When the golden cage smashed the tough man's body to the ground, the outcome of the battle was decided.
Tesoro looked down at Senor, who lay there with a peaceful expression, and instead of pressing his advantage, simply sat down beside him.
Between men, once a fight is settled, they become friends.
And with friends, Tesoro would never maintain his guard.
Without hesitation, he lay down next to Senor, pulled a cigarette from his pocket, and offered it to him.
"Take it. It's a bit crushed from your punches, but still smokable. I brought it from my hometown—you don't have these here. Try it. I'll light it for you, since your hands are tied now."
Señor smiled, took the cigarette between his lips, and after taking a deep drag, said to Tesoro.
"It really is a fine cigarette—fiery yet gentle, with an unforgettable aftertaste."
"Hahaha! Didn't expect such cultured words from you. Honestly, when I first saw your getup, I thought I'd run into some kind of pervert. But turns out you're way more impressive than me. Your pursuit of love and sense of responsibility are even stronger than mine!"
Señor looked at Tesoro and said softly.
"You are purer and more steadfast than I am. If it were me, I might have chosen suicide long before meeting Jake. The only reason I can keep living now is because there's still hope that her illness can be cured."
"Then join Jake-sama side. You know better than I do what kind of place the Donquixote Family is. If you join Jake-sama's ranks, he will surely cure your beloved's illness. And even if you don't join, knowing Jake-sama as I do, he would never stand idly by."
Hearing this, Senor asked Tesoro somewhat confusedly.
"Why? I should be considered his enemy. And honestly, the sins I've committed over the years are far from few. I don't deserve redemption from such a great man."
Tesoro responded by gently patting Senor shoulder and said.
"Jake-sama once said that no one is undeserving of redemption. You are a true man. You should know that after making mistakes, the most important thing isn't to run away but to think about how to make amends to those we've hurt."
"If that great man is willing to give me this chance, then I should—"
"I will grant you this opportunity, Senor. As for your wife's illness, I will treat her tomorrow. For today, please let me rest for the night. The fight with Doflamingo has left me exhausted."
Jake spoke with a weary smile, his gaze resting calmly on Tesoro and Senor, who were lying on the ground.
"Jake-sama!"
The moment he saw Jake, Tesoro sprang up from the ground, his face alight with excitement.
"Senor is a true man. The only reason he pledged loyalty to Doflamingo was because that scum once did him a favor. But throughout this time, Senor has hardly taken the initiative to harm anyone. In fact, he's deliberately let innocent people escape to spare them from Doflamingo's cruelty."
Looking at the slightly agitated Tesoro, Jake smiled and said.
"Don't worry, Tesoro. I know. There's no need for concern. I've already investigated Senor situation thoroughly. Tomorrow, I'll handle everything properly. For now, take him back to treat his injuries. Remember to remove the handcuffs and restraints—I trust him."
Hearing Jake's words, Senor tears streaming uncontrollably from his eyes.
As Jake spoke, he walked away into the distance.
There was still much he needed to do tonight.
...
Monet held Sugar in her arms, her face wet with tears.
"I'm sorry, Sugar. It's my fault for leaving you in such a place for so long. I'm sorry."
Monet's tears fell ceaselessly, and the warmth of them against Sugar's face melted away the lingering resentment and dissatisfaction in her heart.
Clutching Monet tightly, Sugar burst into loud sobs.
"Waaah, Sister! Sugar missed you so much! I really thought you abandoned me! Waaah!"
The two sisters held each other tightly, weeping as they poured out the longing in their hearts.
Just then, Jake's voice came through, tinged with amusement.
"Perhaps I shouldn't speak right now, but Monet-san, could you please make some ice? We need quite a bit to treat the wounded. Oh, and the fire in the west has grown quite large—we'll need you to help put it out."
Hearing Jake's voice behind her, Monet lifted her head, somewhat embarrassed as she wiped the tears from her face, and replied.
"Sorry, Jake. I got a little too emotional. Ah! That's right—are you hurt?!"
Caught up in the joy of reuniting with her sister, Monet had forgotten to ask if Jake was injured in the first place.
Seeing the flustered look on Monet's face, Jake smiled.
A golden glow lit up in his hand as he gently pressed it against Monet's arm.
"Before worrying about whether I'm hurt, take care of yourself first, Monet. The blood on your shoulder hasn't stopped flowing yet."
As she watched her arm enveloped in the Power of Holy Light, Monet felt embarassed for some reason.
She had experienced this many times before, but... why hadn't she ever felt this way until now?
It wasn't until Monet turned her gaze to Sugar that she realized where this strange sense of shyness came from.
Sugar was staring at her and Jake with a complexity in her eyes that no little girl her age should possess.
She let out a long sigh before saying.
"It's fine. You two go ahead and do what you need to do. I know that as the little sister, I'm probably just in the way right now."
Hearing Sugar's words, both Monet and Jake were left at a loss between laughter and tears.
The next moment, Monet suddenly stepped forward and pulled Sugar into a tight hug, poking her smooth forehead with a finger as she scolded her.
"What kind of nonsense are you spouting the moment we meet? Honestly! You dummy!"
Watching this scene, Jake felt as though a weight he had carried in his heart for so long had finally lifted.
-----------------------------
Read 40 chapters ahead and support me on patreon.
patreon (.)com/Newbietranslator