In the interrogation room of High Town in the Goa Kingdom, Ace was still upset about Sabo's actions earlier.
However, Sabo always had a way of calming Ace down. Adjusting his signature top hat, he chuckled, "Don't be mad. If you two hadn't been let go, how would you find a chance to save me? Isn't that obvious?"
"You should've explained it clearly!" Ace retorted indignantly.
"How could I explain in that situation?" Sabo replied with a grin before turning to Luffy, who was watching them with eager eyes. "Also, thank you for risking yourself to help us earlier, Luffy."
Ace crossed his arms and frowned, "Thank him for what? He didn't even manage to save us."
Sabo glanced at the crestfallen Luffy and sighed. He pressed Ace's shoulder to make him sit down, saying, "Luffy meant well. No matter what, he took a big risk for us."
"Exactly!" Luffy chimed in softly from the side.
As the three of them were talking, a soft voice suddenly called out from behind them, "Sabo!?"
Sabo's body stiffened, and he turned mechanically. "Father?"
Sabo's father, the long-faced nobleman who had conversed with William at the royal banquet, stood outside the cell, his expression a mix of complexity and disdain as he looked at Sabo.
"Bring him out," Sabo's father instructed the guards beside him.
Ace and Luffy looked at Sabo's father in confusion. When the cell door opened and the guards reached for Sabo, Ace sprang into action, leaping onto one guard's back and locking his arms around the man's neck. "Don't hurt Sabo!"
Outside the cell, Sabo's father glanced at Ace with disgust. "As expected, a barbarian."
Meanwhile, the commotion had drawn more guards, who entered the cell with weapons drawn.
"Ace, stop!" Sabo quickly intervened, trying to calm Ace down. "He's my father. He won't harm me."
Ace froze, giving the guards the chance to pull him off their companion and throw him to the ground.
"Ace, I'm sorry for lying to you. I'm not an orphan—I was born in High Town. I just hated the life here, so I ran away," Sabo explained hurriedly, glancing back at his impatient father. "I'll explain everything to you later. Don't act impulsively. I'll find a way to get you both out of here, trust me."
"But what about you...?" Ace, unconcerned about his own safety, looked at Sabo with worry.
"Don't worry. He's my father; I'll be fine," Sabo said with a forced smile.
With that, Sabo was escorted out by the guards, who closed the cell door behind them.
As Sabo and his father left the prison, his father's face darkened. "Do you realize how much disgrace you've brought upon this nation and the High Town nobility? You were discovered by diplomatic personnel from the Navia Kingdom—a noble child, mingling with criminals from the garbage mountain! What do you think this says about the nobility of our country? When we reach the interrogation room, you will explain everything clearly. Understood?"
"Explain what?" Sabo asked.
"That you were coerced by those garbage mountain criminals!"
"What coercion? I wasn't coerced by anyone!" Sabo protested vehemently. "And Ace is my friend, not a criminal!"
"Do you even understand what you're saying? If you don't sever ties with those garbage mountain people, our family will be shamed because of you, and you might even be cast out of High Town," his father said sternly.
"I don't care about living in High Town, but I will never betray my friends!" Sabo declared firmly.
Sabo's father's face darkened as he stared at his defiant son, who pressed his lips tightly together and refused to say another word. His mind involuntarily recalled William's proposal at the royal banquet.
...
That night, in the small building where William and his team were staying, William was listening to a report from the staff who had accompanied Yasopp to investigate the Gray Terminal's environment.
The Gray Terminal in the Goa Kingdom was infamous across the East Blue. With the inspection team led by the Celestial Dragons set to arrive soon, William believed the Goa Kingdom would likely address this glaring blemish. The place was akin to the slums of Kalmar City. William had sent people to investigate the Gray Terminal's environment to exchange ideas with the Goa Kingdom's nobles and officials, hoping to find better solutions to poverty that could complement his own rural development and immigration policies.
When the staff mentioned being attacked by Sabo and two other children, William chuckled, "This place is even more chaotic than the slums of Kalmar City!"
"It's much worse than Kalmar City's slums," Yasopp said, wrinkling his nose at the thought of the foul stench of the Gray Terminal.
As they were talking, someone knocked on the door, announcing the arrival of a noble from the Goa Kingdom.
William assumed it was Count Pere, who was always concerned about his business and might have come to plead his case late at night. To his surprise, it was the long-faced nobleman he had met at the royal banquet earlier in the day.
The long-faced nobleman—Sabo's father—immediately expressed his gratitude upon seeing William. Noticing William's confusion, he explained that one of the children Yasopp and his team had handed over to the sheriff was his son. He then requested that his son, Sabo, be sent to the school William had mentioned at the banquet.
Sabo's relationship with Ace greatly worried his father. Sabo's appearance in the Gray Terminal had already sparked gossip among the nobles, including Count Pere. If the High Town nobility learned that his son was truly close to a criminal from the garbage mountain, their family's reputation would be ruined.
Given this, Sabo's father decided to send Sabo to another country altogether. This would not only separate Sabo from Ace but also allow him to build ties with the foreign noble before him.
Although Sabo initially refused, his father disregarded their familial bond and used Ace and Luffy's lives as leverage. After some persuasion and exaggerated praise for the school William had only briefly mentioned, Sabo reluctantly agreed to enroll.
William, of course, did not refuse the request.
Upon hearing William's agreement, Sabo's father was overjoyed. He suggested, "Since you've agreed, how about I bring Sabo here to meet you right now?"
Without waiting for William to respond, he hurried outside and dragged the sulking Sabo from the carriage into the building.
It was clear that Sabo's parents had dressed him up for the occasion, putting him in brand-new clothes and scrubbing his face clean.
As Sabo entered the room, he immediately noticed Yasopp leaning against the window behind William. Yasopp grinned at him, making Sabo feel slightly uneasy. Then, Sabo turned his gaze to William, who was clearly the center of attention.
William smiled at Sabo, while his father nudged him forward and urged, "Sabo, this is the headmaster of the school you'll be attending. Greet Headmaster Morgan."
"...Headmaster Morgan," Sabo said reluctantly.
William nodded, feeling no resentment toward Sabo's father's eagerness. In his view, parents who went to such lengths for their child's future were understandable.
"We'll leave in five days," William told Sabo's father. "If you agree, he can travel with us. Of course, I understand the feelings of a parent, so you're welcome to spend more time with your child and bring him to Kalmar City yourself when the time comes."
"No need," Sabo's father replied immediately. "You can take him away as soon as possible."
William was taken aback. He glanced at Sabo, who showed no sign of sadness at his father's words, and began to wonder if they were truly father and son.
"...Very well then."
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
The story isn't over...🤔 Want to know what happens next to the characters?
🤫 Eager to explore the untold secrets of this world?
✍ Ready to read more of my wildest stories?✨patreon.com/GoldenLong