One Piece: Mandala Swordsman

Chapter 26 I shouldn't have been in the car; I should have been under it.

The truth that men become bad when they have money, and women get money when they become bad, still holds true today.

With plenty of spare cash, the sailors began to get restless.

After the cargo handover was completed, Hartel allowed everyone except those who remained on duty to go outside for some fresh air before setting sail again the next day.

This piqued Roman's interest. She had plenty of spare cash on hand, so she went shopping.

She bought fruit first, after all, vitamin supplementation was still very necessary, as scurvy had always been one of the main causes of sailors' deaths, and even though she was physically strong, she dared not be careless. Later, she browsed the knife shop. Unlike ordinary swordsmen, she frequently changed her swords; she didn't deliberately pursue famous blades.

In her view, a knife becomes famous because it has a famous owner, so unless it is really suitable, there is no need to deliberately pursue a famous knife.

Besides, on the bright side, if she becomes famous someday, the knife she uses might become a renowned blade, making a significant contribution to the swordsmanship industry. Ah, just thinking about it is exciting!

Suddenly I understand why everyone is drawn to the sea. Even though the sea brings death, its fame, fortune, and wealth are unexpectedly abundant.

Finally, she went to the bookstore and returned home with several books on her hands.

The scene on the ship stunned her, as she saw a large group of women on board.

They were dressed extremely beautifully, mostly youthful and attractive with great figures. The air was filled with the scent of face powder and perfume. At the same time, they were also dressed in a very… well… passionate and unrestrained manner. It must be said, their figures were quite impressive.

What's so hard to understand? They must all be prostitutes from the pleasure district.

Seeing this scene, Roman gave Hartl a very subtle look.

Hartel could only shrug, indicating his helplessness.

Although he wasn't into this kind of thing, he couldn't stop others, because this situation was... quite common.

The crew on board have very few entertainment options, mostly gambling, and this kind of treatment is only available when the ship is docked.

The sailors paid money to spend a passionate night with the girls.

Then, early in the morning, the prostitutes would disembark, and the sailors would begin their day's work refreshed.

It's really common, really.

Roman didn't look down on these prostitutes. After all, the world was in chaos, and they were forced to do so for survival. Even if it was really for money, was she, a guard who made money by killing, really more noble than them?

how can that be possible?

Most importantly, although it's not encouraged, it's actually not illegal in this world.

Since that's the case, she had nothing more to say.

However, she was indeed very embarrassed. Her powerful Observation Haki made her senses incredibly sharp, allowing her to hear the flirting and feel the passionate kisses.

Even though I'm not a real child, is it really appropriate for you to do this in front of a child? Don't you really consider how a child would feel if they saw this?

The rough sailors were completely oblivious to their surroundings, and some of them couldn't wait to start tearing off their already meager clothing.

"Ahem, little black cat, perhaps you should go to sleep." Hartel immediately stood in front of Roman, blocking the inappropriate scene for children, his expression quite unnatural.

“I think you’re right.” Roman walked into the room with unsteady steps.

After all, those scenes were somewhat interesting, or rather, somewhat exciting.

She needs to process this properly.

Perhaps this is the true life by the sea, full of bloodshed, decadent indulgence, and a touch of excitement.

This is a chaotic era, and we cannot view events with the same perspective as before.

Although it wasn't what I expected, it's still acceptable.

Moreover, Roman always felt that something even more interesting would happen in the future.

However, she slept poorly tonight. After all, the soundproofing was really poor. She should remind Hartel to pay attention to the soundproofing next time.

The sailors, who had only slept for half a night, seemed to be in exceptionally good spirits, practically glowing with health. Before seeing the courtesans off, they even gave each other a passionate kiss.

Roman could only hypnotize himself, saying he couldn't see it, that his eyes had just gone blind.

Do not be disturbed by external things; maintain a clear and tranquil mind.

However, after a few more passionate kisses between the sailors and the girls, she lost her composure and returned to her room dejectedly.

She wanted to be alone.

After a few passionate kisses, I became restless; I guess that's all I'm capable of right now.

Strive! Strive! Strive!

No, my inner strength is still too weak. I need to become stronger.

……

One month later.

Roman was drifting aimlessly in his small boat.

Even if Hartel was a businessman, he couldn't sail the seas all year round. After a voyage, he would usually take a break for a while.

However, this inevitably led to an encounter with Luo. To avoid the brat coming to ask questions again, Roman cleverly rowed his small boat and strolled around the nearby waters.

Flevans is now a powerful nation with stable waters, so there is almost no danger here, and Roman can enjoy a rare moment of freedom.

But he'll probably find out soon.

Lying at the bottom of the ship, Roman carefully recalled the books that Ronald had read some time ago.

The History of Economic Development in Frefans.

Since the discovery of platinum and lead, it would be an exaggeration to say that Flefans' development has been "taking off from the ground." Even today, with export restrictions in place, it still has a significant economic impact on Flefans.

Fryvanes itself was built on resources, much like the Middle East's oil reserves. As long as the resources don't run out, the country will remain wealthy.

However, this is also the difficult point.

Since platinum and lead have become pillar industries of the country, even if we know there are problems, can we just stop mining them?

While the consequences of ceasing mining are not as severe as the destruction of a nation, Fryvanus would immediately fall into poverty.

Without a source of lead bullets, weapons would be insufficient, and pirate attacks would become a real possibility.

It's a dead end.

Besides, it's too late to stop mining now.

This country prospered because of platinum and lead, and it will also be destroyed by platinum and lead. Since the world government knew the truth but still allowed mining, its final demise was inevitable. This is not a problem that human power can solve.

Roman just didn't want Luo to suffer in a daze.

Perhaps some people would prefer not to know the truth, but for Luo, it is essential for him to know the truth.

If he had already discovered the crucial role of platinum and lead in the Frivans project, then it would be understandable why the project couldn't be stopped even though platinum and lead had problems.

However, the time bomb's countdown is running out.

He was powerless to reverse the situation.

However, this time it might give him more time to think.