One Piece: I'm not Roger

Carina lowered her voice and glared at him.

"Are you insane? You actually want to rob Gran Tesoro? If you want to die, don't drag me down with you."

She struggled repeatedly, trying to break free from this lunatic beside her.

Unfortunately for her, Aether's arm around her waist felt like iron.

"Relax," Aether said with an amused smile. "If you think there's no chance of success, you can leave whenever you want. I won't stop you. For now, just wait patiently."

Carina gritted her teeth.

At first, she thought he was merely a dangerous man she could possibly cooperate with after he knocked her unconscious earlier. She never expected him to be someone bold enough to target the entire city.

Before she could continue arguing, the crisp sound of high heels echoed nearby.

Clack. Clack.

A woman in a black evening gown slowly approached them.

The newcomer possessed long orange-red hair, an elegant figure, and a mature charm that perfectly matched the luxurious atmosphere of the casino. Her noble black dress highlighted her curvy body while her graceful smile carried the professionalism of someone accustomed to dealing with wealthy guests.

The moment Aether saw her, recognition flashed through his eyes.

Baccarat.

Back at Sabaody, the two of them had spent quite some time together. Thanks to her Luck-Luck Fruit powers, she had now become one of Gran Tesoro's executives.

Baccarat glanced at the pair standing closely together before smiling warmly.

"Good evening. My name is Baccarat, one of the managers here."

Her gaze lingered briefly on Aether.

"Considering your status and wealth, you're both welcome in our VIP area. I can guarantee you won't be disappointed."

Aether almost laughed.

He knew exactly what kind of woman Baccarat truly was beneath that elegant exterior. Back in Sabaody, she had already shown how calculating she could be.

After all, he knew her better than most people.

Without hesitation, Aether pulled Carina closer against his chest and casually refused.

"Maybe another time. We've already played enough tonight and plan to rest."

Seeing his decision, Baccarat did not force the issue like the previous guide.

Instead, she maintained her professional smile and handed Aether several exclusive Gran Tesoro coupons.

"In that case, I won't disturb the two of you further," she said politely. "I hope we can continue hosting distinguished guests like you during your stay."

Her attitude was flawless.

Anyone meeting Baccarat for the first time would easily lower their guard around her.

Compared to the woman from Sabaody two months ago, she had clearly become much more experienced after working inside Gran Tesoro.

Aether looked at her meaningfully before speaking in a disguised voice.

"Of course. A beautiful woman like Miss Baccarat makes me look forward to our next meeting."

Baccarat's smile remained perfect.

However, she said nothing.

Only after watching Aether and Carina disappear into the distance did her expression collapse completely.

"Tch."

She spat to the side with disgust.

"As if I'd ever look at an ugly creep like you. A deep exchange? Dream on."

Her expression turned even darker afterward.

"The only man qualified to touch me is still that damned Aether."

The moment she muttered his name, Baccarat suddenly paused.

Thinking back carefully, that man's behavior and attitude just now oddly reminded her of Aether himself.

The thought startled her.

Still, she quickly shook her head.

Impossible.

In her mind, Aether should still be ruling comfortably within his own territory, surrounded by women and enjoying life however he pleased.

That shameless man was far too lecherous to quietly sneak around Gran Tesoro disguised like this.

Then another memory surfaced in her mind.

One sentence Aether once told her.

"I'll come to Gran Tesoro someday."

Baccarat frowned slightly.

"Was that bastard actually serious...?"

Meanwhile, Aether and Carina continued walking through the dazzling streets of Gran Tesoro.

Luxury surrounded every corner of the city.

Music echoed through the streets while tourists laughed and enjoyed themselves beneath the endless lights.

Occasionally, children carrying baskets walked around selling roses to passing couples.

Carina initially wanted to buy one out of sympathy, but after hearing the outrageous price, she immediately gave up.

Aether casually bought a rose from a green-haired little girl instead before handing it to Carina.

The bright red flower looked especially fitting against her beauty.

Carina stared blankly at the rose for a moment before her attention shifted elsewhere.

The little girl hurried over and handed the money she earned to a man dressed in black.

Judging from his appearance, he was clearly one of Gran Tesoro's staff members.

Carina frowned slightly.

"What is this?"

Since she had only arrived today, she still knew very little about Gran Tesoro's true nature.

Aether answered casually.

"These people all owe debts to Tesoro. Their entire families are forced to work endlessly to repay him."

He glanced toward the children nearby.

"The problem is that the interest never ends. No matter how much they earn, they'll never truly repay the debt. So they spend their entire lives working until they die."

Then he added indifferently,

"There's a saying here. Without money, there is no freedom."

Carina silently watched the children running through the streets.

Most of them were only five or six years old.

Seeing them reminded her of her own childhood as an orphan.

Her life back then had also been difficult, but at least she still possessed freedom.

After a moment, she quietly asked,

"If you really take Gran Tesoro, will you free these people?"

"Of course," Aether answered naturally. "Tesoro is the creditor, not me. I have no interest in forcing countless people to work as slaves inside my city."

Carina looked at him thoughtfully.

Then she suddenly remembered something else.

"That woman earlier, Baccarat... you really know her, don't you?"

Aether glanced at her in surprise.

Her observation skills were sharper than he expected.

"Yeah," he admitted casually. "You could say we're familiar with each other."

Then he added with a smile,

"After all, I was her first man."

Carina immediately stopped walking.

Her suspicious eyes swept across Aether from head to toe before she slowly circled around him once.

"That reaction earlier didn't look like she recognized you at all," she said confidently.

Her eyes narrowed.

"So if you're telling the truth, then you're definitely disguised."

Carina crossed her arms.

"Anyone daring to target Gran Tesoro can't possibly be some nobody. If you seriously want to cooperate with me, then at least tell me who you are."

She stepped forward while speaking, clearly intending to tear off his disguise herself.

Aether easily dodged her hand before pulling her back into his arms again.

"Don't mess around," he whispered near her ear. "The entire city is monitored. Exposing myself right now would create unnecessary trouble."

Carina studied his expression carefully.

He did not look like he was lying.

Nor did he seem to be taking advantage of her intentionally.

Eventually, she gave up resisting and leaned lightly against his chest to maintain appearances.

To outsiders, they looked exactly like a sweet couple wandering the streets together.

Knowing that Aether was disguised actually made her trust his plan slightly more.

At the very least, it proved he had prepared carefully beforehand.

Unfortunately for the staff members monitoring them through surveillance Den Den Mushi, the scene became painful to watch.

"Damn it," one employee muttered bitterly. "Why do couples keep showing off everywhere?"

While embracing Carina, Aether quietly spread his Observation Haki again.

As expected, he quickly sensed multiple surveillance Den Den Mushi focused directly on them.

Clearly, he had already become one of Tesoro's targets of interest.

In Gran Tesoro, powerful strangers were either valuable prey or dangerous threats.

There was rarely a middle ground.

Aether narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Tesoro, Momousagi, Tokikake..."

He needed a way to separate them before making his move.

Even now, he still found it strange.

Why would two Marine Admiral Candidates appear together in Gran Tesoro?

This definitely was not a simple vacation.

Even protecting an important figure would not normally require both Momousagi and Tokikake at the same time.

Unless...

Aether's eyes suddenly sharpened.

A possibility emerged in his mind.

"Could it be... Celestial Dragons?"

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