Garen, who had just delivered his righteous speech, naturally couldn't bring himself to shamelessly ask Wallace for another check—even though Miss Nami strongly agreed he should.
So instead, Garen focused all his attention on handling the "first bucket of gold" he had managed to obtain.
But truth be told, he had no experience dealing with something like this.
Thankfully, the well-connected and street-smart middle-aged sheriff offered him a little help.
Moments later, as Garen looked at the finely crafted box in his hands, a strange feeling welled up inside him.
The sheriff had specially prepared the box for him: made entirely from naturally preserved East Blue pine, sealed with a waterproof rubber ring, lined with a lime base and coated with sea salt.
And inside?
None other than the severed head of Captain Steel Blade—worth a full 10 million Berries.
Strangely enough, Garen had no fear of the living, menacing pirate. But now that the man was boxed up and lifeless, he actually felt a cold chill run down his spine.
On this front, Nami handled it way better than he did.
Her eyes were glued to the box as if nailed there, the number "10 million Berries" flashing over and over in her mind.
She almost forgot that what was inside… was a hideous human head.
"Well then..."
Garen casually stashed away his "first bucket of gold" behind his back and murmured to himself:
"Next stop: Loguetown."
Wallace quickly stepped forward and said in a gentle and cultured tone, "What a coincidence, I also need to return to the East Blue Daily headquarters in Loguetown to report in."
But before long, the refined journalist couldn't suppress his excitement any longer:
"I hope, Sir Knight, that you'll allow me to travel with you!"
"Of course, no problem."
As a rookie fresh out of the beginner's village, having a local NPC lead the way was a luxury Garen wouldn't dream of refusing.
So, he agreed to Wallace's request without hesitation.
Then Garen looked thoughtfully at Nami, who was still staring at the "10 million Berries" with laser focus.
"What about you, Nami?"
"Where are you planning to go?"
Without missing a beat, Nami blurted out, "Wherever you go, I go!"
Her words were heartfelt, but not entirely complete.
More accurately, what she meant was: "Wherever your money goes, I go."
Nami's craving for money was intense. She couldn't steal that flying greatsword of his, nor the armor he wore, but the 10 million in cash he'd get for the head? That she might have a shot at.
Although she did feel a little bad about potentially taking advantage of the knight who had saved her life, Nami still decided it wouldn't hurt if this kind-hearted "can-man" supported a helpless girl like her a little more.
And Garen, who understood Nami all too well, instantly grasped the true meaning behind her words.
He knew about her obsession with money. He also knew why she was in such a hurry to make cash now.
So, he said nothing—only fell into a quiet contemplation that no one could read.
Wallace, however, completely misunderstood the situation.
He quietly jotted down in his notebook: "Righteous knight saves damsel in distress—beautiful maiden's heart begins to stir."
Now his feature story on "Knight Garen" had one more emotional subplot.
Wallace's eyes sparkled with gossipy excitement as he looked between Garen and Nami.
"Ahem."
Realizing how it might've looked, Nami tried to explain herself:
"I'm just worried you guys will get lost at sea without a navigator."
Wallace immediately countered, "Loguetown isn't some backwater island. We can hop on a ferry and be there in no time."
"Hmph!"
Nami snorted in annoyance, crossing her arms and saying with great pride:
"A ferry can't compare to piloting your own ship!"
"I'm a genius navigator who knows every route, tide, and weather pattern in the East Blue like the back of my hand. With me, we can shave at least two days off the journey!"
"Alright, alright."
Garen, snapping out of his thoughts, waved his hand with a smile.
"You're hired, Navigator."
"'Hired'?"
Nami tasted the word—one that reeked of sweet, sweet money—and her tone instantly softened:
"What's the pay? Five million Berries?"
"100,000. Not a Berries more," Garen replied seriously.
"And don't think it'll be that easy to steal my ten million."
"You—!"
Nami was speechless with rage, her pale cheeks flushed a deep red.
This tin-can knight wasn't so easy to fool anymore.
"Steal?"
Wallace was startled and looked at Nami warily. "Miss Nami… you're a thief?"
"What of it?!"
Nami, done with pretending, admitted outright:
"I am a thief! I almost stole that knight of yours down to his last Berries!"
"I see..."
Wallace's eyes lit up with excitement as he exclaimed:
"To think Sir Garen is such a noble soul!"
"Even when faced with a complete stranger, a thief no less, he risked his life to save her."
"A light never seen before… shining into the life of a lost girl..."
After a moment of silent imagining, Wallace eagerly returned to scribbling in his notebook.
The simple "knight saves beauty" story he had jotted down earlier was now elevated to:
"Righteous knight repays evil with virtue; beautiful thief chooses the path of light."
"Hey! Hey!"
Flustered, Nami tugged at her orange hair and snapped:
"What nonsense are you scribbling now? Stop that!"
Wallace didn't even lift his eyes. His pen continued flying across the page.
"Sorry. In this world, nothing can stop a journalist's pen."
"..."
Utterly defeated, Nami was ready to solve things with her invisible-armament-haki-enhanced fists.
"Alright."
Garen stepped in again to mediate. He turned to Nami and added:
"Even if the money isn't great, I can offer another kind of reward."
"Another kind?"
Nami was confused.
Garen raised his broad sword and declared:
"Friendship. The friendship of a righteous knight."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Nami narrowed her eyes, though something stirred in her heart.
"I can help you cut people down," Garen said bluntly.
"For instance, those bad guys you can't deal with… but really, really want to."
"You..."
Nami's expression deepened as she stared at him for a long moment.
Then, after a pause, she suddenly covered her mouth and chuckled softly:
"Don't joke around. It's not like I've got some arch-enemy or anything."
"I was only speaking hypothetically," Garen replied with a casual smile, though his eyes burned with conviction.
"But... if such a person does exist—then I'll make sure they get what they deserve."
Another heavy silence fell between them.
"You're not strong enough."
Nami suddenly showed a faintly mocking expression and patted Garen's cold metal chest.
"Even if your abilities are a bit weird, you're just barely on par with a guy like Steel Blade."
"Helping me cut people down? Don't overestimate yourself."
Arlong's strength couldn't be measured by his 20 million bounty.
His power far exceeded that number—he was practically the hidden tyrant of the East Blue.
And those terrifying fish-men were the very stuff of nightmares that Nami had long given up on fighting.
"Then I'll owe it to you for now."
Garen smiled unfazed.
"Stick around, watch me for a bit, and see if I can pay that debt back."
His grin carried a special kind of confidence.
"And don't underestimate me."
"My rate of improvement… is a lot faster than you think."
"Tch."
Nami snorted disdainfully.
But just like when she was kidnapped by Steel Blade, that same spark of long-lost hope and light bloomed quietly in her heart again.
Maybe—just maybe—this so-called knight really could save her.
Finally, a pale, slender hand slowly reached out toward Garen.
He grasped it knowingly, smiling as he said:
"Then I look forward to working with you, my navigator!"
"Temporary hire, that's all."
"Once we reach Loguetown, you better keep a close eye on your ten million Berries!"
Though her words were laced with threat, Nami's grip on his hand was anything but weak.
"Haha..."
Garen laughed it off, then suddenly burst out with fresh energy:
"Well then—let's go!"
"Next stop: Loguetown!"
"Hold it!"
A familiar middle-aged voice called out from behind.
"Don't go just yet, Sir Knight!"
"Huh?"
Garen turned around—only to see the restaurant manager's face full of grief and fury.
"Chasing us down over the bill?"
Garen was a little embarrassed. That had been his first dine-and-dash, after all.
"No! It's not about the bill—"
The restaurant manager wiped the sweat from his brow, panting heavily.
"It's your mount!"
"I-It..."
"It chased down and trampled all the other guests' horses!"
(End of Chapter)