Calling it a state visit wouldn’t really be wrong. Nanamo had indeed come here partly on business concerning the Ryugu Kingdom, one of which was that the Ryugu Kingdom’s Merfolk choir was planning to visit Elegia.
As the Island of Music, Elegia’s name was known to music lovers all over the world. Just as Ohara held a lofty position in the field of archaeology, Elegia held similarly exalted status in the world of music.
However, Nanamo had far more personal matters than official business to attend to, such as holding her own concert.
The entire nation of Elegia could be regarded as one enormous stage, possessing an almost perfect acoustic structure. It was said that all the greatest musicians throughout history had performed here.
The only reason she had come up with an excuse in front of Shanks was because Shanks had once asked Nanamo for an autographed record for Uta, so Nanamo had categorized Shanks as one of her fans as well.
She had an image to maintain in public.
“But… what happened to your left arm? Ever since you last passed through Fishman Island, you’ve been active around Paradise, haven’t you? There’s already someone here capable of taking your arm?
Were you unlucky enough to get into a fight with that old man Garp?”
Among pirates, Red-Hair was something of a unique figure. Even though he had yet to enter the New World, people there had already heard of his name and acknowledged his strength.
Nanamo had also read reports about Shanks. Logically speaking, there shouldn’t be anyone in the East Blue capable of dealing with him, aside from Garp, who routinely returned to the East Blue for a stroll.
If Golden Lion hadn’t declined too much, he could also pose a certain threat, but Nanamo knew nothing at all about Golden Lion’s current situation.
Ever since escaping from prison, Golden Lion had become even more of a shut-in than Moria and paid absolutely no attention to worldly affairs.
“This? It was my choice. I’ve already… bet it on the new world.”
Looking at his missing arm, Shanks didn’t seem bothered in the slightest. If anything, he looked almost relieved.
“Do you pirates always like betting something?”
Nanamo often appeared at the Sabaody Archipelago. The pirates who reached there had yet to suffer the brutal beatings of the New World, and since they had already completed half of their journey, they were often at the peak of their morale, constantly shouting all sorts of slogans as they continued onward.
Making grand vows and swearing oaths was even more common.
“That’s not important. My instincts tell me… I’ll win this bet. More importantly, since we happened to meet here, do you want to meet my daughter? She’s a fan of yours and really likes your records.”
“Hm?”
“I’ll cover all your expenses in Elegia.”
“No problem. Let’s go. I’d like to see what your daughter is like.”
Nanamo had essentially come out to have fun. If someone wanted to act as a walking wallet, she certainly wouldn’t refuse. She could just treat it as an extra offline fan meeting.
At this moment, Uta was still sitting in on a music class in Elegia. When Nanamo and Shanks arrived, they happened to hear Uta singing a cappella during class.
That immediately made Nanamo, who had only been casually wandering around, become serious.
“Your daughter’s talent… seems pretty impressive.”
“Right? We all think so too. This girl is the treasure of the Red Force. Maybe someday she’ll be able to stand on a world-class stage as well.”
“If you’re interested, she might be able to do that within the next couple of years. Debuting as a child star wouldn’t be bad either. Since you’re her father, how about signing a management contract?”
Nanamo’s instincts told her that once Uta became famous, she would definitely make a fortune from her.
When it came to music, Nanamo was a professional after all. Uta’s singing voice even possessed a quality that made people instinctively want to resonate with it. That was talent, something that simply couldn’t be acquired through training.
“If she herself is interested, we can consider it. I don’t want to dictate the child’s life.”
After Nanamo proposed the idea, Shanks didn’t immediately bring Uta over to meet her. He was worried that Uta might lose her head upon seeing her idol and agree to Nanamo’s request without thinking it through.
He planned to talk it over slowly with Uta after they returned. And Nanamo wasn’t the only person who had taken notice of Uta. Gordon of Elegia had as well.
Uta’s outstanding talent had likewise caught Gordon’s attention.
Although Gordon’s appearance was… somewhat frightening. He was tall but had an extremely short neck, while his elongated head made his overall appearance somewhat reminiscent of Moria. With just a few props, he could easily pass himself off as some kind of monster.
But at heart, he was a good person. In addition to being the king of Elegia, he was also the finest pianist in the entire country.
“This child’s singing voice is truly a treasure bestowed upon the world by heaven. Let her stay here. We can provide her with the most comprehensive education and allow her talent to fully blossom.”
Gordon found Shanks and made his request. In his eyes, there was nowhere more suitable for Uta than Elegia. This country seemed as though it had been created specifically for her.
Shanks likewise did not give an immediate answer, once again leaving the choice to Uta.
Shanks hadn’t expected Uta’s talent to be so exceptional that, within the same day, two different people had extended invitations to him.
One came from a pure music kingdom, while the other, although motivated by commercial interests, similarly acknowledged Uta’s talent.
While Shanks was telling Uta about what had happened that day, Nanamo also found Gordon, intending to take care of her official business at the same time.
“A Merfolk Opera Troupe? Elegia naturally welcomes it. However, I have one more question. Princess Nanamo, will Lady Napole be coming as well?”
“Unless something unexpected happens, she should be accompanying them. Have you met before?”
“No, but I have always greatly admired Lady Napole’s high notes. They are the most distinctive high notes I have ever heard.”
Nanamo and Gordon were having a pleasant conversation, but things were entirely different on Shanks’s side.
Whether it was Elegia’s invitation, debuting as a child star, or getting to spend time with her idol, Uta’s attention was focused on something else entirely.
“What about you, Shanks? Will you stay with me?”
“Well… we still have to continue our voyage.”
“Then I don’t want to! I want to keep traveling with all of you. I’m a member of the Red-Hair Pirates too!”
Becoming an outstanding diva was Uta’s dream, but she didn’t want to be separated from Shanks. The Red-Hair Pirates were her family, and she didn’t want to leave her family behind because of something like this.
Gordon also chose to respect Uta’s wishes. However, Uta had stayed here for some time, and many people in Elegia had become captivated by her singing.
At their request, Uta prepared to hold a farewell concert before leaving. Nanamo herself didn’t think too much of it.
Debuting as a child star would certainly be nice, but lending her a stage after she grew up would work just as well. There was never anything wrong with establishing some goodwill.
A few evenings later, the farewell concert was held as scheduled. From traditional local music to new songs Uta had tried writing herself, Uta sang almost every song she knew.
Singing loudly itself consumed a fair amount of stamina, and while Uta was resting backstage, she noticed something unusual.
At some point, several sheets of music had appeared on a stool nearby.
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