God's Domain, the territory of the Jaygarcia family.
Saint Saturn didn't put on any grand display—he simply strolled back from Pangaea Castle alone.
As soon as he entered the estate, he spotted Gaban wandering around the courtyard not far away.
His steps paused slightly—and at the same time, Gaban noticed him as well.
Logically speaking, the two of them stood on opposing sides.
But at this moment, given the setting, the situation felt strangely awkward.
After thinking it over, Gaban gave Saturn a nod, treating it as a greeting.
Saturn saw it, but said nothing. He didn't even acknowledge Gaban—just glanced at him and continued walking.
Before long, he arrived at the residential palace.
The moment he stepped inside, he saw Valthior personally brewing tea.
"Grandfather, you're back. I was just making tea for you," Valthior said with a bright smile, greeting him first.
Saturn couldn't help but laugh in exasperation. "I'm back? Shouldn't it be said that you, you reckless brat, are the one who's returned?"
"Hehe." Valthior gave an embarrassed chuckle, then quickly handed over the prepared tea. "Calm down, will you? The responsibility of the World Government's four seas, two routes, and 174 affiliated nations rests on your shoulders. If you get so angry you harm your health, wouldn't I become a sinner to the whole world?"
"So you do know you've angered me?" Saturn said as he took the tea and sat down on the sofa.
But from the fact that he accepted the tea, Valthior already knew—his grandfather wasn't truly angry.
This time calling him back was likely because there was something to arrange for him, or something to discuss.
After a bit of sweet talk and joking around, the matter was let go.
The two sat facing each other on the sofa.
Saturn spoke first. "You even thought to bring someone along. Were you worried I'd detain you?"
"A little," Valthior admitted openly.
There was no point hiding it—bringing Gaban along made that intention obvious. To think otherwise would be underestimating a man who had sat as one of the Five Elders for over a century.
"If I hadn't seen that you've made some progress, I wouldn't have let you keep fooling around with a bunch of pirates," Saturn said after taking a sip of tea.
Valthior smiled slightly. After a brief pause, he probed, "Grandfather, the 'progress' you're referring to… isn't about my strength, is it?"
In truth, over the past three years, Valthior's strength had undergone a drastic transformation.
Compared to when he left Mary Geoise, he was far stronger.
He might not have stepped into the ranks of top-tier powerhouses, but take Figarland Garling as an example—three years ago, Valthior knew he was no match for that bastard.
Now? He might not be able to crush him outright—but he definitely had confidence in beating him.
After all, he had spent three years training aboard the Roger Pirates under three top-tier fighters.
Even if he hadn't fully dedicated himself to combat and spent more time on scholarly pursuits, beating Garling shouldn't be a problem.
Saturn didn't respond to that. Instead, he looked at Valthior and asked, "You can decipher the ancient script? How much of the Poneglyphs have you understood?"
As expected, Valthior thought to himself, So the 'progress' he mentioned refers to this.
Considering that Spencer had somehow been labeled a scholar while his own role had been hidden, Valthior had already suspected this was Saturn's doing.
So he didn't hide anything. He nodded and said, "You know I learn quickly—I have some talent in this area. After spending some time with Roger's crew, I realized they were studying this. I got involved a bit. With my previous interactions with Professor Clover, along with my own exploration, I've now gained the ability to decipher the ancient script… and I've already interpreted parts of the Poneglyphs."
Saturn didn't press on how Valthior had acquired this ability.
He tapped his cane lightly with his fingers a few times and said, "Let's hear it."
Hear what? Naturally, the contents of the Poneglyphs.
Valthior still didn't hide anything. He began recounting all the information he had deciphered during this time.
By the time he finished, his mouth felt dry. He casually picked up a teacup and took a sip.
Saturn remained silent for a long while before finally saying, "It seems you really can read them…"
Those words made Valthior's eyes light up. "Grandfather, you already know about these things?"
"Who do you think I am?" Saturn snorted coldly. Then he added, "I told you before—not to study these things. When the time is right, and you're qualified, you'll naturally learn what you should know."
Valthior thought about it—it made sense.
The Void Century… the Five Elders should have at least some understanding of it.
Especially considering how, in the original story, the moment Professor Clover was about to reveal something, the Five Elders immediately ordered his execution.
If they didn't already know certain things, why would they rush to silence him?
As Valthior was thinking this over, Saturn continued:
"Since things have come to this, you will continue following Roger's crew. If you wish to seek out the final island, then go. But no matter what you discover or learn, you must report everything to me clearly. Understood?"
Valthior was momentarily stunned, but quickly nodded. "Understood, Grandfather."
At that moment, a new speculation formed in his mind.
Perhaps Saturn knew quite a lot—but there was likely a crucial part he didn't know.
And perhaps… Saturn intended to use him to uncover that final piece of the truth.
Looking at it from another angle—if even someone of Saturn's status didn't know, then it must be a truth that Imu did not wish anyone else to know.
And Saturn, trying every means to uncover it, fit perfectly with the way he had secretly meddled two hundred years ago, even leaving behind that robot which Imu had ordered erased.
The old man definitely has his own agenda.
There were times when you knew—or guessed something—but had to pretend you didn't.
This was one of those times.
Though Valthior had his suspicions, he didn't show a single hint of it.
Saturn, for his part, had no intention of explaining anything.
He didn't care whether Valthior had guessed anything—because even if he had, it posed no threat.
More importantly, Saturn believed Valthior stood on his side.
At least for now.
Dropping the topic, Saturn said in a low voice:
"Previously, I gave certain instructions to the Marines. That may have tied their hands. Over the past three years, they haven't interfered with you much—even allowing Roger's crew to roam freely. But times have changed. If this continues, and you pirates end up causing some major incident, it will be difficult for me to answer to my colleagues."
"So once you enter the New World, I will instruct the Marines to treat you as a true pirate. From then on, if you encounter the Marines again, you must not be as careless as before. If you are truly captured and brought back… then you won't be returning to the lower world again."
Answer to colleagues? Valthior thought. More like you're worried you won't be able to explain things to Imu if something goes wrong.
In that instant, he also understood why his identity as a scholar had been erased.
Saturn was removing his role as the one exploring the "Void Century" from the surface.
As long as he didn't publicly bear the identity of a scholar, and the Marines actively cracked down on the Roger Pirates—
Even if things spiraled out of control, Saturn could still find a way to explain himself to Imu.
For example, he could claim that upon discovering Roger's crew was searching for the truth of history, he had sent Valthior to infiltrate them and report back.
That he had been using Valthior to gather intelligence all along, while simultaneously directing the Marines to suppress Roger's crew and hinder their pursuit of the truth.
Whether such an explanation would hold up before Imu… Valthior didn't know.
After all, this was only his own speculation.
Perhaps Saturn had his own methods.
Or perhaps… his own path to ruin.
After all, in the original story—
Saturn had truly played himself to death.
...
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