Chapter 9: Setting Sail
"Hey, look over there! What's that?"
In the distance, a young maid pushed a cart laden with goods toward the crowd. It was Mia, one of the Ikano household servants.
"Isn't that Master Ryu's maid? Why is she here? And isn't that the stuff we sent as thanks?" someone murmured.
Stepping into the center of the gathering, Mia took a deep breath before addressing the villagers.
"Everyone, please listen. Master Ryu has asked me to return all the gifts you sent."
The crowd erupted into gasps of shock and confusion.
"What… what does this mean? Is Master Ryu dissatisfied with our gifts? Of course he would be! After saving all our lives, all we could offer were these ordinary fruits. We're so ungrateful!" one villager lamented.
"Yes, we don't deserve his mercy…" another added, hanging their head in shame.
As panic began to spread, beads of sweat formed on Mia's forehead. She quickly interjected, "No, no! You've misunderstood! Master Ryu didn't reject your gifts because he disliked them. He said these are the fruits of your hard labor, and after the pirate attack, it wouldn't be right for him to take anything from you. In fact, he's sent some money to help repair your homes."
With that, Mia produced a hefty sum—around five million Beri. Though it wasn't enough to cover repairs for every house, it was a significant contribution nonetheless. After all, the damage hadn't been caused by Ryu or his family.
The crowd fell silent for a moment, processing her words.
Then, chaos erupted once more.
"Ahhhh!"
"Waaaah! This kindness is too much! We'll never be able to repay such generosity!"
"How noble, how kind! Master Ryu, I swear my undying loyalty to you!"
Ryu, who had been training nearby, couldn't help but overhear the exaggerated outpouring of gratitude. Such was life in the world of One Piece —emotions ran high, people were either impossibly pure-hearted or irredeemably evil, and nothing existed in moderation.
He sighed inwardly. Perhaps he should have anticipated this reaction. Still, meeting them tonight might only make things worse; they'd likely lose control of their emotions. Tomorrow would be better.
The next evening, Ryu appeared before the gathered villagers. As soon as he stepped into view, the crowd surged forward, surrounding him. Yet no one spoke—they were too overwhelmed with emotion to form coherent words.
Seeing their flustered expressions, Ryu broke the silence. "Everyone, I've come seeking your help."
"Master Ryu, whatever you need, we'll do it without hesitation!" one villager exclaimed earnestly.
"It's like this," Ryu began. "Our wine cellar is overflowing with barrels of wine—far more than we can consume. So, I plan to establish a fleet to sell our surplus wine in other towns across the East Blue. However, I'm short on manpower and would like to hire some of you to join the crew."
Before he could finish, eager voices clamored around him.
"This is no trouble at all, Master Ryu! We'll do whatever it takes to assist you!"
"All right, calm down," Ryu said, raising a hand to quiet the crowd. "If you're interested, go see Gray to sign up. Rest assured, I'll pay fair wages."
While the idea of forming a merchant fleet had been somewhat spontaneous, it was also a decision Ryu had carefully considered. The recent raid had left many villagers destitute, some reduced to begging overnight. With few job opportunities in East Boro Village and unemployment rising, tensions were bound to escalate. By creating new positions—tending vineyards, brewing wine, and crewing ships—he hoped to stabilize the village economy and prevent further unrest.
Moreover, accompanying the fleet himself offered practical benefits. If they encountered pirates along the way, he'd have ample opportunity to replenish his blood supply. The animal blood stored in his backyard had grown tiresome, offering little sustenance compared to human blood. Though the 400 units he'd harvested from the pirates seemed substantial, it wouldn't last long given his increasing appetite.
"Master Ryu, we'll work tirelessly for you!" one villager vowed.
"I expect nothing less," Ryu replied with a faint smile. "And I'll ensure your efforts are rewarded fairly. Until the next voyage, farewell."
"Until then, Master Ryu!" the crowd chorused.
The following day, the response was overwhelming. Practically the entire village turned up to apply, nearly breaking down the threshold of the Ikano estate. To manage the influx, registration was moved to the front gates.
To avoid disrupting the village's daily operations, Ryu ultimately hired only those most severely affected by the pirate raid. These individuals were assigned roles tending the vineyards, brewing wine, or serving aboard the ships.
East Boro Village's wine already enjoyed a modest reputation in the East Blue, and news of its sale spread quickly. Ryu was confident that orders would soon follow.
Brrrring brrring~
Just as Ryu prepared to retire for the night, the Den Den Mushi on his desk rang. Curious about who might be calling, he picked up the receiver.
"Hello?"
"Hello? Is this the Ikano household?"
"Yes, this is the young master of the Ikano family. How may I assist you?"
"My name is General Geno of the Goa Kingdom. I hear East Boro Village is selling wine, and I'd like to place an order. When can you deliver?"
"The Goa Kingdom, you say? Given the distance, it'll take about half a month."
"Good. I'll order two hundred barrels. Please ensure timely delivery."
"Understood."
After finalizing the price, the caller hung up. Ryu leaned back in thought. His wine cellar currently held roughly five hundred barrels, and just like that, two hundred had been sold. Clearly, production would need to increase moving forward.
Perhaps becoming a merchant wasn't such a bad idea. Who said living in the One Piece world required piracy? Unless absolutely necessary, he preferred a peaceful life. Being a wealthy merchant sounded far more appealing than constantly evading bounty hunters as a pirate.
After delegating tasks to expand the vineyard and upgrade the wine cellar, Ryu arrived at the docks early the next morning.
"Master Ryu? Have you come to see us off?" one sailor asked respectfully.
"No, I'm boarding the ship."
"Wait—you mean you're coming with us to the Goa Kingdom?"
"That's correct."
Ryu had always intended to accompany the fleet, but upon learning their destination was the Goa Kingdom, his resolve strengthened. After all, Windmill Village—the home of Monkey D. Luffy—was located there. He was curious to catch a glimpse of the future Pirate King during his childhood.
"But such a demanding journey! Surely you shouldn't trouble yourself," another sailor protested.
"And what happens if we encounter a pirate ship? Someone needs to protect the cargo," Ryu countered calmly.
His words silenced any further objections. While some villagers worried about leaving East Boro unprotected, the likelihood of encountering pirates at sea far outweighed the risk of another raid on the village. Having Ryu aboard was undoubtedly the safer option.