Arthur quietly observed Baccarat for several long seconds. The lively noise of the casino seemed to fade into the background. His gaze remained fixed on the young woman standing before him. Baccarat did not look away and simply smiled faintly. There was neither fear nor hesitation in her eyes, only sincerity.
Arthur: "Tell me. Why?" Arthur finally broke the silence.
Baccarat nodded, and for the first time in many years, she began telling her story for the first time in years.
Her name was Baccarat. She had never known who her real parents were. Since childhood, she had wandered from one island to another, surviving however she could. Fortune was something she never possessed. Until one day... she accidentally ate the Luck-Luck Fruit. When she first discovered its power, she believed her life would finally change.
And it really did.. But not in the way she had hoped. The strange ability to always have extraordinary luck attracted countless greedy people. Pirates, crime syndicates, underground brokers, even nobles, they no longer saw Baccarat as a person. Only as a tool capable of creating miracles.
Whenever she escaped from one group, another would soon appear. Some wanted to exploit her power. Others wanted to sell her. And some simply wanted to own her.
Baccarat: "Every place I went... someone eventually betrayed me." Baccarat lowered her eyes, Baby-5 quietly listened beside Arthur.
Baccarat continued.
Baccarat: "I stopped believing people. Until today." Baccarat forced a faint smile and looked directly into his eyes.
Baccarat: " You were the first person who deliberately avoided touching me." Arthur let out a quiet chuckle.
Arthur: "Because I knew exactly what your Devil Fruit could do. Anything we receive from someone else can always be taken back by its original owner." Baccarat nodded.
Baccarat: "Most people only see I give them Luck. They never ask...where I get it."
Silence returned between them. Arthur slowly folded his arms. From a purely rational perspective, recruiting Baccarat offered almost no disadvantages. Instead the advantages were overwhelming. The Luck-Luck Fruit could subtly influence countless situations. Combat, negotiations, information gathering, exploration, even simple daily decisions. It wasn't an overwhelmingly destructive power. But it was an ability capable of changing probability itself.
Arthur: "Welcome aboard." Arthur smiled faintly.
Arthur: "From today onward... you're one of the Art Pirates." Arthur extended his hand.
Baccarat blinked. For a brief moment... She couldn't believe what she had just heard. Baccarat slowly accepted the handshake. This time, Arthur offered his bare hand. There was no need for Busoshoku Haki anymore. A warm smile finally blossomed across Baccarat's face. For the first time in many years... She felt that she finally belonged somewhere.
Baby-5: "Looks like we have another sister now." Baby-5 immediately wrapped an arm around Baccarat's elbow.
Baccarat: "Thank you. Actually... I have something." Baccarat laughed softly, until she suddenly remembered something.
Baccarat opened the small leather bag hanging from her waist. Arthur looked at her curiously. Baccarat carefully placed a small wooden box onto the table. It looked old, weathered by time. There was no key, so Arthur simply cracked the old wooden lid open.
CREAAAK...
Inside... Rested a single Devil Fruit, Its skin was dark crimson, Black spiral patterns covered its surface like flowing blood vessels. A small stem curled from its top. The moment Arthur saw it... His pupils contracted.
Arthur: "...Impossible." Arthur slowly picked it up, He recognized it instantly..
Baby-5: "Captain?" Baby-5 looked at the fruit.
Arthur: "Mythical Zoan...Bat-Bat Fruit... Model: Vampire." There was no mistake. Even Arthur's usually calm expression could no longer hide his surprise.
Baccarat: "I found it yesterday." Baccarat smiled sheepishly and Arthur immediately looked at her.
Baccarat: "After my ship stopped because of engine trouble... I wandered around the nearby island while waiting for repairs. The locals called it... " Baccarat scratched her cheek awkwardly.
Baccarat: "Forgotten Island." Arthur's eyes narrowed, it wasn't marked on any map.
Baccarat: "I got lost. I accidentally fell into an old underground ruin. There were lots of collapsed tunnels." She laughed awkwardly.
Baccarat: "I thought I was going to die. Somehow... I stumbled upon a hidden chamber. Inside, dozens of old boxes were scattered across the room. The fruit was hidden inside one of them." She lowered her gaze to the Devil Fruit.
Baby-5: "Just like that?" Baby-5 blinked.
Baccarat: "I didn't even know what it was, can't open all box. I only took it because... it looked the least valuable among all the boxes." Baccarat nodded.
Arthur couldn't help laughing quietly. Luck, it truly suited her perfectly. Without a compass... without a map... without even realizing its worth... she had unknowingly found the very Devil Fruit Arthur himself had intended to obtain.
Arthur: "You have no idea... how valuable this gift is." Arthur gently closed the wooden box.
Baccarat: "I don't. But if it can help my new family... then I have no regrets." Baccarat smiled warmly.
Arthur: "Thank you." Arthur looked at her for several seconds, then he nodded.
Several hours later... The members of the Art Pirates continued enjoying Gran Tesoro. The enormous entertainment city remained as lively as ever. Music echoed through every street. Lights illuminated the golden buildings. People laughed, gambled, celebrated, everything appeared peaceful. Until... A beautifully dressed attendant approached Arthur.
ATTENDANT: "Lord Arthur. Master Gild Tesoro invites you join his VIP room." Arthur turned around and Baby-5 glanced at Arthur.
Arthur: "Lead the way." Arthur simply smiled.
The luxurious VIP chamber overlooked almost the entire city. Floor-to-ceiling windows reflected endless golden lights. Standing before them... Was Gild Tesoro. He held a glass of wine without drinking it. Tesoro slowly turned around.
Tesoro: "Phantasm D. Arthur."
Arthur: "Gild Tesoro." Arthur nodded politely.
Neither man smiled. The atmosphere instantly grew heavy., Tesoro quietly studied Arthur.
Tesoro: "I heard you recruited Baccarat."
Arthur: "That's right." Arthur answered calmly.
Tesoro: "She's useful." Tesoro's expression remained unreadable.
Arthur: "She isn't an object." Arthur folded his arms.
Those words caused Tesoro's fingers to tighten around the wine glass.
CRACK...
Small cracks spread across its surface.
Tesoro: "Useful people... always become someone's property." Tesoro spoke quietly.
Arthur's eyes remained calm and he immediately understood. Those words, Did not come from a king. They came from a former slave. For a brief moment... Silence filled the room.
Arthur: "You still haven't let go." Arthur slowly sighed.
Tesoro's expression darkened, Gold suddenly flowed across the floor. Baby-5 instinctively stepped forward. Arthur calmly raised one hand, stopping her.
Tesoro: "You know nothing." Tesoro's voice became colder.
Arthur: "I know about Mary Geoise and your back's scar." Arthur looked directly into his eyes meke Tesoro froze.
Arthur: "I know about you and Stella." Arthur's next words plunged the room into deathly silence.
Tesoro: "...Don't." Tesoro's pupils trembled.
Arthur calmly took a Den Den Mushi from his coat. Tesoro stared at it. Arthur dialed a familiar number. Gacha...
Stella: "Hello?" A gentle female voice answered.
Arthur: "Is this Stella ? I have someone here... Someone who's been looking for you for a very long time." Arthur smiled faintly.
Arthur: "Go ahead... Talk to her." Arthur slowly turned the Den Den Mushi toward him.
Tesoro's breathing came to a halt. For the first time in many years, the man the world had come to know as the Golden Emperor found himself unable to utter a single word.