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  In the midst of the celebration, the vilgers occasionally gowards Coby and Nami, who stood a little apart from the crowd. Coby's previous as had earned him a quiet respect, and while he wasn't as boisterous or outgoing as his fellow crew members, the vilgers approached him with gratitude, shaking his hand or g him on the back.

  Nami ied with the vilgers with a newfound ease and happiness. The burden of her past had been lifted, and her smile was genuine and frequent. She chatted and ughed with the vilgers, her previous reserve melting away in the warmth of the celebration.

  Nojiko moved closer to Coby on the rooftop and took a seat beside him, her warm smile masking the hurt that she was trying to hide. Her ughter, though genuine, hid a yer of pain that wasn't lost on Coby. She had something to say, something she o get off her chest.

  "You could have told me, you know," she begaone light but carrying a hidden meaning.

  Coby furrowed his brows, genuinely puzzled by her statement. "Tell you what?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.

  "That you are Nami's man," Nojiko replied, her words hanging in the air like an unspoken truth. This is what you are worried about? Me being Nami's man, here I was thinking she was askio tell her I was capable, which I did...' Coby shook his head, realizing what this was about; it was about his e to Nami. She hadn't referred to him as Nami's friend but as Nami's man. It was a distin that held quite a meaning.

  In that moment, everything clicked into pce for Coby. Nojiko wasn't merely talking about his as; she was implying a e between him and Nami that went beyond friendship. The revetio him somewhat stunned, and he began to uand the unspoken feelings Nojiko had for him. It seemed that, in their brief iion, Nojiko had developed a certain fondness for him.

  Coby found himself at a loss for words. Nojiko was undeniably attractive, a busty beauty, and he couldn't deny that he held a certain fondness for her. However, despite his ambitious aspirations to form his own harem in this new world, he khat pursuing Nojiko would be an disrespect to both her and Nami. Human iions were far more plex than they appeared in stories, and he had long since realized that.

  The idea of c sisters, even if they weren't reted by blood, was something frowned upon, and Coby had no iion of causing any rifts between them. His respect for their bond and his uanding of the intricacies of their retionships ran deep. He had never anticipated that, in their brief iion, Nojiko would develop such strong feelings for him.

  Meanwhile, Nami, hidden away beh the rooftop, had overheard Nojiko's words and dised the underlying meaning. She knew her sister better than anyone in the world a her heart tighten at the revetion. Nojiko was family, and Nami wanted nothing but the best for her. But she also couldn't deny her own feelings for Coby.

  Coby uood the plexity of Nojiko's feelings. There was a subtle reproa her words, a gentle nudge meant to clear the air of unspokeions. He reized that fronting her directly about her feelings would only plicate matters. It was a delicate bance, one he o maintain for the sake of both sisters.

  He smiled at Nojiko, a gesture of friendship and uanding. "You know, Nami's more than just a crewmate to me," he said, his tole yet firm. "We've been through a lot together."

  Nojiko nodded, her eyes refleg a mixture of emotions. "I see that," she replied, her voice soft. "She's lucky to have you." Her smile was sincere, but there was a hint of sadness behind it, a resignation to the newfound loss of feelings that had just started to bud.

  As they sat together, watg the celebrations below, Coby started to think how to get out of this mess le. He had to navigate this situation carefully, respeg Nojiko's feelings while also being true to his own and Nami's.

  Coby decided to steer the versation in a different dire, hoping to divert Nojiko's thoughts away from the plexities of her feelings. He uood that it might be a little underhanded, but he believed that he could persuade her to focus on something else – something more structive for the future.

  "So," he began, choosing his words carefully, "I've heard that you and your sister were fostered by an amazing woman. It makes me wonder if her kindness could be passed on to others." His words, though seemingly straightforward, carried a deeper message. He wao pnt the seed of an idea in Nojiko's mind – the idea of f unfortunate individuals from the sea, rather than pursuing romance. She could also be like Bellemere, and adopt, help those in need.

  Nojiko's expression softe the mention of their adoptive mother. "Yes, Bellemere," she said, her voice carrying a reverehat spoke volumes of the woman's impa their lives. "She was... incredible. Strong, loving, and sacrificed everything for us."

  Coby nodded, uanding the depth of her words. "Sounds like she was a true hero. The world needs more people like her," he remarked, genuinely admiring the ce and love of a woman he had never met. He tinued, "She saved two of you when you were small. Really admirable and something to learn from."

  Nojiko looked at Coby, surprise evident in her eyes. She had expected a different dire to the versation, but his words resonated with her. "That... that's a beautiful idea," she muttered to herself. "Bellemere always said the greatest treasure wasn't gold or jewels but the people, Nami and I."

  Although her voice was a whisper, Coby heard her. He wanted Nojiko to focus on f or maybe some other form of help to the unfortuhis was the best solution he could think of. Although it was a bit maniputive, he didn't want to hurt her or e between two sisters. As Nojiko got up aowards her house, Nami silently followed after her. Coby, looking at the sky, sighed, "Hopefully, I did the right thing."

  Nami arrived at their house and looked at Nojiko, who had opened a bottle of sake and started to drink. "What are you thinking so deeply, Sis?" Nami asked, smiling, trying to uplift the mood. Nojiko looked at her and said, "I want to be a mother."

  The statement hung in the air, filled with emotion and a newfouermination. Nojiko's gaze was dista focused, as if envisioning a future where she could give the love and care she had received from Bellemere. Nami, taken aback by the suddeion, sat beside her sister, her expression filled with both surprise and admiration.

  "You... you want to be a mother?" Nami repeated, her voice soft, trying to uand the depth of Nojiko's suddeion. She too heard Coby, and knew what he was trying to do, but seeing Nojiko say it out loud was still shog. It was a role filled with responsibility and love, something Nojiko, with her strength and passion, was undoubtedly capable of but still not a decision that should be taken lightly.

  Nojiko nodded, her eyes not leaving the bottle in her hand. "Yes, I've been thinking about it for a while now," she fessed. "Bellemere gave us everything, and I want to pass on that love, that strength, to someone else who needs it."

  Nami heard what Coby said, and she thought Nojiko was affected by his words, perhaps sidering f. She roud of her sister's newfound purpose. "So you want to adopt?" Nami asked, her voice ced with admiration.

  But to her surprise, Nojiko shook her head, her eyes fixed otle in her hand. "I want to have my child," she decred, her voice steady aermined.

  Nami was taken aback by the revetion. "Why?" she asked, the word esg her lips before she could even process the shock.

  Nojiko took a deep breath, her gaze shifting to meet Nami's. "Bellemere was everything to us. She wasn't just a mother; she was a hero, a fighter, and our savior. I've realized that I want to pass on those qualities myself, to raise someoh the same strength and love we were given."

  --

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