"A Navy-led forced inspection of the Human Shop... I see."
"Yeah, we were about to be loaded onto the ship when chaos broke out for that very reason... We managed to slip into the confusion and... somehow escaped."
After informing Her Majesty about Hancock's appointment as Admiral and discussing the date and details of the inauguration ceremony, Miakis called me over saying we had guests in the salon. When I went to check, it turned out to be another person affected by that marine slavery incident.
That incident keeps causing ripples... Well, I can't blame them.
It was the most difficult issue to resolve, which is exactly why that suspected perpetrator targeted it.
"Right before the inspection, they were trying to forcibly... ship us out when the vessel was stopped. That's when I grabbed her and we escaped."
"Honestly, given the nature of that incident, exposing it brought both good and bad consequences to light... You did well to escape with the lady there."
If it involved marine slavery, there's a good chance CP agents were present, or rather, they definitely would have been in that situation.
"The Navy seized the ship... and because the government officials and Navy were arguing at the time, chaos was breaking out all over the vessel. Besides us, quite a few slaves, no, people who had been bought as slaves were escaping."
"Don't tell me there was actual combat?"
"...There were some minor skirmishes."
Oh, what?!
Wait, I haven't heard anything about this from any of the marines... Could it have been Headquarters marines?
...
Hold on, isn't this turning into an extremely serious mess?!
Kuzan, if something like that happened, you should have mentioned it!!
I had blacked out some parts of that notebook to avoid unnecessary complications, but I should have written it down after all!!
Please don't do anything reckless until I get back to Marineford!!
"Anyway, that's how I managed to escape with her. It's all thanks to you guys destroying that slave trade! I want to thank you, you really saved us!"
The man, who called himself Tezoro, bowed his head, followed by the woman who had been behind him.
...She's quite a beauty. She must have attracted attention, so it's impressive he managed to get her out.
"We escaped with nothing but the clothes on our backs, so we don't have anything of value, but if we work even a little..."
"Mister Tezoro."
Well, this means...
"Let me be clear from the start: I absolutely will not do anything like selling you off. You don't need to force yourself to talk about owing us."
They might still be being pursued.
Actually, things are probably getting even more dangerous, so they're likely safe for now, but from their perspective as the ones who were captured, they can't feel at ease.
When I said that, the woman, Stella I think it was, let out a relieved breath, while Tezoro softened his expression slightly but still maintained some wariness.
...This guy's good.
Rather than showing obvious suspicion here, he made it look like he was letting his guard down. That's impressive.
Excellent acting ability. Depending on what other skills he has and what experience he's accumulated, he could be an incredibly useful person.
Let me see...
(Looking at his scarred fists and body... He's not trained in martial arts or swordsmanship, but he's used to street fighting, punching and kicking. Given his age, he seems like a new mafia recruit or small-time thug, but...)
He looks to be around twenty years old. But for his age, he doesn't have that thuggish vibe... or rather, that flashy feeling. More specifically, he doesn't seem like someone who would act rashly.
He also projects his voice well, and considering his acting ability... maybe he worked as a singer or actor, or in the underworld, someone who handled negotiations or appeared in public?
Actually, if he has this much presence at such a young age... he was probably abandoned by his parents early on or left home and entered the underworld young, either through hardship or finding his role.
And judging by how Stella looks at him, she trusts him.
...Ah, I see. Young love.
How nice...
"Many of our crew members are people we rescued before they could be sold off in the same way. That's why I understand, at least somewhat, the fear of being thrown into the black market and constantly running. I would never treat your feelings carelessly."
Anyway, this is work right now.
First, I need to hear their real thoughts... no wait, that's wrong. I need them to voice it themselves.
"So you don't need to be overly tense. Keep that up and you'll end up like me, dealing with situations way beyond your years."
"No, Master, that's because you keep throwing yourself into the flames."
"Captain, you always take a running start before jumping in."
"Hancock, Robin, shut up."
Hancock, who came as my escort just in case, and Robin, who tagged along, I'm grateful but please zip it.
Well, at least they got the two visitors to smile a little, so that helped.
"So please, speak honestly."
I mean, coming all this way just to thank us makes your real intention pretty obvious.
"I'm sorry... I'm sorry, Captain Kuro!"
No, you don't need to bow your head... or prostrate yourself like that...
"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 really have no restraint.
"We managed to escape during the confusion, but they might come after us to get us back! I don't care about myself, but that bastard bought her!"
I see, if he spent money trying to buy her, he might become obsessed with getting her back.
That fat pig better not show up.
"Please, hide us! I heard that you're pirates that even the World Government can't easily touch!"
...It's not that they can't touch us, more like it's difficult to. That's how I've been maneuvering things.
Also, stop emphasizing the pirate part.
I mean, we are pirates so calling us pirates is correct, but Stella doesn't seem entirely convinced. She's giving me a slightly dubious look.
...Well, we are villains after all. From the perspective of a girl with such honest eyes, pirates who don't act pirate-like are probably a more suspicious and frightening group than regular pirates...
"I'll work as hard as I can! Please, at least protect Stella!"
"Mister Tezoro. No, Tezoro, please raise your head."
Well, frankly, it's not a problem.
I don't necessarily want to defeat the Celestial Dragons, but I am thinking about stopping their abuse of power in some way.
"You risked making the World Nobles your enemy to escape with this lady, didn't you? If I carelessly dismissed such a desperate... sincere plea, this three-clawed cat would cry."
When that time comes, I'll inevitably end up fighting the Navy and CP in some form anyway.
They should feel free to come running here without worrying about being slaves or anything else.
Continuing to protect them will ultimately become our reputation and our weapon.
"Besides, I'm someone who was also told by Celestial Dragons to become their slave. I understand that fear very well."
Seriously, if I get the chance, I constantly think about wanting to kick and break every one of their jaws and collarbones.
Just wait and see what happens in twenty years, you bastards...
"The 'Black Cat' guarantees both of your safety."
Now then, I guess we start with creating identities for them.
And if there's a young woman, I need to prepare proper housing too...
***
"This doesn't look like a town ruled by pirates, does it, Tezoro..."
"No... If they had been the type to attack you despite the rumors, I was prepared to fight our way out, but... it seems the rumors were true. They're pirates who seek order."
Having somehow managed to escape and using the man's old connections, the pair had reached an island.
The non-affiliated nation in the West Blue, supposedly controlled by a big-name pirate with a bounty over 100 million, was so full of life that the word "controlled" seemed unbelievable.
Apparently a festival was approaching, as women were decorating the main street as they pleased, while men carried lumber and pots, setting up what looked like food stalls.
"...Honestly, I never thought we'd get a house too."
"Yeah. Even the work is normal... Though I'm a bit worried that there are more rations than wages."
"It's a non-affiliated nation. I'm actually surprised that they're stable enough to provide proper rations. Amazing..."
Tezoro nodded at Stella's words.
Truth be told, even for Tezoro, this scene exceeded his expectations.
"The festival too... It's a bit modest, but it has a good atmosphere."
"Isn't it lacking for your taste, Tezoro?"
"Hmm..."
At Stella's words, Tezoro relaxed his brow slightly and smiled wryly.
"Well, that's unavoidable. In a country that's just managed to recover to the point where people can get by, there's no luxury to think about such elaborate things."
"Then why don't you suggest something to the Captain?"
"That's impossible. There's no way he'd listen to the words of some thug he just met."
"You won't know unless you try. Besides, you're not a thug, are you?"
They passed through the main street and arrived at a small house built of wood and brick, simple but solid.
It was one of the homes that the Black Cat's construction crew had built together with the citizens of Mochigi.
"You said it yourself, didn't you? That someday you want to sing on a big stage in front of a huge audience."
"...Stella."
"You're not a thug. You're the wonderful person who worked so hard to earn money to free me from captivity, who grabbed my hand covered in blood during that chaos and desperately pulled me out."
Opening the door revealed an interior that, while not large, was well-appointed.
A somewhat large table with chairs, shelves, and a stove. In the back were two beds and a side table.
Surprisingly, all the furniture was provided, and there was even a small vase with flowers on the table.
"I'm already more than happy enough, Tezoro."
"So please, do what you want to do."
"I want to help with the dreams of the man who saved me."
At the woman's words, the man desperately fought back tears.
"Yes..."
While holding them back, he declared:
"Yes, Stella. I'll make it happen. In the future, I'll definitely show you..."
"The greatest entertainment ever...!"
***
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