[OP Marine Officer Luffy] Chapter 426- 430

Chapter 426: The Polite Young Man, Gion's Defeat

"No, no, no, you’re too polite! I should be the one thanking you, the Marines," the middle-aged gentleman said with a chuckle, waving his hand to dismiss their apology.

"If you do meet Vice Admiral Luffy, please pass along my regards. Thanks to him, we have such a prosperous business environment on Onigashima. Small merchants like me can make a living and support our families thanks to his efforts."

As he spoke, he removed his hat and bowed slightly, a gesture of respect towards the two young men.

Seeing this, the blond Marine instinctively removed his hat as well, returning the greeting in kind. Meanwhile, the black-haired Marine enthusiastically pounded his chest and responded without hesitation:

"Of course! We’ll definitely pass on your message!"

With that, there was no further exchange between the two parties. The two young men bid the couple farewell before eagerly rushing into the restaurant.

The middle-aged gentleman watched their retreating figures, a thoughtful expression on his face. After a moment, he turned to his wife and asked,

"Did you notice? There’s something different about those two young men."

The lady nodded in agreement, tapping her chin in contemplation before remarking,

"Rather than calling them ‘different,’ I’d say they seem… familiar, in a way. Especially that blond young man. Despite wearing a Marine uniform, his mannerisms were unmistakably noble."

She paused, then added, "And the black-haired one—though a bit eccentric—was also very polite and well-mannered."

The middle-aged gentleman nodded in understanding. As someone who had done business with nobles before, he was well aware of their distinct demeanor. The blond young man carried himself exactly like the noble he had encountered in various noble districts.

The difference, however, was that this young man was polite—both outwardly and in his tone, something rare among nobility.

Thinking of this, the gentleman couldn’t help but chuckle.

"Haha, it’s reassuring to know that outstanding young people like them are joining the Marines. Thanks to them, we can conduct business peacefully, even in this dangerous New World."

With that, he stretched his arms and smiled.

"Come on, let’s take a walk and see what else we can find. There’s no harm in buying a few more things—after all, contributing to the tax revenue is never a bad idea."

The lady giggled, covering her mouth as she teasingly linked arms with him.

"In that case, why not donate the money directly to the Marines? Maybe Vice Admiral Luffy will personally thank you for your generosity."

The gentleman let out a hearty laugh.

"Haha! You’re joking again. Given how Wano Country and Onigashima are flourishing, I highly doubt Vice Admiral Luffy would be interested in my meager contributions. Even if I donated 800 or 900 million berries, I doubt I’d even get the chance to meet him."

He shook his head with a smile before continuing, "The best way to show our gratitude is to simply follow the laws set by the Marines. That alone is enough."

The couple walked away, chatting and laughing, their figures gradually blending into the bustling crowd.

To them, this conversation was nothing more than idle banter between husband and wife.

But for certain individuals, it meant something entirely different.

Inside the Restaurant

On the fourth floor of the luxurious restaurant, behind a slightly ajar curtain, Luffy sat at a grand table—his arms crossed, his expression blank as he stared off into space.

His fingers tapped idly against the wooden surface as he muttered to himself:

"Uncle, don’t underestimate me like that…"

His eyebrow twitched in irritation.

"Forget 800 or 900 million—you could donate just 100 million, and I’d personally send you a handwritten certificate of appreciation! I’m really broke right now!!!"

That’s right—Luffy, the infamous eavesdropper, had once again overheard a conversation that wasn’t meant for him.

His original target had been someone else, but in the process, he stumbled upon a wealthy businessman who had a favorable impression of the Marines.

Luffy had already memorized his aura and planned to track him down later.

From their conversation, the middle-aged gentleman had repeatedly claimed to be an ‘ordinary businessman.’ But Luffy wasn’t fooled. Anyone who casually mentioned donating 800 to 900 million berries was far from ordinary.

"If possible," Luffy mused, rubbing his chin, "I should seek out more merchants like him for partnerships…"

Whether it was computers or other high-tech goods, he needed strong businessmen to help expand trade channels quickly.

A businessman like this—loyal to the Marines and financially capable—was the perfect candidate.

Of course, business could wait.

What concerned Luffy most right now were the two young men he had unexpectedly encountered.

Their sudden appearance in his territory had caught him off guard.

"Why are they here?" he muttered, deep in thought.

"Luffy! Luffy!!"

A frustrated voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

Gion waved a hand in front of his face, frowning when she saw his dazed expression. Annoyed, she reached out and yanked his cheek.

"Hey! Can you at least listen to me when I’m talking?! What are you thinking about—your lover again?"

Luffy, now pulled from his thoughts, swatted her hand away in irritation. He then smirked mischievously and casually leaned back.

"Maybe I was thinking about Hina. Or Hnacock. Or Nami. Or Koala," he said lazily. Then, with a cheeky grin, he added, "But I definitely wasn’t thinking about you."

"You—!"

Gion flared with rage.

She had come all this way to meet him, even taking the initiative to visit him in his private quarters.

Yet this bastard wasn’t even paying attention to her complaints and had the audacity to tease her about other women.

Her blood boiled.

Her fists clenched.

She lunged forward, ready to sink her teeth into him out of sheer frustration.

But just as she moved in, Luffy deftly pinched her lips shut—with a pair of chopsticks.

"Woo woo woo!"

Gion flailed in protest, making muffled noises, her hands clenching in fury.

Across the table, three other figures burst into uncontrollable laughter.

Among them, Kujaku—a Marine officer and fellow female warrior—watched the scene unfold with amusement. She had come to Onigashima for business, yet she found herself thoroughly entertained by Luffy’s antics.

Watching Gion crumble so easily in Luffy’s hands was truly hilarious.

The three women laughed mercilessly, their chuckles filling the private dining room.

And as Luffy continued to hold Gion at bay with the chopsticks, a smug smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.

After all, teasing Gion was just too much fun.

Chapter 427: Gion: "My Dear, You Don't Want To..."

After pouring herself another glass of wine, Gion glanced at Luffy, who was still focused solely on eating, showing little interest in anything else. Annoyed, she reached out and gave him a push.

But Luffy, unbothered, simply kept eating, savoring the meal in front of him.

Gion’s patience snapped. With a sharp motion, she slapped the chopsticks away from his mouth, forcing him to acknowledge her presence. She then turned her head towards the three women laughing at the table and let out a loud, frustrated huff.

"Stop laughing and pay attention to what I’m saying!" she demanded, glaring at them.

Luffy finally decided to stop provoking her and picked up another piece of sashimi, dipping it into the sauce before taking a bite. He then gestured casually for her to continue.

"You were saying?" he said between bites.

"Hmph!"

Gion rolled her eyes in exasperation, but she took a deep breath and recounted her recent experiences.

"According to the information you gave me, I spent two whole months searching the waters around Dressrosa, where the lantern fish were supposedly likely to appear.

Two months, Luffy!

Forget about finding a giant lantern fish big enough to swallow half an island in one bite—I didn’t even see a single large Sea King!"

Luffy raised an eyebrow but let her continue.

"On the bright side, I did manage to capture quite a few pirates who tried to raid Dressrosa," she admitted. "Fleet Admiral Sengoku even called to commend me for my efforts.

King Riku, on the other hand, wouldn’t stop thanking me. He keeps inviting me to the palace for a banquet, but honestly, I can’t be bothered to go."

Her voice carried a hint of resentment—because while catching pirates was her job, finding the lantern fish had been her true goal.

Hearing this, Violet—who had been listening quietly—couldn’t help but smile. She raised her small wine cup, the clear liquid shimmering under the light, and said with both gratitude and amusement:

"Miss Gion, you’ve worked so hard for our country. I must toast to you."

Without hesitation, she downed the entire cup in one go, not even flinching at the burn of the alcohol.

Gion, though still irritated, waved a hand dismissively before picking up her own glass and gulping it down in one motion.

"Hiss~ Now that hits the spot. Still, Amazon Lily’s liquor is better."

The warm buzz of alcohol eased some of her frustrations. Her tense shoulders relaxed slightly, and the exhaustion of the past months seemed to fade, if only for a moment.

But soon, her irritation flared up again, and she shot a sharp look at Luffy.

"Why aren’t you saying anything?! You gave me the location, you need the damn thing!

Meanwhile, I’m out there busting my ass every day, and you’re just lounging around—playing with women and counting money at home!

Even the Celestial Dragons don’t enjoy life as much as you do!"

She slammed her cup down on the table for emphasis.

Luffy, unfazed, slowly put down his chopsticks and held up a single finger.

"First," he said, his tone calm yet teasing, "I told you the lantern fish would appear in that location five years from now.

If you ran off looking for it five years too early, you can’t be surprised you didn’t find anything."

Then, he raised a second finger.

"Second, I don’t actually need pure gold right now.

I can afford to wait five years until it shows up naturally."

A smirk tugged at his lips as he raised a third finger.

"Finally, you need to watch your attitude. Is that really how you talk to your lover?

Don’t forget who’s the one working hard at night."

His playful smirk and suggestive tone made Gion’s face turn an interesting shade of green.

Her rage boiled over, and she suddenly leaned forward, unbuttoning the top two buttons of her uniform and arching towards him with a sly look.

"Alright, alright, I was wrong," she purred, her tone suddenly sultry.

"Forgive me, dear… do you want me to serve you now?"

Luffy narrowed his eyes, assessing her mocking expression before clicking his tongue.

"Well, at least your attitude has improved," he said lazily.

"But you don’t have to serve me. That wouldn’t be a punishment—it’d be a reward."

The other girls at the table rolled their eyes simultaneously, silently cursing Luffy for being so shameless—right in front of them.

Gion, her face slightly flushed, quickly adjusted her uniform after realizing how public their interaction was.

This time, when she spoke, her tone was softer, carrying a mix of flattery and urgency.

"My dear," she murmured, "you might not care about pure gold, but I do.

I’m almost 40, Luffy. A few more years, and I’ll really start looking old and ugly."

She leaned in slightly, her voice dropping as she teased:

"You don’t want next to your pillow to be an old woman with wrinkles all over her face and no teeth, do you?"

Luffy’s eyebrow twitched.

"That’s… a weird way to put it," he said, shaking his head.

"And it’s only five years, not fifty. You’re exaggerating."

Still, he could understand her concerns, so he finally let out a sigh and softened his tone.

"Look, I get it. You, Olivia, Hina, and the others aren’t exactly young anymore.

But personally?" He smirked slightly. "I think women are at their most attractive in their 30s."

Gion blinked, caught slightly off guard by the unexpected compliment.

Luffy shrugged and added, "But since you want it so badly, fine.

Even if I have to search the entire ocean, I’ll find that damn fish for you."

For a moment, Gion just stared at him, her eyes flickering with something unreadable.

Then, she tilted her head, resting her chin on her hand as she gazed at him.

"Why the hell does he look so damn handsome right now?" she thought to herself.

Ahem—off-topic.

Luffy then continue "After this mission, stop running around so much," she suggested.

"Just bring with Violet and use my Stormbreaker.

In one month, you would cover a lot.

If you two team up, you might actually get lucky enough to find it."

"That… might not be a bad idea," she admitted.

Chapter 428: Fallen Alpha

Feeling a wave of relief, Gion eagerly picked up her chopsticks, ready to indulge in a well-deserved feast. Her stomach had endured months of hardship, and now it was time to reward herself properly.

As she listened to Luffy’s words, a faint sense of disappointment settled in her heart. She turned to look at Violet, and despite her reluctance, she knew Luffy had a valid point.

Yet, this matter wasn’t just about practicality—it concerned her very appearance. More importantly, it was tied to the fact that her man was a bit of a pervert, and her family was full of beautiful women.

If obtaining pure gold had once been merely for her own sake, now, a significant part of her desire stemmed from wanting it for Luffy’s sake as well.

As the saying goes, a woman’s beauty is for the one she loves. For Gion, preserving her youthful appearance wasn’t just about vanity; it was about staying by Luffy’s side and remaining desirable to him.

After all these years, she had finally found a man she loved, experienced the sweetness of romance, and embraced a future beyond her lonely past.

She didn't want to grow old alone in an empty house, staring at her fading reflection.

Meanwhile, Alpha remained silent from beginning to end, completely engrossed in her food. She devoured dish after dish with astonishing speed, as if she had been starved for years.

Watching Gion hesitate for what felt like an eternity, Alpha finally sighed and muttered, "Come on, it's just five years at most. With my sister—who happens to be the most skilled beautician in the world—what are you so afraid of?"

Gion shot Alpha an exasperated look before shifting her gaze to Violet. With a playful smile, she said, "Alright, I’ll leave everything to you from now on, dear princess~"

Violet chuckled, raising her glass in response. "I should be the one saying that. From now on, I’ll be relying on you to protect me."

With the matter of pure gold settled, Gion felt as though a great weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

But just as she reached for a dish with her chopsticks, her expression froze. The plate was completely empty.

"Ah~ I’m stuffed! I haven’t eaten this well in ages!"

Alpha leaned back in her chair, patting her now-round belly with sheer satisfaction.

Luffy, Gion, Violet, and Kujaku all stared at her in stunned silence.

"Hey, you—" Kujaku started, smacking her lips in disbelief.

Luffy set his chopsticks down helplessly, letting out a long sigh.

"Alpha, I know you've been training really hard lately," he said, rubbing his temples. "But I swear, your strength hasn't improved nearly as much as your appetite has. Just look at this—there was an entire table full of food, and I barely got to eat anything before you finished it all. At this rate, you’re going to turn into a fat pig."

Luffy spoke with genuine concern, but Alpha remained completely unfazed.

"Hmph. I’ve had enough of those miserable days at CP," she declared, folding her arms. "Now that I’m finally living comfortably with you guys, why should I deny myself good food?"

She shrugged carefreely and continued, "Besides, so what if I get fat? My sister’s here, anyway. Worst case scenario, I’ll just have her help me burn off the extra weight."

Alpha had fully embraced her new life in Luffy’s crew.

Though Luffy maintained discipline within the group, he was constantly training, patrolling Onigashima, or handling important matters, making his workload far from easy. But in return, the benefits of following him were simply unparalleled.

Whether it was food, clothing, shelter, or transportation, everything was far superior to what she had experienced before.

Even Khalifa, ever the perfectionist, made sure to provide top-notch body care services for all the girls from time to time.

Back when she was in CP, she may have been called a "small leader," but in reality, she was nothing special.

But now?

Now, her life was more extravagant than that of many noble ladies and celebrities.

Even if the Five Elders personally came to beg her to return to Mary Geoise, she wouldn’t give up this comfort.

As she slouched in her chair, she let out an ungraceful burp before suddenly sitting upright.

"Speaking of which, Luffy," she said, her tone turning serious. "You always say that no one else can handle the job of being your secretary, and Olivia is already keeping an eye on Khalifa. But do you have any idea how many noblewomen I know envy my smooth skin?"

Luffy raised an eyebrow, wondering where this conversation was headed.

"If it were up to me, I’d have Khalifa open a high-end beauty salon just for the wealthy noblewomen," Alpha continued enthusiastically. "The money we’d make from that would probably rival what we earn from selling Seastone!"

Luffy stared at her blankly, his lips twitching.

"What the hell is this woman thinking? Has she forgotten she’s supposed to be an agent? And since when did she start socializing with noble ladies? Did she meet them in an internet café?"

Unable to make sense of her logic, Luffy waved his hand dismissively.

"Go, go—get out and order more food if you're still hungry," he said impatiently. "And if you want to pitch this idea to Khalifa, go ahead. If she agrees, then fine. But you can forget about joining her. She can run the beauty salon by herself."

"Eh?!"

Alpha bolted upright, pointing at herself in disbelief.

"What do you mean, 'with or without me'?" she demanded. "I have connections! The most important thing for an upscale beauty salon is clientele. And besides, this was my idea! Shouldn’t I at least get to be a manager? Or a deputy store manager, at the very least?"

Luffy shot her a flat look and responded with a single word.

"Scram."

Chapter 429: Something Went Wrong, a Marine Was 'Killed'?!

Alpha’s expression instantly darkened as she clenched her fists.

"Bastard Luffy!" she cursed inwardly, fuming at his dismissive attitude.

Despite her anger, she didn’t lash out. Instead, she calmly stood up, cradling her overstuffed belly as she waddled toward the door. Before stepping out, she turned back, stuck out her tongue, and made a playful face at Luffy.

"Lululu~ Stingy guy! Just you wait, when I see Khalifa, I’m telling her you bullied me!"

With that, she pushed the door open and dashed out in a hurry.

Luffy simply chuckled at her childish antics.

"As expected. Girls in their twenties should have that kind of liveliness," he mused.

CP… that damned place had drained all humanity out of its people. It was never meant for humans to live normal lives.

With Alpha gone, the group assumed she wouldn’t be back for a while. They resumed their conversation, discussing trivial matters over their meal.

However, just moments after Alpha had left, the door was suddenly flung open again. She burst back in, panting heavily, her face pale with shock.

"No—something bad happened! A Marine is dead downstairs!"

Her voice trembled as she pointed downward, her anxiety clear.

The atmosphere in the room shifted instantly.

Kujaku, Violet, and Gion’s expressions hardened at the news.

A Marine had been killed? Right under their noses?

Who would dare commit such a reckless act?!

Violet immediately activated her Glare-Glare Fruit ability, her eyes glowing as she scanned the area below through the floor. At the same time, her mind raced.

"That shouldn’t be possible… I scan the entire island every ten minutes. If a pirate ship had approached, I would’ve noticed!"

Could it be that someone had infiltrated disguised as a tourist or a merchant?

Alpha, still breathless, shook her head. "I don’t think so. I overheard some guests saying that the Marine just… collapsed suddenly while eating. It was completely out of nowhere."

Her face turned uneasy as she clutched her stomach. "I suspect the food was poisoned… But the strange thing is, the guy’s companion—who was eating with him—seems completely fine!"

As she spoke, beads of sweat formed on her forehead.

She had just eaten a ton of food in that same restaurant.

"If there really was poison in one of the dishes…"

A chill ran down Alpha’s spine. Her mind filled with worst-case scenarios.

She immediately considered forcing herself to vomit everything she had eaten. Then, she’d definitely go settle the score with the restaurant owner!

Meanwhile, Violet had locked onto the scene with her ability.

Through her enhanced vision, she spotted the so-called “dead Marine.”

A black-haired young Marine, slumped over his plate of fried noodles, completely motionless.

Beside him, a blond Marine stood with a tense expression, speaking to the restaurant owner—probably demanding an explanation.

Around them, the restaurant’s guests had gathered, their faces filled with alarm and suspicion.

Clearly, they were all shaken by the unexpected incident.

If the owner failed to give a proper answer, the situation could spiral out of control.

"The situation looks serious," Violet said grimly. "That Marine isn’t moving at all… He might really be in danger."

Hearing this, Kujaku instantly stood up.

"Then what are we waiting for?! Let’s head down and check things out! No matter what the cause is, we need to get him to a hospital first!"

Her voice carried urgency, and her body language made it clear she was ready to take immediate action.

But in the midst of all this tension, no one noticed that Luffy hadn’t reacted at all.

From beginning to end, he remained seated, unbothered.

He sipped his drink leisurely, as if nothing had happened.

Just as Kujaku and the others prepared to rush downstairs, Luffy finally spoke, his voice calm and composed.

"Relax. Stop making a fuss. That guy isn’t dead—he’s just asleep."

"…What?"

A collective question mark formed in the minds of the four women.

They all turned to him, completely baffled.

"Did he just say… asleep?"

"What kind of joke is that?! Who just randomly falls asleep while eating?!"

Violet frowned, using her ability once again to observe the scene carefully.

"But he really isn’t moving! He looks dead!" she insisted.

Luffy took another sip of his drink and smirked. "You said he looks dead—but that doesn’t mean he actually is. Why are you all acting like you’ve never seen weird things before? We’re in the New World now. This kind of stuff shouldn’t surprise you."

His tone was so relaxed that it made their panic feel ridiculous in comparison.

Then, without missing a beat, he casually gave out orders.

"Alpha, go order some more food. Make sure to get extra."

Alpha blinked at him in disbelief.

"This guy is totally unfazed…"

Before she could respond, Luffy turned to Kujaku.

"Kujaku, go downstairs. Those two Marines are my friends. Bring them up here."

His words caused the four women to exchange uncertain glances.

For a long moment, no one spoke.

In the end, Alpha was the first to break the silence.

"Fine, whatever. It’s your Marine who ‘died.’ Nothing to do with my CP business."

She stretched lazily, looking completely uninterested in the situation now.

"I’ll leave it to you guys. Oh, and I saw some fresh crabs downstairs—I’m gonna pick out two for myself."

Humming a little tune, she turned on her heel and strolled out of the room.

Violet and Gion hesitated for a moment, but ultimately, they relaxed.

"If Luffy says it's fine, then I guess there’s nothing to worry about," Gion said, taking her seat again.

Violet followed suit, though she still kept an eye on the scene below, just in case.

That left Kujaku.

She sighed, feeling like she was the only one still taking things seriously.

"Fine. If Luffy’s that confident, I’ll check it out myself."

If the Marine truly was alive, she’d bring him up as requested.

If he was dead… then she’d take proper care of his body.

And while she was at it, she’d make sure the restaurant owner was held accountable for what happened.

With that decision made, she stormed off downstairs.

Meanwhile, Luffy, Gion, and Violet casually continued watching the events unfold using their respective abilities, treating it as nothing more than entertainment.

Chapter 430: Unexpected Disaster, Poor Restaurant Owner

At that moment, in the bustling lobby of the restaurant’s first floor, chaos reigned.

The restaurant owner, a middle-aged man with a round face and a thinning hairline, was in full panic mode. Sweat dripped down his forehead as he anxiously paced around the motionless black-haired Marine slumped over the table.

His mind was spinning with dread.

"What the hell is going on?! There was nothing wrong with the food—I made sure of it! So why did he just collapse like that in the middle of his meal?!"

If something terrible really happened, it could spell the end of his business.

"Who would ever dare eat here again if word gets out that someone died while dining?!"

His heart pounded at the horrifying thought.

The blond young man sitting across from the unconscious Marine hesitated before stepping forward with an awkward expression.

"Um, boss—"

Before he could explain, the restaurant owner completely misunderstood his intentions. He immediately bent at the waist, bowing repeatedly, his voice shaking with desperation.

"I-I’m so sorry! I have no idea how this happened!"

"But please, I beg you—believe me, I had no ill intentions! I will take full responsibility for this! If any compensation is required, I won’t refuse to pay. I’ll even cover the medical expenses, and if—God forbid—something really happens, I’ll make sure the Marine’s family receives a pension!"

His words came out in a rush, his voice hoarse from fear.

"Please, I swear on my life, I am not a spy! I don’t even know you two! I had no reason to harm your friend!"

Tears welled up in the man’s eyes as he desperately pleaded for mercy, his body trembling uncontrollably.

Watching his pitiful display, the blond young man, Sabo, felt an overwhelming sense of guilt.

He knew the truth.

Just as Luffy had said, Ace wasn’t dead—he was just sleeping.

But the other diners had misunderstood the situation and thrown the entire restaurant into a frenzy. The sheer panic had even pushed the poor owner to the brink of a nervous breakdown.

Sabo clenched his fists and cursed internally.

"Damn it, Ace! Get up already! You're scaring the hell out of this guy!"

"I swear, when we get back, I’m going to fix this ridiculous habit of yours!"

And as if on cue—perhaps hearing Sabo’s inner scream—the black-haired "corpse" finally stirred.

Lifting his head groggily from his plate of fried noodles, Ace blinked in confusion.

His drowsy gaze swept across the crowd of horrified diners, then landed on his flustered brother.

Completely oblivious to the chaos he had caused, he grinned.

"Hey, Sabo! Where’d you go?" he asked, his voice carefree.

His stomach rumbled slightly, and his fingers absentmindedly wiped his cheek. Feeling something sticky, he frowned.

"Huh? What’s all over my face? Soy sauce?"

As he spoke, the thick sauce smeared across his freckled skin made him look even more ridiculous.

A tense silence filled the restaurant.

Then—

"YOU BASTARD!!"

Sabo’s face darkened as he clenched his teeth. He massaged his temples, his patience running dangerously thin.

"I swear, I really don’t know how to deal with this idiot anymore."

Resisting the urge to strangle his brother, Sabo reached into his pocket for a handkerchief, intending to clean up the mess on Ace’s face.

But before he could act, the restaurant owner beat him to it.

With surprising speed, the man lunged forward and frantically wiped Ace’s face with his sleeve, paying no mind to the oil stains.

Then, in a fit of overwhelming relief, he cupped Ace’s freckled cheeks, his hands trembling.

Tears streamed down his face as he stared at Ace like he was witnessing a miracle.

"You’re alive…! You’re okay, sir! Thank the heavens!"

The next second, the restaurant owner collapsed into Ace’s chest, sobbing uncontrollably.

"I—I thought I was finished!" he wailed.

For this restaurant, he had poured in every last bit of his savings. It was his livelihood, his pride.

If a Marine had truly died here today…

Even if it wasn’t his fault, even if there was no poison in the food, no one would ever dare to dine here again.

His restaurant would be shut down.

He would go bankrupt.

His life would be ruined.

But now… now it turned out to be nothing more than a terrifying misunderstanding.

With all the stress and fear flooding out at once, the man couldn’t help but weep bitterly.

The other guests in the restaurant exchanged glances, whispering among themselves.

"So he was just sleeping this whole time?"

"How crazy do you have to be to pass out in the middle of a meal?"

"I feel so bad for this poor boss… Talk about life’s cruel ups and downs."

Ace, still clueless, scratched his head.

He awkwardly patted the man’s back in an attempt to comfort him.

"Uh… Sorry, Uncle. I really just fell asleep. I don’t know what happened?"

He paused and made a slight face.

"Also… could you maybe let go? Your tears are soaking into my clothes."

His casual tone only made the entire situation even more absurd.

Sabo groaned and quickly stepped in to diffuse the situation.

Helping the restaurant owner stand up, he shoved a handful of tissues into his hands—the same ones he was going to use for Ace.

"Boss, I’m really sorry for all of this," he said sincerely. "How much is the meal? We’ll settle the bill and leave right away."

Ace’s eyes widened in protest.

"Wait, already?! But I’m not full yet!"

Sabo turned to him with a murderous glare.

"Shut up! This is all your fault!"

Ace blinked innocently. "Eh? But I didn’t do anything?"

Sabo clenched his fist. For a brief moment, he seriously considered smashing Ace’s head in with a water pipe.

The restaurant owner, meanwhile, had finally calmed down. Wiping away the last of his tears and snot, he looked at the two of them with gratitude.

"No, no—it’s on the house!" he declared, his voice still slightly choked.

He waved his hands frantically. "Really! This meal is completely free! Just keep eating, as long as you want!"