"Do you... do you want to buy some alcohol?" The little girl stood stiffly in front of Rosen.
Rosen could already smell the unpleasant odor, the result of days without a proper bath, but he didn't let it show. He glanced at the little girl and asked quietly, "How much?"
"Twenty... twenty thousand Berries," the limping girl said in a low voice.
"Why are you still here? Go, don't disturb the adults while they eat." The tavern owner immediately felt a headache upon hearing the price. Standing in front of him was one of the Shichibukai, a man known for killing without hesitation.
This poor-quality alcohol was worth at most 10,000 Berries. If it were a pirate or bounty hunter buying, maybe they'd pay 20,000 or 30,000 Berries, and the tavern owner wouldn't care too much, given that some people would be driven to desperation if they didn't give them a way to live.
But right now, considering Crocodile had just killed someone in a fit of rage, if anyone sensed they were being taken for a fool, there was no guarantee a pirate would spare even a child.
"No problem." Rosen waved his hand and signaled Bones to pay for the alcohol. He'd experienced a similar life before, though in his time, orphans didn't face such dark circumstances.
"Thank you." The limping girl looked a bit incredulous. She had only come to try her luck, out of desperation. If she couldn't sell any alcohol today, tomorrow she might not be able to stand and would have to beg on the streets instead.
"Here." Bones, still without much expression, silently took out 20,000 Berries and handed them to the girl. She took the Berries, tears welling up in her eyes. After repeatedly thanking them, she left.
"People like that are everywhere in this era," Rosen said as he set down his utensils, suddenly losing his appetite.
He never saw himself as a good person, especially after having just killed someone. He hadn't thought about actively helping anyone; as long as he could take care of himself, that was enough. That's how it had been in his world too—he was a bit selfish.
But in that little girl, he saw a reflection of the era, and it reminded him of his own past. Unfortunately, there were things he couldn't change; they weren't isolated incidents, but the product of the entire era's backdrop.
Unless one day, he could rise to the peak of the world and create a new era, such phenomena would never cease.
"Such things are everywhere, nothing special about it." Bones answered casually. He had experienced something similar when he was young. To him, it was just a part of life.
"Anlin can't come with us. Let's try our luck," Rosen said as he stood up. He was still too weak, despite wanting to improve his strength.
Even the Four Emperors—how strong could they really be? Strictly speaking, the Four Emperors were just rulers of a certain territory, powerful pirates. Sure, they could cause upheaval in the world, but could any of them truly overthrow the entire world or establish a new order? Even Pirate King Roger couldn't do it.
"Mr. 5, if you're injured, head back to the ship and rest," Rosen said as he noticed Mr. 5 limping.
Mr. 5 nodded. He had indeed sustained significant injuries.
But as soon as Rosen and the others stepped out of the tavern, they were surrounded by a group of children. These kids were very similar to the limping girl—they carried baskets filled with the cheapest alcohol. Some had one bottle, others had two or three.
The group consisted of about ten children, ranging from seven to ten years old, all looking frail and weak, with various physical deformities. Some had missing arms, others dragged their feet with a limp, and some were even missing fingers. They all looked up at Rosen and the others with anticipation, while the girl who had just sold alcohol hid in a nearby alley, watching them.
When Rosen's gaze fell on her, she quickly shrank back into the shadows, but shook her head, signaling that these children weren't the ones she had called.
If not her, then was there someone else behind them?
The children hesitated, trying to inch closer, but some took a step forward only to retreat in fear. Their eyes, however, were full of longing. Strangely, none of them spoke a word. They only stood there, their gazes filled with both fear and hope, silently watching Rosen.
Bones frowned.
At this moment, Rosen's heart sank. If it were just one or two people with physical limitations, it could be seen as an accident, but when it was like this, the situation was more complicated.
Disabled children, begging for sympathy, selling overpriced goods—this kind of scam felt eerily familiar to Rosen. Most people, seeing such children, would likely feel pity and give them money or food.
"Move aside," Bones said coldly, stomping his foot on the ground. The earth cracked beneath him, and the children shrank back, retreating in fear.
"Bones, buy all of their alcohol and have Mr. 5 take it back to the ship," Rosen said after taking a long drag from his cigar. His mind was in turmoil.
His mood had turned sour. He understood that some things might not improve by acting now, but they certainly wouldn't change if he did nothing.
He was hesitant, and his emotions began to grow darker. He could never remain indifferent, unmoved by the suffering around him.
"Understood," Bones responded. Though surprised, he wouldn't refuse since it was the Boss's order. Even though he sympathized with the children, he knew that even if they helped now, it wouldn't change anything in the long term.
Even if they bought all the alcohol, it wouldn't be much of a burden.
The children, who had already lost all hope, had expected the same response. After all, the man had already bought the girl's alcohol. They didn't think he'd buy theirs too, but they had no choice but to try, knowing they'd face a beating if they went back empty-handed.
"Wait..." Rosen suddenly stopped and grabbed the last child to finish a transaction. The little boy flinched in surprise and instinctively covered his head.
Rosen lifted the boy's shirt, revealing a body covered in bruises and wounds, just as he had expected.
"What are you doing? Let me go!" The boy struggled to break free.
Rosen let go, and the boy immediately ran off.
"BOSS," Bones called quietly, noticing the change in Rosen's demeanor.
"Mr. 5, you head back first. Bones, follow me. Let's see what's going on," Rosen ordered, his expression blank but his voice colder than usual.
Bones recalled that two years ago, a similar incident involving child abuse had caused trouble for the Boss. Could it be that Rosen despised those who hurt children? After all, he was a killer, but he never harmed children. Nor did he tolerate their abuse or exploitation.
Rosen seemed angry.
Parting from Mr. 5, Rosen and Bones discreetly followed the group of children from a distance, making sure they weren't noticed.
After walking for a while, Rosen suddenly asked Bones, "If you want to do something, but you know it might not end well, how would you handle it?"
Bones had a vague idea of what Rosen was thinking and took a moment to reflect. He had once considered becoming a hero, but after everything that had happened, he found himself on a much darker path.
He thought about the children they had just seen, then replied calmly, "Boss, we're pirates. Pirates never worry about the consequences of what we do. We just do what we want to do."
Rosen paused for a moment, then smiled slightly, "Not bad. We're pirates, after all. We do what we need to do, what we want to do, even if it's just for our own satisfaction."
Some things, once done, change the course of events. If we do nothing, nothing changes.
The important thing is that we have the strength to act.
(End of Chapter)