"So you were the one who caused this 'uproar'? All to obtain the Devil Fruit you've dreamed of?"
Maud looked at the uneasy Arthur.
Only after Arthur explained did he learn that the pirate called Black Robe, who had taken the lead in rallying everyone, had been connected through Arthur.
"That's right..."
Arthur gave a bitter smile, lowered his head, and stared fixedly at his hands as he said unwillingly:
"For the sake of a Devil Fruit, I've been running around for more than ten years without ever slacking off... But no matter how hard I tried, I simply couldn't get one..."
"Sometimes, I really couldn't understand why other people were so lucky. They could find a Devil Fruit even while taking a dump, while I... I wouldn't let even a deal with a profit of tens of thousands slip by. After working myself to the bone, I finally saved enough money, yet I still couldn't buy a Devil Fruit!"
Maud asked curiously, "Since you had already saved enough money, why did you want the treasure in Ryugu Palace?"
"Sigh."
Arthur let out a deep sigh, took an exquisite little liquor bottle from his pocket, pulled out the stopper, and gulped down a mouthful.
The bitter liquor slid down his throat. Whether it was the burning sensation of alcohol or the miserable memories he recalled, tears inevitably welled in the corners of this well-grown man's eyes.
"I had saved enough money, and I had found a seller. But on the way to the delivery site, I encountered a storm. Although I was lucky enough to survive, the ship capsized, and all the money I had worked so hard to save sank into the sea."
At this point, Arthur took another fierce gulp of liquor and choked out, "If it had