บท 19: Chapter 18 - The Iron Rooster
"But, sir, people without money aren't allowed in there," Little Wolf said, eyeing their shabby clothes.
"Don't worry. We have plenty of money. Right, Buggy?" Shirakawa nudged Buggy.
"Hmph. I don't have any money," Buggy said, turning away. He wasn't about to spend his own money.
"Buggy, this is for a good cause. Think about it. If the Captain finds out, he'll definitely reward us. You'll have all the money you want then," Shirakawa tempted him.
Buggy's eyes lit up at the thought of endless riches. "But we agreed beforehand. I get a share, not all of it."
"Don't worry, I won't let you take more than your fair share."
The four of them followed Little Wolf to a bustling street lined with shops. They tightened their scarves, careful not to reveal their faces.
"Here we are, sir," Little Wolf said, stopping in front of a lavish building.
"Wow. This casino's pretty impressive. It's so open about its business," Shirakawa remarked, surprised by the building's grandeur.
"This is a legitimate establishment with a license. The owner is apparently a nobleman from the capital," Little Wolf explained.
"A nobleman, huh? No wonder they're so rich." Shirakawa had a negative impression of nobles in the One Piece world, mainly due to the Celestial Dragons and Sabo's family in the Goa Kingdom.
"Okay, you can go now. We don't need you anymore."
"Really, sir?" Little Wolf asked hopefully.
"Why? You don't want to leave? You can stay if you want."
"No, no, sir! I'm leaving right now!" Little Wolf scurried away, disappearing around a corner within seconds.
"Am I that scary?" Shirakawa asked Shanks and Buggy. "He ran so fast he lost his shoes."
They saw a lone shoe lying on the ground, getting further and further away as people kicked it around.
"Alright, let's go in. If the First Mate isn't here, we'll have to think of something else," Shirakawa said.
As they approached the entrance, two burly men in black suits and sunglasses stopped them.
"Please show your assets or proof of identity," one of them said in a monotone voice.
"Buggy, it's your turn," Shirakawa said, stepping back.
'Why am I always the one who has to deal with money?' Buggy grumbled inwardly. To him, money was like a part of his body. Spending it felt like losing a limb.
After much hesitation, Buggy reluctantly pulled out a single berry from his pocket.
Shirakawa, Shanks, and Catherine facepalmed.
The guards were also speechless. 'Is he mocking us?'
"Don't be angry, gentlemen. I'll get the money right now," Shirakawa said hastily, seeing the guards' displeasure.
"Make it quick."
"Shanks, hold Buggy down," Shirakawa instructed.
"Okay," Shanks said, pinning Buggy's arms behind his back.
"Hey! What are you doing? Let me go!" Buggy struggled.
"Relax. This will be over soon."
Shirakawa patted down Buggy, finding two pouches of coins and several banknotes. 'He's a walking treasure chest,' Shirakawa thought.
He took the pouches and flashed them at the guards. "Is this enough?"
"Yes, sir. Please come in."
The guards opened the doors, revealing a world of luxury and extravagance.
"Welcome. How may I assist you?" a hostess greeted them.
Despite their odd attire, the staff saw them as potential high rollers. No one came here without money to spend.
"Take us to the casino," Shirakawa said.
"Right this way, please." The hostess' smile widened. The casino was where people spent the most money.
They followed her down a staircase to the basement, where the casino was located. Despite being a legal establishment, they still preferred the discreetness of an underground location.
Shirakawa was amazed by the variety of games and gambling equipment.
"Sir, you can exchange your money for chips over there. Please follow me."
"What would you like to play?" the hostess asked.
"Nothing," Buggy said immediately.
"Me neither," Catherine added.
"I'll give it a try," Shanks said eagerly.
Buggy glared at Shanks. 'Spending my money!'
"Okay, give him 10,000 berries worth of chips," Shirakawa said nonchalantly, as if it were nothing.
'It's not my money anyway,' he thought.
The hostess' smile faltered. 10,000 berries might be a lot in some places, but here, it wasn't even enough to get you through the door.
'Those guards need to do their jobs better,' she thought, annoyed.
"Very well, sir. One moment, please."
She maintained her professional smile, despite her displeasure. If they complained, she'd be in trouble.
Soon, she returned with the chips - only ten of them. Each one was worth 1,000 berries.
"Alright, sir. I'll leave you to it. Please let me know if you need anything else."
"We will. You can go now."
The hostess left, and Shirakawa smirked.
"Am I really that scary? Why did she leave so quickly? I'm not going to eat her."
"Maybe she thinks you're too stingy and won't tip well," Catherine suggested.
"But it's my first time here. I don't know the rules."
"I don't think that has anything to do with it. You're just naturally cheap," Catherine said bluntly.
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