Grand Line, an unknown Island.
Outside a slave shop, Gild Tesoro sat cross-legged on the ground, his face full of excitement as he spoke toward the iron cage.
"Stella! I'm almost there. I've almost saved enough money! Look! Look! Just one more month! No, half a month! Just half a month, and we can finally be together!"
He pulled out a small handful of money from his chest, secretly showing it to the gentle blonde woman inside.
Stella smiled softly. "Really? That's wonderful."
Tesoro nodded vigorously. "Yes! And then we will..."
She only looked at him with a gentle smile, nodding as he spoke. Deep down, she was happy too, but she didn't dare hope too much until the very last moment.
She had already suffered through too many times when a fragile hope was crushed.
Before they knew it, they had talked for hours.
The slave shop owner came out and said impatiently, "Alright, alright, don't block my business here. It's already been three years. A few more days won't make a difference."
Tesoro scratched his head with an awkward smile, apologizing to the owner as he stood up.
The owner waved his hand, signaling for him to leave.
Stella and the owner both watched Tesoro's back as he disappeared into the crowd. Then the owner took a drag of his cigarette. "Congratulations. That fool is about to save enough money."
Stella's eyes followed the direction where Tesoro had vanished. "I should thank you too, for not selling me to someone else."
The owner shook his head. "I've seen all kinds of suffering in this business, but you two... you're the most interesting pair I've ever met. I want to see how far that fool can actually go. Though I didn't expect—"
Tap, tap, tap...
The sound of leather shoes interrupted his words.
A man in a black suit walked over and stood in front of him. The owner hesitated and asked, "Hello, are you here to buy a slave?"
The man's first words made the owner's body turn cold.
"I'm a guard of Saint Fransdin. You don't need to know my name. I'm here to inform you that Saint Fransdin has taken a liking to this slave. You know what to do, right? Hm?"
The owner trembled and answered, "Y-yes, of course! If Saint Fransdin wants her, it is her honor! I'll prepare her keys right no—"
The man in the suit cut him off. "No need. Saint Fransdin doesn't care about the price of a slave. Whatever she costs, he will pay. And that boy who came just now, he visits every day, doesn't he?"
The owner responded quickly. "Yes, yes! That kid comes here every day at four in the afternoon."
The man's expression remained indifferent. "Good. Tomorrow at four. Saint Fransdin will come to pick her up. Make sure everything is ready."
The owner nodded repeatedly like a madman. "Understood! Understood!!"
The man turned and left. Only after a long time did the owner slump to the ground, drenched in sweat.
There was nothing he could do. He might be a slave trader, but his fear of the Celestial Dragons was no different from anyone else's. A single misstep and he could die without warning.
Forcing himself to stand, he glared at Stella. "Damn it. You'd better prepare yourself. Tomorrow you'll go enjoy life with a Celestial Dragon."
With that, he stormed off in anger.
In truth, there was no kindness in men like him. He didn't care about the small amount of money Tesoro was short. If he wanted to waive it, he could have. He only kept Stella here to watch the drama between her and Tesoro, to feel merciful and superior.
But now, because of them, he had been forced to bow like a dog before a Celestial Dragon's guard. There was no way he'd have any goodwill left.
Inside the cage, Stella hugged her knees, shaking nonstop. "Again, just when I finally had a little hope, it's all gone… do I really not deserve to live in this world... why… why must it be like this..."
Her head sank deep into her knees as tears kept pouring out.
* * *
In the town's largest building, everything had been renovated to welcome the Celestial Dragon.
Inside the magnificent golden hall, Saint Fransdin leisurely enjoyed his pastries, recalling the scene he had witnessed earlier that day: the blindingly bright smile.
The man in the black suit returned and bowed beside him. "Honored Saint Fransdin, the matter you ordered has been settled."
Fransdin gave a casual nod. "That boy comes here every day, doesn't he?"
"Yes. He appears at the slave shop every day at four in the afternoon," the man replied.
Fransdin's face twisted with a warped grin, and his laughter grew more deranged. "Good. Very good. I can't wait to destroy that filthy commoner's hope right in front of him. What kind of face will he make? How delightful. Hahahahaha!"
The long years of living above everyone else had distorted him beyond reason...
* * *
The next day.
Tesoro, full of joy and unable to contain his excitement, rushed to the slave shop to see Stella but froze.
She looked unusually frail, and her gentle smile was gone.
He ran up to the bars, clutching them as he tried to push his head through. "Stella! Are you alright?! What's wrong?! Stella!!!"
At his desperate calls, she finally came to her senses. Looking at him, she gave a faint, despairing smile. Before she could speak, a sickening laugh rang out.
"Hahahahaha!"
A Celestial Dragon walked out of the shop with two guards, the owner bowing and scraping behind them.
Without waiting for instructions, the owner hurried to unlock the cage, yanking the chain around Stella's neck and handing it to Saint Fransdin.
Seeing her being treated like this, Tesoro snapped. He charged forward, trying to grab the chain. But one of the guards instantly appeared in front of him and slapped him twice, hard.
Smack! Smack!
He was thrown to the ground, his face covered in blood.
Fransdin's expression twisted even further as he looked down at him. "What a fine little slave. I'll be sure to enjoy her. After all, in this world, money can buy anything. Isn't it wonderful? Hahahahaha!"
Watching Tesoro writhing on the ground in rage and despair, his sick pleasure grew. Pulling on the chain, he started walking away.
Dragged backward by the chain around her neck, tears streamed down Stella's face. She turned one last time, giving Tesoro her familiar gentle smile. "Thank you. I'm happy, knowing your feelings for me. From the bottom of my heart, I feel blessed, Tesoro."
As she was dragged farther and farther away, Tesoro lost his mind completely...
* * *
A few days later, Holy Land of Mariejois.
Inside a dark interrogation room.
Ssssss!
"AAAAAHHHHH!!!"
The sound of burning flesh filled the air. Tesoro, who had intentionally committed crimes to be captured and turned into a Celestial Dragon's slave, was branded with the mark of the Hoof of the Soaring Dragon.
Observing him convulse in pain, eyes rolling back, the Celestial Dragon holding the iron brand grinned with perverse delight. "Hehehe..."
Ssssss!
The iron seared his flesh again.
Even through the agony, Tesoro clung to the last shred of hope. 'As long as I become a slave of the Celestial Dragons, I'll see Stella again...'
* * *
Holy Land of Mariejois, Pangaea Castle.
In the grand white palace, the Five Elders gathered as usual.
Saturn glanced at the others and spoke, "What do you all think of that man, Dragon?"
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