The next morning, Zhang Da Ye still got to drink milk—Artoria had won that portion but kindly gave it back to him. Seeing Tom looking glum, he even offered it to him. Tom resisted the temptation but ultimately accepted half.
Perhaps influenced by Tom's mood, Zhang Da Ye drew prizes after morning training: **Tom's Engagement Shard ×1** and **Tom's Heartbreak Drinks ×111**. Out of consideration, he didn't dare peek too closely. The inventory remained impressively spacious, showing no limits.
In the morning, Zhang Da Ye visited several shops and bars to check prices, then relabeled his shelves following Gulagas' advice.
"Not possible, small boss, you actually raised the prices!" a patron exclaimed. Zhang Da Ye calmly replied, "Yes, if I sell at the old prices, I won't even be able to eat."
The crowd laughed, unconvinced—after all, the tavern had only two kids and a cat. He was probably just afraid they'd flee. Zhang Da Ye smiled warmly: "Thanks for supporting us!" Their eagerness to pay, though noisy, was genuinely charming.
Tom collected little gifts as usual, then donned a tailcoat to play piano, earning applause. Zhang Da Ye suspected Tom's outfits had special effects—cowboy attire when subduing thugs, swordsman garb for dueling, tailcoat for piano—but maybe it was just playfulness or a psychological boost for focus.
After the performance, a sharp-looking man in a black suit and bowler hat approached the bar: "You must be Da Ye?"
Zhang Da Ye scanned him—without the slightly curled mustache, he might've thought it was Charlie Chaplin. "Yes, what would you like?"
"STAR-WINE," the man ordered, the priciest bottle in the tavern.
As Zhang Da Ye served it, he casually asked, "You seem unfamiliar here."
The man chuckled, introducing himself as Biznes, a merchant traveling between islands in the first half of the Grand Line. Few visits to the tavern were normal.
Zhang Da Ye probed: "Business must be dangerous with so many pirates."
Biznes sipped and replied, "Dangerous, yes, but not as severe as imagined. The sea itself is our biggest threat, more than pirates."
He explained that unpredictable weather made navigation risky. Even a safe route couldn't guarantee good conditions; disasters could sink ships.
Zhang Da Ye nodded: "Hence the need for skilled navigators. But pirates are still a threat, right?"
"Not as much," Biznes said. "We can flee while calling for nearby Navy aid. My ship, custom-built in Seven Water City, is fast enough to evade most pirate ships. If escape fails, I have competent crew and guards for small pirate groups."
"What about stronger opponents?" Zhang Da Ye asked.
Biznes shrugged: "Surrender, give up valuable cargo, and survive. Luck plays a role, but life is usually preserved."
"Pirates really won't kill or steal the ship?"
"In the Grand Line, notorious pirate captains aren't foolish. Killing merchants reduces future loot. Those without a reputation? Easy to handle."
Zhang Da Ye was impressed. Risk existed, but profit outweighed the tavern. After saving up, he could consider hiring a crew to go out to sea—once he could face Crocodile or Gecko Moria without flinching. But buying a ship remained uncertain—Tom alone couldn't craft one by hand.
"Impressive," Zhang Da Ye praised. Biznes smiled: courage and greed combined with bold action earn profit.
"Many merchants like me exist," Biznes said, then mentioned a business proposition: "It involves the cat pianist. This clever feline—if you ever consider selling, I can offer a high price."
Before Zhang Da Ye could respond, a tomato smashed into Biznes' face, red juice dripping onto his white collar. Tom stood, fuming at Biznes.
"Calm, Tom. I won't sell you," Zhang Da Ye reassured, patting Tom's head, mindful he might blow up the tavern otherwise.
Tom glared, then left the bar upstairs, leaving half-counted snacks behind.
**Note:** STAR-WINE was reportedly the drink Roger and Whitebeard enjoyed in conversation, as seen on the bottle label.