Ten thousand meters in the sky.
The frigid high-altitude winds howled past, but they had little effect on Orin. He flew straight toward the South Blue.
Truthfully, he didn't want to be in such a rush.
But with only two days left before the execution, he had no choice. If memory served, it was shortly after the execution that the Marines, following the faintest clues, discovered Baterilla Island in the South Blue.
Portgas D. Rouge, Captain Roger's wife, had forcibly delayed giving birth for over a year just to evade the Navy's inspections.
And in the end, she died shortly after childbirth.
To avoid any possibility of that repeating, Orin had to act in advance.
And with his ability to teleport instantly to any place within his line of sight, reaching the South Blue would only take about an hour.
If everything went smoothly, he should be able to make it before the execution.
...
South Blue.
Baterilla Island.
It was a beautiful country—at least Orin thought so. The kind of place perfect for falling in love.
Love always blinds, and young girls in the springtime of their lives often find themselves drawn to gallant men of the sea.
But Rouge understood well that although Roger loved her, a man like him could never be bound by love—especially not when death was already looming.
He loved her, yes—but he loved the sea more. Loved his dream more.
Still, Rouge was willing. Willing to bear the child of the man she loved.
She stood beside a cliff, gazing out at the sea, the breeze lifting strands of her hair.
She looked down at Roger's wanted poster, the images of their time together still fresh in her mind.
"If it's a boy, we'll call him Ace. If it's a girl, Ann."
Those were the names Roger had once chosen.
But he would never get the chance to meet his child.
"My condolences, ma'am."
A voice shattered Rouge's thoughts. She turned around warily to see a tall young man in a black military uniform standing beside her, having appeared without a sound.
Panic surged in her chest.
Her first instinct—she'd been exposed.
Roger's name carried too much weight. Whether pirate or Marine, none would ever let his bloodline walk free.
She had to run!
"No need to panic, ma'am… I'm not here to harm you. Captain Roger was worried about your safety and asked me to come."
Roger?
Perhaps it was that name, or perhaps it was because Orin wasn't showing any signs of hostility—Rouge hesitated and chose to stay put.
After all, she was just a pregnant woman. Before a man this tall and strong, where could she even run?
Seeing Rouge stay in place, though her eyes were still filled with suspicion, Orin felt a bit of a headache.
How could he prove who he was?
He should've asked Captain Roger to write a letter or something...
After a moment of thought, inspiration struck.
He pulled out his own wanted poster and showed it to Rouge, pointing to the section that introduced him.
"Ma'am, take a look here—you'll understand."
Rouge looked at the place he pointed to on the newspaper, her gaze sharp.
"...Dead or Alive. Extremely Dangerous?"
Having read that line, she looked at the so-called "villain" in front of her with even more suspicion.
Orin: "..."
Wrong line.
"Orin… Crew member of the Roger Pirates?"
Perhaps sensing her doubt, Orin scratched his head, a little helpless.
Honestly, what could he do?
He had boarded the ship halfway through, eaten the dividends of the era alongside Roger, and became what you'd call a freeloader riding the wave.
It was only fair he paid a price for it.
Unlike Roger's original crewmates, who joined out of shared dreams or deep camaraderie, Orin's bond with Roger wasn't forged through years of hardship.
The Roger Pirates weren't a bloodline-based family. No one had any obligation to protect the Captain's widow and child.
Whether out of ignorance or indifference, they couldn't be blamed.
Their true mission, as entrusted by Roger, was to guide the one who inherited his will to reach Laugh Tale at the right time.
Not the one who inherited his blood.
But Orin was different.
Unlike Shanks and Buggy, who were taken aboard as children, Orin had received undeniable guidance and protection from Captain Roger.
Shanks inherited the straw hat and Roger's will, with the hope of one day reaching Laugh Tale—or at least maintaining the balance of the seas and paving the way for the next to carry Roger's will.
Buggy, though not as heavily relied on, was still nurtured by Roger with care.
Their debts were settled.
But Orin was neither here nor there.
He was both a remnant of the old era and a youth of the new one. Roger hadn't even given him any responsibilities.
On the return journey from Laugh Tale, after realizing Orin's true pursuit was happiness and freedom, Roger didn't ask anything of him—only said to "let the [Hope] of the world go to someone else," and nothing more.
And perhaps because of that awkward position, Orin felt he had to do something.
He wasn't the heir of any will, but he had enjoyed all the strength and perks that came with it.
So—
Taking care of Roger's wife and child was the only way he could think of to repay him.
"Yes. Before he left, Captain Roger couldn't stop worrying about you, so he personally asked me to look after you."
...
A gentle smile touched Orin's lips as he told a harmless lie with no trace of pretense.
And it was those few simple words that broke through the last wall in Rouge's heart.
Her vision blurred, tears falling like a string of pearls breaking loose.
She rested her forehead against Orin's chest, biting her lip, still clutching the newspaper that announced Roger's impending execution.
The age difference between them was significant. Rouge had fallen for Roger out of love, and she had always respected his dreams and choices.
But that didn't mean she didn't care about their love.
Now, knowing that Roger still had them in his heart to the very end, she didn't hesitate. She chose to believe in his crewmate—Orin.
And she was willing to leave with him.
She and her unborn child needed a safe place. And as a crewmate of Roger's, Orin seemed trustworthy.
They didn't waste any more time—Orin still had to make it back for the execution.
He followed Rouge back to the small house, helped her pack quickly.
Effortlessly hoisting an enormous bundle, Orin glanced around and suddenly noticed a slightly dusty sword in the corner—
Roger's saber.
One of the twelve Supreme Grade swords—
Ace.
"If you want it, you can have it," Rouge said with a smile, having noticed his gaze.
She had no use for it anymore. Roger had left behind more than one relic, and Orin, now the only person she and her child could rely on—and a member of Roger's crew...
It was a simple gesture, a favor returned with a favor.
And it gave her peace of mind.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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