Chương 18: Chapter 18: The Timid Boy Reverts to Old Habits.
Syrup Village,
On the seaside hill.
"What a... big ship..."
"Look, those guys look so fierce..."
"Are they pirates? What should we do, Captain Usopp—"
The one called 'Captain Usopp' by the three kids was a boy with a headscarf covering his fluffy black hair and a long nose. He looked at the huge merchant ship below, his whole body stiff as he crawled backward.
"I just remembered it's nap time,"
"I have a disease called 'If I don't nap, I'll die'..."
"Captain Usopp, pull yourself together!"
"How can you be afraid of mere pirates..."
"Who's there?"
As a cold, murderous voice came, the three kids hiding at the top of the slope turned and ran, leaving behind:
"Hey, hey, you guys—"
No choice, at this point:
"You pirates, this is Captain Usopp's territory!"
The long-nosed boy stood up, facing Roman, Luffy, Zoro, and Nami who were slowly approaching. He pointed his thumb at himself and loudly threatened.
"Get back to the sea immediately, or my 80 million subordinates won't stand by and watch!"
...
"Tsk, there's just a small hill behind you, how can it hide 80 million subordinates!?" Roman rubbed his temples, feeling exhausted at the thought of having such a person as a 'companion' in the future.
Thinking carefully, the truly reliable crew member should be... Robin?
Usopp's trick was similar to 'with a command, 800 axemen would rush out from behind the screen'~~
"I was seen through ..."?
It would be strange if it wasn't!
Swish, "We are pirates."
A figure flashed, and a cold voice sounded behind Usopp. The arm lightly placed on his shoulder made half of his body numb!
"One wrong word, and your head will roll—"
Roman's finger lightly slid across Usopp's neck, instantly making the boy break out in a cold sweat, his legs shaking as if he had eaten the 'Rubber-Rubber Fruit'! But:
Snap,
A pair of hands grabbed Roman's wrist tightly, and the trembling voice of the boy named Usopp said.
"I... I won't let... you enter the village..."
"Interesting,"
Roman's finger, which was pressed against Usopp's neck, slid to the side along his skin, while he added sound effects.
"Poof!"
"Ah~~~~"
...
"Roman, he passed out."
"Eyes rolled back, foaming at the mouth... No way..."
——————
In a restaurant in Syrup Village,
"So, you guys are recruiting crew members and looking for a ship."
After changing his pants, the fully revived Usopp eagerly promoted himself to Luffy, Zoro, and Nami.
"If anyone in this town has an extra 'ship', it would be Kaya's family. She's the town's rich girl, with a mansion, many businesses, and a dozen servants."
"Unfortunately, her parents passed away a year ago, no matter how wealthy..."
"Stop it."
Nami interrupted Usopp, but he didn't mind and returned to the original topic.
"So, if you're recruiting, I can join too~~" he confidently pointed to himself, "I can be your captain!"
"No way!" x3
"Think about it!"
"Hahahaha~~~"
"What's so funny?" an annoyed Usopp looked at Roman, who had scared him unconscious, "Do you think I'm a coward..."
"No," Roman shook his head and said seriously.
"You're very brave, — I apologize for what happened earlier."
?
"If it were me, facing an unbeatable enemy alone, I would have run away without a trace. How could I stand in front of them?"
Even after passing out, the boy named Usopp still held onto his wrist tightly... Honestly, Roman admitted he didn't have that kind of 'determination'.
"Hmph, even if you say that, I won't be happy~~"
...
Are you possessed by Chopper?!
"By the way, it's time."
Looking at the clock on the wall, the long-nosed boy stood up. "You guys eat first, I have something to do~~"
---
Not long after the boy named Usopp left, three kids came looking for him.
From their mouths, Roman and the others learned that the long-nosed boy went to 'tell stories' to the girl named Kaya, who had lost her parents... Well, 'bragging' to cheer her up, so:
"Great, let's go borrow a ship from the young lady!"
After eating and drinking, Luffy stood up and announced loudly.
"Sorry, my companion..." Roman, paying at the counter, pointed to his temple, with a 'you know' expression, making the owner give an awkward but polite smile.
After finishing their meal, the four of them finally arrived at a mansion. After trespassing into the courtyard, they saw:
The boy named Usopp being scolded by a bespectacled butler!
Wow, this—
In front of Roman and the others was a typical 'shamed son-in-law' scene:
How noble is my lady, and you think you're worthy?
Take the money and leave!
Thirty years of the east, thirty years of the west, don't underestimate a poor young man~~
This Syrup Village, not worth staying!
Rebellion, rebellion, just a pirate's son—
Today, leaving this mansion, Syrup Village will have no place for you...
Something like that. At this moment, if a group of pirates with bounties over a hundred million shouted: 'Welcome the son of the Four Emperors' officer!'
That would be even more perfect...
"Roman, why are you smiling?"
"Ahem," Roman shook his head, "I thought of something happy."
Well, although the content is similar, it's not so 'brutal and brainless.' That bespectacled butler just said a few words, provoking Usopp to hit him in anger. — As a result, his image in the eyes of the mansion's owner, Miss Kaya, immediately plummeted.
Then, with a few more words, Usopp was forced to leave in anger, saying he would 'never come back here again.'
As for Luffy's 'borrowing a ship,' of course, it came to nothing.
——————
"Hey, Usopp."
After the group walked out... well, were 'kicked out' of the mansion behind them, Luffy asked the long-nosed boy beside him.
"Are you really not going to see that girl called... called... Kaya again?"
"Hmph, if that butler apologizes to me, I might forgive him." In the end, he still couldn't let go of that frail and sickly girl.
"Hehe, then you might be disappointed."
Roman suddenly spoke from behind, drawing everyone's attention with one sentence.
"Because that Miss Kaya doesn't have long to live."
"What did you say!?"
Usopp turned abruptly, trembling all over, and stared at Roman! Even though he knew he was powerless against this person, he still said:
"Kaya may be sick, but she will get better! Take back your curse! Or else—"
Even Nami frowned, but Luffy:
"Roman, did you discover something we don't know?"
He chose to trust Roman immediately.
"Don't misunderstand, I'm not talking about Miss Kaya's illness. I'm talking about that butler just now—"
"Isn't his name 'Klahadore' or something?"
Roman spread his hand, and an old yellow wanted poster 'appeared' from his palm, startling Usopp and making his eyes widen!
"This... this is..."
"Hey, isn't this the butler from just now?"
"Right,"
Facing the surprised Nami, the thoughtful Zoro, and the confused Luffy, Roman raised the wanted poster in his hand.
"'Captain Kuro,' leader of the Black Cat Pirates."
"Cunning and ruthless, he once massacred a small town of thousands..."
"Rumor has it he was captured and executed by the Marines three years ago. But I happen to know: this guy faked his death to escape."
Roman tilted his head towards the mansion they had just left, a strange smile on his lips.
"Unexpectedly, he hid here, gained the trust of the people around him in just two years, then 'killed' the master. Next, as long as Miss Kaya 'dies of illness,' he can inherit a large fortune and live comfortably for the rest of his life. Brilliant~~~"
Although Roman couldn't remember the plot clearly, pirates are meant to take the blame, right?
Anyway, the guy was indeed plotting to seize Miss Kaya's inheritance.
"Wha... what..."
"Could it be that Kaya's parents were—"
"What evidence do you have?"
Facing the suddenly sweating Usopp, Roman shrugged.
"Evidence?"
"Kid, did you misunderstand something?"
"I am a pirate, not a Marine! Why would I need evidence—"
Roman stepped forward and shoved the wanted poster into the panicked Usopp's hand.
"After all, that girl named Kaya has nothing to do with me. Even if there's a vicious pirate lurking around her, even if she dies right in front of me, what does it have to do with me?"
"The reason I brought this up is simply because—"
Roman leaned down and whispered a few words into Usopp's ear.
"Just for fun."
----
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