Led by Savi, Roy and his two companions arrived at a rather luxurious hotel. It was no small feat for a three-story building to remain in such good condition in this country.
Seeing guests arrive, a waiter immediately came out to greet them and began enthusiastically introducing the hotel.
But as Roy and his companions entered, the waiter looked back and glared fiercely at Savi.
They checked in.
Seeing Savi stop at the door, Roy asked curiously, "Savi, aren't you coming in? I still have some things to ask you."
Savi, who had been standing at the door glaring angrily at the waiter, heard Roy and walked hesitantly into the hotel. After glancing at the waiter, who was still smiling, he hurried after Roy and the others.
In the hallway, Tesoro slung an arm around Savi's neck.
"Kid, weren't you pretty cocky just now? How come you're too scared to even come inside?"
"B-bastard, who said I was scared to come in...?"
"Then what are you afraid of?"
They reached their room and put down their luggage.
Savi, the last one in, shut the door before saying with a disgruntled look, "This hotel belongs to General Douglas. If people like us who don't have any money offend them, we'll be driven out of town. It's even more dangerous outside."
Roy pushed open the window and watched the people passing along the street. Among them were plenty of pirates, arms dealers, and mercenaries, all with danger written on their faces. But with soldiers patrolling from time to time, no major conflicts broke out.
He looked back at Savi. "Kid, have you heard the name 'Bullet'?"
"Bullet!!"
"You mean Douglas Bullet? Of course I know him. He's the hero of our Galzburg Kingdom now! He's the strongest soldier under General Douglas..."
As he watched Savi excitedly recount Bullet's exploits, Roy lowered his head and fell into thought. It looks like Bullet hasn't developed the personality he'll have later. He's still a passionate young man fighting for peace.
Roy was troubled about how to get Bullet aboard his ship. Forget it. I'll take things one step at a time. First, I need to find a way to meet him.
Roy waved a hand, interrupting Savi's endless chatter.
"All right, Savi, do you know where Bullet usually shows up?"
"No. But he's always in the military camp and hardly ever comes to town. I've only seen him twice, when the general was celebrating victories."
"All right." Seeing that he couldn't get any more useful information, Roy said to Stella, "Stella, give Savi three thousand Beli and see him out."
"Okay, boss!"
After they left the room, Tesoro took a sip of water.
"Boss, Bullet's always in the military camp. How are we going to find him?"
"And that kid Savi said Bullet's army is about to end the war that's been going on all this time. He's a hero in this country now. Will he still leave here with us?"
"End the war?"
Roy scoffed at the notion.
"Tesoro, the World Government won't let the war on this island stop. There are arms dealers all over the island, but most of them are controlled by the World Government. If the war ends, who will they sell their weapons to? And who else could keep buying weapons from outsiders for hundreds of years?"
Tesoro's face showed a flash of surprise at Roy's explanation.
"Isn't the World Government way too sinister?"
"What did you expect? Did you think the World Government was any good? Who do you think those slave traders in the Sabaody Archipelago work for?"
As they were talking... the door opened.
Stella walked into the room with Savi.
Tesoro looked curiously at Savi, who hadn't left. "Kid, didn't we give you money and tell you to leave?"
Savi ignored Tesoro's question and spoke while staring straight at Roy.
"Boss Roy, I want to join you."
"Oh?"
Roy was surprised that Savi, who was only seven or eight years old, wanted to join them.
"Hey, hey, hey~~ What's this nonsense about joining us? Kid, you shot at us earlier. If Boss Roy hadn't let you go, would you still be standing here talking to us?"
"Take the money and get lost."
Tesoro angrily grabbed Savi by the collar and moved to throw him out of the room.
For Savi, joining them, who were wanted by the World Government, would be no safer than living in this country, and would be even more dangerous.
So Roy didn't stop Tesoro. After all, he didn't want another child aboard who was even younger than they were.
"You're pirates, aren't you?" Savi said as he was held up by the collar.
"What?"
"You're pirates!"
Savi's words startled Tesoro and Stella.
Roy grew even more interested in the kid. In a pirate world where the average person was face-blind, Savi had actually recognized them. (Stella had only put on a little makeup.)
"Tesoro, put him down."
"But boss... this kid..."
"All right, Tesoro, put him down. With me here, this kid can't get away."
Hearing Roy's words, Savi immediately broke free from Tesoro's grip, walked up to Roy, and gave Tesoro a disdainful look.
Seeing that Tesoro was about to get angry, Roy quickly asked Savi, "How did you figure out who we are?"
Savi looked at Roy. "I saw your wanted posters a few days ago. Your appearances have changed a little, but none of your hair colors have changed, you know? Especially that guy's."
As he spoke, he pointed at Tesoro.
"That short green hair is way too conspicuous."
"You knew we were the people on the wanted posters just from our hair colors?" Tesoro asked curiously.
"Of course not. There was also the way Boss Roy controlled me back then. The newspaper said he can control everything around him."
"Similar faces, the same hair colors, a group of two men and one woman, and an ability that could make me fly. That's a lot of coincidences, isn't it?"
Looking at the smug expression on Savi's face, Roy gave a helpless, wry smile. He couldn't help marveling at how perceptive the kid was.
"Why do you want to join us? Where's your family? You should know we're pirates, and we're wanted by the World Government. It's dangerous to be around us."
When Roy asked him, Savi's expression darkened. "My family died in the war a long time ago. I've been living alone in this country ever since. I'm not afraid of danger. I want to go to sea with you and see the world. I want to leave this country that's always at war."
As a girl, Stella saw Savi's downcast expression and hurried over to take his hand gently. Then she turned to Roy and said hesitantly, "Boss... why don't we let him stay?"
Although Tesoro was annoyed that Stella was holding Savi's hand, he nodded in agreement.
"All right, Savi, you can come with us for now. But we can't leave yet."
"Yay!"
"Don't get excited yet. You're too weak right now. Tesoro will train you from now on. If you don't meet my standards, I won't take you with us."
"Okay, boss. I'll work hard." Savi nodded earnestly.
When Tesoro heard that Savi would be training under him, he immediately grew excited. He was going to give this kid who kept making him look bad a thorough workout.
"Hehehe."