Capítulo 51: Chapter 51: The Queen and the Guard
"Miss, you're angry."
"I'm not angry—"
The plump-cheeked elegant lady turned her head in a huff, clearly not looking like she wasn't angry.
"Miss, that boy..."
Recalling the blond boy standing dazed at the alley entrance, the young attendant in the black suit and flower-patterned tie furrowed his brow.
"He's dangerous!"
"Liar,"
The hands-on-hips elegant lady turned her head back to question:
"With Pick by my side, what danger could there be?"
Um...
This statement left the young man in the black suit speechless, and he could only point ahead.
"Miss, the auction is about to start."
As the elegant lady beside him took a step forward, intentionally falling behind, the young man in the black suit rubbed his furrowed brow.
It's precisely because I'm here that you're in danger, Miss...
————
"Is it really an auction?"
After discovering that the young man in the black suit resembled "Senor Pink," Rosinante quickly flipped onto the rooftop and followed the two to the entrance of a theater.
Outside this theater, numerous meticulously crafted carriages were parked, and just from the heads held high by the coachmen, it was apparent that the owners of these carriages were rich and powerful.
As the elegant lady and the young version of "Senor Pink" arrived at the opera house entrance, everyone present doffed their hats and bowed, causing Rosinante to furrow his brow.
It seemed that this elegant lady held a considerable status.
Indeed, it matched the setting of a "sympathy-filled young lady," but what was Senor Pink's identity?
A family member?
A guard?
Or...
Rosinante was so focused on Senor Pink because, in the future Donquixote Family, Senor Pink could be considered a rare "gentleman."
Loyal and compassionate toward the weak, he was a straightforward, iron-willed man who wasn't skilled in deception.
At the same time, in a world where "abandoning wife and child" was practically traditional entertainment for pirates, he was an extremely family-oriented man. To bring a smile to his wife's face, who had been left in a vegetative state by severe injuries, he even dressed up in his deceased son's baby clothes...
One could say that the outwardly eccentric Senor Pink was a true gentleman.
He was a gentleman a hundred times more than those who only cared about "elegance" in appearances!
"As a comrade, someone like this..."
Let's observe for now—
Having made up his mind, Rosinante silently retreated from the rooftop and prepared to sneak into the theater from another side.
———
Inside the opera house,
Elegant gentlemen and bedecked merchants formed little circles, showing off their sophistication. Although the event was labeled a "charity auction," for most, it was merely a place for the exchange of power and wealth.
Apart from these "distinguished individuals," there were their female companions for ostentation and family members seeking enlightenment. So, having changed into a small suit and leisurely sipping red tea, Rosinante didn't attract anyone's attention.
The so-called "nobility" was merely a manifestation of self-confidence. Money and status brought confidence, and fierce violence could also bring confidence.
"The next item up for auction is the work of Poliziano Jora, titled 'Spring'!"
Seated in the front row of the auction, the elegant lady stood up, offering a slight bow to the entire assembly, and most of the people in the theater nodded back cordially.
Of course, the respect from the crowd wasn't solely due to the title of the head of the "White Sand Orphanage," the organizer of this charity auction.
It was because this gentle and beautiful elegant lady was none other than the Queen of Alcania, the ruler of Odense!
Poliziano Jora?
Jora?!
*Pfft.*
In a corner at the back, Rosinante, who was shocked by this name, sprayed his mouthful of red tea in surprise, earning a disdainful look from a nearby little girl.
"Apologies, apologies,"
"I was just amazed by the artwork of Ms. Jora..."
Setting down his cup of red tea, Rosinante smiled. His golden hair coupled with a sunny mature smile caused the young girl who had been rather contemptuous a moment ago to blush.
This young man is quite handsome...
"Of course, Miss Jora is the pride of our Odense!"
Once the conversation shifted to the owner of the painting currently up for auction, the young girl immediately became animated, passionately recounting the lady's deeds to Rosinante as if she were describing an idol.
Poliziano Jora, Queen of Alcania.
At the same time, she was a renowned artist who established the White Sand Orphanage, ensuring that all the orphans in Odense were well taken care of.
With high status, stunning appearance, gentle personality, and sincere treatment of others, she focused on governing and nurturing orphans. Even now, at the age of 30, she remained single, making her the most sought-after lady among suitors throughout Alcania...
"When I grow up, I want to become an adult like Miss Jora—"
"Uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh,"
With starry eyes, Rosinante nodded repeatedly, but he sensed the scent of a "blade" in his heart.
From what he knew, Jora, who was a high-ranking member of the Donquixote Family several decades later, was an extremely noisy, narcissistic, heavily made-up large woman—quite the opposite of the elegant lady in front of him who was being praised to the heavens by the little girl!
Hmm... Their similarity in enjoying caring for children is quite striking.
It seems—
Raising his head, Rosinante glanced at the elegant lady gracefully interacting with the surrounding nobles and merchants in the front row. Finally, from her hair color, he caught a glimpse of the future "Jora."
How could a grand queen of a nation be involved in fighting and killing with the Donquixote Family?
In other words, what major upheaval could occur in the Alcania Kingdom?
Rubbing his chin, and seeing that the auction had a long way to go, Rosinante decisively turned around and quietly left, slipping away unnoticed by the little girl who was enthusiastically sharing the queen's deeds.
————
"Tsk, what kind of rubbish bar is that!"
As Rosinante returned to the harbor, he could faintly hear Trafalgar Rosinante's colorful cursing in the distance.
"Just a barmaid, yet she wanted to discuss poetry, paintings, and ideals with me... I just wanted to sleep—"
"Cough, don't say that in front of Doflamingo."
Awkwardly, Diamentila tugged at Trafalgar Rosinante. Both of them were orphans raised in the "Garbage Processing Zone" of Spsadomaru's Spade. They had been exposed to things like murder, arson, cheating, swindling, women, and alcohol from an early age.
However, unlike Doflamingo and Rosinante, who were clearly not ordinary in temperament or behavior, discussing such matters of having fun with them...
"Have you found a buyer for the merchandise?"
Upon stepping onto the deck, Rosinante heard Toripol's complaints.
This kind of thing... he couldn't help, nor did he want to get involved.
"It's been settled. Doing business here seems quite easy."
Getting down to business, Toripol no longer dwelled on being rejected "services."
"These merchants are quite uninteresting. They openly announce the purchase prices for various goods. Although it saves us a lot of time, it..."
Robbed Toripol of the pleasure of haggling!
"Huh huh huh, I heard that the queen here is very wise."
Doflamingo, seated on a wooden barrel, also chimed in.
"And maintaining good relations with the Marines, fortifying the port, and efficiently managing the entire city. It's said that her own strength and artistic talent are extraordinary. I really want to meet her in person—"
Watching Doflamingo diligently practicing his Devil Fruit abilities by weaving threads between his fingers, Rosinante touched his chin in thought.
"Based on the intelligence I've gathered, it seems that Queen Jora is not just famous in name. However..."
If nothing unexpected happened, she might experience an "accident" soon.
"Pica, here's a piece of cake for you."
Thinking this, Rosinante handed a cake he had obtained from the charity auction to Pica, who was sitting on the deck. Pica simply tossed the cake into his mouth.
Gulon,
Ah, this...
"Thank you,"
For Pica, the quantity of things didn't matter; the thought behind it was what counted.
"According to the information we've gathered, this city truly lives up to its reputation as the 'Fairy Tale Land.' It's quite suitable as a long-standing trading point, but..."
Integrating everyone's observations, Rosinante discovered that this city made for an excellent trading partner. There were no traces of pirates in the vicinity, and trade could be conducted without resorting to arms. It was almost a "safe haven," a rarity in the world of One Piece.
"However, the risks at sea cannot be ignored,"
Torpel pointed out.
"When we arrived, we had to fight our way through. Without us, ordinary people would have a hard time delivering goods to this city."
"Correct,"
But what Rosinante was concerned about wasn't this. If the owner of this city truly was the future "Jora," then it would indicate that some significant changes had occurred here.
And then there was "Seniole Pike," who would also join the Donquixote Family in the future.
This meant that a variable was inevitable!
"In that case, you can proceed with the trading, and I'll gather some information."
After sharing what they had observed and learned, Rosinante once again quietly left the Thousand Sunny.
He planned to check if the charity auction had concluded, and then investigate "Seniole Pike" and "Poliziano Jora," hoping to make some new discoveries.
Whether it was the "gears of fate starting to turn" or if Rosinante was simply fortunate enough to stumble upon this day, he quietly trailed the two figures to the central mansion of the city after they left the charity auction.
The elegant lady resembling Jora was escorted by her servants into the mansion, while the youthful version of Pike, acting as a guard, didn't immediately rest but headed towards the docks.
?
Using his "Silent" Devil Fruit ability, Rosinante trailed far behind Pike and witnessed him entering an inn. Shortly thereafter, two individuals in black suits also entered the inn.
?!
"Those guys..."
There were many people in this world who liked to wear black suits and ties. However, unlike the "steadiness" of security personnel or the "intimidation" of thugs, these two men in black suits gave Rosinante a sense of "chill."
"I hope I'm just overthinking things,"
An ominous conjecture formed in Rosinante's mind. He stealthily infiltrated the inn, climbing onto the rooftop, and then descending into the attic.
Pressing his ear against the wooden boards, he used his enhanced hearing from his Devil Fruit to meticulously search for sound. Finally, at the edge, he caught a cold voice:
"Pike, the mission has begun."
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(End of this chapter)
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