Chapter 161: Chapter 161: Are Big Mom's Daughters Really This Easy to Win Over?
Yellow Butter Town
"Wow, it's so beautiful."
"I can smell the strong aroma of butter and cream."
"Can we really eat all of this?"
They had just set foot on the island, and the crew were already like children set loose, eagerly exploring every corner. Makino dabbed a bit of the semi-solidified cream on the nearby wall, bringing it to her nose. "It's real cream... Can we really eat this?"
"Captain, may I have some?"
Lily, ever the glutton, was hugging a lamppost, ready to take a bite.
"You can eat it; all of this is made from food. The entire town is constructed out of edible ingredients."
A pleasant voice echoed from the end of the street.
It was Charlotte Galette, returning from Whole Cake Island.
She wore a striking purple cape, a red skirt, and high heels that complemented her charm.
She casually tore off a piece of the buttery cake from the wall, eating it with a smile. "Please, help yourselves. After all, you're our honored guests, and I'll make sure to treat you with the best food I have."
Galette's eyes lingered on Kuke, her gaze familiar yet mysterious. She knew everything about him. Since Big Mom had set her sights on Kuke as he made a name for himself, Galette had started paying close attention to every detail about him. The more she learned, the more she admired his strength and courage.
Kuke observed Galette with curiosity. He wasn't surprised to see her here—what surprised him was her attitude. It was anything but hostile; rather, it was warm, and not just a pretense.
"Alright."
Kuke accepted her invitation.
She was one of the people he had considered among Big Mom's many daughters.
Charlotte Galette couldn't help but smile more brightly, warmly guiding Kuke to her palace.
"Just what is Big Mom planning?" Gion frowned, half-expecting a battle to break out the moment they met. Something didn't feel right.
"Linlin's ambitions never change," Shakky mused with a teasing glint in her eyes. "It seems our captain has caught Linlin's eye. Maybe this is how her daughters treat their potential stepfather?"
In an instant, Gion, Stussy, Hancock, and Belo Betty all wore expressions as cold as ice.
Kuke's eyes narrowed at the thought. If Big Mom truly had such intentions and dared to make them known, he wouldn't forgive her.
A Cozy Room
The crew of the Sun and Moon Pirates sat around a large round table, various delicacies from the sea's finest ingredients being placed before them.
"No poison," Belo Betty confirmed after checking the food.
With that assurance, Yamato and Lily wasted no time diving into the feast, their eating almost a whirlwind.
Kuke, however, remained still, his gaze drifting to the open kitchen nearby. The earlier food had been prepared by specialized chefs, but now Charlotte Galette was personally cooking.
"Is she a cook?" Gion wondered aloud, her curiosity piqued as she watched Galette bring a dish to Kuke's side.
It was something like a hamburger—distinct from the more exquisite foods already on the table, yet it made Kuke's eyes widen.
"What is this?" Gion asked in surprise, staring at the "hamburger" placed before Kuke.
This particular hamburger was unlike anything usually found in the seas. It contained an ingredient unique to Kuke and Gion's homeland—a rare food that had become famous there but had nearly vanished after their homeland's destruction.
"Not just a simple treat, huh?" Gion eyed Galette warily.
The care taken with this dish was evident, and Gion couldn't believe it was just a coincidence or without ulterior motives.
"I happened to learn how to make Deburg," Galette said with a smile, meeting Gion's gaze.
There was no malice in her eyes, and she wasn't intimidated by Gion's scrutiny.
"Happened to?" Gion didn't buy it. Running into them and coincidentally knowing how to make a dish from their homeland? Their homeland wasn't exactly famous—a small island, with its cuisine known only within its borders, barely making waves beyond it.
"Thoughtful," Kuke acknowledged. He found himself somewhat touched by Galette's effort.
He didn't particularly care for the cuisine of his homeland. His real home was not on the seas. Still, encountering someone he barely knew putting in such an effort was surprising.
There was no reason for her to do this just because he was a Yonko.
After all, she wasn't just any ordinary person either—she was a member of the Big Mom Pirates, with no need to curry favor like this.
Kuke picked up the hamburger and took a large bite.
Galette stood nearby, resting her face on her hands, her smile becoming even more radiant. Her efforts had paid off.
She wasn't a chef by nature. This meal she made for Kuke wasn't a spur-of-the-moment idea; it was something she had prepared well in advance.
All those so-called "coincidences" were, in fact, the result of a great deal of effort.
Galette discreetly hid her hands behind her back. Only she knew how much effort went into perfecting that dish, how much she had requested the help of her family members, and how many times she had burned her hands in the process.
It had taken her three months, with countless experiments, and many burns on her hands, to finally recreate this food from Kuke's homeland.
Even knowing that it might all be in vain, she chose to try.
She watched Kuke eat with gusto, her eyes shining like crescent moons, unable to hide her joy.
"It seems it's more than mere admiration for our captain," Shakky observed, silently impressed.
It seemed another new crew member would be joining soon.
"Not bad."
After finishing, Kuke gave his assessment. It tasted quite good.
"If Mr. Kuke wants more, I can make it anytime," Galette offered, stepping forward to clear Kuke's plate and preparing a perfectly warm towel for him to clean his hands—attentive to every detail.
It made Kuke feel as though he wasn't in Big Mom's territory at all, but rather back on the Radiant Eclipse.
"Looks like there's a new competitor," Hancock muttered, feeling a surge of pressure.
"Unless you join the Sun and Moon Pirates, you won't always be able to do that," Kuke said, looking at Galette.
Galette trembled slightly at the domineering look in Kuke's eyes.
Join the Sun and Moon Pirates?
She understood that if she married Kuke, she'd naturally leave the Big Mom Pirates to join his crew. Was this an indication that Kuke was interested in her?
Was she succeeding?
Kuke was even more surprised when he saw a faint glow around her—she was genuinely willing.
Could Big Mom's daughters really be this easy to win over?
This was almost too simple.
Potato Island
Southeast of Yellow Butter Town, about ten kilometers away, was Potato Island.
Smoothie and the others arrived on Potato Island using Brulee's Mirror-Mirror Fruit.
"We've just received news that the Sun and Moon Pirates have entered Yellow Butter Town, and Galette has invited them," Cracker informed the group of the latest developments.
The women frowned slightly—they were still one step behind.
"Brother Cracker, prepare the ship," Charlotte Custard ordered her brother.
Ten minutes later, they set sail from Potato Island.
"Good luck, sister!" Cracker shouted from the shore, cheering for his twin sister, Charlotte Custard, as he watched the ship disappear into the distance.
"If she succeeds, I'll have a Yonko as my brother-in-law," Cracker whispered to himself, hiding within his biscuits, barely able to contain his excitement.
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