Chapter 13: Us
The Baron's call bore fruit.
At least the next day, Buggy moved out of the somewhat monotonous Naval Sanatorium. The Baron gave him a property in Area 36, supposedly a pretty large mansion.
Hmm, I wonder how it compares to the richest man in Gotham City. Buggy quickly dismissed the idea.
Calling the building in front of him a mansion was probably an exaggeration. A slightly larger villa? That description was more accurate.
It was just that the exterior looked a bit old, with many of the red tiles on the third-floor roof flaking off. Under the oblique orange sunlight, it looked a bit desolate.
It was not far from the Soap Bubble Park, and from a distance, you could see people coming and going. Fortunately, Buggy was not picky. He also figured he probably wouldn't be staying long.
A gravel path, no more than four meters wide, connected the main gate to the stone steps in front of the house. The furniture inside was not old; at least the door knobs still shone.
It was quite creepy.
As Buggy entered the house that supposedly belonged to him, his heart skipped a beat. He opened his chest and held it before his eyes, examining it closely. He wasn't supposed to be happy and jump for joy at owning such a treasure. This was not his reaction.
Buggy's feet touched the soft carpet and he simply took off his shoes to see how he reacted. His heart did not race.
But as he walked past a gold ornament, it suddenly beat faster. It was a gold plate mixed with silver and copper. It was just a plate. Buggy didn't think he was moved, but the fluttering reaction was undeniable.
Gold.
Many images suddenly appeared in his mind. He imagined himself in a dark cave, discovering a treasure so rich that it illuminated the surroundings, and surrounded by this treasure! Another image was of himself back in his small village in the countryside, using the money from the sale of gold to build a bright and splendid three-story house for his family, bringing joy even to his grandmother, who always sighed.
He called his childhood friends. They ate and drank together. A memory suddenly crossed Buggy's mind: a time when he and a red-haired boy, with a glass of wine in hand, ran among a group of adults. A curly-mustached man watched them with a happy smile. There was also a middle-aged man with round glasses, who looked somewhat kind. During that time, he could feel happy.
"Maybe I've ignored you for too long," he whispered.
The sunlight from outside filtered through the glazed glass with intricate drawings, illuminating his face, half bright, half dark. Half was greedy joy, half extreme indifference.
"Sir!"
The gray-haired butler had just entered. He was covered in flowers and grass. He had just cut the small lawn of the house, which had been unkempt for a long time.
The indoor light was dim, and he could only see half of his face and the striking navy blue uniform. But it was enough to confirm that he was his boss.
"There is a guest outside looking for you," he said in a low voice, without getting too close. Before knowing the new owner's personality, it is better to maintain etiquette and courtesy.
"Okay, thank you for your effort," Buggy replied, with a gentle smile on his face.
His chest returned to normal without him knowing when. No one would think that this was a lunatic or a pirate who had just been released from a psychiatric hospital. The old butler even thought he had met a good master.
Outside, Arne held a camera, with hesitant steps.
"Sir... it had always seemed like a somewhat uncomfortable title. The news agency agreed to accept me as an external reporter," Arne smiled, revealing his happiness.
After all, not long ago, he was a slave willing to give up his dignity and be sold. Now it was not bad to be a reporter.
What he didn't expect was that the branch president in charge of the interview, a guy with a sharp face and monkey cheeks, didn't discriminate against him after learning about his pirate experience. Instead, he seemed surprised.
"Pirates, pirates, how great! The pirate supernova of the Sabaody Archipelago is our most important news of the year!"
He still remembered the expression of the branch president when he said this. It is common to see pirates dream of being swordsmen, chefs, or navigators, but it is not common to see them dream of being reporters!
Even Buggy was a little surprised. He was already prepared to ask Jacques for money.
"Not bad," he whispered.
Arne felt a little strange about his gentle behavior. How to say it? Buggy used to give him the impression of being a thorny and spiky mess. Now, he felt somewhat softer. An illusion! Arne shook his head. He wasn't surprised by others' transformations, but this clown... Impossible, absolutely impossible!
"But the branch also assigned me a mission."
"The Heart Pirates, recognized as one of the supernovas, are currently operating in Area 30. They want me to interview them."
Area 1.
The imposing mangroves shone with scattered neon bubbles. The roots, winding like stone veins, intertwined in the sea, creating a flat surface that resembled the land of an island. The human auction house was located in an open square-sized space surrounded by mangroves.
It was a tall, semicircular complex.
On the second floor, a high-level meeting was being held for the auction house.
"Are we really going to let that boy participate?"
Diouf did not try to hide his feelings. His navy blue and white uniform stood out in the dimly lit auction room.
The man in the main seat, with a tall hat and long purple hair, chuckled.
"Haha, isn't it wonderful? Haha, wouldn't it be a blow to his own business if Lux's illegitimate son became one of us?"
"Besides, the resources that boy has access to are exactly what we need. What's the point of all those pirate slaves?" another man in a suit asked with disdain.
Training pirate slaves takes much longer than training normal slaves.
"As long as our distinguished guest likes it," the purple-haired man replied with indifference.
"Your Excellency may not agree with your plan," Diouf said.
As you know, the profits that the place generates are decent on the archipelago, but compared to Your Excellency's other businesses, they are marginal.
"That's why we must be more aggressive!" the purple-haired man said with resentment.
"If we take over Auction House No. 4, we will get even more pirate slaves! That will only please that gentleman, don't you understand?"
"I have another idea," Diouf said, hitting the long table in front of him.
"If Auction House No. 4 does not have a channel for pirate slaves, won't we be able to achieve our goal?"
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