https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-657-Not-Born-Noble-But-Revered-by-All/13464629/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-659-Ohara-at-Four-in-the-Morning/13464631/
Chapter 658: Blindness Is No Blessing
Chapter 658: Blindness Is No Blessing
This small island lies northwest of Ohara, almost bordering the former Wano region. It used to have a few villages, but after Worldslider's arrival, these villages were transformed into towns due to the relocation and expansion of some staff.
Not far from the landing point, there’s a coastal town. Yi Xiao, sensing the auras, tapped his cane and made his way into the town.
Observation Haki allows one to sense life auras, but being blind is still being blind. No matter how powerful one's Observation Haki, it doesn't grant the ability to see the true appearance of things.
Of course, with his powerful Observation Haki, he can sense even inanimate objects.
Thus, as soon as he entered, his Observation Haki covered the entire town, revealing it to be a typical town under Worldslider's governance.
Unlike other places, most coastal towns on the sea, unless they are large and prosperous, are usually situated in habitable locations with scattered buildings, lacking any sense of peace and harmony.
In unaffiliated territories, people have no rights. Pirates and corrupt Marines often visit, leaving the towns frequently impoverished. Any wealth is quickly taken away.
Affiliated territories are wealthier but are more frequently targeted by pirates. Marines, being notoriously slow to respond, offer little protection.
But this place was different. Just like in Ohara and the large towns on other islands he had visited, the towns were filled with a sense of peace and hope.
Yi Xiao didn’t arrive here spontaneously. Before coming, he had already visited Ohara and several large magnetic islands. In those places, every person had a job, something they wanted to accomplish, and the work they did gave them a great sense of fulfillment.
Yi Xiao was once a wanderer, having been everywhere and understanding how merchants operated.
Hiring people, of course, meant offering the lowest possible wages and expecting the most work from each person.
Typically, not everyone on an island would have a job. Instead, the unemployed would be used to create more profit by working for even cheaper.
But in Worldslider's territory, this was impossible.
The sole ruler of Ohara, the only one with governing authority, desired not wealth but prosperity.
The more he traveled, the more he realized this. From merchants to commoners, everyone followed Sagel's commands, and anything he forbade would not happen.
This wasn’t the typical behavior of a king who only cared about taxes and status. It was as if all the territory was a massive pirate ship, where people had different roles but no privileges except for the captain.
Yi Xiao had heard of the Great Purge upon arriving here, but he had never felt out of place. Sagel was a pirate, and his natural identity made everything he did seem reasonable.
“Uncle, are you blind?”
As Yi Xiao was thinking, a voice sounded from the side. “Wow! You’re so tall!”
Yi Xiao turned his head, sensing a much shorter figure beside him.
He was nearly 2.7 meters tall, while the average person on the sea was around 1.7 meters. Compared to him, most people appeared small.
“Yes, I am blind,” Yi Xiao replied. “Is there something you need?”
“No, I just haven’t seen you before. You’re a stranger and blind, are you here to escape from somewhere? Let me tell you, there’s no future in a small place like this. Even if you’re blind, you should go to a big city! If you don’t mind, I can take you to Ohara!”
The voice belonged to a young man, whose tone was filled with intense longing. “That’s the capital! The Grand Lord’s residence. They say the streets are paved with gold, and making money there is like picking up coins. Opportunities are everywhere!”
“Really? That’s how you see Ohara?”
Yi Xiao’s lips curved into a smile. “Isn’t this place good? It’s peaceful, lively, and everyone is full of hope.”
“How can a blind person see that?”
The young man laughed, not taking it seriously. “There’s no future in a small place. Here, you can only find a job, and even then, there’s not much choice. Our town mainly focuses on fishing and trading coral from the sea. I don’t want to be a fisherman for life. I want to go to Ohara, the city of opportunities, and find my own path.”
The young man’s eyes sparkled. “When the merchant ships come, I’ll board one and head to Ohara. Old blind man, do you want to come with me? I’ll take care of you until we get there. This place is no good. You can’t be a fisherman, and even if you were to beg, you’d need to go where there are more people.”
"Worldslider's territory is free of beggars."
Yi Xiao shook his head and said, "That's good. Since we've met, I'd like to ask, isn't the sea dangerous for you? The waters are full of hazardous environments, including Pirates."
The young man laughed heartily, placing his hands on his hips as if he had just heard a funny joke. "Our Grand Lord is the greatest Pirate! In New World, there's nothing we fear! If I die in a dangerous situation, it's just bad luck, but if any Pirate dares to mess with me, they're the ones with bad luck! The Grand Lord will avenge me!"
His laughter was filled with a strong sense of confidence, as if he absolutely believed in Sagel and the Worldslider team under his command.
This was something Yi Xiao had never seen in the big cities. In the cities, especially in the Royal Palace, people respected Sagel, but they seemed to value their own lives more and believed they played a minor role in the war. They might resist initially, but if the situation became too dangerous, they would think about evacuating to avoid causing trouble for Sagel.
Now, it seemed that the less prosperous places, where people had never met Sagel, had the strongest faith in him.
"Is this the confidence that comes with power?"
Yi Xiao murmured, "Why didn't you join the recruitment?"
"My parents wouldn't allow it. I'm their only child. I was planning to sneak away, but even Lord Fres didn't approve of it."
The young man scratched his head and added, "Oh, right. Lord Fres is the governor of this island. He used to be one of the Grand Lord's direct subordinates from East Blue. He lost a leg and now serves as the governor here. It's great. If I had been in East Blue back then and joined the Grand Lord's ranks, I could be in charge of a region now."
"I see. Thank you for the explanation."
Yi Xiao nodded and said no more. He tapped his blind cane and walked past the young man into the town. After a few steps, he stopped and turned back.
"Also, I want to say that your thoughts are commendable. Compared to our generation, the new generation of you all already have the right to be picky. It's very good and gives me a different perspective."
With that, he walked away, leaving the young man looking puzzled.
"Isn't this fish too expensive? I remember the recent catches have been good."
"The price isn't set by me; it's the local market rate. If you think the fish is expensive, why don't you also complain about the price of flour and rice?"
"Don't give me that. Those prices are set by the Grand Lord. You can't compare. If you lower it by two hundred Berries, I'll buy it."
"It can't be that much cheaper, old man. At most, I can give you fifty Berries off."
"Then I'll go to another stall."
"Wait, wait, wait. One hundred Berries, I'll give you one hundred Berries off."
This was an elderly man haggling with a fish vendor.
"This house will be ours from now on!"
"But we still have a lot of loans to pay off."
"Don't worry. Our jobs won't disappear. The Grand Lord is watching over us. We can definitely pay it off! Most importantly, we have our own new home, not those old shacks! This is a three-story house!"
"You're right, dear. We'll work hard together from now on."
"Yeah, let's have a few more kids, about seventy or eighty, and we'll all be a big, happy family!"
"Spit! What do you take me for!"
This was a young couple admiring their newly built home.
Beyond that, there were those who worried about not earning enough, those who lamented not having enough material possessions, and those who were content with their lives, enjoying the sea and the warm spring breeze. There were even people fretting over what to have for dinner.
Tap, tap, tap
The sound of the blind cane tapping against the ground was unique. As Yi Xiao walked, he felt the emotions and thoughts around him.
The emotions and thoughts were varied, each with its own merits and drawbacks, but Yi Xiao had never heard anyone worry about their future safety.
They didn't consider such things, just like the young man he had met initially. They believed that Worldslider would avenge them if anything happened.
Because they were Sagel's property!
"No one wants to be a slave or servant, which is why there are slave traders. But the people here don't mind, because Sagel brings them fairness and justice. When everyone's mind is focused on one person and no one else, they are second to none, and all are equal. Thus, justice naturally prevails."
Yi Xiao walked along, saying, "The sea cannot prevent the birth of a king. Where there are people, there will always be those who rule. So why not choose a good king? Perhaps this will change in the future, but for now, this place is a beacon of light, a light that even this old blind man yearns for."
Better than the World Government, and bigger than the World Government!
Most importantly, Sagel is full of ambition.
He has tried every profession, so switching to another one shouldn’t be a problem.
Yi Xiao sighed, "Being blind isn’t always a blessing. Focusing on avoiding the ugly and tragic can make you forget the brilliant things in this world. It’s truly a beautiful place."
…
In the grand bathhouse of the Royal Palace of Ohara.
Sagel exhaled a deep breath, leaning back against the edge of the pool, almost floating on the water.
Servants wrapped in thin towels swam over, trimming his nails, giving him massages, and whispering sweet nothings, practically clinging to him.
"Too bad, that lake was quite nice, and there were plenty of fish."
Of course, he didn’t catch any fish.
The throne in the palace was quite interesting, with a rich history, having been passed down for over a thousand years. It was made of wood inlaid with precious stones, and the design was decent. However, Sagel didn’t bring it back. He planned to build a new palace there.
A landowner can’t have just one home, after all.
It was rare to see fish not scatter when he cast his line, and Sagel remembered that vividly.
"The palace is also nice, with a good location. I’ll find time to renovate it and use it as a resort."
"Extravagance isn’t what a good ruler should do. Your focus should be elsewhere right now."
Just as Sagel was thinking, a deep voice sounded from behind him.
The rhythmic tapping of a cane on the ground announced the presence of a tall figure standing behind him.
"Oh."
Sagel didn’t turn around, chuckling, "It’s rare for me to wait for you to come to me. Don’t be shy, servants, undress him. It’s no fun to enjoy the bath alone. But this is just once; the palace is mine, so if you want to bathe here in the future, you’ll have to buy your own place and build a bath."
"I also enjoy luxury, so this is perfect."
Yi Xiao didn’t hesitate, waiting for the servants to undress him before guiding him into the bath.
Yi Xiao exhaled comfortably, saying, "It’s a shame I can’t see the pleasures of this world with my own eyes. That’s a regret."
"If you’re willing, Hogback is always ready. Getting new eyes from him shouldn’t be a problem."
Sagel laughed, gesturing for a nearby servant with a tray to come over, poured a cup of wine, and handed it to Yi Xiao.
"Is that so? I’ll wait a bit longer. If I have the chance, I’ll trouble him."
Yi Xiao took the wine cup, saying, "I wonder if I can do this if I’m not considered one of your own."
"Being a pirate isn’t necessary."
Sagel shrugged, smiling, "Even if you become a pirate, the Navy Admiral might not give you a bounty. After all, he only joined for a short time, but he needs to save face. You can choose to be a sergeant or a security officer. We’ve been expanding our territory recently, and once Lily finishes the statistics, I plan to reorganize the positions in Ohara. You’ll have a place then."
"Since I need people to serve me, whether or not you’re a pirate isn’t important."
"Can I leave if I get tired of it?"
"Of course!"
Sagel grinned, "To be honest, a strong person like you joining us must have a goal. If you leave, it means your goals don’t align with ours. As long as our directions are the same, it doesn’t matter if you walk backward or take a different path; there’s still a common point. If our paths diverge, keeping you around would be meaningless."
"Understood."
Yi Xiao drank the wine in one go, "Then I look forward to working with you, Mr. Sagel!"
"You won’t be disappointed! Hahahaha! With your help, my base will be absolutely secure!"
Sagel poured himself a cup and drank it in one go, laughing, "This will free me up to cause trouble without restraint!"
(End of Chapter)
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