Chapter 71: I Should Have Taken You on My Ship!

Roger was caught off guard by Claudius's words. Before he could speak, Claudius casually shook the orange in his hand and asked, "These oranges are delicious. Mind packing a few for me? And how about we find a place to sit down and have a drink? I don't have much money on me, but I'll treat you."

Roger wasn't sure what Claudius was up to, but he didn't want to escalate things. He knew that Claudius, having appeared here and discovered his family, meant there were now dangerous variables in play. Sure, Roger could probably kill Claudius and his entire group right here, but there was no guarantee that Claudius hadn't left behind some kind of contingency plan.

After all, Roger knew his days were numbered, he couldn't protect Rouge forever, especially with her being pregnant. That only increased his worries. So, instead of being overly aggressive, he decided it was best to hear Claudius out.

With a smile, Roger said, "I've never shared a drink with a Celestial Dragon before. Since you're offering, I won't refuse."

Claudius smiled back. "It's my first time on this island, so you'd know the best spot. Why don't you lead the way?"

Roger stood, turning to Rouge. "I'm going to have a drink with this friend of mine. If you're tired, go ahead and close up the stall and get some rest."

Rouge gave him a worried glance but eventually nodded. "Just take care of yourself. Don't drink too much, okay?"

Roger smiled softly, his eyes full of warmth. "Don't worry. I know my limits."

Claudius, already standing, glanced over to his group. "You all stay here and help out. If this beautiful stall owner wants to pack up, give her a hand. After all, I did eat two oranges for free."

Though Stussy was concerned about Claudius going off with Roger, she kept quiet. His confidence reassured her, and if things went south, she had no problem with taking matters into her own hands, Roger's wife could make a good hostage if needed.

"Understood, Your Highness. We'll take care of Miss Rouge," Nia responded promptly.

Roger gave a quick look around, recognizing the unspoken arrangement. Claudius was leaving Rouge in the care of his people as a form of leverage, but Roger didn't comment on it. He simply nodded to Rouge before heading off with Claudius.

The tavern they found was small and shabby, with rickety tables and chairs that looked as old as the town itself. The owner, an elderly man, was sitting half-asleep behind the counter. When he saw them enter, he lazily pointed to the bottles on the wall and mumbled, "Help yourselves. Just pay before you leave."

Roger, accustomed to the laid-back vibe of the island, grabbed two bottles of wine, placed them on the table, and invited Claudius to sit. "So, how did you know I was here? I didn't tell anyone about this place. Not even Rayleigh knows where I am."

Claudius uncorked the bottles, pouring a glass for each of them. "Who do you think I am? I'm the head of CP-X. Do you really think it's that hard for me to find you?"

Roger raised an eyebrow as he took a sip of his drink, listening carefully.

"I've actually known where you were for a while now," Claudius continued. "I've been hanging around South Blue for months, but I didn't come to you immediately. I wanted to give you some time to be with your family."

Roger's eyes softened for a moment, but then he chuckled. "Well, I guess I should thank you for that, then. It seems you really are the one who caught Shiki after all. I wasn't sure if I believed it before."

Claudius feigned surprise. "You didn't believe it?"

"Of course not," Roger replied bluntly. "CP-X just pops up out of nowhere? You don't expect people to be suspicious?"

Claudius laughed heartily. "Fair point. If you hadn't run so fast that day, I might've caught you too."

Roger grinned. "I suppose I should count myself lucky."

The two men, who by all appearances should have been enemies, sat together drinking as if they were old friends. They chatted freely, and for a while, it seemed like they were just two regular men reminiscing over past adventures.

Eventually, after one of the bottles had been emptied, Roger leaned back and asked, "Earlier, you said, 'It's almost time.' What did you mean by that? You didn't come all this way just to have a drink with me, did you?"

Claudius poured another round and looked at Roger seriously. "I meant exactly that. I will eventually arrest you. I just don't think the time is right yet."

Roger was momentarily stunned. "You'll arrest me? When?"

Claudius took a sip from his glass, glancing over at Roger. "Whenever you're ready. After all, I can see you're not in the best shape these days. You've lost a lot of weight since I last saw you. Not to mention, your wife's warning not to drink too much."

Roger's face tensed for a moment before he let out a heavy sigh. "Yeah, you're right. I don't have much time left. I'm terminally ill."

"Figured as much," Claudius said calmly.

Roger looked at him with surprise. "You're not shocked?"

"What's there to be shocked about? Birth, aging, sickness, death—it's all part of life. Just because you're the Pirate King doesn't mean you can escape it. You're still just a man, Roger," Claudius said, waving it off as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Roger let out a deep, booming laugh. "Hahahaha! You're right, after all. I'm still just a man."

After sharing a few more drinks in silence, Claudius asked softly, "How much time do you need?"

Roger studied Claudius for a long moment, then spoke, his voice tinged with emotion. "You're really something else, you know that? Back in the day, I thought there was something different about you, even though you're a Celestial Dragon. Looking back now, I regret not taking you on my ship. We could've been great friends. Imagine the adventures we'd have had."

Claudius nodded as Roger spoke, listening quietly without interrupting.

After a few more moments of reflection, Roger shook his head and sighed. "I don't know how much longer I have left, but it won't be long. When the time comes, I'll come to you. I'll surrender."

Roger had already decided this was his fate. Since Claudius had shown him this level of respect, Roger would reciprocate by turning himself in to him when the time was right.

"Really?" Claudius replied with a grin. "You're the one calling the shots here. I couldn't beat you in a fight anyway, so whatever you say goes. I'm not in a rush."

They drank in silence for a little while longer until Roger's expression grew heavy again. "Rouge is innocent, you know that, right?"

Claudius set his glass down and looked at Roger. "She's married to the Pirate King, isn't she? From what I can tell, she's pregnant too, isn't she? It doesn't matter if she's innocent or guilty. The world won't see her that way."

Roger's face darkened. He knew Claudius was right.