Dr. Clover opened his mouth to speak, but ultimately, he resigned himself to fate. It was true—if Renault truly harbored ill intentions, he could have used much more direct means. There was no need to play these cat-and-mouse games with him.
"I can tell you Olvia's location," Dr. Clover said finally, yielding to the pressure. "But I hope you are a man of your word. Do not hurt them."
Left with no other choice, the scholar revealed the coordinates of the island where Olvia was currently located.
"Of course," Renault nodded.
The moment the words left his lips, his figure vanished into thin air. When he reappeared, he was already at the edge of the island's coast.
"Captain, what are your orders?!" noticing Renault's sudden arrival, Barrett, Yasopp, and the others gathered around immediately.
"Barrett, Yasopp—head to Phuket Island in the North Sea immediately to protect someone. If you spot any Marines or World Government agents tailing them, kill them on sight!"
The two men exchanged a confused glance but nodded simultaneously. They didn't need to know the 'why' behind Renault's orders; they only needed to execute them unconditionally.
"Set off now. I'll send the details about the targets via Vision Transponder Snail."
With a wave of his right arm, a submarine appeared on the ocean surface without warning. Renault had built these vessels back when he was constructing the Vanko; they had been gathering dust on the second basement level until today. Finally, they had a purpose.
"We're on it, Captain."
After a few more instructions, the two boarded the submarine and submerged into the deep sea. Watching them depart, Renault returned to Dr. Clover's side. The old scholar swallowed hard, his throat twitching instinctively at the sight of Renault's ghost-like speed.
"Dr. Clover, rest easy. I've already dispatched men to protect Olvia. Nothing will go wrong."
With Barrett's raw power and Yasopp's long-range sniping, the mission was practically foolproof.
"I hope it is as you say," Clover replied, his voice heavy with resignation. He had no choice but to take Renault at his word. "Follow me inside."
Clearly unwilling to dwell further on the matter, Dr. Clover turned and walked toward the Tree of Knowledge. As Renault followed him into the heart of the great tree, he was momentarily stunned. A heavy sense of history washed over him, accompanied by the thick, intoxicating scent of aged paper.
The library was massive beyond description. The center was a hollow atrium, while the surrounding walls were packed tightly with countless ancient tomes. Every section was meticulously categorized with clear labels. Wooden ladders of varying heights—some reaching dozens of meters—were stationed throughout.
For a scholar, simply standing here was the ultimate luxury. Renault could already imagine how much joy he would find here in the coming days. Though he had read extensively in the past, his knowledge felt like a mere drop in the ocean compared to the vast archives of the Tree of Knowledge.
Under Dr. Clover's permission, Renault was granted free reign over the library. Aside from a few classified archives involving sensitive secrets, he could read whatever he pleased. Renault had no complaints; he had zero interest in those so-called "secrets." The remaining books were enough to keep him occupied for a century.
To repay Dr. Clover and dispel any lingering doubts, Renault presented the scholar with gold worth 5 billion Berries. To Clover, this was a staggering fortune. Initially, Dr. Clover refused. Renault knew that discussing money with scholars was often seen as vulgar. However, he reminded the old man that in life, everything—save for breathing—required funds.
While the scholars might not care for luxury, this money could be used to acquire more books, fund research, or increase the budget for expedition teams. Money was never as important as people, but having it certainly saved lives. Renault's eloquence won out. Dr. Clover's hands trembled as he eventually accepted the fortune. With this, the last shred of his suspicion vanished. If Renault truly wanted to exploit them, why would he gift them such a monumental sum?
Overjoyed, Dr. Clover officially announced Renault's appointment as the Librarian of the Tree of Knowledge. From then on, Renault spent his days wandering the sea of knowledge. When he grew weary, he would leave Ohara for a time to find a secluded spot to train his swordsmanship and Armament Haki. As for Observation Haki, the assistance of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit already allowed his reach to far exceed its current level.
Every attribute grew steadily as the seasons turned. Twenty-three years drifted by.
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