Chapter 213: Perhaps He's Here to Collect a Debt
Among the crowds in Loguetown, people would occasionally cast glances toward Nereus and his group. Some were simply curious; after all, the wings on the back of the little girl might just be a toy, but the ones on the adult clearly were not.
Such an unconventional combination inevitably drew lingering stares. Naturally, there were Marine intelligence personnel mixed in among the crowd, but most of them only dared to take a distant look before quickly hurrying away.
"I want... a seven-scoop ice cream cone!"
The massive influx of people had indirectly stimulated Loguetown's recent economic flow. Ordinary citizens didn't care who was about to be executed; they were just here to watch the spectacle. Taking advantage of this foot traffic to do good business was their only real concern.
In front of an ice cream parlor, Chloe counted the coins in her hand and hovered up to eye level with the display case. Under the envious gazes of the other children, she accepted a towering, super-sized ice cream cone.
"Hold it steady now, don't drop it."
Only after ensuring Chloe had a firm grip on the cone did the shop owner let go. Nereus and Amphelite stood less than ten meters away, watching her.
However, while observing this innocent, childlike scene, Amphelite suddenly asked a rather contrasting question.
"How old was Nanamo... when she first drew blood?"
"Five. Some pirate on Hachinosu tried to snatch her allowance money, and then..."
Nereus simply shrugged. Amphelite immediately understood what followed. Touching Nanamo's money practically guaranteed a swift, brutal, and highly rhythmic death.
Given her innate, monstrous physical constitution, killing a standard pirate at that age wasn't difficult for her in the slightest.
"Chloe is already four now..."
"The situation is different. That was on Hachinosu; in that kind of environment, many things couldn't be helped. Chloe still has plenty of time. There's no need to rush it."
Along their journey, any minor troubles that popped up had essentially been handled by Nereus and Amphelite.
Amphelite felt it was about time Chloe was exposed to this side of the world. It was a mindset deeply carved into the hearts of her generation.
The cruel survival environment of the Lunarian race forced them to adapt to slaughter prematurely. If they didn't learn how to kill, they would be killed.
"It's about time. I was roughly that age when I killed my first bounty hunter... If any more minor annoyances show up, let Chloe handle it herself.
"She's been training for so long; it's time she practiced hitting something other than wooden targets."
"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. If the right opportunity presents itself, I won't interfere," Nereus replied.
Just as the two were discussing how to handle their daughter's future development, a middle-aged man dressed as a merchant suddenly approached them.
"Are you... Lord Nereus?"
"And you are?"
"You certainly wouldn't recognize a nobody like me. But thanks to you, my life is so much better than it used to be."
Saying this, he turned his back slightly toward Nereus, revealing a small dorsal fin hidden behind his head. This seemingly ordinary middle-aged man was actually a human-Fish-man hybrid.
"My father is a Fish-man. He came to the East Blue many years ago, and later on..."
This stranger's story was quite simple. He used to face severe discrimination, but with the rise of the Ryugu Kingdom and the dramatic shift in the global reputation of Fish-men, his life had improved significantly.
He mentioned that if he ever got the chance in the future, he'd love to visit the kingdom his father had lived in.
Ultimately, Nereus politely declined the man's offer to buy him a drink. Taking the hand of Chloe, who had just finished buying her ice cream, they walked toward the commercial district.
Loguetown wasn't a tourist town—at least, not yet. Overall, there wasn't much to see. But to a child, a new town held endless places worth exploring.
Even an unfamiliar signboard could keep her intrigued for quite a while.
"Gold... Exchange? Is this a shop that buys gold? Big sis Nanamo would definitely love this place."
[GOLD]
That was the word written on the signboard Chloe was staring at. It was just that her understanding of the word was slightly skewed, viewing it entirely through the lens of her sister's love for wealth.
"No, Chloe, this is just a tavern. That's someone's name written up there."
"A name? The boss's name? Why would someone use their name for a signboard?"
Using a name for a signboard might seem strange, but right now in Loguetown, it was incredibly effective. Even though the World Government had officially altered it to "Gold Roger," Roger was the absolute hottest topic in town.
Whether it was visiting tourists or local residents, passionate discussions about him could be heard everywhere.
"I'm planning to take a little stroll through the Grand Line. I'm absolutely thrilled!"
That's exactly what Roger said back then! Then he grabbed a barrel of rum and set off the very next day, acting like it was no big deal!
King Eric Dawn, the World's Fastest Gunslinger Silver Silver, the Great Evil Monk, the Carnz Brothers—these terrifying, demon-like warriors were like helpless babies in front of Roger! Utterly crushed!
Rumor had it this was a tavern Roger used to frequent, and the owner was a massive fan of his. Right now, he was shouting at the top of his lungs, recounting the legendary tales of Roger's youth.
Meanwhile, in the depths of the Marine Base prison in Loguetown, heavy footsteps echoed down the dead-silent corridor.
Carrying a dim oil lamp, Garp came to a halt outside Roger's cell door.
"The guards said you wanted to see me?"
"Garp... can I trust you?"
Garp's brow furrowed tightly, but he didn't respond.
He didn't know what Roger wanted to say. He had only come to look at the target he had hunted for half his life. Back in God Valley, they had fought side by side; they were among the very few people on the sea who knew certain hidden truths.
But the words Roger spoke next left Garp feeling a deep sense of exasperation. If he hadn't come down here today, perhaps he wouldn't have to deal with such a massive headache.
Disregarding everything else, Roger forcefully entrusted his unborn child and wife to Garp, absolutely certain that Garp wouldn't just turn a blind eye and leave them to die.
Even though Garp gave no direct verbal confirmation, Roger chose to place his absolute faith in him.
"Why the hell did you turn yourself in?" Garp finally asked.
"Hm? My time is almost up. Even if I didn't turn myself in, I wouldn't live much longer anyway. You'll know the reason why soon enough. Besides, as a Marine, there are some things it's better for you not to know.
"If you had accepted my invitation and joined my crew back at God Valley... you would know exactly what I'm trying to do."
"You bastard... you dump the responsibility of taking care of your family onto me out of nowhere, but you won't even tell me something like this?"
"Hahaha! Garp, you know perfectly well that these chains can't hold me. And for you, knowing the answer to some things is entirely meaningless."
Garp's intuition screamed that Roger was scheming something massive, but he couldn't wring an answer out of him. Seeing that Roger was just talking in circles and playing the riddler, he pivoted to another question.
"You didn't make some kind of deal with that guy Nereus, did you?"
"What does he have to do with this?"
"A few days ago, even before your execution details were publicly announced, he arrived in Loguetown. Headquarters thinks it's just a coincidence, but I don't buy it.
"Just like back at God Valley, that guy... definitely has an ulterior motive."
"Who knows?" Roger laughed freely. "I haven't had any contact with him. Maybe he's just here to collect a debt from me. Though right now... I don't have anything left to pay him with..."
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