If the Celestial Dragons wanted to truly win over Rengoku, they would need either the Seal of the Five Elders or at least the name of an authority equal to them.
But Rosward Saint had neither.
This was the natural result of the ignorance and arrogance unique to the Celestial Dragons.
If this scene were shown to the Five Elders or even to the handful of "Celestial Dragons with human common sense," some would sigh, some would laugh—but not a single one would envy them.
"I heard you're not married yet, and don't even have a lover. At such a young and vigorous age, isn't that rather pitiful?"
With a snap of his fingers, Rosward signaled his attendant, who brought forward twelve female slaves.
Each was tall and stunningly beautiful—faces and figures so perfect that any of them could be mistaken for the most beautiful woman of an island.
"I've spent years carefully selecting and purchasing these human women—twelve in total. I'll gift them all to you."
"Father! Those are the ones I haven't even touched yet! Seven of them are my newest wives!"
"And what of your first five wives, my dear Charlos? Don't you still have them?"
"I'm tired of them! I was already planning to cast them back down to the lower world! But giving away my new wives—unthinkable!"
Watching this grotesque father-and-son duo treat human lives like property, Rengoku could no longer stay seated.
He rose, stepped forward, and took the chains from the attendant's hands.
"Then, under Saint Rosward's command, these twelve now belong to me," he said coolly. "Since they're my property, would you kindly remove their restraints?"
"T-that…" the attendant hesitated.
"The ownership lies with me, does it not? Since they are mine, I may release, kill, or protect them as I please."
"Hahaha! The man speaks true. Do as he says!"
Rosward smiled, believing his bait had worked.
Following Rengoku's orders, the attendant released the twelve trembling women.
They were free—but in front of the Celestial Dragons, they still quivered in fear.
As he watched them, Rengoku thought of Hancock.
She, too, must have once been treated like this… as a thing, not a person.
The memory of her fierce, honest love only deepened the pity and anger stirring inside him.
"We have matters to discuss. You twelve—leave us for now."
The women hurried out. The room, once suffocating with twenty bodies, now had only seven left—but the air felt no cleaner.
"Twelve women not enough for you, eh? I can add five billion berries as compensation!" Rosward offered with a smirk.
Five billion berries.
To the Navy, standing at the brink of war, it was no small number.
It was nearly the bounty of Whitebeard, Edward Newgate himself—5,460,000,000 berries.
Yet to the Celestial Dragons, who lived off "heavenly tribute" measured in trillions, it was little more than spare change.
"I appreciate your generosity, Saint Rosward,"
Rengoku replied calmly, "but I'd hate to leave you short on funds."
In truth, Rengoku was testing him. If Rosward handed over five billion and then took a ten or hundred billion from the "commoners" to balance the books, it would only prove his hypocrisy.
But Rosward, naturally, didn't understand.
"Hahaha! Such is the difference in perception between nobles and peasants! Didn't that so-called Pirate King have a bounty of six billion? For us Celestial Dragons, anything under a ten billion is pocket change!"
At this, Rengoku could only confirm the depth of the man's stupidity.
"I fail to see why you would offer me such 'help.' I'm merely a suspended officer."
"Hahaha! I know all about your situation. Supporting the Navy is our sacred duty as Celestial Dragons, after all!"
It was not.
If supporting the Navy were truly their duty, the world would not be in such decay.
Had the Celestial Dragons truly funded the Marines, every branch base would be armed as well as Marineford—and perhaps, women like Bellemere would still be alive.
Even among Celestial Dragons, Rosward was considered somewhat "worldly." But even he had no idea how the world truly worked—and his children were worse.
"Hmph! Five billion berries and twelve slaves still don't satisfy you, I see," sneered Shalria, breaking her silence.
"Hahaha! My dear Shalria, your father hasn't even shown half his hand yet!"
"You don't need to, Father. I've already decided."
Shalria raised a delicate finger and pointed directly at Rengoku.
"I shall take you as my male concubine."
A… male concubine?
In other words—she wanted to make Rengoku her pet, her harem toy.
"Consider it a great honor for a lowborn man like you," she said proudly. "I shall grant you the privilege of touching the sacred body of a Celestial Dragon woman. You will live in the Holy Land of Mary Geoise by my side."
To see and touch the bare body of a Celestial Dragon woman?
Rengoku's lips curled faintly.
He didn't need it.
In fact, the idea disgusted him.
Especially after what had nearly happened with Hancock—compared to her fiery, genuine passion, this spoiled child before him was nothing but a pampered, ignorant brat who had never known the real world.
Even though Rengoku was currently suspended from duty, everyone in the room — including the Celestial Dragons themselves — knew who he was.
He was the man known as a future admiral.
A warrior so powerful that even the Five Elders had once discussed his potential to serve as both the spear and shield of the Celestial Dragons.
Rosward understood this, and that was precisely why he wanted to win him over.
If Rengoku were to become admiral someday, and the Rosward family had already secured his favor, they could ensure that they would be the first to receive protection among all Celestial Dragon households.
Just imagining it was enough to fill Rosward with smug satisfaction.
And when his daughter, Shalria, boldly declared that she wanted Rengoku as her male concubine, Rosward merely chuckled in amusement.
"Hoho, my dear daughter Shalria, it seems that man has caught your eye. It would be wonderful if you could take him as your consort… but he's destined to become an admiral. Bringing him to the Holy Land would be… unwise."
Even as he said this, he felt pleased. A powerful man like Rengoku, tied to their family, would be the ultimate political safeguard.
Rosward then leaned forward again, his fat fingers tapping the table.
"Hmm… is there anything else you might want, my boy?"
"Everything that has happened so far," Rengoku replied coolly, "has been something you offered of your own accord. I have not asked for anything."
That confidence — that lack of fear — made Rosward grin.
"Heh… cheeky, aren't you? I like that."
He stroked his chin beard, smirking. To a Celestial Dragon like him, buying loyalty was as simple as buying furniture.
"Since you're a Navy man, perhaps I can send you a few pirate captains from my private collection. Interested?"
"That won't be necessary," Rengoku said flatly.
Of course not. Whether those pirates rotted in Impel Down or were paraded as slaves, their fates were sealed.
But if news ever spread that Celestial Dragons were secretly releasing pirates, it would shake the entire world government.
Rosward laughed, his voice booming through the room.
"Hahaha! What a difficult and interesting man you are! Far more entertaining than the current admirals!"
He gestured to his attendant again, who quickly placed several photographs on the table before Rengoku.
"These are special products from the Human Shop in Sabaody Archipelago. I bought them personally. Pick one you like — I'll gift them to you."
There were five photos in total.
Each one showed a young, beautiful woman — terrified, miserable, with empty eyes.
Judging by their expressions, Rengoku could guess that Charlos was likely the one who purchased them.
"Hmm…"
He quietly activated his Observation Haki, focusing his senses on Rosward and Charlos.
Rengoku wasn't yet at the level of foreseeing the future, but reading their intentions was easy.
He could already predict how they would react:
No matter which slave he chose, Charlos would throw a tantrum — and soon buy another to replace her.
If he refused entirely, Rosward might take offense and punish the slaves out of spite.
In short, someone would suffer no matter what he did.
Thus, the best choice was to pick one — and save at least one life.
"This one seems suitable," Rengoku said, pointing to the youngest of them — a mixed-race child who looked barely into her teens.
A half-breed servant girl. Recently bought.
If he acted quickly, he could rescue her before she vanished into that hell forever.
"Hohoho! Excellent choice! I'll have the paperwork arranged immediately!" Rosward said, delighted.
And so, Rosward "gifted" Rengoku:
Five billion berries,
Twelve freed female slaves,
One newly purchased "special product,"
Several priceless weapons and luxury treasures.
All in the span of one meeting.
"Now that I think about it," Rosward added casually, "I'm planning a trip to Sabaody soon — to purchase new slaves. You should accompany me!"
It wasn't a request.
If everything before had been offers of goodwill, this was a command.
To Rosward, parading Rengoku — the famed Vice Admiral — beside him in public would be the ultimate display of prestige.
A suspended hero turned escort for the gods.
For Rosward, it was the perfect way to show off his "importance."
For Rengoku, it was a test — one that would soon expose the true filth hidden beneath the Holy Land's gold.
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