This was also the fundamental difference between Charlotte Linlin and Shakky.
Charlotte Linlin relied on absolute power and intimidation; she never gave these pirates she looked down upon a good face. Consequently, Gloriosa, who was by her side, also had a powerful aura that kept strangers at bay.
Therefore, even though both of them were once recognized as peerless beauties of Hachinosu Island, no pirate was blind enough to dare approach them for a chat or harassment.
Charlotte Linlin's return to Hachinosu Island this time, besides the routine gathering of cadres, was mainly for the upcoming trip to Elbaf—to accompany Ripley and Gerd back to their Giant Race homeland for a visit.
She hadn't expected that Shakky, who was no longer the Captain of the Kuja Pirates, would come to Hachinosu Island to open a tavern. She only found out after arriving at Hachinosu Island.
"That's why I always feel like we 'don't get along'. Nothing can be hidden from you; you see through me in an instant."
Shakky shrugged helplessly, her face still wearing a professional smile, but a flash of envy crossed her eyes as she looked at the smiling Gloriosa sitting beside Charlotte Linlin.
She had indeed come to Hachinosu Island with a private purpose.
She was waiting for someone, someone who might come to take her away because she was here. If that person didn't come, she planned to stay in this chaotic place forever.
"It's better that we don't get along!"
Sitting beside Charlotte Linlin and sipping juice, Gloriosa immediately chimed in, hugging Charlotte Linlin's arm with a bit of smugness.
"If you and Linlin got along too well, I'd be very upset!"
Their conversation was interrupted by a sudden rise in volume from the other side of the bar.
Charlotte Linlin and Gloriosa's gazes were drawn there at the same time.
"Newgate! What are you doing here again?!"
Bakin's cheeks were puffed with anger, her hands on her hips as she blocked Newgate, who was about to walk toward the bar.
After confirming that there was indeed no special 'friendship' between Newgate and Charlotte Linlin, she had just breathed a sigh of relief, only for an incredibly charming Shakky to appear.
Over the past few days, Newgate had become a regular at this bar, and his intentions were obvious.
Newgate stopped, looked down at the fuming Bakin, and swirled the glass in his hand with an enjoying expression, saying as if it were a matter of course:
"I come to a bar to drink, of course. What else would I do?"
After saying that, he even pointedly sniffed the whiskey in the glass, which had been personally mixed by Shakky, showing a look of intoxication.
"Newgate! You bastard!!"
Bakin was so infuriated by his stubbornness that steam almost physically rose from her head. She stomped her foot hard, turned around, and rushed out of the bar in a huff.
"Hahaha, what an interesting scene." Charlotte Linlin laughed as she watched the defeated Bakin.
It seemed that in this invisible battle for Newgate's attention, Bakin had suffered a complete defeat at Shakky's hands this time.
At that moment, Shakky behind the bar seemed to accidentally knock over an empty wine bottle, making a crisp sound.
She gave the pirates waiting in line a perfect smile, tinged with a bit of apology and innocence:
"Oh dear, it seems I didn't do that well. I'm so sorry."
"We'll help! Miss Shakky!♡"
Almost instantly, several heads poked in from the window and the door, eyes sparkling with hearts, as they scrambled to squeeze in and clean up.
Meanwhile, Rocks, who occupied the best seat at the bar with no one around him, was currently holding a wine glass, taking a deep breath and exclaiming with a face full of intoxication:
"Mmm... no matter how many times I come, the air here is always so fragrant!♡♡"
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I've posted 70+ chapters in advance on Patreon.
Webnovel updates will still be daily, as usual.
It might not seem tempting right now but who knows what the future holds?
[email protected]/SolyuraMT
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"