One piece: Establishing a Pirate Family

Chapter 108: Panis

Inside the captain's cabin, Elena wiped Charlotte's body as usual.

There were no signs of injury left on Charlotte's body.

The wounds that once marred his skin had healed completely, replaced by fresh, smooth flesh, almost like that of a newborn.

This miraculous recovery left Elena astonished.

She began to suspect that Charlotte wasn't an ordinary person. How else could someone recover so quickly after sustaining such serious injuries?

It had been only three days since Charlotte had collapsed, yet his body bore no visible scars.

"Charlotte! When will you wake up?" Elena whispered worriedly, holding Charlotte's hand.

"Sister, don't worry. The ship's doctor said the captain's injuries are fully healed. He could wake up at any time. Please don't stress yourself—you might harm the baby," said the little girl standing next to her, her soft voice full of concern.

"Panis, I'll be careful. Don't worry about me," Elena replied gently, looking at the little girl she had grown so fond of.

In the three days they had spent caring for Charlotte, Elena had learned Panis's name. At first, Panis hadn't spoken at all, and Elena had assumed the girl was mute.

One late night, while Elena sat by Charlotte's side, Panis urged her to rest. Only then did Elena hear the girl speak for the first time.

Since then, the two had bonded. Elena often talked to Panis about her life, and in turn, Panis shared her heartbreaking story.

Elena learned that Panis never knew her father. She had been raised by her mother, but when she was four years old, her mother was taken by a nobleman. Panis never saw her again.

Left alone, she survived on the charity of kind townsfolk. But when she was ten, pirates raided her village, capturing the children to sell as slaves.

Panis had been sold multiple times before ending up at the auction house in the Sabaody Archipelago, where Charlotte had saved her.

Hearing this, Elena had hugged Panis tightly, crying for the girl's tragic past.

From that moment, Elena had promised to care for Panis as her own sister, and their bond had grown stronger.

---

"Sister, please eat something!" Panis said, holding a plate of freshly cooked meat.

In her devotion to caring for Charlotte, Elena had neglected her own health, barely eating enough to sustain herself.

Seeing Panis's earnest concern, Elena nodded.

But as she stood, she wobbled slightly, unsteady from sitting for so long. Panis rushed to her side, supporting her until she regained her balance.

Panis guided Elena to the dining table.

As the plate was uncovered, the smell of roasted meat filled the room, making Elena's stomach growl in protest.

Suddenly, another growling sound echoed.

Startled, Elena looked around.

The sound wasn't from her. It wasn't from Panis either.

Her eyes widened as she turned toward the bed.

"Charlotte?"

Another growl came, louder this time.

"Charlotte! Charlotte!" Elena exclaimed, rushing to the bed.

Charlotte stirred slightly.

"Meat... Meat... I want meat," he mumbled, still half-conscious.

His voice was weak but unmistakable.

Elena froze for a moment, then quickly grabbed the plate of food.

Before she could even offer it to him, Charlotte sat upright, snatching the plate from her hands with surprising speed.

He devoured the meat ravenously, as though he hadn't eaten in days.

"More... More meat," Charlotte murmured, his eyes still closed.

Elena was stunned by the sight, her cheeks flushing red.

She suddenly realized that Charlotte wasn't wearing any clothes.

Panis, standing nearby, immediately lowered her head, her face red as she avoided looking at Charlotte.

"Panis! Quickly, tell the kitchen to bring up all the meat they have!" Elena ordered urgently.

Panis nodded and ran out of the room, her small figure disappearing down the hall.

In the kitchen, Panis relayed the situation to the cooks. Though confused, they didn't hesitate and began preparing more food.

Moments later, Panis returned, struggling to carry two plates of roasted meat.

"Sister! Sister! The meat is here!" Panis called as she approached the room.

Before Elena could respond, Charlotte moved.

He appeared in front of Panis in a flash, snatched the plates from her hands, and devoured the food in seconds.

Elena and Panis watched in shock as Charlotte finished the plates, his stomach visibly bulging before shrinking back to normal. A faint white steam rose from his body as his breathing steadied.

Finally, Charlotte opened his eyes.

He looked at Panis first.

"More meat?" he asked, his voice calm but eager.

Panis was startled, tears welling up in her eyes as she kept her head down.

"Charlotte! What are you doing? You're scaring her!" Elena scolded, stepping between Charlotte and Panis.

Charlotte blinked, slowly regaining his composure.

"Elena," he said softly, recognizing her.

Before she could react, Charlotte pulled her into a tight hug.

"Let me go! Are you crazy? There are people watching!" Elena protested, her face turning bright red as she struggled to free herself.

Charlotte released her, smiling sheepishly.

"I'm just... so hungry," he admitted.

"Then let's get you some food!" Elena huffed, dragging Charlotte toward the kitchen.

---

As they walked through the ship, crew members gasped at the sight of their captain awake and walking.

"Boss!" they shouted, their voices filled with joy and relief.

Charlotte acknowledged them with a nod, but his focus remained on one thing: food.

Elena couldn't help but roll her eyes.

"At least some things never change," she muttered under her breath, a small smile forming on her lips.

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