Chapter 47: Garen, the Newsworthy Figure

Rogue Town docks.

After Smoker had thoroughly reorganized the original garrison of Rogue Town, the plan to campaign against the Dragon’s Domain was finally set into motion.

Although many of the soldiers in the original garrison were corrupt, colluding with Major Hammer, after a round of purging Smoker managed to gather the remaining useful men under his command, allowing this Headquarters Colonel to finally assemble a squad of one hundred.

Upon taking over the Rogue Town base, Smoker’s flagship was no longer the tiny civilian-armed vessel he’d used before but replaced by a standard warship equipped with dozens of cannons.

Smoker at last carried the aura of a senior officer.

Naturally, a senior officer would not deal with trivial matters himself.

Thus, Smoker stood leisurely at the bow, smoking, while his adjutant, Tashigi, busied herself directing the sailors as they moved supplies, checked equipment, and counted personnel in preparation for departure.

Suddenly, the sailors’ movements faltered, followed by a ripple of soft, unconscious murmurs of admiration.

Tashigi, following their gaze, saw a tall, imposing man in a well-fitted white suit, exuding dignity and authority, walking toward them.

“Sir Garen!”

Tashigi waved from afar and greeted Garen with a respectful tone tinged with excitement.

Garen nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

However, the sailors’ attention was not on Tashigi’s greeting. Their eyes were fixed on the orange-haired girl beside Garen, dressed in a pure white off-shoulder dress.

After shopping with Garen yesterday, Nami had traded her perpetual shorts and T-shirt for the off-shoulder short princess dress she’d chosen, the same one Garen had called “stunning” at first sight.

“How does it look?”

Basking in the admiring gazes around her, Nami asked Garen with a note of pride, “Don’t I look good?”

“It’s alright.”

The familiar question made Garen tense instinctively, his reply awkward.

“Hmph!” Nami pouted in dissatisfaction. “That’s not what you said when you bought it for me yesterday.”

Garen paused, then spoke his true thoughts to Nami:

“It’s beautiful, yes… But with your shoulders and legs exposed like this… Who goes out to sea dressed like that?!”

“Hmm?”

Nami looked down, puzzled, at her bare, slender shoulders and long legs peeking from the dress. With innocent eyes, she replied, “Is there a problem with this? Lots of girls go to sea dressed like this, don’t they?”

“Uh…”

Seeing Nami’s justified expression, Garen couldn’t find a retort. Compared to the “future” Nami’s style in his memories, this short, off-shoulder dress was actually quite modest.

And on the sea, beauties often wore even more revealing outfits.

He couldn’t imagine what skill these free-spirited girls used to avoid wardrobe malfunctions in fierce battles.

“If you want to wear it, just wear it…”

Unable to keep up with the world’s carefree customs, Garen simply ceased to comment on Nami’s attire.

After all, Nami did look much more pleasing dressed like this.

“This time, returning to Cocoyashi Village…”

Nami’s expression suddenly turned serious, her voice resolute.

“I want them to see a different me.”

Standing beside Garen, before the warship, Nami was completely transformed—not just by a splendid new dress, but by hope for a new life within.

She finally had the courage to confront Arlong head-on.

“Nami!”

A surprised voice suddenly rang out nearby.

Garen and Nami turned to see Wallace, who had arrived at the docks unnoticed.

He had made up his mind two days earlier to follow Garen—the walking news generator—to Cocoyashi Village, intending to report on the exploits of Knight Garen.

Wallace exclaimed in wonder, “Nami, you’ve changed so much!”

“May I take a photo?”

“Of course!”

Nami gladly agreed.

But instead of producing a camera as usual, Wallace took out a large, peculiar snail, holding it up and striking a photographer’s pose toward Nami and Garen.

Both Nami and Garen were taken aback.

Garen scrutinized the obvious living creature in Wallace’s hand and asked, astonished, “Is that… a Transponder Snail?”

“Exactly!”

Wallace proudly introduced his new equipment.

“This is an Image Transponder Snail with camera capabilities. No film required; it can capture and store vast numbers of photos and record video… Once linked to special external communication gear, it can instantly transmit photos and footage to the newspaper headquarters remotely.”

“Image Transponder Snail?”

Nami was startled and asked with amazement, “Isn’t that expensive?!”

Indeed, Transponder Snails were already rare creatures in the East Blue. A higher-tier, multifunctional Image Transponder Snail—combining digital camera and fax machine—was, in Nami’s mind, a legendary treasure.

As a professional thief, Nami had no clue about its actual price, only a vague impression that it was “very expensive.”

Because the gap in status was simply too vast.

“Yes!”

Wallace nodded lightly.

“Our newspaper has few such devices; only high-ranking reporters are qualified to use them. Ordinary reporters’ news is not valuable enough to warrant this costly real-time transmission device.”

“Oh?”

Garen caught the implication in Wallace’s words. “You’ve been promoted?”

“Thanks to you, Lord Garen, I captured a world-class scoop.”

Wallace nodded gratefully at Garen, his expression excited.

“I am honored to say I’ve been promoted to Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the East Blue Daily!”

“Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the East Blue Daily?”

Nami exclaimed in astonishment, “That’s really…”

That position was far more influential than it sounded.

Thanks to the existence of “news birds,” nearly every island on the sea—except those in the calm belt—was covered by newspaper circulation. Major news, like the execution of the Pirate King, could spread across the world within three days, reaching everyone.

In such a situation, the newspapers, which controlled public opinion, effectively shaped the tides of the sea, their influence undeniable.

The East Blue Daily was the largest newspaper in the East Blue.

While its influence didn’t match the great papers of the Grand Line, it was enough to dominate public opinion in the East Blue.

With the world government’s weak control and lack of media oversight, local newspapers had an even stronger presence.

Nami eyed Wallace, whose youthful face seemed at odds with his high rank, and said incredulously:

“Did our news these past two days make such a splash?”

“You were promoted straight to Deputy Editor-in-Chief?”

“Well…”

Wallace looked a bit embarrassed.

“There’s another small reason. The East Blue Daily’s financial backer is my father.”

“Hmm…”

Nami’s expression turned peculiar; she remembered the enormous interview fee Wallace had casually provided.

“No wonder a lowly reporter like you was so generous.”

“Ha ha…”

Wallace gave a shy smile.

“Nami and Lord Garen have helped me a lot. My father never supported my career as a reporter, but you both proved my abilities and changed his mind.”

Wallace waved the Image Transponder Snail in his hand.

“Enough chatter—let’s take a photo! You both look perfect right now. I’ll send it back to the newspaper as an illustration for the feature story.”

“Oh?”

Garen was curious. “If the news is about me, can I read the article beforehand?”

“No problem!”

Wallace cheerfully pulled a stack of manuscripts from his briefcase.

“This is my draft. Please, take a look! From the Iron Sword to Buggy the Clown and the corrupt garrison at Rogue Town, every heroic deed of Lord Garen is recorded here!”

“Excellent.”

Garen nodded with satisfaction and eagerly took the manuscript to read.

It was, after all, his first time becoming a news subject; he was quite excited.

A moment later…

“I say…”

Garen’s face darkened.

“What’s with these ‘Fifty-Fifty’ and ‘One-Path Swordmaster’…?”

“What the hell are these?!”