Hearing Reno's teasing reply, Makino was momentarily stunned, then burst out laughing, her laughter echoing like a goose's honking. She held her stomach as if trying to catch her breath and pointed at Reno, half-joking and half-complaining, "You… you can't just imagine such things about me!"
Reno smirked mischievously. "I'm just thinking about it! If you don't want me to have such thoughts, then don't look so beautiful!"
"Pfft!"
Makino tried to suppress her laughter but ended up giggling uncontrollably. The more Reno spoke, the more her curiosity and embarrassment grew. She crossed her arms, pouted playfully, and shot back, "Still, you can't think so beautifully about me!"
Reno raised an eyebrow and feigned innocence. "Oh? But you're being even worse. You're already trying to manage me like a little wife before even marrying me!"
"W-Who's managing you?" Makino stammered, her face flushed with embarrassment. Her words stumbled over one another as she tried to protest. Her cheeks turned a rosy red as she tried to find a retort, but nothing came out right.
Seeing her flustered, Reno couldn't resist. He reached out and poked her puffed-up cheek.
"Hey! What are you doing?!" Makino jumped back, startled, and glared at him, keeping a safe distance from his "mischievous claws."
Reno laughed unabashedly. "What do you mean, 'what am I doing'? You've been 'managing' me without permission, so I'm just collecting a bit of interest."
Makino pouted and crossed her arms. "Who's managing you? You're the one being unreasonable here!"
"But you've already admitted to being my little wife, haven't you? That makes my actions perfectly reasonable!" Reno grinned shamelessly, clearly enjoying her reaction.
Makino paused, her mind spinning in confusion. "If… if I admitted it… does that mean I can manage you?"
Reno saw his opportunity and immediately nodded. "Of course! Once you admit it, you can manage me however you like. No one would dare say otherwise—not even me."
Makino looked at him, her expression wavering between hesitation and determination. After a long pause, she muttered, "Fine. I admit it. I'm your wife. Can I manage you now?"
Reno nearly burst into laughter but kept a straight face, pretending to accept her declaration seriously. "You're my wife now, Makino. Feel free to manage me however you like!"
Makino immediately adopted a strict stance, hands on her hips like a little adult. She scolded him at length, pointing out all his supposed "misbehaviors" and lecturing him endlessly.
Reno stood there with a faint smile, watching her intently. Her lively, determined expression was so endearing that he had to resist the urge to pinch her cheeks or pull her into a hug.
After what seemed like an eternity, Makino finally stopped and sighed in satisfaction. "Alright, that's enough. You can go home now!"
Reno chuckled and nodded. As he reached the door of the bar, he turned back and grinned. "Makino, remember my name is Reno, your husband. And since you're a married woman now, make sure to keep your distance from other men!"
Makino stood there, frozen and wide-eyed, as Reno casually walked out of the bar.
Only after he was long gone did Makino murmur to herself, her cheeks burning bright red. "Did I… just successfully sell myself off?"
If Reno were here right now and saw her adorable appearance, he'd probably want to lean in and take another playful bite.
Makino stood still for a long moment, then suddenly broke into a cheerful and lively smile. She thought to herself: Anyway, I've already "sold" myself. Life has to go on, and I don't seem to dislike him either, so why bother stressing over it?
With that thought, Makino returned to her usual cheerful and lively demeanor, no longer caught up in the fact that she had "sold herself." She resumed her work at the bar, focusing on her tasks as if nothing had happened.
[Two weeks later, Windmill Village]
During these two weeks, Reno had been visiting the small bar daily. When he wasn't there, he would spend time training, living a very fulfilling life.
Meanwhile, Rouge had been staying indoors almost all the time, resting quietly in the small house while waiting for her child to be born. It was a sensitive period, and she tried her best not to draw any attention. Since her pregnancy was still in its early stages when she arrived, it wasn't obvious, and almost no one in Windmill Village knew she was pregnant.
In fact, aside from the village chief, no one even knew Rouge existed. Everyone else assumed that Reno was the only one living in the small house.
Rouge had arrived in the village through a teleportation portal created by Reno. With Roger not visiting the East Blue during this time, all contact with him had effectively been cut off. Reno had made all these arrangements so carefully that if the Marines still managed to find her, he'd have to admit that they were truly exceptional.
At the moment, Reno was sitting in the small yard with Rouge, chatting about Roger. Earlier that day, the Marines had announced in the newspaper that they had captured the Pirate King Roger and would publicly execute him in Loguetown in a week.
After reading the news, Reno, looking utterly unimpressed, muttered, "Those hypocritical Marines are as shameless as ever!"
Seeing Reno's expression, Rouge asked curiously, "Little Reno, I can tell you really dislike the Marines. Even Roger doesn't seem to hate them as much as you do. Why does a child like you have such a strong grudge against the Marines?"
Despite the news of Roger's upcoming public execution, Rouge didn't appear particularly upset. When she first got together with Roger, she already knew about his health condition and had mentally prepared herself for the inevitability of this day. It was only because of this that she could face the situation so calmly now.
That's not to say she wasn't sad at all. However, whenever she thought of the child they would soon have, her grief was quickly replaced by the joy of impending motherhood.
Hearing Rouge's curious question, Reno noticed that the news about Roger hadn't shaken her. He then answered, "Roger is just a pirate sailing the seas. His vision is limited. But even though I'm just a child, I've seen a lot of the darkness that the World Government and the Marines have tried to hide."
He continued, "The World Government will go to any lengths to maintain its rule. Anything—or anyone—that threatens their authority is completely eradicated. Whether it's people, places, or resources, they'll erase it all without hesitation."
"And as for the Marines, who supposedly represent justice in this world? Not only do they fail to stop such atrocities, but many of these acts are carried out directly by them—like wiping out every living being on an entire island. These crimes are countless!"
Reno paused, looking at Rouge before adding, "On the surface, they act righteous and noble, but beneath it all, their hands are stained with the blood of countless innocent civilians. That's why I dislike the Marines."
Rouge stared at Reno, dumbfounded. She couldn't believe that such a young boy could know so many hidden truths about the world. No wonder he seemed so mature for his age—knowing so much that others didn't would force anyone to grow up quickly.
After a long silence, Rouge finally snapped out of her daze and asked with a puzzled look, "I've lived my whole life in the South Blue and don't know much about the wider world, but surely people won't just sit and accept such oppression. There must be someone resisting, right?"
Reno glanced at Rouge with surprise. He hadn't expected someone who had never set foot on the open seas to figure that out. As expected, any woman capable of winning Roger's heart must have something special about her.
Seeing Reno's expression, Rouge rolled her eyes and said, "Just because I haven't traveled the seas doesn't mean I'm brainless!"
Reno scratched his nose awkwardly before replying, "Where there's darkness, there's always light. Right now, the forces of resistance are still too small to challenge the World Government. But as long as someone stands up, many more will follow. Over time, this force will grow stronger and stronger until it eventually topples the World Government."
Rouge, hearing his certainty, couldn't help but ask skeptically, "How can you be so sure that this force will succeed? What if the World Government wins instead?"
Thinking back to the revolutions in his previous life, Reno replied with a look of reverence, "A single spark can start a prairie fire. And this fire, which spans the entire world, can never be extinguished. When one falls, another will rise. It's an unstoppable flame. How could it possibly lose?"
Rouge was left speechless, her mind blank with shock. What kind of bold and inspiring words were those?
Meanwhile, just outside the small courtyard, a young Marine officer stood silently against the wall. He had been standing there for a long time, listening to the conversation inside. His face showed a mix of emotions that he couldn't quite control.
If Reno had already sensed someone outside the small courtyard, his earlier words weren't just directed at Rouge but also intended for the person beyond the wall. He recognized this person—it was Monkey D. Dragon, the biological father of the future protagonist, Monkey D. Luffy, and the leader of the Revolutionary Army.
Sensing that the person outside wanted to come in, Reno quickly said to Rouge, "Sister-in-law Rouge, I need to step out for a bit. If I'm not back by dinnertime, just eat without me."
Rouge nodded without asking further questions. "Alright, come back soon. I'll save some food for you."
After saying goodbye, Reno disappeared from his chair in the courtyard, reappearing outside the small yard.
Dragon had just raised his hand to knock on the door when he suddenly sensed someone appear behind him. Turning swiftly, he found himself face-to-face with a young boy floating in midair.
Seeing Reno, Dragon froze in shock, a baffled expression plastered on his face. The danger his Observation Haki had sensed earlier—it came from this five- or six-year-old child?
Dragon's reaction stemmed from disbelief. With his current strength, while he wasn't at the level of a Marine Admiral, he could still put up a fight against one. Yet, this child made him feel an overwhelming sense of danger. What kind of existence was this?
Unaware of Dragon's thoughts, Reno looked at the man standing before him and sternly asked, "Listening in on my conversation is one thing, but what gives you the right to intrude on our lives?"
Earlier, Reno had intentionally spoken loudly enough for Dragon to hear, hoping to guide him down a less troublesome path. However, Reno had no intention of meeting Dragon in person. Men like Dragon were walking magnets for trouble. Wherever they went, chaos followed. Reno wanted nothing to do with him; otherwise, his future would be filled with endless complications.
While Reno wasn't afraid of these complications, he detested unnecessary trouble and avoided it whenever possible.
Dragon snapped out of his daze. Realizing that the earlier words had come from Reno, he immediately bowed respectfully and said, "Young master, I wish to learn the knowledge you just spoke of. Please teach me!"
Dragon's eyes lit up as he stared at Reno, like a man gazing upon a rare treasure. His thirst for knowledge was so evident that, to an outsider, it might seem like something else entirely.
The truth was, information like what Reno had shared was exceedingly rare in the world. Dragon's excitement stemmed from his desperation to acquire such knowledge.
Reno initially wanted to refuse outright, but when he thought of Rouge in the courtyard, he swallowed his rejection and said, "Leave here immediately. Come back in three months, and I'll give you a few books. These books will be enough to help you find your path.
"But you must promise not to tell anyone these books came from me or reveal my existence. Also, I want you to protect someone for me."
Dragon glanced toward the courtyard, then nodded without hesitation. "I'll return in three months. As long as the books have even a fraction of the value you mentioned—no, even one percent—I'll ensure her safety."
With that, Dragon turned and left decisively, wasting no time. He didn't doubt Reno's words in the slightest. The insights Reno had shared earlier had already been incredibly enlightening. Even if the books turned out to be less impactful, this encounter alone was worth it.
Reno's primary concern was Rouge's safety. If he left and something happened to her, he might not return in time. This arrangement with Dragon was a way to ensure her protection.
Writing a few books was no trouble for him. With his memory, he could easily reproduce texts he'd read in his previous life. Crafting a few works to guide Dragon was effortless.
If not for wanting to maintain a mysterious aura and ensure Dragon returned in a few months, Reno could have given him the books right away.
After watching Dragon walk away, Reno turned and reentered the courtyard. He had thought it would take more effort to deal with Dragon, but a few words had been enough.
What Reno didn't realize was that this spur-of-the-moment decision would later make him a god-like figure in the Revolutionary Army. He became a symbol of faith, shrouded in mystery and revered for his wisdom. The books he left behind would become sacred texts, and his legend would only grow with time.
Rouge noticed Reno's quick return and asked curiously, "Little Reno, didn't you say you had something to do? Why are you back so soon?"
Reno responded casually, "A fly showed up earlier. I thought it'd take some time to deal with, but it left after just a few words."
He then looked at Rouge and added, "Sister-in-law Rouge, I'll need to leave for a few days. Will you be alright staying here alone?"
Rouge smiled knowingly. "You're heading to Loguetown, aren't you?"
Reno nodded. "That's right."
Rouge reassured him, "I'm just pregnant, not helpless. Don't worry about me. Go ahead and take care of your business."
Reno gave her a grateful look before beginning preparations for his trip.
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