At that moment, in the bustling lobby of the restaurant's first floor, chaos reigned.
The restaurant owner, a middle-aged man with a round face and a thinning hairline, was in full panic mode. Sweat dripped down his forehead as he anxiously paced around the motionless black-haired Marine slumped over the table.
His mind was spinning with dread.
"What the hell is going on?! There was nothing wrong with the food—I made sure of it! So why did he just collapse like that in the middle of his meal?!"
If something terrible really happened, it could spell the end of his business.
"Who would ever dare eat here again if word gets out that someone died while dining?!"
His heart pounded at the horrifying thought.
The blond young man sitting across from the unconscious Marine hesitated before stepping forward with an awkward expression.
"Um, boss—"
Before he could explain, the restaurant owner completely misunderstood his intentions. He immediately bent at the waist, bowing repeatedly, his voice shaking with desperation.
"I-I'm so sorry! I have no idea how this happened!"
"But please, I beg you—believe me, I had no ill intentions! I will take full responsibility for this! If any compensation is required, I won't refuse to pay. I'll even cover the medical expenses, and if—God forbid—something really happens, I'll make sure the Marine's family receives a pension!"
His words came out in a rush, his voice hoarse from fear.
"Please, I swear on my life, I am not a spy! I don't even know you two! I had no reason to harm your friend!"
Tears welled up in the man's eyes as he desperately pleaded for mercy, his body trembling uncontrollably.
Watching his pitiful display, the blond young man, Sabo, felt an overwhelming sense of guilt.
He knew the truth.
Just as Luffy had said, Ace wasn't dead—he was just sleeping.
But the other diners had misunderstood the situation and thrown the entire restaurant into a frenzy. The sheer panic had even pushed the poor owner to the brink of a nervous breakdown.
Sabo clenched his fists and cursed internally.
"Damn it, Ace! Get up already! You're scaring the hell out of this guy!"
"I swear, when we get back, I'm going to fix this ridiculous habit of yours!"
And as if on cue—perhaps hearing Sabo's inner scream—the black-haired "corpse" finally stirred.
Lifting his head groggily from his plate of fried noodles, Ace blinked in confusion.
His drowsy gaze swept across the crowd of horrified diners, then landed on his flustered brother.
Completely oblivious to the chaos he had caused, he grinned.
"Hey, Sabo! Where'd you go?" he asked, his voice carefree.
His stomach rumbled slightly, and his fingers absentmindedly wiped his cheek. Feeling something sticky, he frowned.
"Huh? What's all over my face? Soy sauce?"
As he spoke, the thick sauce smeared across his freckled skin made him look even more ridiculous.
A tense silence filled the restaurant.
Then—
"YOU BASTARD!!"
Sabo's face darkened as he clenched his teeth. He massaged his temples, his patience running dangerously thin.
"I swear, I really don't know how to deal with this idiot anymore."
Resisting the urge to strangle his brother, Sabo reached into his pocket for a handkerchief, intending to clean up the mess on Ace's face.
But before he could act, the restaurant owner beat him to it.
With surprising speed, the man lunged forward and frantically wiped Ace's face with his sleeve, paying no mind to the oil stains.
Then, in a fit of overwhelming relief, he cupped Ace's freckled cheeks, his hands trembling.
Tears streamed down his face as he stared at Ace like he was witnessing a miracle.
"You're alive…! You're okay, sir! Thank the heavens!"
The next second, the restaurant owner collapsed into Ace's chest, sobbing uncontrollably.
"I—I thought I was finished!" he wailed.
For this restaurant, he had poured in every last bit of his savings. It was his livelihood, his pride.
If a Marine had truly died here today…
Even if it wasn't his fault, even if there was no poison in the food, no one would ever dare to dine here again.
His restaurant would be shut down.
He would go bankrupt.
His life would be ruined.
But now… now it turned out to be nothing more than a terrifying misunderstanding.
With all the stress and fear flooding out at once, the man couldn't help but weep bitterly.
The other guests in the restaurant exchanged glances, whispering among themselves.
"So he was just sleeping this whole time?"
"How crazy do you have to be to pass out in the middle of a meal?"
"I feel so bad for this poor boss… Talk about life's cruel ups and downs."
Ace, still clueless, scratched his head.
He awkwardly patted the man's back in an attempt to comfort him.
"Uh… Sorry, Uncle. I really just fell asleep. I don't know what happened?"
He paused and made a slight face.
"Also… could you maybe let go? Your tears are soaking into my clothes."
His casual tone only made the entire situation even more absurd.
Sabo groaned and quickly stepped in to diffuse the situation.
Helping the restaurant owner stand up, he shoved a handful of tissues into his hands—the same ones he was going to use for Ace.
"Boss, I'm really sorry for all of this," he said sincerely. "How much is the meal? We'll settle the bill and leave right away."
Ace's eyes widened in protest.
"Wait, already?! But I'm not full yet!"
Sabo turned to him with a murderous glare.
"Shut up! This is all your fault!"
Ace blinked innocently. "Eh? But I didn't do anything?"
Sabo clenched his fist. For a brief moment, he seriously considered smashing Ace's head in with a water pipe.
The restaurant owner, meanwhile, had finally calmed down. Wiping away the last of his tears and snot, he looked at the two of them with gratitude.
"No, no—it's on the house!" he declared, his voice still slightly choked.
He waved his hands frantically. "Really! This meal is completely free! Just keep eating, as long as you want!"
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New fanfic :
Marvel : The God Of Punishment System
I Am Raditz
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