27 Promptly Admit Your Mistakes

Beckman asked Shariya point-blank, "Miss, are you a noble, or a merchant?"

For a bounty hunter, gathering tens of millions of Berries is not particularly difficult, provided one possesses sufficient strength. After all, the World Government is incredibly wealthy. Once the skirmishes between pirates conclude, the victors often employ an intermediary to exchange the corpses of the defeated pirates with the Navy for a bounty.

Although this telekinetic young lady seemed as unreliable as Shanks, it was clear she was well-educated. Beckman surmised that she likely came from a noble background.

Shariya pondered for a moment, then replied with great earnestness, "I am a human."

Beckman: "..."

The nearby members of the Red-Haired Pirates burst into laughter. This newcomer posed no threat; she had bought them drinks, and even though she had been covered in snow earlier, she had just handed them ten million Berries! No one would turn their back on money. Even though she had rejected their captain's invitation, the crew found themselves even more eager to have her join the ship. They certainly wouldn't mind having such a wealthy and beautiful girl on board.

However, Limejuice had not yet given up on testing the newcomer. He was certain that she would board the ship sooner or later; most people, after being relentlessly pursued by their captain, eventually gave in.

"Let's chat later; I have things to attend to," Shariya said, jumping up and patting Beckman on the shoulder with a cheerful tone.

Beckman, caught off guard by the clump of snow she patted onto his shoulder, stood in silence. He sighed helplessly, a flicker of surprise passing through his eyes. He had been keeping a close watch on the telekinetic, yet he had no idea when she had managed to hide snow in her hand right under his nose.

Shariya skipped away, leaving the Red-Haired Pirates staring at one another in bewilderment. She had just remembered that Hawk-Eye still owed her a swordsmanship lesson. While the Red-Haired Pirates were certainly renowned masters, Hawk-Eye’s quality of instruction was superior, making him the priority.

She spotted Hawk-Eye not far away. The thin sunlight cast long, sparse shadows over him, making his solitary figure appear profoundly lonely. Shariya flicked her fingers, and her invisible telekinetic power condensed into the shape of a blade, striking the tree Hawk-Eye was leaning against.

With a thunderous crash, the large tree toppled over. Hawk-Eye sidestepped with agility, skillfully avoiding the path of the falling timber. His sharp eyes immediately locked onto Shariya, and he asked calmly, "What are you trying to do now?"

Seeing Shariya chatting animatedly with the Red-Haired Pirates, Mihawk had originally intended to avoid the rest of the crew, politely choosing not to interrupt. He was, as always, only interested in those who walked the path of the swordsman.

However, it was clear he could no longer avoid the chaos. Hawk-Eye had even become somewhat accustomed to this woman’s restless nature. For the sake of her decent swordsmanship and her status as a qualified swordswoman, he could tolerate it.

"It wasn't me," Shariya said, raising her hands in an exaggerated gesture of surrender, a playful, teasing smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. Her tone sounded intentionally provocative.

In reality, her invisible telekinesis was still quietly at work, transforming into the shape of an axe and hacking at the tree trunk with a rhythmic *cracking* sound.

Hawk-Eye’s face darkened. He drew his long sword and swung it in a single fluid motion. A sharp arc of sword energy swept forward, instantly shearing off a lock of Shariya’s hair.

"What is it that you truly want?" Hawk-Eye demanded.

Having narrowly avoided a beating, the smile on Shariya’s face vanished instantly. She lowered her head, promptly admitted her fault, and said in a voice filled with genuine sincerity, "I'm sorry."