One Piece:I am King Luffy!

Such a mischievous older sister! She's so bad, but I like it…

Luffy was also eager to try the red wine Bell-mère had poured. Just a sip to taste wouldn't hurt, right? He'd always been curious about the alcohol in this pirate world. After all, this world had giants and other fantastic beings—who knew what kind of potent brews they might concoct?

The captivating red liquid poured into their glasses, and Bell-mère filled each child's glass. Nami picked up her glass, downing it like a fruit juice.

"Nami, I've told you before: there's a proper way to drink. Don't get yourself too tipsy," Bell-mère warned.

Nami laughed, putting her glass down. "It's fine, Bell-mère. You're here to look after us anyway," Nojiko chimed in.

"Honestly, you kids will grow up before you know it."

So, Bell-mère is letting the girls get used to alcohol gradually, thought Luffy as he swirled his glass, savoring the wine's aroma. It seemed like a trick some adults used—to let younger girls drink lightly to gauge their tolerance and warn them of their limits.

Nami had one of the best tolerances around here, Luffy noted, though he personally found the wine a bit bitter. After tasting the drink, he focused on the meal, piling his plate with the fortified food that would enhance his body's abilities. Just eating to get stronger was a fantastic concept.

"Strange flavor…" Uta murmured, her violet eyes fixed on her glass. She took a small sip, wrinkling her nose at the taste. "The grown-ups with Shanks always loved drinking, but I don't get the appeal," she remarked.

Bell-mère chuckled softly. "That's right, wine isn't for everyone."

Uta's cheeks began to blush, and she ran her fingers down her throat, tracing a path to her stomach. "It feels… strange inside," she commented, looking at Bell-mère.

"Is this your first time trying alcohol, Uta? Maybe eat something—it'll help," Bell-mère advised.

Nodding obediently, Uta dug into the meal. "This food is amazing!" she exclaimed, all thoughts of the strange feeling fading as she savored the delicious dishes.

"Glad you like it. I'll keep practicing," Bell-mère replied. This was a golden opportunity for her, a way to change her fate. She never imagined that food combinations could make such a difference, fortifying the body itself.

The Marines at Headquarters… they must be absolute monsters, she thought.

As they ate, Bell-mère asked, "So, Luffy, what kind of training does your grandfather make you do?"

"Getting beaten up," he replied flatly.

Luffy elaborated, "He ties me to balloons and lets me drift off or leaves me in the woods to fend for myself. Once, he even made me fight a pack of wolves." Luffy grimaced at the memory of Garp's unique and borderline dangerous training regimen.

"Well, that's… some intense training…" Bell-mère managed a polite laugh, shocked by the Marine hero's methods.

Nami patted Luffy on the shoulder sympathetically. "You really had it rough, huh?"

"Hey, Bell-mère, tell us about your time as a Marine!" Luffy urged.

Bell-mère smiled as she reminisced, sharing stories from her Marine days over the meal. After a while, she raised her glass, "Care for another try? Wine needs time to breathe. The younger the wine, the longer it should breathe. Older wines have already aged in the bottle, so they need less time or they can 'die' from over-breathing…"

The concept of letting wine breathe was new to Luffy, who sniffed his glass and enjoyed the fruity scent.

"It still tastes kind of weird, but it's like juice…" Uta observed, before downing a big gulp.

"Wait—" Bell-mère started to stop her but gave up with a sigh. "Well, here's to hoping you sleep well, Uta."

Between the laughter and the wine, the entire spread of food was soon devoured, with Luffy taking the lion's share.

"Didn't think you had such an appetite," Bell-mère said, impressed.

"Training makes you hungry," he replied.

"Good thing you're not Bell-mère's son—you'd eat us out of house and home!" Nami teased, poking his slightly round belly.

After dinner, Luffy helped Bell-mère clean up, admiring her diligence. Preparing a feast like that really did take time and effort; it made him appreciate the work behind each meal.

As night fell, Bell-mère smiled apologetically, "I'd love for you to stay over, but our house is small. Let me walk you back to your ship."

"Thanks, Bell-mère. Uta, how are you feeling? You did drink a lot quickly," Luffy asked.

Uta's face was flushed, her skin soft and rosy as she fanned herself. "I feel fine… just a little warm," she said, tugging at her collar, revealing a glimpse of her pale skin.

She licked her lips, a faint daze in her eyes. "It feels like there's a fire in my stomach… and this vest is so hot."

Seeing her rosy, slightly disoriented state, Luffy figured a good night's sleep would do her well.

"Let's get you to bed," he said.

"Mm-hmm," she murmured, extending her hand to him. Her delicate, blushing fingers seemed to invite him closer.

Drunk Uta… so adorable…

He took her hand, guiding her from the chair.

As they walked back to the ship, the night breeze brushed gently against them. Uta hummed a soft tune, her voice carrying on the breeze.

Behind them, some of the villagers whispered to Bell-mère, "Is that really Garp's grandson? Are you sure?"

"Definitely. I heard Garp's voice on the Den Den Mushi myself," Bell-mère confirmed, smiling.

The villagers, who had long revered Garp as a hero thanks to government propaganda, were in awe. Luffy and the others continued walking to the ship, with Nami running ahead, the sound of her footsteps echoing on the deck.

Bell-mère, watching the scene, couldn't help but feel a pang of nostalgia. It had been so long since she'd last seen a real Marine ship.

Once they reached the ship, Nami declared, "I want to stay here tonight to keep an eye on Uta! If she's drunk, she'll spill all her secrets, and I'll finally discover what she wouldn't share!"

"Go ahead, but don't bother Uta. This is her first time drinking," Bell-mère said, giving Nami a disapproving look. Despite her mischievous desire, Nami reluctantly agreed.

After saying goodnight, Bell-mère led the other girls back to their home, leaving the ship quiet under the night sky. Only the wind whistled through the rigging.

"Time for bed, Uta," Luffy said.

"Just the two of us now," she murmured, a hint of mystery in her deep violet eyes.

"Yeah, it feels peaceful," Luffy replied, glancing up at the stars.

"I'm here," she said softly, as if reassuring him.

Uta leaned in, wrapping her arms around him, her head resting on his shoulder. She sighed, a soft smile on her face.

"Why… are you a little shorter than me?" she teased, stepping back and giving a playful twirl. "I'm off to freshen up!"

Luffy watched her go, thinking back to Bell-mère's bold words from earlier in the night. The mischievous woman's influence seemed to linger, even now.

---

The next morning, Uta woke up with a light headache. As she stretched, memories of last night floated to the surface. She remembered the wine, the meal, and then… the hug.

A sudden realization dawned on her—was there something that even Shanks couldn't do?

She reached out, her arms circling the air as if replicating the embrace.

"Could it be…?"

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