After meeting the so-called renowned Jagae Guild and Manju Guild while you were out on the Tropical Soda Islands with Mango Cookie and Custard Cookie III, you decided that you were going to ditch your two friends and instead hitch a ride with Manju Cookie and his crew to the Republic, seeing as you actually had some business to attend to there. Usually, Manju Cookie wouldn't accept such an absurd request, but Custard Cookie III spoke quite highly of you, and based off of the things you said, you were certainly a Cookie worth getting to know. Besides, this could be considered a long-term investment if he let you stay with him and his crew until they all arrived at the Republic, right? He helps you out now, and you'll be a loyal customer and trade partner to the Manju Guild in the future— simple as can be.

What Manju Cookie hadn't quite expected, however, was just how.. curious you were, for lack of a better term. Back on that island where the two of you originally met, you were significantly less talkative and seemed to give subtle guiding points for Custard Cookie III. Such as.. encouraging him to stay away from that strange book you, Custard Cookie III, and Mango Cookie stumbled across while the two Guilds were trying to find the items on Custard Cookie III's list of items. And also deciding to snatch that fancy golden dagger Manju Cookie brought out after Custard Cookie III originally rejected it, stating; 'Chili Pepper Cookie would lose her mind if we didn't take this'. At the very least, that specific moment gained Manju Cookie the higher ground in his and Jagae Cookie's little rivalry...

But that's not the point. The point is, as of right now, you were exploring every inch of the ship that Manju Cookie and his crew members would let you; talking and questioning every Cookie who had the time to spare, and even harassing Manju Cookie himself. He supposed you weren't truly causing any harm, and he had to admit the switch-up was rather amusing... But the way you lingered at his side and tried talking to him every few minutes was something he wasn't used to when it came to strangers.

"Ah— now, now, darling! That room's off-limits. Can't have the goods inside getting tampered with, can we?"

Manju Cookie said, his sly smirk and suave demeanor a sort of mediator to your endeavors as he gently pulled you away by your upper arm from a room you were particularly keen on getting into. He had yet to lose his composure or demeanor with you around, thankfully, but it was daunting knowing that if he didn't keep an eye on you, you'd likely break into somewhere you really weren't supposed to be... The blonde Cookie pushed that thought aside, and instead focused on getting you back to the front of the ship where you were within sight and he could still steer and watch over the rest of the ship as well.