In the spacious dining room, two figures, one large and one small, were feasting.
Next to them were Smoker, who was watching with curiosity, and Enel, who was peeking over with his arms crossed.
"These two people... came out of the belly of that fish?"
Smoker looked at the two eating like they hadn't seen food in ages and started to believe it.
"Of course, I clearly saw them appearing on that island," Enel nodded and added, "With your half-hearted Observation Haki, you must not have noticed it."
"..."
"You bastard."
Smoker was a little discouraged. When they first met, Enel was just a lucky guy who ate the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, but now—he just felt miserable in his heart. He had to admit that Enel's talent was indeed much better than his.
"But it's really lucky to survive from the belly of that giant Sea King..." Smoker abruptly changed the subject.
"Olga, eat slowly, don't choke," the middle-aged man in the field finally slowed down his eating speed and gently reminded his daughter next to him.
Miskina Acier. This is the name Atlas got from the man. About two hundred years ago, to keep Olga, who was terminally ill, alive, he began to study day and night to make pure gold. Although he finally created it, it also attracted the footballfish who liked to collect shiny things and swallowed the island where their family lived.
The inhabitants of the island were almost wiped out. Only the father and daughter relied on pure gold to survive for two hundred years, with almost no change in their physical age.
"Hmph! Don't worry about it!"
The 'girl' who was called Olga snorted and ignored the love from her father. This is a 'girl' with bronze skin, red eyes, and long curly golden hair. Despite her appearance, she exudes a gloomy and old temperament. After all, this is an antique that has lived for nearly 200 years. Even though she has never experienced much of the world, the accumulation of time is still reflected in her.
She felt a little resentful towards her father. After all, it was because he insisted on studying pure gold that pirates fought for it, leading to her mother's death at their hands. She was in this situation today because of this damn pure gold. But without it, she would have died of a terminal illness two hundred years ago. It can be said that: success is pure gold, failure is also pure gold.
"It's better not to wear that ring on your hand anymore," Atlas looked at the somewhat disharmonious father and daughter and suddenly spoke out.
"Huh? What do you want to do?" Olga instantly became alert, put down the food in her hand, and stared at Atlas with her red eyes. Like a... feral cat guarding its food?
"I don't care what you do in the future, but the pure gold in your hands cannot appear in the sea. I believe you also understand its dangers," Atlas said, his eyes calm but his tone leaving no room for argument.
"Dr. Acier?" Atlas continued, his gaze unwavering.
The previous lump of pure gold had been buried by the island where he had stayed with the Acier and his daughter, and it was lost to the depths of the sea. No matter how dazzling the light of pure gold, it could not shine through at all.
"I understand, but..." Acier's fat face showed a trace of worry. "If Olga loses this ring, her illness might attack soon."
"Wait! Brother Atlas, what are you talking about? Isn't pure gold a legend? How could it appear in reality?" Smoker, who had been listening silently, finally couldn't bear it anymore.
Of course, he had heard of pure gold, which was said to be a magical item that could grant eternal life. But that was just a legend.
"I forgot to introduce myself. We are from two hundred years ago. We only survived till today by relying on pure gold."
"...how many years ago did you say?" Smoker rubbed his ears in disbelief, ensuring there was no earwax, and asked again.
Enel widened his eyes in surprise, looking at Acier. Two hundred years ago!!
According to what Acier said, pure gold really did exist, and it was right in front of them?
"You heard it right, it was two hundred years ago. To be precise, it should be one hundred and ninety-three years ago. I remember clearly that we were swallowed by the fish in 1320 of the Sea Circle Calendar."
"...Gulp, so pure gold really exists and it's in your possession?" Smoker couldn't help but swallow, his throat dry.
"Yes, it's because of pure gold that Olga, who suffers from South Blue Emperor Fever, has been able to survive until now. Without pure gold, she wouldn't have many days left."
Acier was well aware of the turmoil that would arise if pure gold became known. But thinking that his daughter, having finally reunited with him, was about to face separation again, he couldn't help but feel panicked.
"It's okay. It's better to die outside than in the belly of the lantern fish," Olgasaid stubbornly. "Besides, even if I keep it, I will probably be killed by pirates, just like my mother back then."
Two hundred years is enough. Rather than living alone in the belly of a fish, it's better to enjoy some freedom before dying.
"Olga..."
"Dad..."
"Um, what you were just talking about... was it South Blue's Emperor Fever?" Smoker interrupted, feeling a bit awkward as the father and daughter became emotional. "Actually, specific medicines have been developed long ago. It's not a terminal disease now. We should have this kind of medicine on board."
Olga: "..."
Acier: "..."
You mean to tell me, after all this, that there's a cure now?
However, Acier still looked excited. "Really? That's great!!"
It seemed their two hundred years of waiting had not been in vain. The use of pure gold was originally a delaying strategy, betting on the world's progress in finding a cure. If it didn't happen in a hundred years, then two hundred. If not, maybe three hundred or five hundred years later... They would wait as long as needed.
But the good news had come so suddenly.
"Deal!!" Olga quickly took off the ring and threw it towards Atlas. "Just give me a dose of the special medicine in exchange for this."
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