Time Travel: Age of Discovery

The young girl was still timid, but she had been hungry for a long time, so she finally gritted her teeth, took the food, and swallowed it with big gulps. Seeing this, Teya also took out a pot of clear spring water and placed it beside her, as if anticipating that she would choke. Sure enough, the little girl immediately whimpered and quickly grabbed the pot to drink the water to relieve the choke.

Teya asked, "Where are your family?" The little girl flinched like a startled cat, keeping a slight distance from Teya. But after a moment, as if realizing this was inappropriate, she moved a little closer. This movement allowed Teya to glimpse her face, despite her best efforts to hide it by lowering her head.

"Wait a minute, who are you?" When Teya was puzzled, the little girl also raised her head slightly, with a look of surprise on her face.

Inside the cabin, Thea handed a stack of gold and silver to the captain. The captain looked at Thea and the little girl hiding behind him for a moment, then said slowly: "Sir, I will make a cabin for you." After that, the captain called a helmsman to lead Thea to a cabin, handed him a key, and then left.

Teya entered the room and closed the door. After confirming that no one else was around, he slowly walked to the bedside and put down his bag. At this moment, the little girl took off her bamboo hat, letting her long hair fall over her shoulders. She looked at Teya and said, "Brother, I never expected to see you here again."

This person was Robin, and even Thea was surprised to see her. She hadn't expected Robin to venture into the Grand Line after the O'Hara incident. But considering her life of wandering, evading capture, it made sense.

After a while, there was a knock on the door, and the helmsman brought in steaming hot meals and soup. Merchant ships only care about money, and as long as you can pay the price, someone will provide the service.

Thea usually sufficed with only dry food, but she saw Robin was as thin as she had been when she escaped from O'Hara, perhaps even thinner. "Enjoy it slowly. These are all prepared for you." Thea gently stroked Robin's head, then sat beside her, quietly watching her wolf down the food.

Robin ate for a while and suddenly noticed that Teya hadn't touched her chopsticks. With a shy look on her face, she said, "If you don't want to eat, then I won't eat either." Teya smiled and replied, "Sister Robin, I've already eaten, so you can just eat without worry."

Robin had lived on the brink of life and death all along, but now, meeting Thea, she finally found some respite. Past experiences had made Robin less trusting of others, but Thea's presence on the refugee boat she rescued that year still haunted her, even in her dreams. At that moment, Robin felt a long-lost sense of security. She lowered her head to savor the delicious soup, tears streaming down her face.

Thea never asked Robin for details. He knew that Robin had survived many hardships. If it weren't for this chance encounter, Robin didn't know how much longer he would have endured hunger.

After Robin had a good meal, Thea ordered the helmsman to prepare water for her bath. However, since the ship had not yet reached the shore, it was impossible to find new clothes for Robin, so she had to take a bath first.

Teya stood outside, his back against the wall, pondering his next move. Robin's appearance had undoubtedly disrupted his plans, as he now needed to consider the best place to house Robin. Robin was now a wanted man, and if exposed, he would be coveted. Teya, in his current position, couldn't stay with Robin for long, so he had to find a safe place for him.

There was a soft knock on the door, and Robin called softly, "Brother, I'm done washing." Thea walked into the room and saw that there were still water droplets on the ends of Robin's hair, so she took a towel and gently wiped away the moisture for her.

"Brother is so considerate." Robin closed her eyes and enjoyed it. Thea gave her the feeling of being like a family member.

Teya smiled calmly and thought to himself: I'll make plans after I reach the next island.

The merchant ship continued to plow through the waves, the sea at night even more tranquil than during the day. Before boarding, Thea had heard the captain mention that the route would take them through the Water City and across numerous islands. Therefore, Thea had yet to decide where to best place Robin.

After much deliberation, Teya proposed several solutions, but rejected them one by one. After all, Robin's identity was special, which made Teya feel quite difficult, but he couldn't act rashly and abandon her at will.

Looking at the sleeping Robin, Thea couldn't help but sigh, then walked to the window, staring at the dark sea outside the window and fell into deep thought.

Thea had learned that Robin's arrival on the merchant ship was a difficult feat, primarily due to his identity being discovered in his native home, forcing him to flee here. For a teenager like him, his tenacious survival was truly remarkable. In the original novel, Thea was fully aware of the oppression Robin endured, living in the shadow of fear, a terrifying experience for a child.

Even Toya now understood that he had few options. He couldn't find a completely safe place for Robin, and he knew he couldn't accompany her on her journey. In Robin's heart, Toya held a similar position to Aokiji, perhaps even a higher one. However, temporary help wouldn't solve a lifetime problem, and Toya still had many pressing matters to attend to.

"Alas." Teya sighed softly and tried to light the cigarette in his pocket, but hesitated for a moment before finally putting it away. Without giving it any more thought, Teya lay down on the bed and soon fell asleep.

……

The merchant ship was heading for an island of moderate size. On the island stood a small town, its lights already dimming, with only a few houses still lighting up.

As night fell, a thin mist enveloped the coastal area. A black ship quietly approached the island and moored near the shore. A group of men in black, each of them burly and with sharp eyes, disembarked. The leader waved his hand, and the others dispersed, stealing quietly towards the town.

The inhabitants of this island town were mostly murlocs, a small number, and most had never lived on Fishman Island. At that moment, among the houses still lit, in one on the right, Fisher Tiger lay resting in bed, an unfinished notebook beside him. The door suddenly opened, and a young murloc entered. Seeing Tiger already asleep, he smiled, extinguished the lights, and quietly left.