Chapter 58: A Cat playing hard to get
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Vlad couldn't help but smile widely as he watched himself in the mirror of the bathroom, staying on a stool while Titania was wielding his sword in the form of a pair of scissors, working around like a fate mother to make the poor looking child transform into a handsome, charming prince.
"Not too short, Titania. I would feel as if I returned back to the Janissary Camp being trained like some chained dog."
*Slap*
"Not that, or that. Don't cut that. Listen, little boy, I am the one in charge here, so I don't want to hear any of your complaints. Your hair is in my hands, and if I feel like it, I can make you go bald."
"If you dare to do that, I will spank your little butt for one month straight without showing any mercy."
"Bah, who do you think will believe you? Aren't you hot from how thick your skin is? Ahhh, even if you turned so small you will remain the same grumpy guy, you shameless jerk."
A small chuckle appeared on Vlad's lips and he couldn't help but notice the wide smile on Titania's expression as she was cutting his hair, and noticing that Vlad was staring at her, she stopped from her work, mentioning calmly.
"Now it's my turn to regain my memories of myself."
"With time and a lot of perseverance, anything is possible in the world."
She nodded agreeing with him, especially now that she could take part in this special day where Vlad opened his cursed eyes without being required to clean all the puzzles left by King Atlas, but then while continuing on cutting the ink-black dense hair, a small thought of doubt entered in her mind which could be read easily by the man who regained his eyesight.
"Worried that it would be only temporary?"
"... How can you tell?"
"Haha, my little Fairy, haven't I always told you, that my eyes used to be so sharp that I could notice the thoughts of people? To notice their lies and all the small details we as humans are doing unconsciously?"
"Well, I do worry that it will only be temporary and that once you return back to your adult size, you'll turn sad, even colder … Because, you'll want to achieve a full recovery even harder, which will consume your heart.
… I don't want to see that Vlad. The one consumed by rage and darkness, in his attempt of reaching his dream."
Extending his hand to caress Titania after she finished her haircut, making him look like a presentable young boy, if only they weren't checking on his skinny and malnourished appearance.
"I have already been consumed by those dark thoughts, but this doesn't change anything. I am Vlad Dracul, the master of my own emotions and mind. Rarely will I despair over something, especially now that I can see and understand that my initial thoughts weren't wrong.
Anything is possible in this world, literally anything."
"But would it be worth all the struggles and sacrifices?" asked the Fairy with emotions in her tone, making Vlad turn silent as if understanding the worries of the girl.
"..."
"I hope we can stay like this in those moments and no longer fight anyone, to retreat in a place where a lot of animals and plants exist, where we can be one with nature." added Titania who thought of a small accessory which she placed in Vlad's shorter hair, before flying to his face, and caressing his small nose.
In that silence he remained since hearing Titania's worries, he closed his eyes before mentioning with a sad, melancholic, hurt, and even old voice that didn't fit with his childish build at all.
"When I was a child, I used to pray a lot to God, I used to pray so much to him that now it seems laughable, but that Innocent child didn't knew about the harsh world. Instead, he would pray, asking God and wishing for the better of everyone in the world."
As if he was spellbound by his own memories, he started recalling his words of innocence that shocked Titania because they sounded so pure and warm at the heart, as if they were brought from an angel.
[I wish everyone could understand, already that there is space under the sun for everyone to live in harmony. That we could find Heaven so told in the books of the Saints, right on this land we live in, which could accommodate everyone.]
"Just like you, little Titania, I wanted everyone to live in Harmony without killing anyone, but they transformed me into a monster, a beast who wouldn't even shift a glance when running a hand in the heart of an enemy."
"You … sounded so innocent when you were young. What happened to you?"
"You are too pure to hear that story. I want to see you like this now that I have my eyes opened, or in case I will be required to close them temporarily.
However, I can tell you this Titania, once I achieve all my dreams and stand on the pinnacle of the World, I will vanish and live in anonymity living in harmony until old age would claim me.
Maybe, just maybe, I am allowed to turn into that grumpy old man who would teach and take care of poor children just like I wished those monsters would do with those blameless children of the poor nations conquered in blood and iron."
.
Once the conversation between the two was put to a halt, Vlad cleaned around the bathroom, gathering his hair into a small bag that he placed into a cabinet, later on returning to the kitchen where all 6 kids were present, already wolfing down on his food.
"Doctor-san, your food is so delicious. I have never eaten such delicious food, especially from a stranger who cooked on a ship. What is the secret?" asked Bonney who wolfed down, acting cheeky and greedy, even stealing some food from her little friends.
"Not fair Bonney-onnechan, that's my food." complained a little boy about 12 years old, after Bonney took a large spoon from his ceramic plate and ate with a lot of appetite.
Vlad only responded to Bonney's question after he started wolfing down on the food, while the girls watched with shock that someone could eat so much and so fast, just like herself.
"My secret for delicious food?"
"Yes, mister. The food made by old Sixfingers is so bland compared to yours."
"Heh? Really?" inquired Vlad with sarcasm gazing at each of those kids who held genuinely pleased expressions, continuing to respond to the girl who nodded her head.
"I talk with my ingredients."
"You talk with the food, nii-chan?" asked the little boy who was "bullied" by the older girl in an innocent and pure way.
"Of course, each ingredient has a little spirit in them, and if you make them agree to become part of your recipe, your food will always taste better by a lot compared to the common people. But sometimes it's hard because we have stubborn ingredients who would complain, not wanting to get in the cooking pots."
"Really?" inquired the boy with his little eyes becoming big from the news he received.
"Really. I would need to sign to them, or to dance with them, or even tell them some stories to convince them to get in the boiling pot."
"Are you a magician nii-chan? I heard only magicians can do those things."
Titania and Eleine who watched from behind couldn't help but smile a bit and giggle as Vlad was having an interesting conversation with the little kid, messing around with him, by having him believe those outlandish claims, something that Bonney couldn't only smirk a bit, not believing.
"It's true, little one. He is a magician who can talk with ingredients. He would always talk nicely with his ingredients and ask them to become part of his meals."
The expression of the little kid was of amazement after receiving a confirmation from Titania, who appeared before the boy, before flying away, and as the atmosphere in the kitchen turned easy-going, Vlad finished by himself the entire pot of food which had Bonney shocked.
"Ahh, little Bonney, right? Come to my cabin, so we can talk. Eleine, Titania look after the kids, so they don't wander around in the wrong places."
Having their confirmation, Vlad was first to return in the Cabin, getting a seat at the now large chair, opening a cabinet in the desk to take his notebook filled with a lot of notes all the eye could see.
"Impressive, my handwriting is as impeccable as when I left for Snagov before writing the letter to reassure the merchants that I will still be the one in charge."
Soon afterward, with himself checking his notes page by page, correcting some of the mistakes in his writing, clicking his tongue like he was disappointed in himself, he spent like this about 10 minutes before the pink-haired girl made her way inside the cabin.
"Mister?"
"Come in, little girl. I don't bite, especially after being rendered to this form."
"You don't really seem upset or angry that you've become a child."
"I have mixed feelings. While this small body is limiting my full potential, the fact I can see you, little girl, it's enough to balance the drawbacks. Have a seat."
Bonney was taken aback by how casual Vlad was because all the experience she had in using her devil powers was of being labeled into a heartless monster playing with the people's lives, but she had in Vlad a unique reaction where the one targeted was actually thankful instead of being angry.
"Mister? I heard that you managed to heal the "Curse of the Spirit" from Ademar's brother, and twins Carlec and Comor."
"I did, are you curious to find out the culprit of this so-called Curse?" replied Vlad watching the pink haired girl who wore clothes that looked to be a little bit too tight on her, showing around some skin in the process.
"I don't know, a part of me wants to say no, while another one is curious, because this Kingdom has been afflicted by the sickness given by the Mountain Spirit for far too many years. Generations of people in fact suffered the wrath of the Mountain."
"Okay, today I will teach you something interesting, little girl. The important reason why you shouldn't believe certain things before being rightfully proven by a source.
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A Curse? A Spirit? They might exist, but like I mentioned to that Ademar brat, why would some grand spirit bother with throwing a curse on some commoners, nothing worth to them."
"Right … Why? I never thought of this question in this manner, mister." commented Bonney seated at the luxurious chair facing Vlad's office, while the young boy went up on his feet walking slowly toward a storage chest, picking from there a large glass jar, which he presented to the pink-haired girl.
She could see a bloody worm with various patches of white around, hitting constantly on the glass jar, as if become a prisoner.
"T-That worm … doesn't look appetizing at all." remarked Bonney, who was a bit disgusted by how those worms looked.
"Now that I look at them closer, they don't look appetizing at all. But you can bet with me, little girl, that they are a great source of nutrition after they entered a host and started consuming their blood and flesh. This bug is called a Maggris Worm, a type of parasitic bug living in winter islands, where they can enter into a state of hibernation."
Vlad explained calmly to Bonney a list of basic information a lass should know for general knowledge.
"So … You can heal people afflicted with those worms, correct?"
"Trivial." responded Vlad, having the same method of speech that he had in his adult form, which didn't fit at all with the new circumstances.
"What do you want, to heal my friends who have been afflicted by those worms? I understand that you don't want to be turned back into his adult form.
…. I also don't have enough money to give you for healing them.
Anything, in particular, that would you want from me?"
"Heh, you aren't that bad, young lady. Not stupid at all, as I thought most of the commoners of this Kingdom would be for believing the bullcrap of some old pagan preaching the fantasies he dreams about.
Have you been schooled, little girl?" asked Vlad in a straightforward way as he watched Bonney with interest, observing each of her involuntary body signals.
"Obvi … Not at all, mister. I am an orphan of Everfall City."
Vlad looked at Bonney calmly right in her purple eyes, and as she ended saying that, he only smiled briefly, making the young girl get nervous when she saw him smile.
"Well, regardless, if you got schooled or not. It wouldn't make a difference because there are also peasants with a lot of intelligence worth teaching, holding a lot of potential in their insignificant existance." commented Vlad, to remove some of the pressure from Bonney.
"I-Indeed."
"Yet again. Don't be nervous. It's not like I want to harm you or anything, I am just asking questions to see how interested I can become to help you. You just have to respond to me to the best of your abilities."
"... Can you tell me directly what you want, mister?" asked Bonney, not wanting to be pressured into an interrogation, something she was constantly under.
"I can't. Simply put, I don't know what to expect from you."
Hearing his response, Bonney looked a bit dejected, but then when she noticed the way Vlad looked at her, as if trying to strip her off her clothes, she got embarrassed.
And to clear the misunderstanding of why he was looking at her in an observant way, he mentioned to her in such a way that her embarrassment become unnecessary.
"Listen, little girl, I don't know what fantasies you might start making in that little smart brain of yours, but … I don't want your body, so stop blushing as if you were sent into marrying me."
Yet she blushed even harder, seeing how this boy in front of her read her mind, and giving him a closer look he was cute, except for the skinny appearance that look far better than initially when she first turned him.
"Tsk, I could be your father or grandfather…" murmured Vlad to himself, before taking a breath of air, and telling Bonney.
"What do you expect little girl, that I would try to get your body? Not interested in little girls, you might be able to steal a glance from me when you grow older and put more flesh on you."
"... Understood."
"What you understood?"
"That I should put more meat on my body."
"... Hah, little girl … Forget it, this discussion goes in the wrong direction. So, let me ask you something that caught my eye. The particular powers you used on me. It's clear as day that is the mark of the Devil Power.
... For how long do you have the devil fruit powers?"
"What's a devil fruit?" asked Bonney placing an oblivious expression on her face, as she tried to hide the fact she had Devil Powers.
Yet against someone like Vlad who was reading her like a child's book, there's no way of hiding those "secrets".
"Now, now. While I don't hate children, especially orphans, I do have some displeasure with liars who do a bad job of lying. However, I like liars who manage to sell their stories to me, and in most cases, I would forgive them with some easy punishment.
So be honest with me, lass. I will not eat you. And, as you might have noticed I am not a pirate nor a marine, I am only a doctor with bounty-hunting tendencies when low on funds."
"... Honest? Tch … mister you are too curious." mentioned Bonney with a displeased expression, which made Vlad chuckle a bit, before telling her with a serious tone.
"A personality disorder I gained from some trauma. But yeah, little girl, be honest, otherwise, I will not help you.
It is in your interest to spill the beans, and make me curious about you and your circumstance." remarked Vlad with a small smile, seeing how high the guard of this pink-haired girl was, making it hard for him to break it even after playing some physiological games to have her relax next to him.
"... I think it's from a fruit I've eaten from the forest 3 months ago. It was a Gray Persimmon fruit, which initially I thought was just like the rest of the orange fruits covered in snow, but it seems not."
"And, besides the bitter taste granted by the fruit, was anything strange that happened to you? For example, experiencing weird sensations after biting into the fruit?
"Mister, how do you know devil fruits taste bitter? Are you by chance also someone who ate a devil fruit?"
Vlad's expression lighted a bit, placing a clueless and helpless expression while defending himself.
"Me? I don't wish to eat devil fruits, especially when I am a blind person. Since I would be troubled with those fruits."
"Why?"
His response made Bonney question, and his follow-up brought to light what it was like to be a blind person.
"I can't be certain what type it could be. It's playing with your future and life, risking to gain the powers of some worthless fruit in exchange for your ability to swim in the sea. Trading your ability to swim and enjoy water over some devil power, isn't so appealing to me."
Bonney's expression crumbled when she heard what Vlad thought about the devil fruits, and feeling depressed about her choice of eating that strange fruit, she told the black-haired boy as if to blame him.
"Well, if you were here some months ago to tell me not to eat suspicious fruits. Now I wouldn't be having these weird powers that I can't understand. I can't even do much with it, like how I heard the devil powers should be. Amazing, flashy, making anyone watch be in awe at you, and granting you the feeling you are cool."
"Huhuhu, are you upset, little girl?"
"A bit, because at least I wanted to be able to turn into some fearsome beast and scare anyone trying to mess with me and my friends."
"I see, but would you look at this from another perspective? You, with your devil powers, granted the wish of someone who let's say might possibly be able to defeat any of your enemies.
Someone who, regardless of how powerful he could become, might not have the chance of being able to see the light of the day ever again."
"It's only a coincidence, mister. It wasn't my intent, I just wanted to scare you so you would help me." explained Bonney who from the stern posture she had when first settling on the comfortable chair beside the luxurious desk, talked in a relaxed and open manner with Vlad.
"No, you blackmailed me, little girl. Haha, but it's alright. I will forgive you for the gift you've made me.
Now, back to what I was saying. Where was I?"
"About the devil's powers."
"Right .. you, little girl, by using your powers, managed to pick my interest.
You said you wanted the power to protect your friends, right? It so happens, I can be that power who would squash any vermin trying to mess with you and your little brats."
"Does, my powers have such ability?"
"That is correct. I imagine your powers are related to aging someone. By increasing or decreasing one targets age."
"How?" asked Bonney who didn't even mention what was the name of her devil fruit or the powers in general.
"Simple observation, young lady."
'So, this little girl really has the power of altering the age of a person. But … I wonder, is it temporary or long-term. Also, the more I think about her powers, the more a shiver starts reaching my spine.'
'It starts with a simple theory and observation. By the flow of nature, humans and animals age, being helpless against the concept called Time. By aging one grows weaker just like I did in my older age, becoming rusty instead of swift and decisive. '
'If, theoretically, I had this little girl with me back home, and had her age me back to my prime when I was 26 years old, I could have easily crushed Laiota and his Turk dogs.'
'Such that, I would have another chance at recovering, and building my forces, I would have enough time to set the plan with little Stephan and Mathias to crush Mohamed once and for all.'
Looking at Bonney without saying anything, just watching her beautiful pink hair, while she also observed him, contemplating what she understood about Vlad.
'Looking at her, it makes me think she still doesn't understand how precious her powers can be for a monster who wants to return back to his best form. So many of them, like Wormwood or Quinn who I killed in the past, but if they would be here, those guys would be in their 70s.'
'I can't let anyone get their hands on this little girl. Apart from being able to make me see, her intelligence isn't far away from my standard.
I could devise a fighting style to fit her perfectly and maximize the abilities of her devil powers. I can offer her as much, but would she want to live on this shit stained with a lot of snow, island?"
"Tell me, little Bonney. How does your power work? Only by touching someone with your hands?"
"Indeed, that's the only way I can use my devil powers." replied Bonney extending her hand toward Vlad shining with a pink color akin to her hair.
"Interesting, hand to hand would do."
"Pardon?" inquired Bonney when Vlad thought out loud about his observation, unknown if it was on purpose or not.
"No, nothing big. I was pondering about what style would fit you. You seem a little bit like a bossy lass, maybe a tomboy. Do you like bullying fools, especially those who angered you in the past? To slap them and kick them in the ass, and hitting them so badly they wouldn't be able to get on their feet."
Bringing a new subject to the table, the pink-haired girl smiled in a cheeky manner, and told Vlad with confidence. "Obviously, mister. Who wouldn't take revenge on someone who messed with you? I don't really mind hitting people in the face."
"Good, good. Do you have any stories about doing such a thing?'
"..."
Seeing the girl shell up again when he probed about information about her personal life, he distracted her a bit with his friendly chuckle, mentioning.
"It seems you are still shy being around me. No need, little Bonney. However, since I was the one to bring up such a subject of talk, should I tell you about an incident that I am fond of, where I took revenge on some fools who messed with me when I was younger?"
"Mhm."
Getting her confirmation, Vlad began telling the story of the various dangerous games he had with Elias over the years, until the Herbalist gave up on trying to beat him in herb knowledge. He focused a lot on the incident where he got out from his cocoon being allowed to walk around Picodras and stopping at the Market to smell plants and flowers.
He gave her some basic information about him, as to why he was in gypsum bandages, how he got blinded by the pirates when he was only 10 years old, and how his recovery went.
Bonney who remembered what Eleine told her, when she asked who Vlad was and what happened to him, couldn't help but get impressed by such a tragic life story, where the same man, currently in a chibi form was now living to tell the story.
And, the story he told her ended with him always winning the bets and punishing Elias and the other herbalists to do as he ordered, where initially they protested, but once they got roughed up a little bit, they turned around to actually enjoy doing what he was telling them to do.
*Chuckle*
"They actually did all of those things you've told them? Wooah, reading so many books must be exhausting. I get exhausted only by reading one book, but they were doing so many."
"Of course they could do it. Especially when it was money on the line. As the doctor and the Chief Alchemist of my Island, I was their stable source of income. But that's not the point.
How is it? Have you warmed up a bit to some stories?"
Then it was her turn to tell a story, about herself one year ago, rescuing the youngest from the bunch of brats around her, from some bullies around her age. They fought back, but she wasn't a pushover and began betting on them, mentioning some various techniques she did to defeat her enemy.
"Heh, so lame? You struggled and wasted so much time to beat those boys into submission?"
"Heyy!! Don't mock me. They were all stubborn not wanting to apologize for calling me a pink slut and had to beat them into submission."
"Don't get me wrong, you did well to defeat them, but you could have eased your life by simply kicking them in the balls. There wouldn't be any scuffle between you and them."
"..." Bonney was looking at Vlad with a questioning look, only to hear him remark casually about one of the main weaknesses of a male body.
"What? Haven't those who taught you how to protect yourself mentioned kicking the boys in their balls? It's painful, murderous, and efficient. Afterward submitting them would become child's play."
With Vlad and Bonney continuing their talk at the office, with the girl finding herself able to relax in this new environment, removed of any hostility to her, she asked the black-haired boy again, dropping her formality on the window.
"What do you say after all this talk, will you help me? Healing my friends from the effects of those worms?"
"Hmm, in a bit. I still have a question for you, Bonney."
"Yes?"
"Are you interested in learning how to protect yourself from me and also beat bullies when they try to make fun of you?"
"... If you are stronger than the General Fischer of the Royal Guard, maybe I will consider it."
"Haha, I don't know who the person is, but I can tell you this little girl, starting with a question. Do you think a pirate worth about 32.000.000 𝔅 could defeat the Royal Guard?"
"It's not even a question. The pirate would win all the time."
"Well, know that such a pirate was culled under my sword. His name is Charles Vane if it rings a bell to you."
"Charles Vane? I think I heard about this name. Right, from the Marine posters spread on the tavern bounty board."
"I don't believe you. You are only a doctor, how could you know how to fight to the extent of a high prized pirate?"
"Ohh really? Do you want to try it yourself? Even if I might be a bit weakened, a small exercise to help digest the food wouldn't sound bad. If you are curious, come out to the main deck and test it out for yourself."
"Test it myself… okay. But if you lose miserably and are petty about it. It's not my fault. Okay?"
"It's alright by me. Besides, I like when my kitties play hard."