The Price of a Dog Who Wins by Lying Down

Ten thousand meters high in the sky, The cold currents of the high altitude swept past, but they had little effect on Austin. At this moment, he was heading straight for the South Blue.

He didn't really want to rush like this either.

But with only two days left until the execution, as he recalled, not long after it, the Navy would follow the clues and find Baterilla Island in the South Blue.

And Captain Roger's wife, Portgas D. Rouge, had to forcibly delay childbirth for over a year to avoid the Navy's inspections.

In the end, she died after giving birth.

To be safe, Austin had to act early.

With his speed—able to teleport anywhere he could see—it would only take him an hour or so to reach the South Blue.

If things went smoothly, he should make it in time for the final execution.

South Blue, Baterilla Island.

It was a beautiful country, or at least Austin thought it was a good place for romance.

Love always made people blind, and young maidens with budding hearts often fell for the good men of the sea.

But Rouge understood that while Roger loved her, a man like him could never be trapped by love—especially when he didn't have long to live.

He loved her, but he loved the sea more, and his dreams even more.

Still, Rouge was willing to leave behind a continuation of his bloodline for the man she loved.

Standing by the cliff, Rouge gazed out at the sea, the breeze brushing through the ends of her hair.

She looked at Roger's wanted poster, the image of them leaning together still lingering in her mind.

"If it's a boy, name him Ace. If it's a girl, name her Ann."

Those were the names Roger had once promised.

But he would never get the chance to see his child.

"Please accept my condolences, madam."

A voice broke Rouge's thoughts. She turned warily to see a tall young man in a black military uniform standing beside her, appearing out of nowhere.

Panic.

Her first thought was that she'd been exposed.

With Roger's fame, neither pirates nor the Navy would let his bloodline go.

She had to run!

"No need to be nervous, madam... I'm not a bad person. Captain Roger worried about your safety and entrusted me to come as his last request."

Roger?

Maybe it was the name, or maybe because Austin hadn't made any aggressive moves, but Rouge finally stayed put.

After all, as a pregnant woman, where could she run in front such a tall, strong man?

Seeing that Rouge hadn't fled but still looked at him with wary eyes, Austin found himself a bit troubled.

How could he prove his identity?

He should have asked Captain Roger to write a letter or something.

After thinking for a moment, a flash of inspiration hit him, and he finally came up with an idea.

He pulled out his own wanted poster and held it up in front of Rouge, pointing at the section describing him.

"Madam, take a look at this, and you'll understand."

Seeing how earnestly he spoke, Rouge looked at the spot Austin was pointing to on the newspaper.

"...Dead or alive, heinous criminal?"

After reading the description, Rouge stared at the "villain" in front of her with even more caution.

Austin: "..."

He'd pointed at the wrong spot.

"Austin... Roger Pirates crew member?"

Maybe sensing the doubt in Rouge's eyes, Austin rubbed his head, feeling a bit helpless.

There was no helping it.

He'd forced his way onto the ship midway, ridden the wave of the era with Roger, and coasted to victory as a freeloader.

He had to pay some price for that.

Unlike Roger's other crew members, who followed him out of friendship or shared dreams, their relationship was one of equals. The Roger Pirates weren't some bloodline-based family; they had no obligation to do anything for Roger's widow and child.

Whether out of ignorance or indifference, neither could be faulted.

The main task entrusted to them by Roger was to guide the one who inherited his will to Laugh Tale at the right time—not the one who inherited his bloodline.

But Austin, Shanks, and Buggy were different. Having boarded the ship as children, Captain Roger had an undeniable debt of teaching and protection to them.

Under such a bond, Shanks and Buggy, as hopes of the New Era qualified to vie for the One Piece, throwing themselves into the New Era was the best repayment they could offer.

Shanks inherited the straw hat, carrying on Roger's will, with the potential to reach Laugh Tale at the right time.

Even if he couldn't, he would maintain the balance of the seas, paving the way for the next inheritor of Roger's will.

Buggy, as one of the potential seeds of the New Era, had little hope placed in him by Roger, but his training was also minimal—the two balanced out.

Only Austin fit none of these categories.

He was both a remnant of the Old Era and a youth living in the New Era. Roger had never even asked anything of him.

On the return voyage from Laugh Tale, realizing that Austin's greatest pursuit was happiness and freedom, Roger didn't even request that he protect the inheritor of his will. He only told him to let others have the world's "hope," with no other demands.

And it was this awkward position that made Austin feel he should do something.

After all, he wasn't passing on any will, yet he hadn't missed out on any of the power and benefits he'd leeched.

So, Taking care of Captain Roger's wife and child was the only way he could think of to repay Roger now.

"Yeah, before Captain Roger left, he was worried about you and specifically asked me to look after you."

A faint smile on his face, Austin told a kind lie without a trace of acting.

And with those simple words, he broke through Rouge's last line of defense.

Tears streamed down like broken beads, her forehead leaning against Austin as she bit her lip, still clutching the newspaper announcing Roger's impending execution.

The age gap between them was vast. She had fallen for Roger out of love, so she respected his dreams and choices.

But that didn't mean she didn't care about this love.

Upon learning that Roger still had them—mother and child—in his heart, Rouge had no doubts. She chose to trust his crew member, Austin, and was willing to leave with him.

After all, she and her child needed a safe environment, and as Roger's crew member, Austin seemed so reliable.

Next, they wasted no time, since Austin still had to rush back to watch the execution.

Austin followed Rouge to her small house, packed a few simple belongings, and easily lifted an enormous bundle. He glanced around and suddenly noticed a dusty sword in the corner—

Roger's blade, one of the Supreme Grade Swords, Ace.

"If you want it, I can give it to you." Rouge noticed his gaze and spoke with a smile.

After all, she had no use for it, and Roger's keepsakes were more than just this one. Now that Austin was her and her child's only support, and a crew member of Roger's...

A favor done smoothly, would put her mind at ease.