It seemed that even as an Admiral, honored guest of the king, and savior of the kingdom, Luffy couldn't escape the attention of enthusiastic admirers—especially when they had legitimate reasons to approach him.
The palace attendant's eyes had widened with unconcealed appreciation as Luffy had politely but firmly declined her offer of "assistance." Had he shown any less resolve, she might have attempted to take measurements beyond what propriety allowed.
Securing the towel around his waist, Luffy had finally managed to send the reluctant maid away before proceeding toward the bath chamber. As he walked, he couldn't help but remember that this was likely the same royal bathhouse where the Straw Hat Pirates and King Cobra had once bathed together in the canon.
That particular bath had ended with Nami delivering her infamous "Happiness Punch" to the men—a sight that had cost them each 100,000 berries. In retrospect, perhaps discussing matters in a bathhouse truly was an Alabastan tradition rather than Cobra's personal eccentricity.
Steam enveloped Luffy as he entered the main bathing area. Through the mist, he spotted Cobra reclining by the edge of the large pool, apparently dozing with a small towel draped over his face.
"Uncle Cobra, I've arrived," Luffy called out, announcing his presence with respectful familiarity.
"Hmm? Ah! Luffy, you're here." Startled from his light slumber, Cobra hastily removed the towel from his face, looking slightly embarrassed at being caught napping. "I must be showing my age, falling asleep in such a short time. Please, join me quickly—this is natural hot spring water drawn from deep beneath the desert. It has remarkable restorative properties."
"You're hardly old, Uncle," Luffy replied with an easy smile as he stepped into the pool. "You simply enjoyed too much wine at the banquet."
Slowly immersing himself in the steaming water beside Alabasta's ruler, Luffy felt the warmth envelop his battle-hardened muscles. A contented sigh escaped his lips. "I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a proper hot spring. This feeling is truly magnificent."
The heated water rose to his chest, prompting Luffy to close his eyes in appreciation as tension he hadn't realized he was carrying began to dissolve. Beside him, Cobra nodded in agreement, equally content in the therapeutic waters.
The formality of the official welcome had clearly given way to something more genuine. Their current mode of address—Luffy calling the monarch "Uncle" while Cobra used his given name—reflected the comfortable rapport they'd developed since their first meeting years ago.
After several minutes of peaceful soaking, Luffy decided to address the obvious. "I suspect Uncle Cobra didn't invite me here solely to enjoy your hot springs, excellent as they are. What's on your mind?"
Cobra nodded slightly, appreciating the directness. They were both perceptive men with little interest in unnecessary pretense.
"Nothing too serious," the king began, adjusting his position in the water. "I merely wished to hear about your recent experiences directly from you. Everything I know comes from newspaper reports, and as you're well aware, publications contain both facts and fabrications. Firsthand accounts are always more reliable than what those journalists print, particularly that troublemaker Morgans."
Cobra paused before adding, "Consider it satisfying the curiosity of a bored old monarch."
"I understand completely," Luffy laughed, though the corners of his mouth twitched almost imperceptibly beneath the rising steam. "I've fielded similar inquiries throughout my diplomatic tour."
Anyone unfamiliar with court politics might have believed Cobra's innocent explanation, but Luffy recognized the subtle interrogation. The king was discreetly probing whether the gossip surrounding his romantic entanglements—contained any truth.
Since Cobra had only Morgans' sensationalized reporting to work with, he understandably sought confirmation from the source. Luffy, however, wasn't about to discuss his personal life so transparently, even with his prospective father-in-law.
With strategic redirection, Luffy began discussing his official duties instead. "Since my promotion to Admiral, my responsibilities have expanded considerably beyond combat operations..."
He leaned back against the smooth stone edge of the bath, adopting a relaxed posture that belied his careful word selection.
"You may not be aware, Uncle, but after the Marines liberated Wano from Kaido's tyranny, we also removed the corrupt shogunate that had collaborated with him. Since then, due to complex political factors, Wano has operated without a formal ruler."
Steam swirled between them as Luffy continued, "As commander of the regional Marine branch, I've unofficially assumed responsibility for maintaining stability throughout the country. Though Wano's population is relatively modest—just over 300,000 citizens—the governance challenges consume half my waking hours. I actually hoped to seek your counsel on several administrative matters."
Having successfully pivoted the conversation toward governance rather than gossip, Luffy proceeded to outline various challenges he faced in Wano.
Cobra initially appeared disappointed at the evasion but quickly became engaged as Luffy described specific governance issues. As a ruler widely considered among the wisest in the Grand Line, Cobra couldn't resist offering his expertise.
The king was also genuinely surprised to learn that Luffy—still quite young by leadership standards—was effectively administering an entire nation. For all his combat prowess, administrative competence represented an unexpected dimension to the Admiral's capabilities.
Drawing on almost a thousand years of Nefertari family governance traditions, Cobra analyzed Luffy's challenges and offered practical solutions based on Alabasta's experiences. What had begun as Luffy's attempt to divert attention transformed into a genuine masterclass in statecraft from one of the world's most respected monarchs.
For all his tactical maneuvering, Luffy found himself absorbing valuable governance principles that would genuinely benefit Wano's people—a fortuitous outcome from what might have been an awkward interrogation about his romantic life.