Ascending the Red Line

Bege caused no more trouble.

He did not take advantage of this time to kidnap another queen or princess.

After changing passenger ships several times, the two sides met aboard one of them, and Dill and his three companions safely entered the space inside Bege's body.

The space was enormous, with bedrooms, a kitchen, showers, and every facility they needed.

Perona was running all over the place with her teddy bear in her arms. All those days aboard the ship had left her feeling terribly cooped up.

Hina followed Perona, making sure the little girl did not come into contact with anything dangerous.

Robin read in the study. With nothing else to do, Dill plunged into the kitchen to wreak havoc on the food.

That evening.

Robin made a simple dinner.

Bege's figure emerged from the floor. This was a vessel for his consciousness, and it could also eat to replenish his energy.

He ate with impeccable elegance and formality, complete with a napkin, knife and fork, and red wine.

After swallowing a piece of steak, he took out a cigar, ready for a puff.

Clink~

Psssh~

The flip-top lighter had barely lit when a droplet of water shot over by Dill extinguished it.

"There's a kid here. Hold off for a while."

Looking at the innocent-faced Perona beside the dining table, Bege reluctantly put away his cigar and took a sip of red wine instead.

"We'll reach West Red Port tomorrow morning. From there, we can take an elevator up to Mary Geoise."

"But you're a gangster. Won't your identity be a problem?"

Dill stuffed a piece of ham into his mouth and mumbled:

"Won't someone recognize you and arrest you or something?"

Bege shook his head and explained:

"There is indeed a Marine Base stationed at West Red Port;

"but I'm a gangster. Unless the World Government gives the order, the Marines generally don't interfere with affairs on land."

Dill thought about it. That did seem to be the case.

In the future, Smoker would guard Loguetown without letting a single pirate slip through, yet he never bothered with Bartolomeo, the gang boss.

"As for the other departments, just pay them a little money. As long as you're not a notorious criminal, they'll turn a blind eye."

Dill nodded in understanding. Mary Geoise's defenses left much to be desired. Even Fisher Tiger could single-handedly free a whole crowd of slaves, let alone the ports under its jurisdiction.

He opened his mouth, crunched through the meat and bone, and swallowed. Then he planted both hands on the table and brought up another matter with a solemn expression:

"I'd like to ask you for another favor!"

"What?"

"Help me kill someone. Aimee, the gang boss on Poko Island."

Hearing this, Bege could not help frowning in thought as he searched his memory for Aimee's name.

Thanks to his personal enthusiasm for assassinating bosses, he knew the names of most gang bosses of any standing.

Yet he had absolutely no recollection of the name Aimee.

"Don't bother thinking about it. It's just a small-time gang in a small place."

Dill picked up his napkin, wiped his mouth, and chuckled:

"There's no telling whether that guy is even still alive, so sorry for the trouble, but look into it for me;

"if he's dead, forget it. If he's still alive, kill him. Remember to shoot him a few extra times. Make his death painful."

This left Bege even more puzzled. Although they had not known each other long, he could clearly sense that Dill was not a bloodthirsty person;

yet this time, he had specifically asked for someone to die painfully.

"Did this guy wrong you?"

"Hmm... that story goes back a long way."

Dill did not shy away from discussing his past. After all, anyone who wanted to investigate could easily trace him back to Poko Island.

They only had to ask anyone on the island to learn that a child who had lived on the villagers' charity had jumped into the sea a few years earlier.

"My parents died when I was three. I only survived because the villagers helped support me;

"then, when I turned ten, that Aimee took a fancy to me and planned to take me back to his villa in town to keep me there;

"he was a famous philanthropist on the island, very enthusiastic about adopting little boys. Unfortunately, most of those boys didn't live long;

"I'd heard of his reputation, so when he sent his men to the village to grab me, I jumped straight into the sea;

"later, after drifting for who knows how long, I met Robin and began my current life as a pirate."

The table fell silent for a while, with only the sound of Perona chewing.

Hina and Bege could not help looking sympathetic.

Both had come from very well-off families. As a child, Hina had worn pretty little dresses and had pets at her side, while Bege had even used pistols as toys.

The greatest hardship either of them had suffered so far was probably the disgusting taste of a Devil Fruit.

Noticing their gazes, Dill shrugged and said helplessly:

"Don't look at me like that. I don't care."

He truly did not care.

The original owner of his body had left behind neither a trace of a lingering soul nor any resentful will. There was no influence on him whatsoever.

To him, the memories in his mind were just a very long animated show. He could empathize, but it was hard to truly put himself in that position.

Asking Bege to kill Aimee now was merely something he was doing while the opportunity was there.

"I understand, brother."

Bege walked over and patted him on the shoulder.

Dill: "..."

You don't understand a damn thing!

"Out, out. Go back to your real body and sleep. Call us tomorrow when we reach the North Blue."

Bege nodded, patted his shoulder again, then transferred his consciousness back to his real body.

Hina opened her mouth to say something more, but Dill immediately stuffed a piece of bread into it.

"You keep quiet too. Hurry up and finish eating, take a shower, then go to bed."

The next morning.

The passenger ship Bege was aboard arrived at West Red Port.

The way this port had been named was extremely simple.

The two ports on the Grand Line were both called Red Port, and bubble elevators there could take people up to Mary Geoise.

So this port in the West Blue was called West Red Port.

"Elephant squid! Elephant squid from the South Blue!"

"Buns, buns! Grand buns from the Grand Line!"

"Buying ships! Guaranteed fair prices!"

A jumble of hawkers' cries rang out as the residents promoted their local specialties.

Bege turned a deaf ear to them, quietly disembarking and heading toward the elevators.

Those specialties were far from cheap, and the prices offered for ships were an outright rip-off.

After all, ships could not ascend the Red Line. Anyone who sailed their own ship here had no choice but to sell it on the spot.

Fortunately, he had taken a passenger ship and did not have that problem.

He continued onward and reached the elevator entrance.

Soldiers in full armor and Marines wearing justice coats were visible everywhere.

Together, they guarded six elevators.

Five of them served the East Blue, South Blue, North Blue, Grand Line, and New World respectively.

The remaining one was reserved for royalty, allowing royal families to attend the Reverie.

At present, Vegapunk had yet to invent the technology for embedding Seastone into the bottoms of warships, and the Calm Belt was still a forbidden zone for most people.

The royal families of the Four Blues could neither risk crossing the Calm Belt nor attempt Reverse Mountain, so their only option was to ascend to Mary Geoise from this port to attend the Reverie held once every four years.

After paying a fee, Bege went to wait in front of the elevator serving the North Blue.

Before long, an open-air, semicircular elevator descended, packed with people and goods from other seas.

Once that group had all left, it was Bege and the others' turn.

Creak~

The ropes around them pulled taut, hauling the elevator upward.

As the cold wind blew past, Bege could not help pulling his overcoat tighter around himself.