Chapter 41: Are You an Idiot?
Tatsuya didn't stop. He followed Nami through the corridor and deep into the cabin.
Feeling the follower behind her, Nami stopped in front of the door and looked back at him coldly.
Then she quickly slipped into the room and tried to slam the door shut behind her.
"Bang!"
The door let out a dull thud as it closed, but it didn't shut completely.
Tatsuya easily jammed his foot into the door crack, but his expression immediately changed, and he let out a pained cry with a contorted face.
"Hiss—! Ah, that really hurts, you idiot!"
"What did you follow me for?" Nami asked through the crack, her eyes wary.
Tatsuya endured the sharp pain on his foot, scratched his head, and put on a smiling face:
"Looking after Miss Navigator's mental health is also the Vice Captain's duty, you know."
"Besides, you currently owe me 310 million Berries. If something happens to you, wouldn't the money you owe me go down the drain?"
Hearing this, Nami's original gloomy and cold expression softened slightly.
She suddenly pulled the door open and punched Tatsuya hard on the shoulder.
"Fat chance! I'm not paying you back!"
Although she said that, her momentum quickly weakened again.
She lowered her head, her bangs covering her eyes, her tone low: "You won't understand, Tatsuya."
Tatsuya silently watched her trembling shoulders and said in his heart:
Actually, I do understand, Miss Navigator.
Even those despairs you feel are insurmountable.
But he didn't voice it. He just smiled gently, his tone becoming firm:
"Anyway, the fact that you are our comrade will not change.
"You are indispensable to us. After all, as you know, this whole crew, including myself, are idiots who know nothing about navigation."
At this point, he suddenly leaned in closer to Nami, his eyes, which seemed able to see through people's hearts, staring at her with a smile:
"If you dare to run away, no matter if you flee to the ends of the earth, we will catch you and bring you back."
Nami's heart shook violently. She suddenly looked up at Tatsuya, a flash of panic and emotion in her eyes.
She was silent for a moment, then, as if to hide something, she pushed the door hard.
"Bang!"
The door slammed shut, and this time Tatsuya didn't escape again.
"My foot..." Tatsuya's expression broke instantly, and he hopped twice in pain.
Hearing Tatsuya's cry of pain, the door crack loosened slightly again.
Nami disdainfully used her toes to nudge Tatsuya's foot out from the door.
"Thanks for the concern, my Vice Captain. Also, I'm going to rest, go away!"
With a "click" of the lock, Tatsuya stood outside the closed door and sighed helplessly.
Honestly, I really don't know what to do when facing women...
He spoke softly to the door, "Get some rest."
Just then, exclamations came from the deck, followed by the sound of something heavy falling.
Did something happen?
Tatsuya's expression sharpened. He didn't stay any longer and hurried outside.
...
Inside the room.
Nami leaned against the cold door, her body seemingly losing all its strength as she slowly slid to the floor.
She opened her palm and stared blankly at the cold key in her hand.
Then she gripped it tightly, her nails digging deep into her flesh.
Her long-suppressed tears finally broke through the dam, flowing uncontrollably.
She buried her head deep between her bent legs, her shoulders shaking violently.
"No... You, you won't understand..."
Her voice was choked and broken, sounding exceptionally desolate in the empty room.
"They are monsters... If you oppose them, you will die."
"Hate me, Tatsuya..."
"Luffy, Zoro, Usopp... I'm sorry..."
...
Meanwhile, on the other side of the cabin.
Everyone had worked together to carry the once-again fainted Yosaku to a vacant room and settled him in.
Now, everyone was sitting around a simple dining table, enjoying a simple dinner.
"So there are such dangers in long-term voyages."
Zoro held a wine glass, drained the ale inside, his face carrying a bit of awe for the laws of survival at sea.
"Yeah, thanks to Big Sis Nami, otherwise Yosaku would probably..."
Johnny sat to the side, grabbed a piece of hard, dry bread, took a big bite, his face full of the relief of having survived a disaster.
Usopp, his mouth full of food, said indistinctly:
"Hmm, so that means we must consider nutritional balance for long-term travel with the limited ingredients on board?"
"Ah, I'll handle that next time we stock up on supplies." Tatsuya pushed the door open and sat down next to Luffy.
"Caw caw! This Great One wants meat!"
A black Crow fluttered its wings and landed on the dining table; it was Clay.
It stared at the food on the table and cawed discontentedly.
Tatsuya reached out and grabbed its beak. "That sounds terrible, idiot."
Johnny looked at this talking Crow; although he had seen it once before.
But seeing it peck at the bread up close now, he couldn't help but widen his eyes.
The creatures on this ship were weirder than the next.
Luffy swallowed the food in his mouth, crossed his arms, and looked at the ceiling, thinking seriously:
"Hmm... In order not to get sick, in order to eat delicious meat..."
Suddenly, he smacked his palm, his eyes shining:
"Yosh! Hey, everyone! Let's go find a sea cook!"
"Cook!" Clay immediately raised a wing in agreement.
"Ah! I see! This way we can eat gourmet food on the ship too!" Usopp's mouth was already watering.
Hearing Luffy wanted a cook, Johnny, who was devouring his food, suddenly stopped.
He struggled to swallow the bread in his mouth and interjected: "If you're looking for a cook, I know a good place."
"Where is it!" Luffy leaned in excitedly.
Johnny wiped his mouth and said seriously: "It's very close to the Grand Line, the famous 'Sea Restaurant'."
And..." He turned to Zoro, "there are also rumors of that 'Hawkeye man' Big Brother has been looking for."
Hearing that name, Zoro's hand holding the wine glass tightened suddenly, his eyes becoming sharp in an instant.
"As for the course... it's North-Northeast!" Johnny pointed in a direction and shouted.
"Ohhh!!"
Everyone cheered in unison, for the food and for the coming adventure.
Tatsuya sat to the side, watching this vibrant scene, and couldn't help but laugh.
Sea Restaurant Sea Restaurant...
He was calculating the upcoming plot in his mind.
His hand subconsciously took the bread from the table and stuffed it piece by piece into Clay's wide-open mouth.
His thoughts drifted away, but his hand movements didn't stop.
Clay's eyes bulged, his mouth stuffed full, unable to chew at all.
But it didn't dare refuse this Great One's 'loving' feeding, so it could only desperately stretch its neck and try to swallow.
Finally, the limit was reached.
"Wuu wuu... Gweat One..."
Clay let out a suffocating wail, rolled its eyes, and collapsed on the table, twitching.
Tatsuya finally snapped out of it, looked at the nearly choking Clay, frowned, and said disdainfully:
"Are you an idiot? Why did you eat so much?"
Clay struggled to swallow the bread and looked at Tatsuya with tears in its eyes.
It was clearly... you who forced it on me, Great One!
I can't live like this anymore!