Chapter 2, A Confession of a Petit Bourgeois

Therefore, there are some slight differences in the treatment between us and other slaves

His idea is truly pitiably naive, merely a form of self-deception in the midst of hell

However, what if it is to exempt from the wanted list, to legalize plunder, and to ensure that your territory's legitimacy will not be attacked by the navy?" He rested one hand on his knee, extending his fingers one by one, and just these few points caused the Empress's expression to gradually change.

She merely leaned back, and at an unknown moment, a large pink-striped snake slithered out from behind the curtain, forming a sofa with its body, allowing the empress to sit down comfortably

The Empress did not gloat, for she also recalled her own experiences. Was she not happy when she was first favored? Yet, in the end, after being despised, she was discarded like a piece of used trash.

However, due to a certain matter, I lost their trust... then... His face displayed an expression of pain, with veins bulging on the back of his hand, clearly indicating that it was far from a pleasant memory

This kind of favoritism is truly ephemeral, and the Celestial Dragons are like children, having an even shorter attention span than ordinary kids. The Empress was initially valued by the Celestial Dragons for her cuteness, but soon they grew tired of her. In search of entertainment, they brought in three Devil Fruits and had her consume them

As expected

The Seven Warlords of the Sea is a system that I heard mentioned during a conversation between the Celestial Dragons and the World Government. The man with long black hair smiled at her

I dare not consume the Devil Fruit, as it is too easily countered; not only will I become completely powerless due to Sea-Prism Stone, but I will also be unable to escape by jumping into the sea at critical moments

His pain flashed by in an instant, a feeling that was deeply etched in his heart. More importantly, it shattered his foolish illusions, solidifying his resolve and preparing him for the struggle ahead

There is no third option available to choose from

So what? The daughter country of the House of Ai is located in the doldrums, so why should we fear a naval attack! Their conditions hold no allure for me!

Although she never expresses her feelings, this sentiment truly exists and is articulated through the words of this man

She only furrowed her brows, remaining silent and contemplative. Clearly, the Calm Belt is the foundation of the Nine Snake Pirates' existence. Once the Navy possesses warships capable of traversing the Calm Belt, the pressure on Nine Snake Island will likely increase significantly, forcing the Kingdom of Nine Snake to choose between submission or death in battle

Perhaps it is because they are both slaves, or perhaps it is because there are only two people here, the Empress did not speak, merely maintaining a cold expression, quietly listening to the words of this man. Within her heart, there may still be some resonance, that is the resonance between fellow sufferers in the depths of hell

Then, I escaped and somehow drifted to this island, where I met you. He raised his head to look at the Empress, his gaze filled with passion. Unlike those despicable men who were petrified by her beauty, this man’s gaze held something different.

This 'slightly' has given me quite a few opportunities

Then, they quickly grew tired of it again

Then, I caught the attention of the Celestial Dragons. The man sitting on the ground casually pulled down a cushion from the bed and placed it beneath himself, lifting himself off the cold floor. His nonchalance caused the Empress to slowly furrow her brows.

What is the Seven Warlords of the Sea? The Empress fell silent for a moment before suddenly asking.

I am a member of the petite bourgeoisie, do you know what the petite bourgeoisie is?

His words puzzled the Empress somewhat, but upon recalling the affluent lives of the people in the Shambord Archipelago, she began to understand a little. Indeed, there are still such groups of people in this world. Perhaps the officials of the World Government in Mariejois and the families of the Navy also lead such lives.

But what if the world government has already developed warships capable of sailing in the doldrums? The man extended his fourth finger, and the smile on his face grew even more pronounced. After leaving the Celestial Dragons, the taste of freedom was indeed intoxicating. More importantly, he could act without restraint, and the numerous intelligence advantages made him very adept at handling certain matters, such as dealing with the empress before him.

I obediently play the role of a favored minister, and at times I even feel that perhaps it would be fine to continue like this. After all, compared to ordinary people from all corners of the world, I do not need to worry about the threat of pirates or the extortion of corrupt navy officials. Being someone without much power, I do not need to train, and indeed, I am living better than most people in this world. It seems that continuing like this would not be so bad.

The advanced combat capabilities of this world are even stronger than he had imagined

He chuckled and said: "As fellow slaves, you should be aware that there are always some slaves who can win the favor of their masters, such as someone like me, and someone like you."

She crossed her arms and looked down on the navy with disdain

The empress's expression turned cold; for her, the days of being a slave were a forbidden secret, an absolute taboo that must not be revealed. However, this man seemed to have disregarded life and death, speaking without any hint of restraint.

It is that kind of life where one does not worry about food and drink, surpassing the majority of people in living standards, engaging in some light work each day, then spending time reading the news, venting frustrations about the government or other unsatisfactory matters, expressing indignation, and complaining without any real issues. They neither exploit others nor are exploited by others, simply possessing abundant resources and time, squandering what others can only dream of.

Since the death of Pirate King Roger, the World Government has been unable to suppress the increasing number of pirates, so they have thought of recruiting those powerful pirates to serve as their enforcers and lackeys, using pirates to deal with other pirates; this is their strategy. The man with black hair uttered words that made the Empress scoff: "Who would be a lackey for the World Government? Have they lost their minds?"

We are a little more free

His eyelid twitched; although he recognized this large snake from the comic, he did not expect it to be so fast and so large, nearly twice the length of his body. As for its speed, it had already appeared behind the Empress before he could even clearly see it with his eyes.

The empress scoffed disdainfully. Although she was the most beautiful among the slaves, she had two sisters who were not good-looking. Therefore, she was well aware of the fate that awaited those slaves who were not favored by their masters. If it were not for her protection and pleas, her two sisters would have likely been discarded by the Celestial Dragons long ago, separated from her.