Chapter 36: Being Found Out
『1.05.1514 - A weird day』
[All those 5 days I've been inside Bulge Island, my Library has expanded in size and I can say I've read more books in those passing days than I could expect, while extracting the books that piqued my interest from the Library.]
[The degree that my bookshelf has been filled is satisfactory, and it gave me a new idea seeing it being completed, to fill each of the bookshelves in my room in a particularized manner for each island and Kingdom I visit.]
[Besides, apart from this, it makes me wonder if the old Priest remembers about allowing me that day to get inside his library since it got to the point where the old priest already forgot about me, continuing his daily business without bothering himself to check on the library.]
[I still got some more space in that first bookshelf and it would be a shame not to completely fill it. Such, the next day will be my last day around Fiddler City.]
Vlad was writing in his diary, filling the pages with the events that happened to him, not many since he spent most of his time inside the Library, and even eating there together with Titania, not being required to return to the ship, but in such a way he was eating from his supplies.
With that in mind, he was preparing a list in his mind for all the supplies that he required to be filled, and once he was done with the writing, he went to heat some water to wash his body and long hair that he unraveled, before returning to the bed.
'Now that I think about it. This place isn't half-bad if I exclude the way the power structure is settled in this place. That Fiddler guy, I didn't expect to meet him on that walk, but the time I spent walking with him to the Market was plenty to make an idea about the person.'
'A shrewd swindler, arrogant on the power of his position. Hah, I hope he didn't mind spending so much money inside the Market while gambling with me.'
Getting to the bed, he closed his eyes and with a smirk on his face while remembering that event when he met the Mayor of the city, he didn't even stress himself and simply went to sleep.
Nevertheless, someone was still sulking about that event, a middle-aged man that had a round face, covered in small deposits of fat, but enough to gift him with a double-chin, with a curly mustache and no beard, was having an discussion with two middle-aged men, both uninterested by what the fat guy had to say.
"I want to get my money back from that gambling den. I've lost so much that it annoys me. Charles, Broad, do you know about a guy called Vlad Dracul?"
"No idea what you are talking about, Ruebard. Nor do I care, since I have other problems in my head. Finding the motherfucker who killed Laurance." responded one of the guys, a man that looked to be in his mid twenties, with a full brown beard, green eyes, and styled hair that was slick back, where an earring on his right ear stood out.
"What about you Broad?"
The Mayor passed the question to the early middle-aged man, who had short black hair, and a clean shaved face with only a mustache being left out, unknown if he was tall from where he was sitting on the couch.
"Fiddler, I heard the news about this Dracul guy circulating from the Market, and I can confirm that he is a merchant. The goods he sold are premium quality alchemical potions with a potent effect.
Besides, why are you so petty in recovering your money? It will help the gambling den, and in doing so, our group."
"That's my hard earned money. I wouldn't care about the extorted money from the people, but when it comes to my "MONEY" I would rather keep it to myself."
"Then don't spend your hard money. I can't help you on this one."
"DAMN!! Fuck that merchant from Picodras. He took advantage of me, and I lost so many of the bets."
The Marine Commander, Broadband, looked at Ruebard Fiddler with an annoyed expression, but nevertheless, he didn't comment anything, leaving this greedy fat fuck to his own problems, before remarking to Charles Vane.
"Vane, I still didn't receive any person claiming Laurance's bounty. Also, I can only send a small squad of my men to search around the city for this guy you are looking for."
"Thanks, Broadband for the information. I will wait one more day after old Jason, if he gets some information from his rats. If not, I will do the job myself and my boys. If the people want you to do something, just do the same scheme as we always did."
"No problem. All the boys in my camp are of the same wooden piece."
"After I had to kill that fucker sent by Kirin to oversee the operations in Bulge Island." mentioned Charles Vane while glancing at Broadhand who just smirked a bit.
On the other hand, when Fiddler heard those comments from the guys in front of him, his expression darkened a bit, saying with a worried voice.
"Still, it is dangerous to mess with Captain Kirin. Only for killing that guy, he placed on you a bounty of 32.000.000 𝔅 and even warned me not to make any deals with pirates or the Bulge Island will be removed from the Protectorate of the World Government."
"Heh, Captain Kirin thinks too highly of himself. If he ever decides to mess with me, I will blow up his entire Fleet and kill him myself. In fact, he should thank me for staying inside Bulge Island and not going to the Grand Line in search of the One Piece."
Fiddler's greedy eyes shined a bit when Charles mentioned the One Piece, and with an expectant tone, asked the man next to him.
"Won't you try to search for the One Piece?"
"I still haven't found a Devil Fruit to enhance my power to compete with all those guys who took a step ahead of me. There are certain news spreading around by the rest of Pirate Crews inside South, that Captain Dethel Blokted will place on the Black Market of Valent City…"
"A devil fruit."
"A DEVIL FRUIT??" inquired Ruebard Fiddler, almost getting on his feet if not for his heavy build.
"Yes, this is why I need some of your money in preparation for the auction, in order to get my hands on that Devil Fruit."
"How much are you expecting the price of this Devil Fruit to raise as a Final Price?"
"Maybe 120.000.000 𝔅 that's the most I would pay for a random Devil Fruit whose origin I don't know." replied Charles Vane, stroking his full beard, looking with a serious face at the Mayor.
"Fuck! That's about the entire sum of the Heavenly Tribute I have to pay to the World Government. How much money do you have saved?"
"About 52.500.000 𝔅, this is why I need to get to extorting more people, and raid Kaysang Kingdom or Roshwan Kingdom to fill my pockets, but then again, the dangers are high because of the Royal Fleets of those countries.
Can't you help an old friend with the rest of the sum, just in case I don't make enough money for the auction?"
"... I don't know Charles, it is too risky messing with the World Government."
"Trust me, Ruebard I will pay you double the sum of money you'll give me once I get my hands on the Devil Fruit. I will become unstoppable inside the South Blue, making it possible to raid the rich places of the Region, such as Picodras, Kaysang Kingdom, Island of Gardens, or Briss Kingdom."
"I can't give you an answer tonight. I have to think about it, maybe I will give you the response next week?"
"That's fine by me. Now, back to my problems. The one who killed Laurance. You guys really didn't see anyone matching the description given by those fools inside Arachar's Tavern?"
"Charles, you know I am not good at finding people, and that my servants are only good with administrative tasks. But if you ask me from my walks inside the city, no person looked suspicious to me."
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"What about this Vlad Dracul guy?" asked Charles, who tried to probe both Ruebard and Broadhand's opinion on the new face that appeared inside Fiddler City.
The Mayor's face looked to be contemplating about something, but quickly it vanished with his response.
"I don't see that guy being able to kill someone like Laurance. That guy looks like a weakling. Someone like a merchant, it is very unlikely that he will be the guy who killed Laurance."
"You know, Charles, it is worth investigating this guy." mentioned the marine Commander, after pondering about the possible options he had.
"Guys, let's not. That guy is still spending a lot of money inside the City. Wouldn't it be a shame? And even in the unlikeliest of scenarios that guy is the one who killed Laurance. I would still let him spend more of his money and later pick him up."
"Good, good. At least I have a person to start with."
.
.
Vlad had no idea about what the guys looking for him started working on, preparing a surprise for him, nor did he care as he was deep asleep. Yet once he woke up, a new sensation rose up in his body when stepping out of his ship.
The guys taxing the travelers who docked their ship looked at Vlad with a look that seemed to suggest they were inspecting him, which along the way only increased, making him question this change with Titania.
"They sniffed something?"
"I hope not. I don't want to see you fight and harm those people. Even though they are annoying, they don't deserve to die." mentioned Titania, who was inside his coat's pocket, looking around herself, seeing the vigilant looks of the guys on the watch.
"Regardless, I only intend to stay two more days if no one is forcing my hand."
His journey to the Cathedral this time was noticed by the rest of the people who followed around, trying to look evasive in their moves, but they clearly failed from the start when their expressions changed when looking at Vlad.
Without a way out of their watch, he decided to step inside the Cathedral using the main door, where some people were inside, praying, while others discussed something about a business transaction, which made him, humm, showing some interest, an interest that vanished the moment he stepped inside the second floor of the building, toward the Library.
"At least I wasn't obstructed this far. Those mice still don't know for sure that I killed that pig." remarked Vlad in a quiet voice, talking with Titania about the situation at hand.
Meanwhile, with the time passing, inside the Altar an old man sitting at an luxurious desk, enjoying a glass of wine, pondered about something, even asking himself out loud with a confused expression.
"Haven't I allowed a blind guy into that dusty Library? Is he still inside my Cathedral since I didn't notice him leaving.
Should I check on that guy? What if he lost his way around the building and starved himself in those couple of days he has been here. God Forbids, there is a long tradition that forbids people dying in this building. Since my predecessor, I don't wish to be the one breaking this tradition at my old age."
The old Priest downed the glass of wine, and with a small burp, he rose up from his luxury, and decided to check on Vlad, if he was fine there, or if he lost his way out.
However, climbing to the second floor of the building and walking toward the Library he saw the door opened, which made him question if Vlad was inside or not, but the voices of a man and woman got to his attention.
"Thiefs? No way. What kind of dumbfuck would actually dare to steal from me?"
Once he said that, the old Priest noticed that the voices going inside the Library vanished, which made him want to hurry to catch the thieves darring to steal from him, but at the room's entrance he noticed Vlad with his legs raised on the table, seating casually on one of the seats with a book in hand.
"You're still here? I thought you left the Library a long time ago. Wait, you've been here for 6 days? Aren't you hungry, young man?" inquired the old Priest, surprised to see Vlad inside the Library that looked clean without any dust or spider webs.
The memories of the times he was a child and spent his time in the Library resurfaced, making him reminiscienting while stepping inside the room, touching the cleaned bookshelves and tables.
"Old sir, it is not like I spent all my time here. I've returned to my home to eat and returned here to continue my study."
"Right, you also cleaned the Library. Much appreciated, but you've done this out of your own volition." the old Priest stressed that point, as if he didn't want to pay a single berry coin for Vlad's clean up.
This remark made Vlad give a small smile, which made his whole appearance look rather handsome in the old man's eyes, which made his aged mind work a bit.
"Don't worry, sir. This is just a small gift for your generosity of allowing me inside the Library."
"Hmm, and you managed to get to read something this entire time?"
"Lots of books. You have an interesting collection of books."
"Hehe, that's correct."
Getting into casual talk with Vlad, the old Priest observed this young man with ink-black hair, shoulder length hair, black eyed darker than his hair, and a handsome face that made the old man remark in his mind.
'This guy, for sure has luck with women. With such a devilish appearance, all the whores would flock around, throwing their breasts to show superiority and being allowed to mate.'
'Hah, I wish I was so handsome too in my early days, I wouldn't be stuck in this position of Priest.'
'Wait, what that brat Charles said he was looking for? Someone that my boys still didn't find in the entire Bulge Island.'
It was a point where Charles Vane's description about the person who killed his dog, Laurance, played out inside his mind, and with another look, all sorts of red marks were going inside his mind.
With some shock while checking Vlad's devilish appearance, he steps back, and with his hand going toward his robe's pocket, the old Priest intended to grab his gun, but froze when hearing Vlad's serene voice.
"You've figured it out, but do you think it will help you with something? Haven't you profited nicely from not being able to find me?"
"Young man, you are the one who killed Laurance?"
"No comment. Besides, isn't it a shame to spill blood inside the House of the Lord?"
Hearing Vlad's calm voice, it made the Old Priest to lower some of his aggression, and after understanding that Vlad had no intent on attacking him for figuring out his identity, he asked a direct question.
"Do you have some enmity with Vane?"
"Not at all. I don't know the man in particular, nor do I care."
"Then why would you kill that bastard and trigger the swarm of wasps trying to get to you?" inquired the old man, who had his hand on the pistol, but decided to approach Vlad, who had a relaxed stance.
"Let me ask you, old man. If someone decides to mess with you, and you know you can kill said person in a flick. You ignore him at first, then you warn him , but still that person decides to act worse than an animal. What would you do?"
"I'll fucking blow his brains, that's what I would do. And no would ever dare to say a thing about what I did. But you are different, young man. You are inside a territory that you don't have knowledge about."
"Ohh really now? Does that mean, I simply have to allow some pig to mess with me without any relation because of some so-called "dangerous" guy wanting to kill me?"
"Correct."
*Kukuku* "That's really amusing. Anything else you might want to add, sir?" asked Vlad after having a good laugh about the rhetoric given by the old Priest, who he felt was talking from his ass.
Sensing that Vlad didn't take him seriously, the old Priest frowned, but seeing how Vlad closed the book in his hand and glanced at him with a pair of eyes that gave him a chill, it made him question whether the young man in front of him was blind or not.
"Young man, I am giving you a friendly warning. You better take your leave from Bulge Island and keep your life.
I appreciate the effort you've made to hide your identity and help me earn some good money, but that's the limit I can show."
*Chuckle* "Really now? Sadly, I wanted to spend some more days. Then, you know what priest, I will listen to you since I don't feel like fighting anyone."
Getting up from his leisure position, he took out a bag that he began placing all the books on the table, while also picking others from the library, all at random, making the Priest raise up, and with some annoyance ask.
"What do you think you are doing? Those are my books."
"Now, now. I am helping you right now."
"Helping me?"
"That's right. I am giving a new use to those books in this forgotten Library. They will serve a greater cause as being part of my future Library."
"... Lad, I can send a thieving notice on you, and make you into a criminal. You better return my books."
Sensing the fact that the old man was only placing a facade, not caring much about the books, he figured quickly a way to make him docile, remarking casually while placing books in his bag.
"500 𝔅 for each book in my bag."
"550 𝔅."
"Yea, sure. Whatever, just so you don't feel as if I stole those books." replied Vlad not caring much about the whole price, knowing that he would take them at a bargain regardless.
After filling his bag with plenty of books, numbering in total of 20 of them, he then gave the old man, a total off 11.000 𝔅 which brought a smile on his face.
"A shame. I would have wanted to do more business with you lad."
.
Vlad scoffed at his remark, and decided to leave the Cathedral early, followed by the Priest who kept bugging him about being quick in getting lost from this Island, yet once the two exited the Cathedral what awaited them was a whole squad of marines fronted by the Commander of the Marines inside Bulge Island.
"Mister Vlad Dracul?"
"That's me, how can I help you?"
"You are under suspicion of trading illegal goods inside the Market. We are kindly requesting you to follow us to the Base for further investigation."
"You've called them, old man?" asked Vlad casually, while the old man sensed some annoyance in his voice.
"That's not on me, young man. Commander, aren't you making a mistake here? This young man has been inside my Cathedral for 6 days. What illegal goods could he sell in that amount of time?"
Broadband gave a small smile, placing the old man at ease, and without further explanations he had all his men jump to place their holds on Vlad.
*ARGHH*
The cries of men started resounding inside the Cathedral's courtyard, while inside the tall young man, a Halberd appeared from nowhere, looking menacingly.
"You are overstepping your boundaries, marine. You have no legal rights, according to the World Government Charter, to interfere with the legal ways of independent kingdoms or republics."
Vlad opened his abyssal eyes to stare at Broadhand who watched all of his squad being pushed aside by the back-end of the shaft, thrown to the floor while this ink-black haired guy looked with a cold look at him.
"And you attacking a marine, can be signaled as infringing on the authority of the World Government."
*Chuckle* "That's really amusing. Go tell those things to someone who doesn't know the law put in place by the World Government, they might believe you. Now, piss off before you get me angry for attacking me for no reason."
"Motherfucker. Who are you telling to piss off inside his own territory."
"Mhmm, I thought you, the corrupt marine, would be smarter than the rest. I guess I was wrong."
Not bothering with the marines, he began walking ahead, looking as if he was about to face off with Broadhand, something the marine was preparing after taking his pistol, but seeing Vlad walk past him without even attacking him, it confused him.
"Where do you think you are going?"
"The market. I want to buy some supplies, and I will take off from this swamp."