The Old Era's Remnant?

In this cramped cage,

an old man and a young man sat facing each other around a tiny oil lamp.

The dim light flickered unsteadily through the room. For the first time in days, Roger smiled.

"I only brought four bottles. Once they're gone, that's it."

Austin took four bottles of rum from his bag and opened them one by one. He had not originally planned to drink,

but considering Captain Roger would soon be on his final journey, he could make an exception.

"Come on, Captain Roger. I don't really like drinking, but I'll make an exception and have one with you this time!"

Austin declared boldly.

He felt like he was full of manly romance.

But...

to his surprise, Roger looked at him with disdain after hearing that.

"What's that supposed to mean? If you don't like drinking, leave them all to me. I don't have enough as it is."

That old bastard—should he call him childish, or a genuine drunkard?

Now he was even being stingy about it!

A vein slowly bulged on Austin's forehead, and his expression darkened.

Fortunately, after much persuasion, he still got Captain Roger to give up one bottle.

Then Austin took several wrapped meat-covered bones from his bag.

After all, the execution was only a few days away. It was not a lavish meal, but it could still count as a final farewell feast.

Roger was clearly very satisfied.

Looking at the wine and meat before him, he was obviously delighted. Only, the shackles on his hands hindered his movements.

"Want me to take those off for you?"

"Oh? You can!?" Roger asked with a smile.

Tormented by illness and prolonged hunger, he had little strength left. Even using Haki was extremely difficult for him.

Watching this, Austin felt awful.

With a light touch of Ryou, the sturdy shackles instantly shattered into fragments.

The two men, both of whom had once shaken the seas, chatted happily as they ate meat and drank wine.

The sight could not help but remind Austin of the happy, free days they had spent aboard the Oro Jackson.

"Austin, how has everyone been doing lately?" Roger asked with a flushed face and a cheerful grin, meat in his left hand and wine in his right.

"Uncle Rayleigh has already sent everyone back to their hometowns. No Marines are hunting them down, and there are no Wanted Posters. I heard they're all doing well."

"Is that so?" Roger was pleased to hear it. He took a huge gulp of wine. It had not been in vain that he had specifically demanded the World Government stop pursuing his crew.

"Still, my Wanted Poster was originally withdrawn, but after I got into a fight at Marine Headquarters, there's now a bounty of over two billion Beli on me again," Austin added, seeing how happily Roger was smiling.

"Pff... cough, cough, cough..."

Caught off guard by that sudden twist, Roger failed to hold it in and sprayed out all the wine in his mouth.

He had just wanted to complain about how good Austin was at causing trouble, when he noticed he had wasted another mouthful of wine.

"My wine!!!"

Roger opened his mouth wide, then began mourning the lost wine instead. He could not help feeling dejected, until Austin gave him the rest of his own drink. Only then did he cheer up.

"...Right, Shanks and Buggy said they were going to watch the execution in two days. I'll be going with them too."

"Shanks and Buggy?"

Hearing the names of those two little brats, Roger revealed a nostalgic expression and then said to Austin,

"They are the hope of the New Era, Austin. You have to look after them for me."

"Huh? Aren't I part of the New Era too? Why do I have to do that?"

Austin was confused. Wasn't that a little too biased?

"The New Era? Haven't you already seen One Piece? We got there too early, so we've already lost our qualifications," Roger said as though it were only natural.

"No..."

Austin sensed something was off and was instantly bewildered.

He was still young!

When he had been aboard the ship, he had only cared about the sentiment and excitement. He had happily gone to Laugh Tale with everyone, only to raise his own seniority?

Damn!

I've become a remnant of the Old Era!

Austin was a little dazed. He stood there blankly for quite a while before finally coming back to his senses.

And if that was the case, he would have no chance of being selected for the future battle among twelve contenders.

Not that he cared much about that.

Still, Austin was not used to suddenly becoming an old-timer for no reason.

He had barely even made a name for himself on the seas. How had he already become part of the Old Era that was supposed to retire?

Forget it...

He had never wanted to become the Pirate King anyway. His ambitions did not lie there, so it did not matter that much.

After coming to terms with that, Austin felt much better. He could still roam the seas however he wanted in the future.

That night, the two of them talked about many things.

Their views on the World Government, memories of their old sailing days, and their thoughts on where the future world was headed.

After eating and drinking their fill, it was finally time for Austin to leave.

But before he left,

Austin seemed to remember something and turned back to look at the man who had dominated the seas all his life.

"Hey, Captain, I remember you have a wife and child, right?"

"Oh? How do you know that?" Roger asked in surprise.

"Did you forget? My Observation Haki."

"Hahahaha, right. I almost forgot. What an amazing ability."

"Then... do you need me to look after them? You understand, don't you? The World Government and the Marines will never let them go."

Austin spoke calmly, his eyes fixed on Roger.

"About that, don't worry, Austin. I've already entrusted them to..."

"Garp, right?"

Austin turned around and looked seriously at the still-optimistic bearded man before him.

Austin admitted that Roger was indeed a good captain, a Great Pirate with courage and ambition.

But he was undoubtedly a failed husband and a failed father.

Austin had no right to judge whether Roger's choices were right or wrong. But as an apprentice crewman who had once received his kindness, as half a disciple, he had no right to meddle—yet he could not help himself.

"With Garp alone, a Marine Vice Admiral, what status do you expect him to use to stand against the entire World Government and the Marines?

Or do you think that the mutual respect between the two of you will make Garp betray the Marines?

"She is only a helpless pregnant woman now."

"..."

Faced with Austin's questions one after another, Roger fell silent. The constant smile was gone from his face.

He had no answer.

Seeing Roger like this for the first time, Austin's expression remained calm as he continued,

"After all, I owe you for taking care of me all these years. I'll settle the mother and child somewhere safe.

"Of course, I won't interfere too much with their lives.

"As for what kind of path that child wants to take in the future, let him decide for himself."

After saying that, Austin looked at Roger, who gave no response and merely stood there with his head lowered in silence.

He turned and teleported out of the cell, then began walking away.

Only when Austin was nearly at the edge of Roger's sight did his Observation Haki finally catch a soft murmur.

"Thank you, Austin."