Contract Finalized
"Umm," But Adam quickly looked back and saw Robin opening her eyes.
"A-Ah," Robin quickly sat up on the bed after a few seconds of silence, she was shocked to find herself in a bed this soft.
"I-I'm Sor…" Robin had been sleeping on the floor in her aunt's house and she was once punished for sitting on their bed.
This is why she was scared now that she was sleeping on such a luxurious bed with her dirty clothes, she was so shocked that she didn't even know that her clothes were clean.
And Adam thought differently from her so he stopped her slowly before she could apologize.
"You can sleep more if you want to, don't worry about anything else." Adam smiled as he sat down on the edge of the bed, "Want me to sing a lullaby? I may look like this but I can sing quite well."
"N-No," Robin shook her head as Adam sighed, it seemed that she was too tense at the moment.
It was understandable she was still an 8-year-old kid after all, no it could even be said that she was really strong for a kid her age, she has been able to keep her mind calm for so long before crying.
And now she was in her somewhat calm mode again, but this didn't last because…
RUMBLE*
"…" Robin clutched her stomach which growled loud enough to ring through the silent room.
"Ah, I see you were hungry, can't sleep on an empty stomach after all," Adam chuckled looking at Robin's small face turn red, she was embarrassed by it.
Which is why he didn't focus too much on it and…
"Come on, I have prepared food for you, let's go and eat," Adam said slowly and Robin looked at him still clutching at her stomach.
She was really hungry all she had today was jam and bread for breakfast and then nothing else for the rest of the day, this normally wouldn't be a problem but because of how hectic things were she consumed a lot more energy than normal.
"O-Ok," Robin nodded and got off the bed on her own before straightening out the blanket again.
'I'll only eat a little,' Robin thought but she was in for a huge misunderstanding since…
"W-wha?" Robin exclaimed at the giant table in front of her that was filled with all types of dishes from meat to fish to rice to soup.
She had never seen this much food on one table in her life.
"W-Where is my food?" Robin asked Adam, she thought that Adam kept her portion separately as her aunt did.
"What do you mean? This is all for you," Adam said and Robin was dumbfounded.
"T-This? For me?" Robin's mind was overwhelmed; normally all she got for the meal was day-old bread or leftovers.
So, seeing this much food which was supposedly made for her was more than shocking.
"Yes. So, come on eat whatever you like," Adam picked up the stupefied Robin and placed her on the seat, "Tell me what you want to try?"
"U-Um," Robin was hesitating but the tasty smell of the dishes finally won as her stomach rumbled nonstop.
"…The fish," Robin finally caved in and Adam smiled placing the steamed fish in her plate.
"I have already removed the bones so don't worry," Adam smiled as Robin nodded while she was completely focused on the fish.
She used the fork to take the piece of fish to her mouth slowly, she was more scared of dropping it now, but nothing of that sort happened and she ate the piece.
And just as she chewed it the flavours burst into her mouth as tears started to stream down her face.
It wasn't because she was reminded of a bad memory or something, it was just that this was the first time in her life that she had eaten food this delicious, and…
"Is it tasty?" She looked up at Adam as he wiped her tears away again, she didn't want to cry and be a nuisance but it wasn't stopping.
"Y-Yes," Robin nodded even though her voice choked.
"Then eat a lot, ok?" Adam smiled brightly while patting Robin's head slowly as she nodded.
After that Robin ate the food, she wasn't able to finish all of the food, but she ate more than what her body should be capable of. She couldn't stop herself since the dishes were just that good, and after she couldn't eat anymore...
"Ummm," Robin's body felt sluggish as she wobbled while sitting on the chair but she soon felt something supporting her and drifted into sleep again.
'I'll let her rest some more,' Adam thought as he laid Robin down on the bed again before he started to study once more.
And then after five hours, Robin woke up again as the time to make a deal with her arrived.
"So, would you allow me to help you, Robin?" Adam had already made up his mind but he still needed to explain things to Robin.
He told her a roundabout version of how he helps people who are in need but leaving out the sex part since a young child like Robin didn't need to hear about it.
But Robin wasn't an ordinary child, she was a genius who became a full-fledged archaeologist of Ohara at the age of 8 years old, that was an achievement that surprised many.
"W-What about the sacrifice?" Robin clearly remembered there being a price that needed to be paid in order to get Adam's help.
"Uhh, That.... You know…." Adam chuckled dryly as Robin kept looking at him seriously, she didn't look like she'd be happy without an answer.
This is my he was so on edge seeing a kid walk into the place, he really felt like he would die of embarrassment if he even so much as tried to think of explaining his services to a child.
'Well, I was about to use my pardon and make it so she doesn't need to make a payment, I mean who in their right mind wouldn't do that?' Adam thought since he would indeed despise a person who would take advantage of a young child.
"Yeah, there is indeed a price needed," Adam crossed his arms seriously and spoke.
"…" Robin gulped as she looked at Adam, her body was tense as she wondered what he was going to ask for.
"You just need to smile," Adam said and Robin was at a loss for words.
"Haha, I know what you are thinking," Adam laughed before continuing, "But showing a real smile is a lot harder than what you may think."
Robin just kept on staring at Adam in her confusion as he crossed his arms and looked like he was deep in thought.
"Anyway that is what I want, nothing else will do," Adam said shortly after and Robin didn't know what was happening anymore, in the story she read the being who promised to grant the wish took the wisher's soul in return, but…
'He is asking for a smile?' Robin couldn't understand, she searched through all of the knowledge she had in her little head and tried to find a reason or deception behind Adam's demand, but even after thinking as hard as she could.
Robin was unable to understand what Adam truly wanted.
"So, what do you say? Will you make a contract with me little lady?" Adam asked with a smile.
'I am sorry Robin, but I can only grant you one wish,' Adam already had a plan that would work perfectly for Robin and allow her to live without any worries of the Marines and World Government.
"Yes," Robin nodded after she thought for a second and soon she was handed a contract by Adam.
'Protection from the World Government and Marines,' Robin looked at what she was receiving and also looked at the cost, 'Just a single smile from your heart.'
There was nothing fake here, and it didn't look like she would be fooled since the contract stated that Adam would die if he chose to take back his words and ask for something else for compensation, not to mention he'll die if he didn't honor the contract.
'I can't help her in any other way,' Adam had thought of several different plans and discarded them at the same time because they would not work.
Like restoring Ohara back to normal, but even if he did that it wasn't like the world government would leave them alone, and the archeologists of Ohara have done this to themselves, they weren't the type of people who would just stop doing it even if it meant death.
And he couldn't destroy the World Government so that wasn't helping Ohara either.
Even if he sent Robin to the past, it was the same problem, the archaeologists of Ohara wouldn't listen, and even if they did the World government had no plans of leaving them alive so they would have to live in constant hiding from the Marines.
So, all that he could do now was make sure that Robin is safe and sound. Because if he does something more he'll get on the bad side of the Administrator of Robin's world, but truth be told, he wasn't scared of that, The real reason for it was something else...
'I am sorry, Robin.'