At the moment, Ethan Chen wasn't exactly penniless, but the only funds he had to his name were the thirty-six million Berries left after taxes, from what Hina had awarded them.
But legal passage to sail required a full hundred million a price nearly triple what he had.
Clearly, the legal route was out of the question.
That left only one option: sailing illegally.
Better to risk the high seas than waste away with frustration.
It would just mean being chased around by the Navy...
And that was what truly worried Ethan. The Navy had too many powerful figures. Until he gained real strength, going head-to-head with them wasn't a wise move.
Hina noticed the look of stubbornness flicker across his face and added, "Paying the one hundred million isn't the only way to sail legally."
"Oh?" Ethan's eyes lit up. "Then what other way is there?"
"With a Navy officer's recommendation or if you're recognized by a branch you can become a licensed bounty hunter."
Ethan's interest immediately deepened. "Then..."
"But you and I don't exactly have a deep connection," Hina's sultry voice was laced with teasing implication. "If you want my recommendation, surely you'll have to offer something in return, don't you think?"
If Ethan's invitation to a date that morning had been his way of hinting at his intentions, then Hina's statement now was an open invitation no room left for ambiguity.
If he missed this cue, he'd deserve to go hungry for the rest of his life.
It reminded Ethan of something he'd once read online why a certain emperor surnamed Zhu had insisted on preserving the records of his years as a beggar.
Among the many theories, one answer stood out.
He hadn't just begged he'd sold himself.
In an age of chaos, when food was more precious than gold, survival always came at a cost.
There is no such thing as a free lunch especially when the currency is your own body.
Of course, it was likely just a vulgar bit of popular history, but the truth of the saying still applied.
To someone like Hina, a Navy captain, thirty-six million Berries was pocket change.
What did Ethan have to offer?
Only a tall, handsome frame and a good-looking face.
If he wanted her recommendation, and had nothing else to offer, then he'd have to deepen their connection the only way left to him.
"You're right, Captain Hina," Ethan said as he confidently took a seat beside her, his arm slipping naturally around her slim waist. "Our connection is still shallow."
He leaned in with a mischievous smile. "So why don't we take some time after dinner to... strengthen that bond?"
Before Hina could answer, Ethan lifted her chin and kissed her. Deeply. Possessively.
The sudden kiss caught Hina off guard. It took her a few seconds to respond, but once she did, there was a clear sense of satisfaction in her expression. Though a little clumsy and inexperienced, she responded to Ethan's kiss with shy eagerness.
Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at 2B seated across from them. The android, her eyes still covered by that blindfold-like visor, wore her usual cool, expressionless look. She was the perfect bodyguard silent, detached, and utterly nonjudgmental.
Knock knock
"Captain Hina, dinner is ready."
Hina pushed Ethan away, their lips reluctantly parting. Her cheeks were slightly flushed as she adjusted her clothes. "Bring it in."
"Yes, ma'am!"
The door opened, and a logistics officer wheeled in a service cart, setting an exquisite dinner on the cabin's dining table, complete with a bottle of fine red wine.
"Leave us. No one is to enter without my orders."
"Yes, ma'am."
The sailor left. Hina walked over to the door and locked it behind him.
"You're not bad at kissing," she said, turning back toward Ethan. "You must have had some practice."
"Your technique, on the other hand, could use a bit of work," Ethan replied, raising his glass to eye level and comparing the wine's deep red color to the shade of her lips. "You look mature on the outside, but you kiss like someone who's never done it before. Don't tell me that was your first?"
Hina shot him a cool glance. "A well-defended fortress is a good fortress."
"Well said. But I wonder if your walls can withstand my siege hammer."
Hina chose not to argue. She sat down, unbuttoning the top of her shirt. Her full, pale breasts seemed to almost leap free, greedily gulping the fresh air.
"Beautiful," Ethan said with a smirk. "But wouldn't it be more comfortable to change into something that fits?"
"Everything that used to fit is too tight now," Hina replied, calm and casual. "I've... grown a bit recently. I'll have to get some new clothes custom-made once I return to headquarters."
"You mean Marine HQ, in the Grand Line?"
"That's right. I'm a captain directly under Marine Headquarters. I only came to the East Blue on assignment."
Ethan nodded. He didn't press for details. Instead, he raised his wineglass and clinked glasses with Hina, then did the same with 2B, and began enjoying the elegantly prepared dinner.
Halfway through the meal, Hina put down her knife and fork and said, "Take your time. I'm going to the bathroom. Don't touch anything while I'm gone."
Ethan nodded and watched as she stood up, grabbed a slip dress and fresh underwear from the wardrobe, and disappeared into the en suite bathroom.
She was definitely in a hurry.
After all, she was a woman in her thirties still a virgin. Her needs were probably... significant.
Especially after that passionate kiss. It had completely derailed her appetite.
As Hina closed the bathroom door behind her, 2B, silent until now, finally asked, "Should I excuse myself later?"
"Why?" Ethan poured her another full glass of the light-bodied wine. He'd noticed she enjoyed drinking. Whether it was fruit ale at the tavern or this red wine now, she always drank more than he did.
Maybe it was the alcohol converting efficiently into energy. Or maybe she simply liked the taste.
Either way, 2B was starting to show signs of becoming a bit of a wine lover.
"For privacy," she said after a deep sip. "The support pod mentioned that humans generally dislike being watched during reproductive acts."
"That's true," Ethan nodded. "But there are exceptions. If the observer is a close companion, or... has certain intentions."
"That's contradictory."
"Then just do what I say." Ethan reached out, brushing his fingers along her cheek and gently pressing the beauty mark just below her lower lip. He softly tapped her lips.
"If you feel the urge, you're welcome to join."
2B closed her lips around his thumb, her tongue giving it a light flick before she nodded silently.
Ethan smiled in satisfaction and leaned down to kiss her.
"There's still plenty of food left," he said. "Eat as much as you like. These ingredients and flavors are nothing like the tavern's simple fare."
"Okay." 2B picked up the wine bottle and poured the last of it into her glass.
Seeing that, Ethan slid his own nearly full glass across the table to her.
He didn't enjoy drinking. Alcohol raised uric acid, damaged the kidneys, and could weaken performance.
Especially when tonight's meal was mostly seafood.