Chapter 73: I Regret It, I Regret Being a Pirate

"Roger!!!" Garp bellowed as soon as he snapped out of his shock, preparing to charge at him.

At that moment, Claudius quickly intervened, "Garp, why don't you join us for a drink instead?"

Hearing Claudius's calm words, Garp hesitated. Then Roger chimed in, "It's been a long time, Garp. Won't you sit and have a drink with me?"

Although Garp was still reeling from the sight of a Celestial Dragon sharing drinks with the Pirate King, he ultimately held back his instinct to fight. He took a deep breath, grabbed a bottle of wine from the wall, and, with a frown, plopped down beside Claudius.

"What are you even doing here in this remote backwater?" Claudius asked curiously.

Garp scratched his head, then slapped a worn, black wallet onto the table. "Isn't this what you asked for? It's your fault. That Marsh Fruit of yours? It was in here. Take it, and don't lose it again."

Claudius's eyes lit up. He grabbed the wallet, gave it a brief look, and pocketed it without further inspection.

Still grumbling, Garp added, "Back in Marineford, I told you, if you got any news about Roger, let me know immediately. But no, you CP-X guys tracked him down without a word. And now, here you are, drinking with him? Do you even know who he is?"

Claudius chuckled awkwardly. Being caught like this was more than a little embarrassing. "I came here to arrest him," he said with a smile. "Figured it wouldn't be necessary to trouble you."

"Arrest him? Look at him. He's sitting here drinking with you. What kind of plan is that? You didn't spike the wine, did you?" Garp eyed the glasses suspiciously.

"I've decided to surrender to Claudius, Garp," Roger said suddenly.

Garp froze, staring at Roger in disbelief before turning to Claudius. "What did you put in his drink? He must be drunk, talking about surrendering like that."

Claudius sighed, irritated by Garp's bluntness. "Roger's terminally ill. He doesn't have much time left."

Garp's expression shifted. He looked at Roger, his disbelief giving way to sadness. "So, you're really dying?"

Roger waved off Garp's sympathy. "If I get captured, I'll die either way. Why the sudden concern? You're making me sick with all this sentiment."

Garp shrugged, shaking off his momentary sadness. "Yeah, you're right. You're a despicable bastard. The world'll be better off without you. Why should I feel sorry?"

The conversation between the two old rivals took a lighter turn as they continued to talk. Once Garp understood that Roger truly intended to surrender, he seemed to relax. Just as Roger had trusted Garp, Garp trusted Roger enough to believe him. There was no need to rush the arrest.

Claudius, leaning back in his chair, puffed on a cigar as he watched these two lifelong enemies drink and chat like old friends. He couldn't help but marvel at the surrealness of it all. If he hadn't been here, he might never have believed that such a scene could even exist.

The three of them sat there from dawn until dusk. Finally, they stepped out of the shabby tavern together. Roger waved to Garp and Claudius before heading home.

Claudius, meanwhile, was preparing to take Garp back to his ship for the night. After all, the man had gone out of his way to deliver something for him; it was only polite to show some gratitude.

As they walked side by side along the quiet country road, Garp suddenly chuckled to himself. "Who'd have thought that scoundrel Roger would settle down on some forgotten island, fall in love, and even have a kid?"

Claudius smirked. "Don't you regret coming here now?" he asked.

Garp didn't answer right away. He'd already been roped into Roger's plans, agreeing to look after Rouge until the baby was born. Once the child was born, Garp would hand the child over to Claudius for safekeeping. The World Government's investigations would be thorough, and perhaps one day, after things had settled, the mother and child might be allowed to reunite. But deep down, Claudius knew it was unlikely. The world was harsh, and Rouge would likely meet a tragic end trying to protect her unborn child, just as the stories had foretold.

After a long silence, Garp finally spoke. "That guy Roger... He's something else, isn't he?"

Claudius raised an eyebrow, then nodded. "Yeah, he's a pirate, but I can't help but like him. He's the kind of person you'd want as a friend. Imagine that."

"Yeah, I've spent half my life fighting him," Garp muttered. "Back during the God Valley Incident, I ended up owing him a favor. He's about to die now, so I guess if I don't repay it soon, I never will. That's why I promised to help him."

Claudius glanced at Garp, then shook his head with a wry smile. "You're a fool."

But somehow, this kind of fool was exactly the kind of person you could trust. Claudius didn't mind it.

For the next month or so, Claudius and Garp stayed on the island, wandering around, fishing, and occasionally dealing with small-time pirates. They never saw Roger again, and both sides kept a respectful distance. Roger and Rouge spent their days quietly, cherishing their time together, while Claudius and Garp enjoyed a peaceful, if unusual, break from their duties.

One morning, as Rouge prepared breakfast, Roger sat at the table, coughing violently into a handkerchief. When he pulled it away, the white cloth was stained with blood.

"Rouge, I regret it," Roger said softly, his voice weary. "What if... what if I hadn't become a pirate? I could've married you sooner, and we could've had our child by now."

In the kitchen, Rouge froze. She understood what his words meant. A tear slipped down her cheek, and with a trembling voice, she replied, "But I fell in love with the big, heroic pirate you were, didn't I?"

Roger smiled faintly. "Yeah. If I hadn't been a pirate, a beautiful girl like you probably wouldn't have even looked my way. After all, Claudius said I'm just a scruffy old man."

Rouge chuckled, though it was bittersweet. "Well, he wasn't entirely wrong."

They ate their breakfast quietly, the atmosphere warm but tinged with sadness. When Rouge noticed Roger had cleaned his plate, she forced a smile. "You ate so much today. You're not leaving anything behind?"

Roger gave a weak smile in return, but his eyes were filled with unspoken emotions love, regret, and a heavy sense of finality.

Rouge didn't say anything for a while, but then she softly asked, "Are you leaving?"

Roger nodded slowly. "It's time, Rouge. I have to go."