Chapter 362: Sanji Falls in Love

Chapter 362: Chapter 362: Sanji Falls in Love

Chapter 362: Sanji Falls in Love

Sanji’s face darkened.

The tone of that voice made him feel as though he were some piece of merchandise being claimed, and he did not like it one bit.

He turned around, cigarette hanging from the corner of his mouth, and glared toward the speaker.

"What did you say, you bas..."

The rest of the sentence died in his throat.

The cigarette slipped from his lips and dropped to the floor.

Sanji froze.

For a moment, he genuinely wondered whether he had fallen asleep.

If this was a dream, he had no intention of waking up.

Two figures stood near the entrance.

The first was a tall woman with long black hair and a calm, elegant air. Her fitted clothes and dark jeans suited her slender figure, while her reserved demeanor gave her a quiet charm that naturally drew attention.

Beside her stood someone with white hair, pale skin, and unusually delicate features. His slender frame and slightly unhealthy complexion gave him an almost fragile appearance.

To Sanji, the scene was heavenly.

His heart stopped.

Then exploded.

He snatched a decorative rose from a nearby vase and dropped to one knee.

"Oh, beautiful sea!"

He pressed one hand dramatically over his chest.

"What miracle have you granted me today?"

"Two breathtaking ladies have appeared before me, and my heart has already been taken prisoner!"

Robin covered her mouth with one hand.

"What a passionate gentleman."

Her eyes shifted toward Axel.

The teasing meaning was obvious.

Apparently, Sanji had included him among the "beautiful ladies."

Axel’s forehead twitched.

Chopper, meanwhile, completely lost control.

"Pfft...!"

He burst out laughing.

Sanji’s head snapped toward him.

Chopper immediately clamped both hooves over his mouth.

Oh no.

But Sanji’s anger vanished almost immediately.

He looked at Chopper, then back at Robin and Axel.

"Even their pet is adorable!"

Chopper exploded.

"I’M NOT A PET!"

His body instinctively shifted back into his smaller form.

"And I’m a reindeer!"

The surrounding diners turned to stare.

A talking, transforming reindeer was not something most people saw during lunch.

Sanji ignored their reactions entirely.

His attention remained fixed on Robin and Axel.

Women were sacred.

That was the law of Sanji’s world.

He adjusted his posture, rose gracefully, then knelt again with even greater enthusiasm, trying his hardest to look like some prince from a romance novel.

Axel stared at him.

Then ended the fantasy with one sentence.

"I’m a man."

Sanji froze.

"Eh?"

His eyes twitched.

"Hm?"

His face slowly collapsed.

"WHAT?!"

Several nearby customers and chefs shouted at the same time.

"No way!"

Aubrey, already irritated at being repeatedly ignored, had been preparing to complain again.

But even he paused at Axel’s appearance.

Then at Axel’s statement.

His expression barely changed afterward.

He was already well past the age where beauty alone could hold his attention for long.

More importantly, Sanji was still ignoring him.

Aubrey cleared his throat sharply.

"What is your answer?"

Sanji remained frozen.

His mind was still trying to recover from what had just happened.

Aubrey glanced toward the two servants beside him.

They understood immediately and lightly nudged Sanji.

The contact snapped him out of his trance.

Sanji blinked.

Then his eyes moved toward Robin.

Surely she was actually a woman.

There was no possible mistake this time.

His spirits recovered instantly.

He stepped closer.

"Beautiful lady."

Robin looked at him.

"What is your name?"

"Robin."

Sanji clutched his chest.

"Robin..."

He repeated it reverently.

"What a wonderful name."

He reached for her hand with the grace of someone performing on stage.

"Fate itself must have guided you here."

"Our meeting can only mean one thing."

He leaned forward.

"I’ve already fallen hopelessly in love with you."

"Please allow us to begin a passionate romance together."

Robin blinked.

Then smiled.

"I’ll consider it."

Sanji staggered backward.

His entire face flushed.

He grabbed his chest as though his heart might burst through his ribs.

An angel.

Definitely an angel.

Aubrey finally snapped.

"Insolent commoner!"

His voice boomed across the restaurant.

"How dare you ignore me again and again!"

Sanji slowly turned.

Aubrey pointed at him.

"Do you even understand who you’re speaking to?"

"I am a noble!"

"With behavior like this, I could have someone like you reduced to a slave!"

Sanji silently picked up his cigarette.

He lit it.

Took one drag.

Then looked at Aubrey with complete indifference.

"Old man."

Aubrey’s face twitched.

"If you’re done eating, then leave."

"What?"

"I don’t care how much money you have."

Sanji exhaled smoke.

"And stop interrupting me while I’m talking to a lady."

Aubrey’s face turned red.

"You...!"

His voice cracked with rage.

"I am a noble!"

"You filthy commoner!"

Sanji scoffed.

"Noble?"

"Commoner?"

"What a stupid way to divide people."

He pointed toward the exit.

"Take your money and get lost."

Patty immediately rushed over.

"Sanji!"

He slapped both hands against his head.

"What the hell are you saying to a customer?!"

Then he turned toward Aubrey with a broad smile.

"My sincerest apologies, honored guest."

"Sanji has a terrible habit of joking around."

He bowed politely.

"If you wish to leave, of course you may."

Aubrey’s expression eased slightly.

Then Patty added,

"Just remember to pay the bill first."

Aubrey stared at him.

For several seconds, he genuinely could not believe what he had heard.

Was this supposed to be an apology?

It sounded more like they thought he might dine and dash.

His pride finally shattered.

"I’ll report this place to the kingdom!"

He slammed his hand against the table.

"I’ll have this miserable restaurant shut down!"

"I’ll have all of you dragged away and made slaves!"

Sanji moved.

In an instant, he was standing directly in front of Aubrey.

His hand seized the nobleman’s collar.

Then lifted him off the floor.

"What did you say?"

Aubrey choked.

His feet kicked uselessly.

The two servants beside him reacted and rushed forward, grabbing Sanji’s arms.

He did not move.

Not even slightly.

Sanji’s legs remained planted firmly on the floor.

The surrounding customers began shouting in alarm.

Some were horrified by Aubrey’s threats.

Others were even more alarmed by Sanji casually strangling a nobleman inside a restaurant.

Patty started waving his hands.

"Relax!"

"Everything’s fine!"

He turned toward Sanji.

"Put the customer down!"

Then added,

"At least wait until after he pays!"

Several chefs rushed out of the kitchen and joined the servants in trying to pry Sanji’s hand loose.

It accomplished nothing.

Aubrey’s face began turning pale.

Then came a steady sound.

Clack.

Clack.

Clack.

Everyone turned toward the kitchen.

An older man stepped out.

He wore a tall chef’s hat, blond hair beneath it, and a braided mustache. His right leg ended in a wooden prosthetic that struck the floor with every step.

Zeff.

The owner and head chef of Baratie.

"Owner Zeff!"

One of the cooks pointed desperately.

"Do something about Sanji!"

Zeff sighed.

"Again?"

Sanji glanced toward him.

"Old man."

His grip loosened slightly.

That was enough.

Zeff moved.

Bang!

His wooden leg struck Sanji and sent him crashing to the floor.

Aubrey dropped beside him, coughing violently.

He clutched his throat.

"You...!"

His eyes locked onto Zeff.

"You’re the owner?!"

"How can you employ someone like this?!"

"He tried to murder me!"

Aubrey gasped for breath.

"I’ll have him killed!"

Zeff kicked him too.

Bang!

Aubrey collapsed flat on his back.

"Get out."

Zeff glared down at him.

"Customers like you aren’t welcome here."

Aubrey could barely respond.

His pampered body had not been built to withstand one of Zeff’s kicks.

His two servants hurried over, lifted him between them, and carried him out of the restaurant.

Silence followed for several seconds.

Zeff turned.

His eyes settled on Axel.

Something sharp entered his gaze.

"What are you doing here?"

Axel looked back.

"Mind if we talk somewhere private?"

Zeff studied him for a moment.

Then nodded.

He turned toward the other cooks.

"Take care of the customers."

"And don’t cause any more trouble."

Sanji barely listened.

His attention had already returned to Robin.

With Axel leaving, this was his chance.

He straightened his clothes.

"Don’t worry, old man."

Sanji smiled toward Robin.

"I’ll personally make sure our guest receives the finest treatment possible."

Then another voice came from the entrance.

"Oh?"

Wapol strolled inside while picking his nose.

"You’re treating us?"

He grinned.

"Then King Wapol won’t hold back."

Axel stopped.

He looked toward the kitchen staff.

"Limit Wapol to five dishes."

Wapol froze.

"What?!"

Axel ignored him.

Without limits, Wapol could probably eat through the restaurant’s entire supply of ingredients.

He followed Zeff upstairs.

...

They entered a private room near the upper level of Baratie.

Zeff sat near the edge of the bed.

Then looked directly at Axel.

"So."

"What are you doing here?"

Axel gave him a puzzled look.

"What do people usually do at restaurants?"

"Eat."

That should have been the obvious answer.

Zeff did not look convinced.

"I don’t know what someone who recently carried a four-hundred-million-Berry bounty is doing in my little restaurant."

His expression remained stern.

"I’d prefer it if you were really here just to eat."

Axel raised an eyebrow.

"My bounty was withdrawn."

"I know."

Zeff’s gaze did not soften.

"But having your bounty withdrawn doesn’t make you weaker."

He had spent a year sailing the Grand Line.

That experience had taught him exactly what numbers like four hundred million Berries meant.

And Axel’s situation was even stranger.

The Marines and World Government had withdrawn his wanted order entirely.

To Zeff, that was not reassuring.

If anything, it made Axel more dangerous.

A pirate or criminal could be hunted.

Someone the World Government deliberately stopped hunting was another matter entirely.

Axel shrugged.

"You’re not wrong."

Then he sighed.

"But think about it."

"If I really came here intending to cause trouble, could you stop me?"

Zeff said nothing.

"No."

Axel spread his hands.

"So why would I waste time pretending otherwise?"

"I’m not that bored."

The blunt answer actually eased some of Zeff’s tension.

If Axel had wanted to threaten him, there was little point hiding it.

Zeff leaned back.

"Fine."

"If all you want is food, you can eat here without paying."

Axel shook his head.

"That won’t be enough."

Zeff’s eyes narrowed.

"I also want a cook."

Silence.

Zeff already knew what name was coming.

Still, he asked.

"Which cook?"

"Sanji."

The answer came immediately.

Axel turned and left.

Zeff remained sitting where he was.

His expression grew complicated.

Sanji had grown up under his roof.

Their relationship had long since become something closer to father and son than employer and employee.

Zeff could not simply hand him over to some powerful stranger.

Especially not someone connected to the Grand Line.

Zeff had spent enough time there to know what happened when a person trusted the wrong companions.

Betrayal was common.

Death was more common.

...

Downstairs, the restaurant had gradually returned to normal.

The earlier chaos had damaged everyone’s appetite, but Baratie’s food was persuasive.

Soon, plates were emptying again.

Chopper stuffed another bite into his mouth.

His eyes lit up.

"Delicious!"

Axel returned to the dining area.

Then stopped.

There was no food at his seat.

He looked toward Sanji.

"Where’s mine?"

Sanji was standing beside Robin, carefully serving her.

He glanced toward Axel.

His expression filled with lingering resentment.

If only that face had belonged to a woman.

"Nothing."

Axel frowned.

"I’m not cooking for a man who deceived me."

Axel stared at him.

"Deceived you?"

Then realization came.

"Oh."

He pointed at himself.

"I never said I was a woman."

Sanji turned away.

"Doesn’t matter."

"Bring me some meat."

"No."

"I’m hungry."

"I respectfully refuse."

Sanji returned his attention to Robin.

He wiped down a bottle of red wine, refilled her glass, then carefully began cutting the steak on her plate for her.

Axel watched.

Then reached across the table.

He picked up Robin’s wine glass.

Took a sip.

Then speared a piece of steak from her plate and ate it.

Robin paused.

Then laughed softly.

Sanji stopped breathing.

The wine.

The steak.

Even the utensils.

Robin had used them.

Which meant...

His face darkened.

Indirect kiss.

"You bastard!"

He lunged forward and grabbed Axel by the collar.

"Spit it out!"

Sanji shook him violently.

Axel calmly chewed.

His expression became almost blissful.

Then he swallowed.

He lightly tapped Sanji’s hand.

Sanji’s grip opened.

He blinked in confusion.

He had not intended to let go.

Axel looked toward Robin.

"Do you mind?"

Robin shook her head.

After surviving most of her life in the Underworld, she was hardly bothered by something so trivial.

Sanji stared at Axel.

His teeth ground together.

"Envious..."

Axel reached toward Robin’s plate again.

Sanji’s eyes widened.

"Stop!"

His hand shot out.

Axel paused.

Sanji clenched his fists.

"Fine!"

"I’ll cook for you!"

"Just stop stealing Miss Robin’s food!"

Axel nodded.

"Deal."

Sanji turned toward the kitchen.

The moment his back was facing them, Axel immediately took another piece from Robin’s plate.

Robin watched him.

Then quietly smiled.

Sanji returned shortly afterward with another dish.

Axel had barely begun eating when a roar rolled across the sea.

Boom!

The restaurant trembled.

Several diners froze.

Then came another distant blast.

Cannon fire.

....

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