"Nami, let's go! Time to make a killing," she said, her eyes sparkling with the thrill of money.
Rolan glanced at her, noticing her gaze practically radiating berries, her whole being focused on profit. He shook his head. "You all go ahead. I'll let you know if anything happens."
Lina tilted her head curiously. "Aren't you coming with us?"
Rolan smirked slightly. "Me? I have an acquaintance I need to greet."
"An acquaintance?" Hancock raised an eyebrow. "A man or a woman?"
Robin smiled faintly at him, her eyes revealing subtle amusement, while Lina and Nami studied him closely. Rolan's back prickled with unease. One wrong word here, and those gaze-sharp women could shred him alive.
Quickly, he raised his hands in surrender. "It's a man. And… he's blind." His tone carried a desperate edge.
He pointed toward a figure at a nearby gambling table. The women followed his gesture and saw a man sitting with his back turned.
Nami looped her arm through his. "Oh, Rolan, we weren't suspecting you. Why so nervous?"
Rolan clicked his tongue silently. The weather in this New World probably doesn't change as fast as she changes her expression.
Lina and the others relaxed slightly.
Robin chuckled softly. "Looks like Rolan doesn't intend to be our brother-in-arms." She let her gesture drop.
Rolan realized with a chill that Robin had been testing him. Each of these women is not to be trifled with… even Vivi.
He forced a sheepish grin. "With all of you around, I must be the happiest man alive. I dare not make any female acquaintances."
Nami pecked him lightly on the cheek. "Glad you understand. Now, we're going shopping first."
Linking arms with Lina, she added, "Let's go! Gambling awaits."
Lina glanced at Rolan awkwardly. "I don't really know how to gamble."
"No worries," Nami said confidently, patting her chest. Her movement caused a subtle tremor in her bosom, drawing Rolan's eyes wide.
Lina turned away, muttering, "Rolan, then we'll go shopping."
Hancock stepped forward and wrapped him in a hug. "Then Husband, I'll join them first."
Rolan nodded. "Go ahead. The whole of Golden City is under my Observation Haki. I'll know if anything happens."
Hancock smiled and took Vivi and Robin's hands, leading them toward the bustling shopping street.
Only after the women left did Rolan exhale, patting his chest. The strongest man in the world… reduced to a henpecked husband.
He sent them a private message: "Try treating your husband like that, and you'll regret it tonight."
The thought alone made the women freeze, their legs weak, faces flushed. Clearly, they remembered Rolan's combat reputation.
Vivi looked at Robin, puzzled. "What's wrong?"
Robin's legs trembled slightly. "Huh? Nothing… maybe it's just… warm."
Vivi nodded thoughtfully, then looked at Hancock. "Are you warm too?"
Hancock rubbed her legs. "Mm… yes, a little."
Vivi smiled, accepting it. "Seems so. Let's go shopping."
With that, she led them down the crowded street, Hancock and Robin both glancing away, blushing.
Meanwhile, Rolan approached the gambling table where the blind man sat.
A roulette game was underway. The wheel spun rapidly, black and white markings evenly distributed like a clock. The dealer—a stunning woman dressed provocatively—placed a small white ball on the spinning wheel.
"Place your bets," she called sweetly, though her voice held a hint of tension.
All eyes turned to the blind man, a short-haired figure with a circular beard framing his mouth and an X-shaped scar across his forehead, reaching his left eye. His ears twitched slightly.
The room fell silent. No one dared disturb him.
Slowly, his eyelids parted, revealing only the whites of his eyes. "Hehehe, I've decided."
Gulp… gulp… the room tensed, awaiting his choice.
With calm precision, he pushed all his chips onto black. "I'm betting on black."
Others at the table quickly followed.
"Did you hear that? Black!"
"I'm on black!"
"Me too!"
"Bets closed, no more bets," the dealer rang out as the wheel slowed.
All eyes followed the tiny white ball as it bounced and rolled, eventually landing squarely on black.
Cheers erupted. "Yes! Black!"
"Ten consecutive wins!"
"You are my god!"
The blind man scratched his head awkwardly. "It's nothing, just luck," he said humbly.
People approached, offering chips as thanks. "Thanks to you, I reclaimed my wife's dowry."
"Please, take these chips, consider it a gift."
The blind man refused politely. "You don't have to. I didn't do anything."
"But without you, I'd have lost everything!"
"Yeah, if not for you, I might have even lost my wife!"
Rolan watched from the side, a knowing smile forming. Observation Haki. He must be using it to predict the wheel, but how exactly…
He leaned closer and muttered under his breath, "I've long admired your technique, Issho-san."
___
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