lowered his voice, yet could not hide his excitement.
"It's more than just ice blocks! I heard from my cousin who works on a ship that those pirates were all pierced through by ice spikes growing out from inside their bodies! That scene, tsk tsk, even Hell isn't that scary!"
Another patron added, his face a mix of fear and schadenfreude.
"Supposedly it was done by that rookie called the 'frost fairy,' the one with an eighty million bounty!"
"Eighty million? Are you kidding me? A monster capable of wiping out the Krieg Fleet alone is only worth eighty million? Did those idiots at the Marines miscalculate the bill!"
Lorne just shook his head slightly, the corner of his mouth curling into an imperceptible arc.
Not long after, Sanji walked over carrying a large tray.
"Guest, your seafood risotto and clear soup."
He set the plates down steadily. The golden risotto was garnished with fresh shrimp and scallops, and the rich, milky aroma of cheese assailed the nostrils.
The clear soup was bright and transparent, with only a few pieces of tenderly stewed beef and vegetables, yet it emitted a dense meaty fragrance.
"This is Papanic grilled fish, and pan-seared lamb chops. Please enjoy."
Lorne picked up a spoon, scooped a mouthful of risotto, and put it into his mouth.
The rice grains were distinct, and the sweetness of the seafood merged perfectly with the richness of the spices, blooming on the tip of his tongue.
He closed his eyes to savor it carefully; this was life, this was the journey he craved. After several days of dry rations, his desire for fine food had reached its peak.
"Delicious!"
Lorne praised sincerely.
This craftsmanship truly lived up to the name of a restaurant on the sea. No wonder Zeff could establish himself in the East Blue with this, and no wonder Sanji would become an irreplaceable chef for the Straw Hat crew in the future.
Just as he was immersed in the immense satisfaction brought by the food, a sudden flurry of flapping wings came from outside the window.
"It's a News Coo! Quick, let's see what big news there is today!"
A diner closest to the door shouted and casually tossed out a few Berries. A News Coo accurately dropped a newspaper and several slips of paper onto his table.
Lorne glanced at it casually, the movement of the spoon in his hand stalling slightly. On the bounty poster was clearly his own photo, with a striking title and number below it.
The diner picked up the newspaper, but his gaze was first drawn to those latest bounty posters. He picked up the top one, and with just one look, his entire body froze.
"One... one hundred... and eighty million?!"
Everyone's movements stopped, and they all looked in unison toward the diner who had screamed.
The hand holding the bounty poster was shaking like a leaf.
"A new bounty poster! 'frost fairy' Lorne! Bounty... one hundred and eighty million Berries!"
Boom!
The entire restaurant erupted!
"What?! One hundred and eighty million?!"
"This... how is this possible!"
"The person in this photo... isn't he..."
The diners cast their gazes toward Lorne, their faces written with shock and fear.
They whispered among themselves, their voices growing smaller and smaller, carrying an unbelievable tremor.
"He... he's that frost fairy?"
"My God! We're actually sitting at the same table as this kind of monster!"
The commotion spread rapidly like a tide. Some diners frantically grabbed their things, only to freeze in place, not daring to make the slightest move.
They stared fixedly at Lorne, fearing any action might draw the monster's attention.
Lorne just glanced at the bounty poster, then at the terrified diners surrounding him.
"Sengoku is quite willing to spend money."
He whispered to himself, his voice not loud but clearly reaching the ears of the surrounding diners.
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