Chapter 57: An Uninvited Guest Arrives

Sanji’s steak, though late, finally arrived. Just by looking at the color of the meat and breathing in its aroma, Roland knew it would taste exceptional. The dishes prepared earlier by the ordinary cooks had already impressed him, so as the deputy head chef, Sanji would surely not let him down.

With knife and fork in hand, Roland elegantly cut the steak into small pieces, then exchanged his plate with young Donna, who had no idea how to eat steak. Watching this scene, Sanji’s opinion of Roland shifted a little. Yet, the moment he recalled that the beautiful lady was somehow entangled with Roland, he felt a surge of indignation.

Why should it be like this?

“Hey, lovesick cook! Another two steaks, and make mine well-done this time!” Zoro’s untimely voice shattered Sanji’s disgruntlement entirely.

“Excuse me, chef, could I have one as well?” Koby, following behind Zoro, asked cautiously.

Though none of them were particularly fond of the flirtatious Sanji, they had to admit the steak was delicious. Even Nami, who usually tried to avoid any association with Sanji, raised her delicate hand to signal for another serving.

Normally, a diner’s love for a dish would be the greatest honor for any chef. But at this moment, Sanji couldn’t bring himself to enjoy it. No matter how much he loved cooking, having to repeat the same dish over and over for people he wasn’t fond of sapped all the joy from him.

Though resigned, Sanji obediently made his way back to the kitchen. He didn’t want Nami to think poorly of him, and Roland’s combat prowess did put considerable pressure on him as well.

“Hey, Jango, are you sure there’s really food here?” At the main entrance of the restaurant, a few men sneaked in, their appearances as odd as their behavior. The leader wore heart-shaped glasses and was dressed like a dancer, sliding backwards into the restaurant as if on a stage.

In front of him were two others, one fat and one thin, both wearing gloves with claws like a cat’s paw. The aristocratic patrons, accustomed to seeing all manner of strange folk—mostly pirates—were not particularly surprised by their entrance. After casting their usual looks of disdain, they returned their attention to the delicacies before them.

“Relax, Buchi, Sham. This is the famous Baratie, the floating restaurant. How could there not be food here?” Jango turned to gaze at the lavishly decorated dining hall, a note of uncertainty in his heart.

He had heard tales about this place—how its founder was a fearsome pirate who had retired from the Grand Line. But what mattered to him was their rumored policy of never letting anyone go hungry.

It was that very rumor that brought him and his companions here to try their luck. After Captain Kuro had faked his death, Jango had led the Black Cat Pirates into hiding, scrupulously avoiding trouble for fear of drawing the Navy’s attention. Over the years, resources had dwindled, and merely surviving had been a challenge. With no robberies to fill their coffers and dozens of mouths to feed, Jango had nearly run himself ragged for the sake of Captain Kuro and the crew.

Now that Kuro had sent word that the plan could proceed, Jango found that his men were too starved to fight, let alone raid an island. They might not even make it to their destination before dying of hunger at sea.

So he had come here, hoping that Baratie’s reputation for feeding the hungry was true.

“This way, gentlemen.” Because both the owner and head chef were pirates themselves, the waitstaff held no prejudice or fear toward other pirates.

“Ah, yes. Thank you.” Jango hesitated for a moment, but quickly composed himself and led the Cat Brothers to follow the server.

“Those men…” Roland narrowed his eyes as he watched the three being led to a table. They looked familiar—especially the flamboyant one with heart-shaped glasses. He remembered that character had quite a bit of screen time.

After watching them for some time, Roland finally recalled who they were. So, it was Jango and the Black Cat Pirates—the very ones he’d planned to deal with in Loguetown after joining the Navy. Now they had walked right into his hands.

But for now, Roland had no intention of acting. There were only three of them, while the Black Cat Pirates numbered far more. If he was going to make a move, he wanted to catch them all in one net, not let any slip away. He’d wait until the three had eaten their fill and returned to their ship.

Besides, if he were to kill them all now, wouldn’t that ruin Kuro’s plan? After all, Kuro intended to inherit the Kaya estate openly, not through robbery.

“Roland, what are you looking at?” Nami asked curiously, puzzled by his interest in the three men wolfing down their food. If it was a contest in crude eating habits, surely Zoro was even more uncouth.

She did think their taste in clothes was atrocious, especially the one with the heart-shaped glasses, top hat, and goatee—a true oddball.

“They’re pirates,” Roland whispered in her ear, lowering his voice due to the proximity of their tables. He didn’t want the three to overhear and become suspicious.

To avoid unnecessary trouble, he acted discreetly.

“Pirates…?” Nami’s cheeks flushed at Roland’s closeness, but his words left her stunned.

Goodness, here I am, a beautiful woman sitting across from you, dropping all sorts of hints, and you don’t even notice. Yet, three random pirates can capture your full attention? That’s so like you, Roland.

But remembering his dream, Nami calmed herself. Maybe this was just who Roland was—someone who couldn’t ignore pirates causing trouble on the seas. If he were to fall for her just because of her signals, she might even be disappointed, feeling that everything he’d done before would lose its meaning.

“Zoro, keep an eye on those three. I’ll be back soon,” Roland said, paying no heed to Nami’s thoughts. After giving Zoro his instructions, he got up and left the restaurant.

In the past, Roland would have had Zoro locate the pirates’ ship while he dealt with Jango and the others inside. That would have been the safest approach. But since Arlong Park, Roland had developed a somewhat twisted enjoyment—like slaughtering pirates. He now relished the thrill of killing evil men, especially the exhilaration he felt when their blood splattered on him.

“Got it. Be sure to come back—we don’t have money to pay the bill,” Zoro replied, glancing at Jango’s group before returning to his meal. Those guys were nothing to him; as long as they stayed in the restaurant, he didn’t have to worry. And even if he didn’t watch them, Koby certainly would.

Nodding slightly, Roland’s short sword, now glinting with a dark red sheen, appeared in his hand without anyone noticing. He walked out of the restaurant at a steady, unhurried pace.

A bit of activity after a meal was always good for digestion.

Sanji exited the kitchen just in time to catch sight of Roland leaving, his brows knitting instantly. He took a long drag on his cigarette, stubbed it out, and followed Roland outside. He didn’t know what Roland was up to, but his instincts told him nothing good would come of it.

That dark red sword made him feel deeply uneasy.