After stepping inside, Tesoro didn't dare look around. He quickly asked Shakky, "Big Sis, what did you need me for?"
Shakky held an empty cup and gestured toward Ortoren. "See him? Recognize him? He's here for you."
Tesoro turned his head. His expression shifted from confusion to recognition, then to outright terror. "I haven't committed any crimes! Sure, I live in the lawless zone, but I'm an honest man!!"
He even looked ready to bolt. Ortoren was caught off guard for a moment, then burst into loud laughter. "Hahahaha! Don't run—you'll never outrun me. And besides, I didn't come here to arrest you. What crime could you possibly have committed that'd make me come all the way from the New World to catch you?"
The laughter seemed to ease some of Tesoro's panic. He swallowed hard, steadied himself against the doorframe, and stopped in his tracks. Still unsure, he asked, "Marine-sama… then what do you want with me?"
"Ever been to school?" Ortoren asked casually, ignoring the question.
"No..." Tesoro answered, a little embarrassed.
"Can you read?" Ortoren pressed.
"Yes, I can. I taught myself," Tesoro replied, a bit more confidently this time.
"What did you teach yourself?" Ortoren asked again.
"I..." Tesoro hesitated, then quickly said, "I studied some economics books. I used to do part-time work at the library, and I read a lot of books on economics there."
"And why study that?" Ortoren raised an eyebrow.
Tesoro answered sheepishly, "I... I wanted to make more money..."
"Then why didn't you? Didn't understand the books?" Ortoren asked with a grin.
"I... I realized later that what those books talked about was too advanced. Knowledge for the super-rich. Someone like me, with no capital and no connections, couldn't use it even if I understood it. So I... I just..." Tesoro trailed off, stumbling over his words.
"But if you had capital and connections, could you make money?" Ortoren pressed further.
Tesoro's eyes lit up, and he blurted out, "Yes, I could!"
But when he met Ortoren's serious gaze, his fleeting confidence collapsed. His voice dropped, faint and uncertain. "I... probably could... maybe..."
"Heh..." Ortoren gave him an amused once-over before standing. "Come with me. Staying in the Sabaody Archipelago won't end well for you. Come back to the New World—I've got a use for you there."
He then turned to Shakky. "Well then, Ms. Shakky, I won't trouble you any longer. Goodbye."
Shakky nodded. "Oh, and young man, if you ever want to do business with me again, don't think you can use the same terms as this time. Otherwise, I'll be in a real bind."
Ortoren flashed a bright grin. "Don't worry. Next time, I might not be short on cash."
With that, he strode out of the tavern without so much as a word to Rayleigh.
Rayleigh gave his retreating back a cold glance but stayed silent, unwilling to waste his breath.
Tesoro, however, remained frozen in place, looking flustered. His eyes turned to Shakky, carrying a trace of pleading, as if unsure what to do.
Shakky smiled. "Opportunities to change your fate don't come often, Tesoro. This might just be your chance. Go, and make it count."
Still hesitant, Tesoro finally nodded. He walked out the door and followed after Ortoren.
As they walked, Ortoren pulled a cigarette from his pocket, bit it between his teeth, lit it, and exhaled a stream of smoke. "Got any luggage to pack? If not, we're leaving now. Don't be fooled by how I look—I'm actually very busy."
"Marine-sama..." Tesoro began, but Ortoren cut him off. "Do you know my name?"
"Yes, Vice Admiral Benn Ortoren of Marine Headquarters. I've seen you in the papers many times..." Tesoro answered quickly.
"Then just call me Ortoren." Ortoren waved his hand casually.
Tesoro hesitated, too afraid to be that informal. In a low voice, he said, "Benn-sama?"
"Suit yourself." Ortoren didn't bother correcting him.
"Benn-sama, I... I can't leave the Sabaody Archipelago yet," Tesoro said, summoning his courage.
"Why not?" Ortoren asked calmly.
"I promised someone I'd buy back her freedom. She's a slave... I've almost saved enough..." Tesoro explained.
"A slave?" Ortoren raised his brows in mock surprise. "Didn't the World Government outlaw slavery over two hundred years ago? How can there still be slaves?"
Hearing this, Tesoro didn't know how to respond. Was Ortoren truly ignorant, or just pretending?
But Ortoren didn't press him. He waved his hand and said, "Come on. I'll show you what justice looks like!"
Tesoro froze for a second, then quickly realized what he meant. His face lit up with joy. "Yes, please follow me!"
Though stiff and nervous in Ortoren's presence—sometimes even fumbling over his words—Tesoro wasn't stupid. On the contrary, he was sharp. He instantly understood: Ortoren was going to stand up for him.
His steps grew faster, almost breaking into a run. His eyes gleamed with hope, as if he could already see a brighter life beckoning him. It felt like wings were sprouting from his back, ready to break free from the prison of fate and fly toward freedom.
If he hadn't worried about looking foolish and lowering Ortoren's opinion of him, he might have burst into song right then.
Watching Tesoro's back—impatient yet hopeful—Ortoren clenched his cigarette between his teeth, and the corners of his mouth curved upward.
Perhaps this trip hadn't only gained him a promising seed of commerce in Tesoro, but also counted as a good deed.
Unexpectedly, Ortoren's mood lifted.
"Justice..." he murmured softly, a strange glint flashing in his eyes. With a faint laugh, he muttered to himself, "Sometimes, it really does feel good."
Maybe now, he understood why some of his fellow Marines were so devoted to carrying out justice.
Maybe now, he understood what Bartholomew Kuma had once said to him in the South Blue, in the Sorbet Kingdom:
"Helping others when you can—shouldn't that bring happiness?"
Perhaps Ortoren hadn't realized it, but he was changing the Marines' path. And the Marines, in turn, were changing him.
Zephyr had once said, "He's only eighteen. The Marines are a great crucible—impurities burn away after a few years."
Maybe Zephyr hadn't been wrong.
Back then, Ortoren hadn't known what his justice was. He hadn't even known what he was striving for.
Now... maybe he was beginning to change.
...
Led by Tesoro, Ortoren soon arrived at the shop where Stella was being sold as a slave.
Outside, a huge display case stood like something out of a clothing store—except instead of garments, it showcased people. Slaves.
Inside, a blonde woman with a collar around her neck stood with a graceful figure and striking beauty. When she saw Tesoro, the numbness on her face softened into a gentle smile.
Tesoro certainly had an eye for beauty. Stella was stunning, no wonder she had caught the attention of the Celestial Dragons.
Tesoro gave her a small nod without speaking, then led Ortoren into the shop.
The moment they stepped inside, a chubby shopkeeper hurried over, plastering on a smile. "What sort of slave are you looking for, sir? I've got everything here!"
"You sell slaves here?" Ortoren asked, his face wearing a 'friendly' smile.
"Of course! What else would I be selling?" the man chuckled.
"Isn't that against the law?" Ortoren pressed.
The shopkeeper froze, then frowned. "What? You going to stick your nose where it doesn't belong? Going to report me? Go ahead, try it! I've got people backing me!"
Ortoren's lips curled into a wide grin. "Well, isn't that funny. I'm the 'backing' you're talking about."
With that, Ortoren drove his boot squarely into the man's stomach. The shopkeeper shot across the room like a ball, smashed through the wall behind him, and lay silent.
Everyone in the shop froze, stunned by the sudden violence. Ortoren, however, paid them no mind. He pulled out his Den Den Mushi and immediately called the Marine base on Sabaody Archipelago.
...
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