String of Fate (One Piece)

Chapter 42: Unexpected Appearance

Rizu POV 

I look up at the sign and walk inside. "Welcome! You can have a seat anywhere!" A kind lady says with a wide smile. I nod my and decide to sit at the bar area, farthest away from the door and near the back.

"What can I get for you?" The lady asks as she gives me a menu and looks at me. I take the menu and scan it for a couple minutes. "I'll have a steak and a glass of wine with it." I say and the lady smiles again before writing it down. "Alright! It'll be right out!"

I relax my shoulders and slouch onto the table a bit as she walked away into the back. "Ugh...Seriously what is with today. I woke up just fine and started the day with fighting, more fighting, more fighting, and more insolent pirates." I mumble out as I lean on my palm as I looked around the restaurant's interior. It was clean and spacious with many wooden tables and stools. As the bar area was filled with alcohol and lights strung about.

I smiled slightly underneath my mask. It had a relaxing vibe to it that allowed me to relax. I'm glad I found this restaurant near the outer part of town as I was exploring and fleeing away from the scene.

I sigh out as I dig in my pocket pulling out two wallets. One was mine filled with berries from my previous fights that I took and exchanged for treasure. Some other treasure and money was stashed away on my boat, hidden in small compartments as my emergency money. While the other smaller bag was from that disgusting 88,000,000 berri pirate that tried to hit on me.

I opened the smaller bag and saw a couple hundred berries. "That's not a lot for a captain who bragged about his bounty." I mumbled as I tied the bag shut and put my wallets back in my pocket.

"Here's your food!" The lady said happily as she placed the plate down along with my cup of wine. I smelled the aroma coming from the food making my stomach growl slightly, causing the lady to giggle as she leaned on the counter.

"Thank you." I say as I lift my mask up slightly, just so I could eat my food and picked up my utensils.

"Aren't you gonna take your mask off completely?" The lady questions as she looks at me expectantly. I raise my brow as I cut into my steak and hum.

"No. I don't take off my mask completely. I can eat my food just fine." I say politely as I put a piece of steak into my mouth.

I smile slightly and hum at the taste. 'It's delicious~' I thought.

"Hahah~ Good right? The cook here is amazing." The lady comments as she smiles at me causing my head to nod.

"Yes. Tell the cook that the food is delicious." I say as I munch on a vegetable.

After eating some of my food I take a sip of my wine which quenches my thirst as that alcohol taste comes in. I normally don't drink but being by myself without Rosi, really makes me a little lonely. A cup of wine would fill in his place at the moment and calm myself down even more from those invigorating men.

"My name's Eri. As you can tell I'm a waitress here. It's pretty empty now but later on we normally get customers. But today, I was told that lots of customers would be pilling into here later on. I wonder when they'll be here." She tells me as I look up and raise a brow.

"Is that so? I'll probably be finished before they arrive, so I wouldn't get in their way." I say earning a small giggle from the lady.

"My you seem uptight. But honestly, those guys who I think will be coming will be loud and noisy seeing that the crew is big. They often come here from time to time to stock up on resources or just to have fun here for a couple days before they head off. I meet with one of them earlier in the market telling me that they'll be coming." The lady continues to ramble on.