After getting the information on the pirates, Ages hurried out of the bar. The main reason was that the barmaid was so seductive that Ages, a young virgin, was utterly flustered.
Outside the bar, the barmaid watched Ages leave, covering her mouth as she giggled and murmured,
"What an interesting kid..."
Creak.
The bar door opened, and a burly man built like an iron tower came out, carrying a large barrel of wine in his arms. He ambled over and teased the barmaid.
"Boss, don't tell me you've taken a liking to that kid? It's been a long time since I've seen you give anyone such a warm welcome."
With that, the burly man lifted the barrel and took a long swig.
"Ah, that's the stuff! This wine packs a punch!"
The barmaid glanced at the burly man, then smacked him on the head with a slap and said, at a loss for words,
"Tietou, you've been stealing wine from my cellar again, haven't you? How many times have I told you not to sneak drinks? Keep this up and you'll drink my shop out of business sooner or later."
The burly man scratched his head, gave a guileless smile, and apologized.
"Hehe, it's only because the wine you make tastes so good, Sister Mary. But speaking of that, Sister Mary, why did you suddenly go talk to that kid? Don't tell me you really are lonely?"
The barmaid tossed her blond hair, slapped the burly man on the head again, and said with a laugh,
"Lonely, my foot! Didn't you think anything was strange?"
"Strange? What was strange?" The burly man scratched his head, looking utterly baffled as he asked.
The barmaid rolled her eyes, pressed a slender hand to her forehead, and shook her head, at a loss for words.
"You idiot! Have you ever seen a child come into a bar? And a seedy, smoke-filled bar like ours at that?"
"But kids do run in here while they're playing, don't they?" the burly man asked, covering his head for fear of another slap.
"Some kids do run in here while they're playing, that's true. But have you ever seen one come in, face a bunch of rough-looking men without getting scared, and calmly find a corner to sit down in?"
"Every kid who's ever run in here while playing has been scared straight back out, hasn't they?"
"Never mind those men. The smell of smoke and alcohol inside is enough to send a child choking right back out. But that kid just now didn't. Tietou, don't you think that's strange?"
Tietou listened to Sister Mary, rubbing his chin. After pondering for a moment, he said,
"That's true! Now that you mention it, that kid was a little unusual. No wonder you approached him, Sister Mary. Did you manage to get anything out of him?"
Sister Mary nodded. "Judging from my conversation with the kid, he should be looking for a certain pirate. I also sensed a trace of the bearing unique to a swordsman about him. That kid is no simple character."
Tietou raised his thumb, his face full of admiration as he praised her.
"As expected of that lord's brewer, Sister Mary. You picked up on so many details."
Sister Mary gave Tietou another slap on the head and said, at a loss for words,
"Didn't I tell you not to mention that person? Are you asking for death?! ...Ever since that person died, this era has changed..."
Meanwhile.
Ages recalled what the barmaid had said and murmured,
"Looks like I've found my target. Hehe... Looks like I need to make some preparations."
With that, Ages headed straight for the docks...
A few days later...
At the docks of Purini Town on Purini Island in East Blue.
A sharp-featured, monkey-faced man was patrolling the docks in boredom. He kicked a pebble at his feet toward the sea and complained,
"Damn it, I actually lost. How could I have lost? They must have cheated. Damn it, I need to keep my eyes peeled next time..."
"Huh? What's that?"
The sharp-featured man looked toward the spot where the pebble had fallen into the water.
A small boy with a filthy face and tattered clothes was floating on the surface of the sea, clinging to a broken plank. He looked terrified and frantic.
The sharp-featured man looked closely and saw that it was a child. His face lit up.
"Hahaha, I was just wondering where I'd get some money, and a kid comes floating along. Haha, once I sell him, I'll have money again."
With a splash, the sharp-featured man jumped into the sea and swam toward the child.
After struggling for quite a while, the sharp-featured man carried the little boy ashore.
Thud!
As soon as he got ashore, the sharp-featured man tossed the little boy aside like a piece of trash. He spat on the ground and cursed.
"Fuck, that tired me out."
"Hey! Wake up, wake up."
The sharp-featured man kicked the little boy, looking like a cold-blooded creature.
After several kicks, the little boy still showed no sign of movement. The sharp-featured man frowned and said,
"Damn it, he isn't dead, is he? Shit! What a waste of my strength."
Just as the sharp-featured man was about to walk away, the little boy stirred and spoke in a voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz.
"Water... water..."
Seeing that the little boy wasn't dead, the sharp-featured man immediately spread his ugly, pointed mouth into a grin.
"Kid, don't you die on me. I'll go get you some water."
"Gulp, gulp..."
After taking the salt water, the little boy drank in great gulps, finishing all 1.25 liters of it in no time.
A hint of color returned to the little boy's dry, cracked lips.
After the little boy finished the salt water, the sharp-featured man tossed several pieces of bread onto the ground and said,
"Kid, hurry up and eat."
But the little boy didn't eat. Instead, he ran up and grabbed the sharp-featured man's clothes, his eyes full of pleading as he spoke urgently.
"Um... um... please, hurry and save my mom and dad. I'm begging you, save my mom and dad."
When the sharp-featured man saw the little boy's dirty hands grabbing his clothes, he shoved him straight to the ground and cursed, his face twisted into an ugly expression.
"Kid, you fucking got my clothes dirty. Damn it."
The little boy ignored the sharp-featured man's curses. He got to his feet and said to him,
"Please save my mom and dad. I can give you lots and lots of money. My mom and dad are nobles. They have lots of money. As long as you save my mom and dad, I can give you lots of money. Please save my mom and dad..."
The little boy kept talking and pleading.
At the little boy's words, the disgust on the sharp-featured man's face instantly turned to delight.
"Kid! Is that true?"
(Tearfully begging for flowers and 10-point rating votes!)