One Piece : Roger Is My Vice Captain
Chapter 400 - 455—Roger and his wife

Chapter 400: Chapter 455—Roger and his wife

At the same time, in the South Blue Sea, a warm breeze gently turned the windmills of Baterilla Island. This peaceful village lay undisturbed, with tall hills rising in the distance.

Atop the highest hill stood a simple tomb—more of a mound of earth than a proper grave. A wooden cross was planted before it.

In front of the mound, a solitary figure in a wide hood sat silently, unmoving. The dust on his body and the marks on the ground suggested he had been there for a long time.

Farther away, villagers toiled in the fields. Occasionally, they glanced at the lone figure by the tomb. Their eyes were filled with curiosity, though not surprise.

This strange man had appeared in the village for many days.

At first, the villagers thought he was a pirate who came to rob, and they fled in fear.

But later, they found that this strange man did not even look at them but just sat quietly in front of the mound like a sculpture, in a daze.

He did not speak, drink water, or eat.

The wide hood concealed his face, making his features indistinct.

At first, some villagers were curious, but they had little time to concern themselves with a stranger. There was plenty of work to be done in the fields, and with autumn approaching, the rice harvest was near. This year promised a good yield.

As for the mysterious man, as long as he wasn’t a pirate, that was all that mattered. No one paid attention to his actions.

As the sun set, the farmers called out to one another, gathering their tools and heading home. The scorching sun had left mottled marks on their bare upper bodies, and the heat waves had dried their sweat. Yet, despite their exhaustion and aging frames, their faces bore smiles that overshadowed their fatigue.

Although news of war often arrived from the Grand Line, the South Blue Sea, a poor and distant place, remained peaceful.

Smoke curled from the chimneys of every home as dusk slowly faded, giving way to the night. A cold moon rose into the sky.

From afar, the laughter of villagers, the playful cries of children, and the shouts of adults filled the air.

"What a good place, Rouge, don’t you think so?"

In front of the dilapidated mound, the figure that seemed to be frozen in time finally moved and slowly raised his head, revealing a face covered with frost under the hood.

Roger looked at the pile of earth in front of him with gentle eyes, as if it was not a cold grave at all, but a living person.

But there was no response.

But Roger didn’t care; he just continued to mutter to himself.

Just like the days in the past.

"I still remember the days when I lived here with you,"

"That was the happiest time of my life."

"Do you know?"

"Our son, Ace, has grown up."

"He has become very strong."

"He has a younger brother called Luffy.

"He is someone recognized by that brat Shanks."

"But you know what?"

"I didn’t like that kid very much, so I beat him up in Dressrosa."

"Ha ha ha ha!!!"

Roger suddenly threw his head back and laughed, but tears couldn’t stop sliding down his cheeks.

Even after so many years, he still clearly remembered the woman he fell in love with back then and what she looked like. She had long, light yellow hair. She liked to wear long skirts and spoke very softly. She was the gentlest woman he had ever met.

The most impressive thing in his memory was that she always liked to pin a red rose in her hair.

She was really good-looking.

When he met her, he didn’t hide his illness but directly said it. "I’m dying. I won’t live more than a year at most."

But that gentle woman just smiled gently, then hugged him tightly and said in his ear, "One year is enough."

"That’s our whole life."

Yes, it was a whole life.

"I’ve ruined you, Rouge."

Roger suddenly gritted his teeth and said this.

What Ace said was absolutely right.

If it weren’t for him, Rouge could have lived a peaceful life.

It seems that the title of Pirate King that everyone looks up to was really not as good as the smile of that girl.

What he remembered, he didn’t forget; on the day he left to surrender to the navy, she even... She said nothing, just smiled, with tears all over her face.

But he had never seen a girl crying and laughing and still looking so pretty.

At that moment, he even hesitated.

The breeze blew, ruffling Roger’s messy hair.

He raised his hand to wipe his tears and stood up with his hands supporting his stiff body.

"Rouge, I have lived a selfish life all my life."

He whispered to the lonely grave.

"I can slaughter an army of a country for a partner."

"I can also turn the world upside down for my personal dream."

"Now that I think about it, I am really too selfish."

His voice was very hoarse.

"In the end, I think about it; I really don’t seem to have done anything for you two, mother and son."

"This... times... I want to try."

"Wait for me, okay?"

"I will tear off the head of the guy who killed Ace and bring it to you."

"To be honest, I don’t ask for Ace’s forgiveness."

"But I really want to see you again."

"Wait for me, Rouge."

"I will be back soon."

After saying that, Roger turned around suddenly.

The wind rose, and the murderous intent soared to the sky.

The sky of the entire Batirila Island seemed to be eclipsed in an instant.

Pirate King Roger, who has countless honors in his life, said the happiest time for him was the year he lived on this South Blue Sea island.

This may be the most precious quality of a man’s life.

Love a woman deeply and love her for a lifetime.