Early the next morning, Rosha, suffering from a hangover after drinking with Kuzan, was awakened by a soldier’s knocking.
As he rubbed his groggy head and opened the door, he heard a shocking piece of news.
Prince Ilya, who had been temporarily detained in Base 177’s prison, had attempted seppuku.
Hearing about Ilya’s attempt, Rosha nearly couldn’t contain a smile.
Wasn’t this good news?
If not for his severe injuries, Rosha might not have restrained himself from killing Ilya in the Prince’s Castle.
For a high-intelligence, morally bankrupt criminal like Ilya, Rosha didn’t want to see him enter Impel Down.
Someone like Ilya was far more dangerous than some pirates with bounties over a hundred million or even several hundred million berries.
According to Kuzan, Ilya would likely be treated as a traitor and locked up in the fabled Level 6 of Impel Down.
He’d be alongside infamous criminals like Avalo Pizarro, who committed similar crimes.
If they ever got out, someone like that could wreak havoc on the world, much like the great pirates released by Luffy and Blackbeard in the manga.
But knowing the potential bad future events, Rosha would do his best to prevent them.
With a smile on his face, Rosha followed the soldier to the prison. But his smile faded when he learned Ilya’s seppuku attempt was unsuccessful.
“Damn, got my hopes up for nothing.”
Rosha clicked his tongue in annoyance.
Kuzan was approaching with Grus and overheard Rosha’s muttering. He glanced at Grus beside him.
Grus’s upper face was covered by curly hair, revealing no expression on his lower face.
“Good morning, Uncle Kuzan,” Rosha greeted as Kuzan approached.
Hearing Rosha’s address made Kuzan chuckle internally. It was the first time someone had called him ‘Uncle.’
As one of the Navy’s top officers, he usually received respect and deference wherever he went.
Apart from a few close acquaintances, few people addressed him so casually.
But he liked the term.
However, his expression turned serious.
“Rosha, I have a favor to ask of you.”
Rosha was taken aback, “A favor? Uncle Kuzan, you just need to order. You’re an admiral, after all.”
Kuzan shook his head, “It’s not about military matters.”
He pointed to the prison entrance, “You might not know, but Ilya has been requesting to see you. During the seven days you were out hunting pirates, he asked every day.”
“I have nothing to say to him.”
Rosha’s expression turned cold.
He didn’t know why Ilya was so persistent in wanting to see him, but he didn’t want to see Ilya’s face again.
He just wanted to smash that face into a wall.
Seeing Rosha’s expression, Kuzan sighed.
“That’s why I’m asking you. Please grant his request and see him.”
Before Rosha could ask why Kuzan explained the details.
It turned out that the large sums of money and resources Ilya had plundered over the years, including this year’s hefty tribute to the World Government, were still missing.
The tribute alone was reportedly 16 billion berries!
This was triple the usual amount prepared by Ilya to establish a pirate nation.
Such a vast fortune was astronomical anywhere in the world.
To put it in perspective, even the emperors of the New World had bounties of only four or five billion berries.
Ilya’s tribute could buy the heads of several sea emperors—if they were for sale.
For this immense sum, a government ship from Mary Geoise had been lingering in Senrock Town.
Base 177 wanted to find this treasure, not to embezzle it but to aid the Prince’s Kingdom in disaster relief.
Homes and families needed rebuilding.
Tens of thousands of displaced people required daily food.
Neighboring countries’ damages needed compensation.
All these needs required substantial funds.
Of course, the North Blue Navy also needed to reserve some for ongoing support to the refugees.
“Ilya said he would reveal the money’s location after meeting with you,” Kuzan scratched his head, looking embarrassed. “So, please, it’s important.”
“I see. Then I’ll go meet him and see what he wants.”
Rosha entered the underground prison of Base 177 alone.
The environment was dim but surprisingly clean, contrary to Rosha’s expectations of foul odors.
Perhaps because it rarely held pirates.
In the North Blue, pirates were mostly ruthless, often ending in deadly battles with the Navy.
Even if captured, most were too evil to live and were sent to Paya Island.
Descending the short stairway to the deepest cell, Rosha saw Ilya’s delicate, handsome face again.
“You came.”
Seeing Rosha, Ilya, pale and with fresh bandages, smiled warmly.
There was no hostility or anger in his expression.
“What do you want to say?”
Rosha sat down without caring about the dirty ground.
The two sat, separated by the cell bars, facing each other.
“I just want to chat before leaving this boring world.”
Ilya’s gaze seemed to look through Rosha to some distant place.
“You, a noble who looks down on others’ lives, aren’t you afraid of death?”
Rosha’s cold eyes bore into Ilya. This monster in human skin dying would only benefit the world.
Ilya smiled at Rosha’s coldness, “I’ve found my answer. Life or death doesn’t matter to me anymore. Maybe you can see it as your ultimate dream. Once achieved, your life is complete. Whether you live or die after that is irrelevant.”
Rosha couldn’t understand.
“That empty question means that much to you? So much that you’d sacrifice your country to find the answer? Do you know how many people you killed?”
Ilya’s smile faded, a nostalgic look appearing on his gloomy face.
“It’s very important to me. And not just to me, but to you and the world as well.”
“The Navy detected the Revolutionary Army in the Prince’s Kingdom, right?”
“Actually… I am a member of the Revolutionary Army.”
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