One Piece: Mandala Swordsman

Chapter 18 Merchant Ship Escort

The sea breeze seemed to be affected by the carnage, blowing out bursts of bloody scent. The sudden dampness in the air made the experienced Hartle immediately realize that a storm was approaching.

However, the anxiety of the past has been calmed down by the presence of strong and powerful guards.

He really hit the jackpot by being able to hire Roman, or rather, Black Cat, for a mere few hundred thousand Berries.

Not only is the black cat a master of knife skills, but it is also adept at diving. As soon as the black cat enters the sea, it catches dozens of fresh and plump grilled fish. At this moment, Chef Choduri's spatula is already smoking from being swung around.

After all, fresh ingredients must be processed on the spot; this is his professional ethic as a chef.

At the same time, Roman also had good nautical knowledge and could accurately predict the weather conditions and provide appropriate solutions.

Most importantly, it's Roman...

"Captain, that pirate ship still has some profit to offer. Although the treasure isn't much, the leaders, according to my look at their bounties, have a combined bounty of 1000 million Berries."

That's right, Roman is also good at "double-crossing".

A must-have for long voyages is a bounty poster for pirates. Most merchants need to use the bounty poster to decide whether to defend themselves or escape in a small boat.

However, it seems they've only encountered a few small fry who then casually took their money.

Although it sounds unkind, since the other party was a pirate whom he had always despised, Hartel decided not to say anything more. If he wanted to be fair, he had to consider whether the other party was worthy of his kindness.

Another crucial point is that Roman was willing to share the pirates' bounties with the entire merchant ship.

Hartle couldn't refuse, because Roman wanted to give her to one of the 12 crew members, including himself. These people had followed him for a long time and were willing to risk their lives to accompany him on the voyage, so they would naturally be well paid for their hard work.

On this point, our Galette, no, Miss Roman, naturally understands it very well.

Here, food and lodging are provided, so you don't have to worry about life or revealing your identity. You can even fight pirates to hone your skills. You can live a comfortable and carefree life. If you have any spare money, you can naturally share it with others, which is perfectly acceptable.

Since she couldn't easily carry a large amount of cash herself, giving it to those in need was perfectly acceptable. Besides, if she wanted to cooperate with Hartle in the long term, it was crucial to cultivate a closer relationship, and the attitude of Hartle's crew towards her was also very important. Having lived on Whole Cake Island for many years, Roman was quite adept at pleasing and ingratiating herself with others.

One should always have a long-term perspective. If showing goodwill is reciprocated, then it's certainly worth doing.

It's important to understand that the world of exploration is far more complex than one might imagine. Natural disasters and man-made calamities often make superstitions easier to spread. Some sailors firmly believed that women should not board ships, as their negative energy would bring them misfortune.

If you are still a child, then I'm sorry, you should go back to where you came from.

Meanwhile, Hartel also noticed that Roman lacked the self-awareness expected of a skilled fighter. She must have a good background, possessing extensive knowledge at a young age, yet she could naturally blend in with her sailors and was very good at interpersonal relationships, even if these gestures of goodwill were unnecessary for her.

What an incredible child.

Even though Hartel thought he was a little clever, he was still far inferior to Roman. When he was the same age as her, he was doing odd jobs in the store under the guidance of his parents. But Roman had the courage to step into the more dangerous sea after his family was destroyed.

They are truly gifted, but it is also thanks to this that they have been able to survive in this cruel world.

"If the voyage ends, do you have any other plans, Black Cat?" Hartle picked up a bottle of rum and started chugging it down.

We're about to enter the waters of the North Sea, and the weather is starting to get cold. Older men often have a drink in their leisure time to warm themselves up.

"Do you only sail once?" Roman countered.

“Haha, of course not. It’s just that my ship is too small. You should have a much wider world to explore, shouldn’t you? If you are interested in business, I might be willing to train you, but your swordsmanship, your strength, and your knowledge have no future with me,” Hartel said matter-of-factly.

He knew, of course, that maintaining his relationship with Roman would be immensely beneficial to him, but not so to her personally.

“You’re still so young, you should have a brighter future. Go to a bigger and better company. Working with a third-rate businessman like me will only jeopardize your future.” Hartel shifted his body to a more comfortable sitting position.

"That's a matter for the future, and I don't want to think about that now." Roman knew she lacked plans for what would happen after leaving Whole Cake Island, but she still had plenty of time, didn't she?

Being unrestrained is her style. Although she pursues great strength, it doesn't conflict with her leisurely lifestyle.

She has no ties now, and it's the perfect time for her to enjoy her freedom.

Besides, she understood what Hartel meant.

Hartle's manner of speaking already indicated his inclination: he believed he should join the navy.

In the world of One Piece, anyone with even a little bit of strength is either a Marine, a pirate, or someone connected to the World Government. For exceptionally talented individuals, these two paths are inevitable choices.

"Uncle, do you really hate pirates?"

“Of course, but rather than saying I hate pirates, I would say I genuinely hate Gol Roger.” Hartle’s expression began to darken.

"Why?'

"He started this crazy Age of Exploration, and that's his greatest sin. Pirates are a product of the sea, and even with different eras, they won't completely disappear. Besides, many people are forced into becoming pirates because they can't make a living, which is a tragedy of the times. But that dead Pirate King broke this rule. He led hordes of madmen onto the sea, and the evil he created has to be borne by all ordinary people. He was an incurable madman and a demon." Hartel finished speaking and slammed his fist on the table.

Roman knew little about Roger, after all, he was a character who died at the beginning of the original work, but his influence was ever-present in this world of the sea.

In retrospect, his very existence did indirectly cause countless disasters, but Roman believes it is inappropriate to place all the blame on Roger. The direct perpetrators are others; perhaps they were tempted by Roger's words, but most were simply pursuing their own ambitions.

There are deeper reasons why pirates cannot be eliminated, ranging from the inaction of the World Government to the hardships faced by ordinary people. These are all sources of the emergence of pirates.

However, a person's hatred needs a tangible object to bear it.

Roger took the blame; his original intention was simply to hope that someone could obtain the One Piece, and perhaps he didn't think deeply about the final disastrous consequences.

If you want to pursue your own freedom, then other people's lives are naturally not something you need to consider.

To some extent, Roger was a clever and sophisticated egoist whose "ego" consisted only of himself and his companions, but it would be inaccurate to say that he was the culprit who dragged the world into the mire.

“Insulting the dead is pointless. Shall we have another drink?” Roman raised the bottle of rum.

“Kids shouldn’t drink. Do you really enjoy reading? Sometimes you don’t talk like a child at all.” Hartel immediately picked up the bottle.

"I really like it."

“I’ll give you a few when you get home,” Hartel said, patting his chest.

What is your country?

“Frevans, a very beautiful white town that stands out so much from your all-black attire,” Hartel said with a smile.

However, he was puzzled to find that Roman's smile had disappeared.

Or rather, her smile froze.