Chapter 19
It was difficult to even see Shanks on the ship, let alone after everyone dispersed after disembarking. Considering your lack of understanding of the situation on the island, you chose to stay at the inn rather than go out to find people.
Neither option guarantees you'll find Shanks, but the latter is safer. Even if you don't find him, you don't need to worry about anything else.
But you've overlooked one issue: they went there to drink, and once they start drinking, very few pirates consider going back to the inn. Even if they do return, they might not be sober enough to discuss serious matters.
The thought of being indoors with drunken pirates made you abandon the idea of waiting for them to come to you.
"...Let's try our luck."
-
The island, which wasn't particularly prosperous, became lively with the arrival of the Red-Haired Pirates. Although the islanders' awe of the pirates was palpable, no one would turn down money, especially not the people of this world.
You search for people throughout the noisy bar, noticing several waiters diligently serving drinks to individuals who look dangerous. In contrast, the table where Shanks is sitting appears much more relaxed.
With Shanks were Lu and a few crew members you could call familiar. Even in the noisy atmosphere, Shanks, who had downed a large glass of wine, spotted you at a glance in the chaotic crowd.
Because of the distance, you couldn't hear what Shanks said after he smiled and waved at you and then turned to talk to Lu. You only knew that after that, the people sitting at the table laughed happily.
These little incidents are not important; what's important is that you get through them.
Perhaps fate thought your journey to Shanks was too smooth. Just a few tables away, you avoided a drunkard trying to get you to drink with him; a man who seemed to have ulterior motives but was still sober; and a table where someone was completely absorbed in their drink and didn't even notice you, and a fight broke out over a topic you weren't interested in.
Just a few tables apart, you felt like you'd been on a rollercoaster ride, so much so that you were still panting when you finally sat down at the table Shanks had vacated for you.
The group of people who noticed you the moment you entered burst into laughter at your novel reaction, with Shanks, who was handing you the drink, laughing the loudest.
"You're really something. I thought you'd go outside when you saw this!"
Catching your breath, you first glanced at the wooden wine glass in front of you before turning to look at Shanks, who was slapping his thigh and laughing. Perhaps it was the camaraderie of working in the kitchen, but Lu and a few other crew members were able to chat with you for a bit, and knowing you were shy, they told Shanks to keep his laughter down.
If they didn't laugh when they talked about Shanks, you might believe them. Unlike you, who silently criticize him in your mind, Shanks directly stated his thoughts.
"Hey, how can you talk like that? Aren't you all laughing happily too?"
Then everyone started shifting the blame, and the topic ended with Shanks feigning innocence in a single voice. At the same time, Shanks, having put down his glass, looked at you. Although he still smelled of alcohol, there was no trace of drunkenness in his eyes.
"Alright, you've had your laugh. What brings you here?"
When Shanks gets serious, you instinctively straighten your back if you want to talk to him, and the tension you feel when you're walking through the small, crowded bar is nothing compared to this.
Even so, you still have to face reality, because you're the one asking for a favor. If you can't offer a gift, fine, but if you also don't speak up or show any attitude, who's going to pay attention to you?
As you were organizing your thoughts, your peripheral vision caught Shanks's hand on the glass he'd placed in front of you after you sat down. Perhaps Shanks had just handed it to you casually, but you knew that "conversations between men" usually took place over drinks.
So, is that what Shanks meant by that drink? You can't figure Shanks out, but you know you don't want to waste this opportunity. So, you temporarily put aside your carefully prepared thoughts, picked up the wooden glass under Shanks' intrigued gaze, and drank most of the strong, unpleasant-smelling liquor.
Just as you put down your glass, forcing yourself to suppress the urge to grimace at the smell of alcohol, Shanks burst into laughter again.
"You drink with such boldness!"
You're not sure if Shanks is praising you or mocking you, but that doesn't stop you from continuing Shanks' conversation.
"Thank you for the compliment."
Amid your thanks, Shanks casually glanced at Lu beside him. Lu, with perfect understanding, led his crew to move to another table, making room for you and Shanks. Before leaving, Lu even told you to drink less.
Seeing this, you secretly breathed a sigh of relief that you had acted correctly. And so, you became aware of the seemingly unkempt person beside you, who was actually very knowledgeable about the people and situations around him. This understanding only increased your awe of Shanks.
While you were distracted by this, Shanks, with his only remaining hand, propped his chin up and looked at you.
So what do you want to tell me this time?
You haven't forgotten the purpose of your trip, and you've found the explanation you prepared before you left amidst your chaotic thoughts.
"Regarding the Whitebeard incident we discussed last time, I think I can disembark on an island near their territory."
That's right, getting two different factions to make contact is too difficult, and you don't have a legitimate reason to get Shanks and the others to do so. The most reasonable thing to do is to have them drop you off on a nearby island.
Shanks, who had taken a sip of wine while you were speaking, looked puzzled and revealed his thoughts.
"An island close to Whitebeard's territory? It's still a long way off. How should I put it... since we've been to sea together, I still have to give you a heads-up."
Even if you disembark and successfully board a merchant ship to Whitebeard's territory, you will still encounter pirates on the way who are going to challenge Whitebeard.
"Basically, very few merchant ships that go there can dock. Those that can dock are basically the ones on Whitebeard's ship that are specifically responsible for transporting supplies, or those that pay high tolls."
As he finished speaking, Shanks put down his glass and, seeing you frozen in place by his words, gave you a mischievous grin.
"Guess what you would do if you were on a merchant ship in this situation?"
What will happen? The answers are always the same few, and none of them end well. Even if you already knew this would be the outcome, Shanks directly pointing out the worst-case scenario you anticipated still makes your hand holding the wooden glass tremble uncontrollably. The throat that wanted to continue the conversation is also powerless due to the fear of the unknown future and the frustration of your own lack of critical thinking.
Seeing that he had achieved his goal, even beyond his expectations, Shanks hurriedly called out to wake you up from your dead end.
"Hey, don't look like the sky is falling. I didn't say I wouldn't help you."
You looked up in response, a wry smile creeping across Shanks's usual, unchanging expression. Perhaps realizing he'd gone too far, or perhaps your expression made Shanks uncomfortable, he scratched the back of his head and offered a new suggestion in an uncertain tone.
"I have some connections with Whitebeard, so I'll write him a letter sometime and give you an answer then, no rush..."
Towards the end, Shanks gave up thinking and directly stated the reason for his sudden panic.
"Anyway, don't cry, I don't know how to comfort you!"
The case is solved. Shanks changed his attitude because he thought you were about to cry. It's hard to imagine that one of the Four Emperors, so renowned on this vast sea, would be so worried about the possibility of you crying.
Perhaps because you had just vented your emotions to someone else not long ago, you, who would usually shed tears over these things, didn't feel like crying at all.
Although the conversation with Shanks didn't make any substantial progress, Shanks personally said he would help you, which eased your anxiety about Crocodile's acrostic.
"I understand, I won't cry, thank you for listening to me."
You expressed your sincerest gratitude to Shanks, who frowned slightly at your words.
"Being thanked like that by you makes me feel a little conflicted. You don't talk to everyone like that, do you?"
Shanks stroked his bearded chin and said, "Basic manners are necessary for you, and you're genuinely grateful to Shanks, so you don't think there's anything wrong with what you said. Most importantly, the effects of the alcohol seem to be kicking in; the slight buzz is making it a little difficult for you to organize your thoughts."
Even Shanks, a seasoned drinker, noticed your unusual behavior and looked surprised: "Are you drunk?"
Perhaps it's because the people Shanks hangs out with are all heavy drinkers, but Shanks, realizing you might be drunk, is like a child discovering a new toy, leaning closer to check your reaction.
Your vision was already blurry from the effects of intoxication, and Shanks's constant craning of his neck made it even more difficult to see clearly. You resisted the urge to slap the person making you even more dizzy, and instead, you furrowed your brow and stepped back a few centimeters.
"A little, but it's not a big problem."
Little did Shanks know that, in his eyes, you were already putting on a brave face because you were a little tipsy and unsteady on your feet, which gave Shanks, who wanted to stay at the bar and drink more, a bit of a headache.
"Hey, why are you drinking if you can't drink?"
Perhaps due to the alcohol, your ability to regulate emotions is particularly vulnerable at this moment. Words meant as expressions of appreciation sound like reproaches to you. Although you are a little drunk, you know perfectly well who gave you the idea to drink.
"If you give me alcohol, do I have a reason not to drink it?"
While feeling wronged, there was also a hint of resentment. In a sober state, you would never dare to speak to Shanks like this. It's only because you don't have the energy to deal with these things right now that you're expressing your dissatisfaction so bluntly.
Shanks, who was seeing you for the first time and displaying emotions that a normal person would have, stood there stunned. After realizing that he was the one who made you who you are now, he smiled awkwardly and looked at you with eyes that seemed to be both reproachful and glaring at him.
"Haha, indeed, I'm the one who gave you the drink. So it seems I'm the one who has to take you back to the hotel."
You don't feel like you need someone to take you away; you're just a little sleepy, but you're still able to move around easily. However, Shanks, having made up his mind, doesn't give you a chance to refuse. After picking up his glass and downing the drink in one gulp, he can easily lift you up with one hand.
The sudden feeling of weightlessness made you, who was temporarily unable to regain your balance, hurriedly hug Shanks' neck. The strong smell of alcohol and Shanks' laughter, which seemed to be amused by your reaction, made your already confused mind even more muddled.
In short, it can be summed up in one word: noisy.
Even so, you didn't dare struggle. Remember, Shanks only has one hand, and he's not short. If you moved and he lost his grip, you'd be the one who fell and got hurt.
"Perhaps your reaction is calmer than expected," Shanks said with a hint of interest.
Are you really drunk?
You initially thought Shanks was being unreasonable by telling him he wasn't drunk, but after he insisted on taking you home, he asked you if you were drunk. You could only describe Shanks as fickle, but you still answered his questions anyway.
"I'm not drunk."
The confirmation that he wasn't drunk was met with Shanks's smiling male voice.
"Okay, now we can be sure he's drunk."
Clearly, whether you admit it or not, Shanks thinks you're drunk. As for why he keeps asking if you're drunk... you attribute it to the wickedness ingrained in a man's or a pirate's DNA.
On the way back, Shanks asked you a lot of questions, mentioning many names, but your drunken and drowsy state made you forget them all, only remembering Shanks's confused "shouldn't be."
Your ability to stay conscious only diminished when you were placed on a soft mattress.
If you've been having trouble falling asleep lately, you'll finally be able to sleep soundly without any dreams.
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