"Pleasure?"
Faced with Kalifa's condescending words, Kuro tilted his head slightly and smiled.
"I should be more amazed by that man's eyes than honored."
Can it see through the past and the future, and understand the human heart?
Tsk tsk, I truly feel sorry for that man, because with eyes like that, how could he possibly find joy in life?
At this point, Kuro shook his head slightly, and Kalifa glared at him with displeasure.
"Hmph, you can't possibly understand the joys of adults!"
If it weren't for the adults deciding to see you, you would have died right here for your offense just now.
Anyway, come with me, Kuro!
After Kalifa finished speaking, she led Kuro toward Gawain. When they arrived at the Syrup Village pier, Gawain was sitting calmly by the sea, reading a newspaper.
He didn't even glance at Kuro, Kuro, being ignored, stood tall in front of Gawain.
Seeing Gawain ignoring him, Kuro's face showed a hint of mockery and disdain, and he said with a smirk.
"I am Kuro, a lowly being without a surname, whom you consider a lowly being."
I never imagined that someone as lowly as me would have the honor of meeting such a great person as you!
"Well then... I've met the Celestial Dragon, sir. Hehe."
As soon as he finished speaking, Kuro gave Gawain a slight bow, but everyone knew that this bow was also a form of teasing.
This is because it does not conform to the etiquette for meeting the Celestial Dragon.
Therefore, Kuro's actions drew angry stares from Lucci and Kalifa, who were nearby. Kaya, however, remained tense, even sweating with anxiety.
As for Gawain...
After hearing what Kuro said, he slowly placed the newspaper on his lap and looked at Kuro with amusement.
Gawain squinted his eyes with a smile as he scrutinized Kuro.
"Much more energetic than I thought, Kuro."
Is it because you thought you were doomed, and believing you were certain to die, you used all your courage to tease and mock me?
"Sigh, I really hope you don't think that way, because if you do, many things would be such a pity."
As he spoke, Gawain pointed at Kalifa, and continued speaking while Kuro's expression remained teasing, yet with a hint of doubt in her eyes.
"Kalifa, take a look at this Kuro. A person who can have Hundred Plans titles, even without sufficient conditions and vision, still has that carefree spirit in the face of life and death."
It would be a real shame if such a person were to die like this. Even if he wasn't suited for important work, he could have served as an intelligence officer or in a management position.
"Shouldn't such a person be quite competent?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Gawain turned to look at Kuro and gave him a bright and gentle smile.
As for Kuro, his pupils dilated slightly for a moment, and he looked at Gawain with a hint of surprise, his heart immediately racing.
Listening to Kuro's heartbeat, Gawain's smile widened, and he continued speaking to Kuro.
"So, Mr. Kuro, would you like to accept my invitation?"
I just noticed that you specifically mentioned that you don't have a surname. If that's the case, why don't you stay by my side and work with the other officers on this ship to build something together?
By then, perhaps Mr. Kuro, you will be able to use your business to give your descendants your surname.
"Oh, right, it seems it's not just descendants; perhaps by then, I should call you the family!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Gawain reached out and gestured to Kalifa, his index and middle fingers naturally separated.
Kalifa immediately handed the tobacco to Gawain, and then glanced back at Kaya, signaling her to study hard.
Upon receiving the cigarette, Gawain unleashed Inazuma to ignite it naturally. As Gawain exhaled the first puff of smoke, Kuro's heart pounded wildly!
As he exhaled smoke, Gawain felt Kuro's heartbeat. Before long, Kuro finally couldn't hold back any longer.
He slightly opened his mouth, as if he was about to say something!
Just as he was about to speak, Gawain suddenly raised his hand.
"Etc!"
At this point, Gawain chuckled as he met Kuro's sudden surprise, which then turned into tension.
"Mr. Kuro, please don't speak yet, because I just realized that I seem to have forgotten something."
"Because I seem to have only had time to consider your abilities, Mr. Kuro, but forgot to deal with the crimes you committed before!"
"This...!"
Kuro was stunned. He stood there completely dumbfounded, countless thoughts flashing through his eyes, his mind racing with each passing thought.
Hope, fear, worry, tension, and especially anticipation...
These mixed feelings are almost pushing Kuro into a deep emotional turmoil!
At that moment, Gawain chuckled and continued speaking to Kuro.
"Mr. Kuro, don't be nervous. Not everyone on my ship is completely transparent."
"Just think about it, my ship can even accept legendary pirates like Rayleigh, whose murder count exceeds four figures, so your little crimes shouldn't even be a concern for me, right?"
"Yes... yes!"
Upon hearing Gawain's words, Kuro nodded nervously, then looked intently at Gawain.
Meeting Kuro's burning gaze, Gawain continued.
"However, although I will not take your past crimes to heart, if you want to join us, you must at least sever ties with your sinful past self."
Just like Rayleigh, after he joined us, he hasn't killed any of those marines, has he?
So, you see, your problem isn't serious, but first I need to know what you've done and what you originally planned to do.
"Let's sort those things out together, and then you can go with Lucci and have him take you to a suitable cabin to stay in!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Gawain extended his hand, which was not holding a cigarette, and gestured for him to proceed.
Meanwhile, Kaya, standing behind Gawain, also perked up her ears.
She looked at Kuro with concern, wondering what Kuro had done and what he planned to do by sneaking into her house.
In that atmosphere, Kuro swallowed hard, then his eyes gleamed, and he spoke crisply and decisively.
"I never expected that you, sir, would be such an enlightened and decisive person!"
In that case, please allow me to pay my respects to you with utmost respect!
As soon as he finished speaking, Kuro knelt down with a thud, and then he said with utmost seriousness.
"Here, I must thank you for your invitation, and I am deeply honored by it."
From this day forward, my wisdom will shine only for you, my lord!
Besides that, adults.
Please allow me to apologize for my previous rudeness. Compared to you, my heart and wisdom are far too shallow, and I am far too foolish!
After saying that, Kuro kowtowed hard to Gawain, then knelt down and continued speaking to Gawain.
"Before I had the honor of meeting you and gaining your appreciation, I was just the son of an ordinary merchant within the Kingdom of Goa in the East Sea."
Although I come from a merchant family, my father was actually just a low-level merchant who bought Merfolk at the Taira Island docks and sold them to the capital of the Goa Kingdom.
Eight years ago, a major event suddenly occurred in the Goa Kingdom: the son of Grand Duke Outlook III of the Goa Kingdom ran away from home.
In that incident, the Goa Kingdom was under martial law for a long time. This martial law caused problems with my father's business and ultimately led to his death at the hands of gangsters who were collecting my father's debts.
In short, after leaving home, I finally became a pirate. I reclaimed and modified the fishing boat that my father used to use, and named my Black Cat Pirates crew after the figurehead that my father loved most!
And so, I spent five years in a daze, surviving as a pirate for five years.
These past five years have been incredibly boring for me, so I decided to fake my death and disband my pirate crew!
About a month and a half after that, I arrived in Syrup Village.
Miss Kaya's kindness has deeply moved me. Therefore, I have decided to become her butler, to spend the rest of my life protecting her, and to atone for the sins I committed in the past!
After all, when I was a pirate, I did Rear Admiral slaughtering civilians.
To fake my death, I even attacked a naval training ship for new recruits and officers in the East Blue!
As soon as he finished speaking, Kuro nervously raised his head and looked into Gawain, unwavering eyes.
Seeing that Gawain showed no anger, Kuro breathed a sigh of relief, but secretly chuckled with satisfaction.
He knew that the so-called ability to see through people's hearts and to foresee the past and future was nothing more than a embellishment of this man's reputation by his subordinates.
This person is indeed outstanding, outstanding enough to see through my potential at a glance.
But how could anyone in this world possibly see through people's hearts and time?
And now, I honestly confess the sins I have already committed, and conceal the sins I have not yet committed.
Such behavior will undoubtedly create the most convincing image of oneself, making that person feel a little more at ease with one's actions!
Thinking of this, Kuro raised his head and gave Gawain a humble yet apprehensive look.
But deep down, Kuro had to admit that he was already fantasizing about the rise of the Kuro family!
After all, why has Kuro been lurking in Kaya's house all this time?
Was he only after money?
You should know that even a small-time con artist like Nami from the East Blue can amass tens of millions of dollars in wealth within a few years.
Moreover, given the strength of Kuro and his men, if he only wanted money, he could wipe out the entire Syrup Village, and then all the wealth of the Kaya family and the entire village would belong to him!
The reason he went to such great lengths to infiltrate and hide in Kaya's house was...
Because what he wanted was not just money, but also a way to gradually get closer to the upper class of society, and even closer to the aristocracy!
The Kaya family is a well-known merchant family in the Goa Kingdom. Their status and position are the closest to that of the upper nobility!
Even by accident, or with a bit of luck, the Kaya very well acquire the noble status of a baron!
This is Kuro's true goal: he wants to use Kaya's family as a stepping stone to make his future surpass that of ordinary people!
If it weren't for the need for a formal and stable inheritance of the Kaya family's territory and identity, the Kaya have died long ago!
Now, faced with Gawain's invitation, Kuro certainly knows who's the good guy and who's the bad guy!
Compared to his painstaking plan to inherit the Kaya family, if he were fortunate enough to catch a ride on Gawain's coattails, even the King of the Goa Kingdom would have to treat his Kuro family with great respect in the future!!!
At this point, Kuro's heart was beating faster and faster!
It seems that only a word of approval from Wen Gao is needed for his dream to come true!
Just one word of approval is enough!
At that time, he, Kuro, will consider himself a member of the Dark Bird crew and a lackey of the Heavenly Dragon!
And at that time, he Kuro will be revered by all the lower classes!!!
Just as Kuro was lost in thought, Gawain in his mouth, looked at Kuro and sighed softly.
"This is really interesting. It seems I don't even need to find a reason to punish you, Kuro."
After all, you and I both know that you may be very capable, but you just... weren't honest!
At this point, Gawain shook his head regretfully, then casually waved to Kalifa.
"Kalifa, Kuro doesn't seem too willing to accept my invitation because he hasn't revealed the real reason why he's staying with Kaya's family."
This is both a deception and a rejection of me; it's such a pity.
As soon as he finished speaking, Gawain lowered his head and continued reading the newspaper, while Kalifa walked towards Kuro with a cold expression.
In that instant, Kuro, who was kneeling on the ground, suddenly tightened his muscles!
Is it really possible for someone to see through people's hearts?!
While pondering in disbelief, Kuro shouted in awe.
"My lord, I'm sorry. I just didn't want my despicable thoughts to offend your ears!"
I confess, I stayed at the Kaya family's house solely for Kaya social status and all their wealth!
As long as I integrate into his family and make them all die tragically within a few years.
Then the dream of my next life, which is a humble dream that is slightly above that of the lower classes, may become a reality!
My lord, please forgive my omissions earlier. I truly did not wish for my ugliness to taint your soul!
But if you wish to be honest, I will be honest with you. Whatever you desire, I will give you!
As soon as he finished speaking, Kuro kowtowed deeply to Gawain.
At that moment, Spandam, who was following Franky in the distance and carrying out renovations on the dock, suddenly looked at Kuro warily!
At first glance, wow!
He certainly has the air of someone in the same profession; he's the kind of person a qualified sycophant should be.
With such a treacherous minister on your ship, one of me is more than enough for you, sir!
And so, Spandam immediately stepped forward and bowed respectfully to Gawain.
"My lord, I have something to say. Although Miss Kaya has only been on the ship for four hours, in my heart, Miss Kaya is already my family and sister!"
This Kuro actually tried to harm my brothers, sisters, and friends!
I will absolutely not allow him to act so recklessly!
Therefore, I beg your permission, sir, to take him away and execute him!
As soon as he finished speaking, Spandam's eyes met Kuro's.
In just a moment, Kuro realized that his character seemed to overlap with this Spandam guy!
For a moment, Kuro felt a chill run down his spine. If there were people like him on this ship, why would the master invite him?
Wait, is this an invitation?
Is this really an invitation?
Before Kuro could react, Gawain casually waved his hand.
"Okay, it's up to you, Spandam."
Take him away and hand him over to Zephyr, let him cut down Kuro to appease the spirits of the new naval recruits.
In addition, Kuro..."
At this point, Gawain suddenly looked at Kuro.
Seeing the look on Kuro's face that seemed to be looking at a devil, Gawain smiled and shook his head, then said.
"I forgot to tell you, I really dislike the way you look at me when you're indifferent and sarcastic."
After all, not everyone has the right to mock me, especially you!
After finishing his sentence, Gawain leisurely took a drag of his cigarette. After exhaling the smoke, he spoke in a voice that seemed to be talking to himself, but was actually addressed to everyone.
"Does believing you are doomed give you the right to forget your sins and stand in a position of detachment from desires to spout nonsense at me?"
If you have no desires or wants, then I will deliver desires and wants into your hands.
That makes you scared, but it also proves that you're nothing special.
"Kuro of a Hundred Plans."