"A forced inspection of the human shop, led by the Navy... I see."
"Yeah," the man said. "Just as we were about to be loaded onto a ship, a lot of confusion started because of that inspection... We got mixed up in it... and somehow managed to escape."
I had just told the Princess about Hancock becoming an Admiral and was talking about the time and details of the ceremony when Miakis called me. She said a guest was in the salon. When I went to see, it was someone else affected by that Marine slave incident.
That incident is still causing problems... Well, I guess that's expected.
The person I suspect probably aimed for it because it's the hardest problem to solve.
"Right before the inspection, we were being forced... uh... shipped out. The ship was stopped, and that's when I grabbed her and ran."
"To be honest," I said, "because of what that incident exposed, a lot of good and bad things came out. ...You did well to escape with the woman."
If it's related to Marine slaves, it wouldn't be strange if CP was there. In fact, they probably were.
"The Navy seized the ship... At that time, the Government agents and the Navy were arguing. Thanks to that, there was chaos all over the ship. Besides us, a lot of other slaves... no, people bought as slaves, were escaping."
"You don't mean... a fight?"
"...There were some small fights," he admitted.
Whoa!?
Wait a minute, I haven't heard that from any of the Marines... Could it be the headquarters Marines?
...
Huh? Isn't that situation actually really, really bad!?
Kuzan, if something like that happened, you should have told me!
I blacked out parts of that notebook so things wouldn't get complicated, but I should have just written it down!
Please, don't do anything weird until I get back to the Mogwa Kingdom!??
"Anyway, that's how I escaped with her. It's all thanks to you guys for crushing the slave trade! Please, let me thank you. You really saved us!"
As he said that, the man—named Tesoro—bowed his head. The woman who came with him bowed her head too.
...She's very beautiful. She must have been noticed. He did well to get her away.
"We barely escaped with just the clothes on our backs, so we don't have anything valuable. But I'm willing to work, even if it's just a little—"
"Mister Tesoro."
Well, that means...
"Let me say this first: I will absolutely not sell you. You don't have to force yourself to feel like you owe me."
There's a chance they're still being chased.
No, things are probably getting even crazier, so I think they're fine, but the people who were actually captured must feel very uneasy.
When I said that, the woman—Stella, I think—let out a small sigh of relief. Tesoro's face relaxed a little, but he still looked a bit wary.
...This guy is good.
He didn't show obvious caution. He pretended to relax. That's amazing.
That's great acting. Depending on his other skills and experience, he could be a very useful person.
What else...
Scars on his fists and body... Not martial arts or swordsmanship, but he's used to brawling—punching and kicking. He looks young, like a new mafia guy or a thug, but...
His age... around twenty, maybe. But for being that young, he doesn't feel like a... thug... or, how to say it... he doesn't feel reckless. To be more specific, he doesn't look like he'd do anything careless.
His voice also projects well. Thinking about his acting skills... maybe like a singer or an actor... In the underworld, maybe he had a public job, like arranging deals?
Or rather, to have this much presence at his age... maybe his parents abandoned him or left when he was young, and he entered the underworld early. He either struggled a lot or found his place there.
And, from the way Stella looks at him, she trusts him.
...Is this... young love?
How nice...
"A lot of my crew members were rescued before they could be sold, just like you. Because of that, I think I understand, at least a little, the fear of being put on the black market and having to keep running. I will not ignore your feelings."
Anyway, work time.
First, I need to hear their real story... no, that's wrong. I need them to say it themselves.
"So, you don't need to be so tense. If you stay tense all the time, you'll end up like me, getting huge problems dropped on you that don't match your age."
"No, Captain," Hancock interjected, "that is because you keep jumping into the fire yourself."
"Captain," Robin added, "you always take a running start before you jump in."
"Hancock, Robin, shut up."
Hancock, who came as a guard just in case, and Robin, who came along... I'm grateful, but zip it.
Well, they lightened the mood by smiling, so that helped.
"So, just tell me plainly," I said.
Really, the moment they came just to thank me, I could guess what they wanted.
"I'm sorry... I'm sorry, Captain Kuro!" Tesoro suddenly shouted, bowing again.
Whoa, your head... you don't need to bow all the way to the ground...
"The one who tried to buy her, Stella, and make me a slave too... was a Celestial Dragon...!"
Yeah, I figured as much...
Those guys have no self-control.
"We managed to escape during the trouble, but they might come after us to get us back! Forget about me, he bought her!"
I see. If he used money to try and buy her, he might be obsessed with getting her.
It's not going to be that fat one, is it?
"Please, hide us! We heard you're pirates that even the World Government can't easily mess with!"
...Not that they can't mess with us, more like it's hard for them to. Or rather, we act in a way that makes it hard.
And stop stressing the "pirate" part.
I mean, we are pirates, so calling us pirates is correct, but Stella doesn't look convinced. She's giving me a funny look.
...We are bad guys, after all. For a girl with such honest eyes, a suspicious group that calls themselves pirates but doesn't act like it must be scarier than normal pirates...
"I'll work as much as you want! Please, at least just Stella!"
"Mister Tesoro. No, Tesoro, raise your head."
Well, honestly, it's not a problem.
It's not that I want to defeat the Celestial Dragons, but I am thinking of a way to stop their power from running wild.
"You were willing to make an enemy of a World Noble to escape with this woman, right? If I ignore such a desperate... such an honest plea, this three-clawed cat will cry."
When that time comes, I'll have to fight the Navy and CP in some way anyway.
They should just come running here, whether they're slaves or whatever.
Protecting them will eventually become our reputation and our strength.
"Besides, I was also told to become a slave by a Celestial Dragon. I know that fear well."
No really, I know it so well that I always think if I get the chance, I want to kick and break every single one of their jawbones and collarbones.
Just you wait twenty years, you guys...
"I, 'Kuro', guarantee the safety of you two."
Now then, first I need to make them new family records.
And with a young woman here, I need to prepare a proper house...
--
"It doesn't feel like a town ruled by pirates, does it, Tesoro..." Stella whispered.
"Yeah... If they were different from the rumors and tried to hurt you, I planned to fight back and run... but it seems they're pirates who want order, just like the rumors said."
A man and woman managed to escape, using the man's old connections to reach an island.
It was a non-affiliated country in West Blue, said to be ruled by a pirate with a bounty over 100 million. But it was so full of life, it was hard to believe the word "ruled."
It seemed a festival was close. Women were decorating the main street however they liked, and men were carrying wood, pots, and pans, preparing what looked like food stalls.
"...Honestly, I never thought we'd even be given a house."
"I know. And the job is normal, too. ...I'm a little worried that we get more rations than money, though."
"It's a non-affiliated country. I'm more surprised that it's stable enough to give out proper rations. It's amazing..."
The man—Tesoro—nodded at the woman Stella's words.
In truth, even for Tesoro, this scene was more than he had imagined.
"The festival... it's a bit simple, but it still has a nice feeling."
"Isn't it a little boring for you, Tesoro?" Stella asked.
"Hmm..."
At Stella's words, Tesoro relaxed his eyebrows and gave a weak smile.
"Well, that can't be helped. A country that just recovered enough to feed itself doesn't have the time to think about those things."
"Then why don't you suggest it to the Captain?"
"That's impossible," Tesoro scoffed. "Why would he listen to a thug he just met?"
"You won't know until you try. Besides, you're not a thug, are you?"
They passed the main street and arrived in front of a small, simple house built with wood and brick.
It was one of the houses that Kuro's carpenters built one after another, together with the people of Mopuchi Country.
"You said it before. That you want to sing on a big stage in front of a large audience someday."
"...Stella."
"You're not a thug," she said, her voice soft. "You're a wonderful person who worked hard to earn money to free me, and who grabbed my hand and pulled me out of that chaos, covered in blood."
She opened the door. The inside was not large.
A slightly large table, chairs, a shelf, and a stove. In the back, there were two beds and a side table.
Surprisingly, all the furniture was there, and a small vase with flowers was on the table.
"I'm already more than happy, Tesoro."
"So, do what you want to do."
"I want to help you achieve your dream, the dream of the person who saved me."
At the woman's words, the man fought hard to hold back his tears.
"Yeah..."
Holding them back, he made a promise.
"Yeah, Stella. I'll do it. From now on, I'll definitely show you...!"
"I'll show you... the greatest entertainment!"
--
PS Goal is the same (100).