Takero's eyes lit up. Speak of the devil.
He glanced at Sugar, who was still glued to the screen, and nodded his chin toward the entrance. "Sugar, go open the door."
Sugar was at the most exciting part of the show. On the TV, the Warrior of the Sea, Sora, was in his final battle against 'Stealth Black,' a top commander from the evil Germa 66 army. The winner was about to be decided. Hearing Takero's command, she pouted and reluctantly pushed herself up from the carpet, running toward the door as fast as her little legs could carry her.
'Faster! If I'm just a little bit faster, I can still make it back for the ending!' she thought desperately. Her short legs moved in a blur, pattering rapidly across the floor.
"Click." The door swung open.
Tesoro looked down to see a small, green-haired girl who was barely taller than his knee. A hint of confusion crossed his face. "Little sister, are you…?"
Sugar didn't have time to answer him. As soon as the door was open, she spun around and dashed back toward the living room even faster, as if a monster were chasing her.
As Tesoro stood in the doorway, completely puzzled, Takero's voice called out from inside. "Get in here, Tesoro."
The confusion in Tesoro's heart vanished the moment he heard Takero's voice, replaced by a wave of excitement. He quickly stepped inside. 'He called me Tesoro, not "little Te" or anything else, but it's still the boss!' he thought, unable to contain his excitement. 'This means I'm already one of his crew in his eyes!'
Fueled by this feeling, he walked briskly into the living room, where he saw his boss talking to the little girl who had just run back in.
Takero had a mischievous smile on his face. "Oh, Sugar, what a shame," he said to the panting girl. "You got back a little too late. The show just ended."
The look of anticipation on Sugar's face instantly froze, as if she'd been struck by lightning. "The hallway is so stupid! Why is it so long!" she mumbled in frustration. She hated how big this house was. If only her legs were a little longer, she wouldn't have missed Sora's victory!
As if reading her mind, Takero continued in a tempting voice, "But I saw the ending. I can tell you what happened if you want. For free."
At his words, the disappointment on Sugar's face was immediately replaced by hope. She nodded her head vigorously. "Yes!"
A sly grin spread across Takero's face. He cleared his throat and announced in a very serious tone, "Listen closely. The final ending is… the Warrior of the Sea, Sora… he lost. He was completely beaten by that villain, Stealth Black. He couldn't even stand up."
Crack.
It was as if something fragile had just shattered in Sugar's world. Her face went pale, and big, fat tears began to well up in her eyes like pearls spilling from a broken string. "H-How could that be…?"
As she spoke, the emotions she'd been holding back finally burst forth. With a loud "Waaah," she broke down into heartbreaking sobs.
The instigator of her sadness, Takero, just chuckled from the side, clearly enjoying the chaos he had created.
"What's wrong? Why is Sugar crying?" Monet, who had been cleaning in the kitchen, heard her sister's cries and quickly ran out, wiping her wet hands on her apron.
Sugar saw her older sister and immediately ran into her arms as if she were a lifeline, sobbing uncontrollably. "Sister… So-Sora… he… he lost… Waaaah…"
Monet was completely confused. What was she talking about? After patiently calming her down and asking a few questions, she finally understood it was about a character on a TV show. Once she pieced together the story, Monet looked up and stared at Takero with a deeply resentful gaze. "Master… how can you bully a child like that…?"
Takero just laughed, completely unconcerned by what he'd done. "Go make two cups of tea for me and your little brother here," he ordered with a wave of his hand.
Monet could only sigh helplessly. She picked up the still-sobbing Sugar and carried her out of the living room for a moment.
Tesoro had watched the entire scene unfold. While he didn't quite understand what had happened, he still asked in a quiet voice, "Boss, who are they?"
"They're maids that were delivered right to my door," Takero explained casually. "The 'legacy' that idiot Gollier left behind." He then dropped his playful expression and got down to business. "So, is your sweetheart all settled in?"
"Yes! Thanks to you, Boss, Stella is safe and sound!" Tesoro replied respectfully, his voice filled with gratitude. Gollier had owned more than just this one mansion. Following Takero's instructions, Tesoro had chosen a villa in a quiet, secure neighborhood to be his and Stella's new home. To be rescued from the clutches of the Celestial Dragons and then immediately be able to live in a luxurious mansion he could have only dreamed of… it was all thanks to the young man in front of him. That was why he had rushed over as soon as he had taken care of things, ready to await his boss's commands.
"Good," Takero nodded, then got straight to the point. "I called you here for two reasons. First…" He reached for an exquisite small box on the coffee table and opened it, revealing a silver-white Devil Fruit that pulsed with a strange energy.
"This. Do you want it?"
The moment Tesoro's eyes landed on the Devil Fruit, his expression changed dramatically. "Th-this is… a Devil Fruit?!" he exclaimed, his voice trembling. His eyes, which had seen so much of the world's cruelty, were now wide with disbelief. Having struggled his entire life on the streets of Ambri Island, he had heard the legends of Devil Fruits more times than he could count. They were the secret treasures of the sea, a gift of fate, and a curse from the devil all at once. The appearance of even one was enough to cause a bloodbath in the black market. He had personally seen rich merchants and powerful pirates spend fortunes and kill each other just for a chance to get an unknown Devil Fruit.
"Boss… you're… giving this to me?" Tesoro swallowed hard, his throat suddenly feeling as dry as sand. He stared at the strange, silver-glowing fruit, his heart pounding in his chest. He knew that a Devil Fruit like this would sell for at least a staggering 100 million Berries. And his boss… was offering it to him as if it were a cup of tea?
Just then, Monet returned with a delicate tea tray, walking silently. When her eyes drifted over to the open box on the table, her emerald-green eyes narrowed slightly. 'Isn't that…' she thought.
She remembered that Devil Fruit. Just a few days ago, Gollier had proudly shown it to her and Sugar, calling it a treasure he had worked hard to acquire. He planned to offer it, along with the two of them, as a "generous gift" to the powerful figure he served. Now, by a twist of fate, that "gift" was in Takero's hands.
A ripple of emotion passed through Monet's heart, but she quickly suppressed it, her face remaining a mask of calm professionalism. She knew her past was meaningless now. It didn't matter who the fruit belonged to before. Now, it, this villa, and her and her sister's very lives all belonged to the unfathomable young man sitting on the sofa.
She placed two steaming cups of tea on the table, one in front of Takero and one in front of Tesoro. Then, like a perfectly trained maid, she retreated to stand quietly behind the sofa, hands folded, ready for her next order.
Takero was completely unaware of the thoughts running through Monet's mind. He pushed the box toward Tesoro, his tone as casual as if he were asking if he wanted sugar in his tea. "This should be a Devil Fruit. I know you want to get stronger, right? This should be useful to you. Take it."
Boom—!
Those words hit Tesoro's mind like a clap of thunder. His face went blank as he stared at Takero in utter disbelief, then back at the Devil Fruit sitting right in front of him. He felt like he was dreaming.
He just… gave it to him?
That was 100 million Berries! It was the power to change a person's entire life! A miracle that countless people would kill for! And his boss, without even a second thought, had just handed it over to him, a subordinate he had known for less than a day?
This wasn't just generosity. This was… a gift from a god.
"Are you… actually my God?" Tesoro whispered, his voice full of awe.
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