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Chapter 1068: Delivering Warmth
Chapter 1068: Delivering Warmth
At the dining area behind Headquarters, lanterns and festive decorations were already illuminating the space.
Led by Klah with Sengoku assisting, the duo had taken over the entire block of restaurants and entertainment venues for a seven-day banquet. For this world, such extravagance wasn’t unusual—some celebrations lasted two or three days straight. A single day wouldn’t have been enough to accommodate everyone, but spreading it across seven days ensured any Navy member could drop by anytime to enjoy the food and drinks.
The cost was undoubtedly massive, but Kuromr. had insisted on covering all expenses. Even when Sengoku offered to share the burden, Klah knew Kuromr. wouldn’t budge. While he might be stingy in daily life, Kuromr. never hesitated to step up when it mattered most.
Behind Headquarters, the atmosphere was lively. Besides the main dining hall, food stalls lined the streets, and performers—street artists, singers, kabuki players—had all been gathered to entertain the crowd. Navy members were already trickling in, gathering in small groups.
“This is delicious!”
“And this one too!”
“This is good, definitely this one!”
A white-haired girl in a hooded cloak darted through the crowd like a whirlwind, her hands full of snacks and her mouth stuffed to the brim. Her words came out muffled as she dashed between stalls.
Her antics drew plenty of sidelong glances, especially as she began grabbing food indiscriminately.
A Navy officer had just finished waiting in line for a skewer of octopus balls. He’d finally gotten his hands on them, lifting one toward his mouth, when a white blur zipped past. His skewer was gone.
“Who did that?!”
The officer, a vein throbbing on his forehead, bellowed, “Do you know who I am? I’m Commander Mitchie! Commander Mitz, the ‘Iron Finger’ himself!”
“Just a Commander—don’t make a scene.”
A Commodore patted his shoulder and nodded toward Lida, who was still darting about. “That’s Vice Admiral Lida, the White Whale Vice Admiral.”
“White Whale?!” the Commander exclaimed. “You mean the legendary subordinate of Golden Lion?!”
“No, no—White Butterfly,” the Commodore corrected.
Bang!
Before the Commander could react, Lida suddenly reappeared, her fist slamming into his abdomen. He doubled over, clutching his stomach as he staggered backward, dry-heaving.
Seeing this, the Commodore wisely shut up.
While the White Whale Vice Admiral was famous for her appetite, she absolutely hated being called “White Whale.” Yet, the name was far more fitting than “White Butterfly.”
“Unbelievable,” Lida muttered, shaking out her hand after swallowing her food. She wandered over to Klah. “Hey, Klah, when’s the banquet starting? Is Kuro back yet?”
“The banquet’s tonight. Since it’s outdoors, people can come and go as they please. The Navy can’t exactly shut down for seven days—Grand Line would descend into chaos. As for Kuromr., he’ll be back before the banquet starts. It’s Admiral Lucius Kro’s birthday after all.”
“Ah, right—Lucius Kro’s birthday. Sounds like a blast.”
Lida skewered another octopus ball and popped it into her mouth, then handed the rest to Ju Geng beside her. “Ju Geng sister, this stuff’s amazing. You should analyze it.”
Ju Geng took one, chewed thoughtfully, and nodded. “Street food? I’m not specialized in this area, but analysis never hurts.”
“Exactly. The more research, the better.”
Just then, Moer materialized from behind, adding, “Too bad we can’t join in.”
“Wait—you want to drink urine?!” Ju Geng wrinkled her nose, surveying the festivities.
Moer groaned.
“Experience,” Moer muttered, bowing briefly before ignoring her.
He’d heard she was hard of hearing, but today was his first real chance to confirm it.
Walking over to Klah, he glanced around. “Sure is lively here.”
“Rare to see you show up.” Klah adjusted his glasses. “You’re either vanished or asleep these days. Are other places really that much better?”
“Don’t slander me! I’m not ‘playing’—I’m rescuing innocent maidens, letting them feel the world’s warmth. It’s extremely warm, both inside and out.” Moer smirked. “Besides, how could I miss such a grand event?”
“Sure, sure. You’re just broke. Kuromr. insisted on hosting this time, and with such an important occasion, you couldn’t skip out. Otherwise, you’d vanish like usual.”
As chief steward, Klah knew the Kuro faction’s personalities well. Moer loved spreading “warmth”—whether in billiard halls or taverns, his presence was ubiquitous.
“Don’t be so blunt,” Moer chuckled. “Have some mercy on my reputation.”
“Then do me a favor—next time you go out and try to skip out on the bill, don’t use your real name! Do you know how many business owners have complained to the Navy?”
Klah held up two fingers. “Twenty! This month alone! Twenty shops have accused you of Robbing Meals. Cleaning up after you is a nightmare. Kuromr. might not care, but show some respect for our reputation. At least sign an Iou and have them charge it to Navy!”
Thanks to his ability, Moer frequented too many establishments. While his salary and Kuro’s occasional bonuses were generous, they couldn’t keep up with his spending.
What really irked people was his habit of slipping away when the bill came due. Claiming to use the restroom, he’d teleport out—every time, like clockwork. But worse, he always did it under the Navy’s name.
Kuromr. often joked, “Can’t run from the temple, huh?” With the Navy’s size, where could he possibly hide? Klah always ended up footing the bill.
“Only twenty?” Moer blinked, muttering, “I thought it was thirty…”
“Moer!”
Klah glared, a vein throbbing on his forehead, then sighed in exasperation. “Borrow money if you must, but not until after these seven days. You’re staying put. Admiral Lucius Kro’s birthday requires your presence—you’ll remain on standby here for a full week.”
(End of Chapter)
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