In the restored Grand Plaza, lanterns hung from every corner despite the sun still shining brightly in the evening sky.
The main street, simply but festively decorated, hosted a modest line of food stalls where children eagerly devoured meat and sugar-rich treats they rarely had the chance to taste.
"It's become somewhat lavish. Good thing we didn't go overboard with too many stalls..."
"Even if it's better than the countries hit by the Pirate Alliance, we still don't have many people."
"Making it flashy on the surface without substance would just feel hollow, I suppose."
We finally made it this far.
The Harvest Festival, held simultaneously here in Mopuchi, in Luchu, and in the harder-to-reach settlements.
Well, since it's quite late from the actual harvest season, maybe we should have called it something else.
"However, it's quite impressive, Tesoro."
After checking the festival from a distance with Daz, I addressed the man standing beside me, a tall figure dressed in a brand-new three-piece suit.
"To be honest, I thought we could go a bit more grand..."
"Sorry, but given our situation, we need to use our resources and money elsewhere."
Gild Tesoro.
The man I'd recently appointed as our provisional treasurer.
"Right now we're doing everything we can just to stabilize daily life, but if we can recover from here, by this time next year we should be able to hold the kind of spectacular festival you have in mind."
"...If nothing goes wrong, that is."
"Hey, quit it, Daz."
Don't say such ominous things.
Though I'll admit, the unsettling tension between the Navy and World Government is genuinely frightening.
(The worst-case scenario would be the Navy splitting in two...)
Based on information from Bege's letters and other sources, I could see the conflict between the anti-World Government faction and the status quo faction intensifying.
The skirmish during the forced inspection that became Tesoro's salvation was probably partly due to this tension.
(If the military balance collapses now, we could end up in a genuine pirate-ruled world. An era where violence is everything.)
The Government wants to regain control over the Navy.
Meanwhile, the Navy's distrust of the World Government has reached an all-time high.
(...If left alone, our current enemy might pull another strange move. Or worse, the World Government might resort to extreme measures to strengthen their influence over the Navy.)
What should have been a "well, that would be troublesome in five years" worst-case scenario is now barreling toward us at full speed. Please, someone make it stop.
"But Tesoro, was it? I heard from the Captain that you were appointed as treasurer, but how did that come about?"
"Ah, Tesoro submitted a proposal for the festival that was exceptionally well done. That very night, I visited his home to discuss it."
"Captain, you really need to learn some restraint."
"What do you mean?"
Tesoro chuckled wryly too.
I mean, wouldn't it be terrifying if a pirate boss suddenly summoned you right after arriving on the island?
"At first, I thought about making him oversee festivals and ceremonial events, but we're lacking so many necessary personnel and roles... I had him take on this position instead."
That's why I brought a basket of fruit as a gift when I made that house call.
"The festival planning and execution proposal submitted through the guard, plus his first few days of work at the harbor where he built good relationships with the workers and handled tasks efficiently, showed he had ability."
Initially, I considered having him handle domestic planning and project management, but after our discussion about his past work, I figured he'd be better suited for making money than land development, hence the treasurer position.
"Well, I'll also have you handle event planning and execution. The upcoming one would be Hancock's appointment ceremony as Admiral of the First Fleet."
"Yes, once this festival concludes safely, I'll work from the draft I submitted the other day."
Being a former underworld figure, he didn't look down on anyone based on age or appearance, maintained proper hierarchy, and treated our young guards as well as child executives like Daz, Perona, Robin, and Hancock with courtesy.
Really, the personnel we desperately needed just walked right into our hands.
"Captain Kuro, are you planning to strengthen trade by next year?"
"That's right. As I explained when you were with Stella, I want to secure funding through trade, starting with food."
"...That means we'll need our own trade routes. Is creating those my job?"
"Exactly. I'm counting on you."
The biggest characteristic of us 'Black Cat Pirates' is that we're composed entirely of people who are the complete opposite of criminals, or victims of crime.
This gives us high moral standards, dedication to training and drills, and good discipline, but it also creates a major weakness.
Limited connections to the underworld.
(Looking back, Nami's role in the Straw Hat crew was incredibly important...)
They could properly appraise the gold from Skypiea because she was there, and her thieving experience became the Straw Hats' lifeline.
In contrast, the Black Cat Pirates had limited ways to make money, especially since we ended up fighting the Five Great Families.
Our rush to develop unaffiliated countries was partly due to this, the difficulty of buying and selling goods.
(Tesoro, who knows the underworld's methods but values honest work, is truly invaluable personnel.)
I'd like to let him focus on the work he wants to do eventually, but for now, I need him to help build our foundation.
"Bege is our ally, but if we become too dependent and he becomes essential to us, it'll be hard to refuse his demands. Actually, I think that's partly what he's aiming for."
Bege is fundamentally competent and both trustworthy and reliable, but also someone I can't let my guard down around.
I've asked him to secure supplies to minimize the chaos from this Alliance incident, and while he's doing that job perfectly, he's also expanding his influence behind the scenes.
(Since it's difficult for him to overwhelm us militarily, I should assume he's trying to gain the upper hand through indirect means.)
Having such a capable ally makes me want to cry.
"For trade, we'll need to find things that can become commodities..."
"Right. Next year we're planning to sell food for starters, but that depends on weather and other factors, so we don't know how much we'll harvest."
"...Not many stable products, then."
Toya and the others were lighting the large campfire built in the plaza.
Soon it would be time for singing and dancing.
Until last year, this country's people were fighting each other, pirates, and bandits just to protect what little food they could obtain. Now they could hold festivals like this.
"First, I'll secure several trade routes for us. From there, I'll research demand in the West Blue."
"Please do. I'll do my best to grow the crew so we don't get interference from outside."
Before that, we have a mountain of problems to overcome...
What should we do about it all?
***
"Here, Robin. Pumpkin soup. It's sweet and will warm you up."
"Thank you, Hancock."
While we called it a Harvest Festival, it was actually running somewhat late.
Winter was approaching, and the temperature had definitely dropped since harvest time.
After making their appearance as 'Black Cat' executives at the festival's opening, Hancock and Robin were now enjoying the festivities from a covered picnic table set up at a distance.
"But Hancock, was it really okay for me to receive such nice clothes?"
"Of course. You don't have much besides your usual suits, and you rarely ask for anything, do you? The Captain asked me to take this opportunity to prepare some warm winter clothes before it gets cold."
The Black Cat Pirates, surprisingly, spent considerable money on clothing.
This served to make their clothes a 'sign,' but they were also genuinely high-quality garments.
For Robin, who had lived most of her childhood without receiving much clothing, the well-tailored suits made from good fabric were treasures in themselves.
Now, another treasure had been added to her collection.
A high-quality coat sized perfectly for Robin's current height.
A piece Hancock had specially ordered.
"Since it's a coat for going out, I thought we didn't need to add our mark to it, you know?"
"No, I like this mark."
Robin smiled as she touched the three-clawed cat embroidered on the chest of her coat.
She smiled, then immediately after, her expression clouded slightly.
"Hancock?"
"What is it, Robin?"
"Am I really allowed to receive so many wonderful things..."
While checking her coat, trying to see the back by pulling at the fabric, Robin murmured.
"How strange to say such a thing. Have you forgotten that you're one of the 'Black Cat's' top executives? How can the higher-ups lead if they don't dress well? If the leadership looks too shabby, the subordinates won't be respected."
"But I've never fought or commanded soldiers like you have, Hancock."
"Wait, I heard that before I joined the 'Black Cat,' you used your abilities to take down enemies one after another with brutal joint locks..."
Since Hancock and Mihawk temporarily joined and provided military strength, Kuro had been able to have Robin focus entirely on situational awareness and support operations.
"Before Captain saved me... no, when I was on the island, I never got pretty clothes like these..."
"I only really know Amazon Lily, so I don't understand what kind of environment you lived in, but..."
After finishing her soup from the wooden cup, Hancock took a breath.
"It's fine to want what you want, and if you can obtain it, then you should. True, this 'Black Cat' crew has the strange policy of making or buying what we want rather than stealing it, but we're still pirates."
The wooden cup Hancock had just emptied was actually something Kuro had carved by hand, trying to copy what he'd seen others do.
It was hardly a good piece, lumpy and uneven in places.
Kuro himself thought it was a complete failure and was about to use it as firewood when Hancock, somehow charmed by its imperfect shape, asked to keep it.
"But..."
"But what?"
"...If I weren't here, wouldn't Captain be able to move more freely?"
"Robin..."
"If I weren't here, he could have joined the Seven Warlords and helped more people... I'm always being protected, so should I really be this happy...?"
"You're overthinking it. Everyone who fights on the front lines knows exactly how valuable your work is, and those who don't just need some sense knocked into them. Besides..."
"No matter what happened, the Captain would have saved you the moment he met you. That's just who he is..."
***
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