Chapter 154 - Settling in a new home

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In the distant places of West Blue, the part of the world dominated by the city-states that were ruled democratically, one of such republics kept its steady stability.

This Republic was called the Republic of Fiorenze, one of the important city-states of the West Blue.

A prosperous region that was truly diversified when it came to trade and own productions.

Most of the West Blue states developed upon the dark trade happening in the underworld, unseen by the naked eyes, where they could trade in illegal weapons out of the control of the World Government, drugs that could leave entire cities in a decaying state, and all sorts of illegal things.

Those were the foundation for most of the city-states of the West Blue, except for certain bigger republics, respectively, Republic of Fiorenze, Kingdom of Milanose, Republic of Genovase, and the Republic of Velenci.

One could say that those countries held the most sway in the politics of West Blue, and most city-states would have to get in line, following the lead of those 4 rivals.

Nevertheless, this rivalry between those 4 bigs of the West Blue was also the catalyst of technological development, artistic revolutions, and overall the increasing of well-being for the common people.

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Among one of such people that enjoyed the development in the living standards was a young woman around 21-22 years old, with a tall and white slender body, shoulder-length hair while she was wearing a pair of reading glasses, assorted with the common clothes with a renaissance style, a mark of the Fiorenze Republic.

Nonetheless, she was the type to always be in control. Even when she departed from her former location, Kingdom of Siciliana, while not expecting to be found out by the Cipher Pol that fast, she managed to secure her freedom in her shrewd ways.

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After she distanced herself from the harbor of the city, with the shouts of encouragement of the young sailors mesmerized by her beauty and talent, while they kept calling her Rose, Rose.

She just smiled without focusing much on them, moving inside the city, holding her backpack containing all her precious belongings.

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Rose's brown eyes were watching everything around herself carefully, and as she moved down the crowded streets of Fiorenze, she took in the distinct architecture of the city, that was constructed with a medieval architecture in mind giving a delicate balance to the city, compared to the bland style of Siciliana.

"I never expected the city to be so crowded. So this is what is like being inside one of the four crown jewels of the West."

Taking her time to bask in the city's atmosphere, admiring the architecture and the extensive culture of the people in this part of the sea, she finally decided to also find a place to settle down.

Without drawing any attention to herself, she crossed her slender arms around the chest while her face seemed to hold a pondering expression that made her look like she was contemplating something related to the stalls. Yet what she just did now was increase her vision exponentially by activating her devil fruit powers, creating small flowers around the buildings nearby that morphed into eyes.

'Let's see where the residential area is and if I can find a place to stay. I have about 25.000 𝔅 on me. I hope it is enough to stay in a house for two weeks, so I can make some money in the meantime.'

As she thought of this, she closed her eyes and started peering around herself until she found the placards for rent in a part of the city that was relatively close to the market.

"Found you. Please don't be expensive." said to herself, the young woman with raven black hair flowing down her shoulders as she moved in the direction of the house that was for rent.

After some minutes of walking on the crowded streets filled with shops and stalls along the orderly alleys, she entered the one residential zone that was rather peaceful compared to the vibrant market alleys and shop districts.

"This place can really be my home if everything goes well. The people also seem welcoming, with an air of freedom around themselves, something rarely seen around."

Saying that, not far from where she was a humble size house, a building with only one level, yet keeping the pleasant aspect, appeared in her eyes.

Moving in that direction, getting closer and closer, she suddenly jumped up, taken by surprise when hearing the barks of a dog.

Out of instinct, she took the stance for her devil fruit activation and looked vigilantly around herself.

'This one sounds like a hunting dog. Argh, such bad memories, being hunted by fighting hounds. Where is it?' pondered Robin, turning her body around herself.

The dog barks kept getting bigger, and Robin almost abandoned her plan to check on this house, retreating away from this zone. Nevertheless, she stopped in place when she heard the voice of an old person.

"Hush mutt. Are you trying to mess with my business again? Don't you know how much I invested here?"

With that question asked, Robin could see an old shoe flying in the direction the barks came from, and then she could also see a black dog the size of a labrador dashing over the shoe, happily getting the shoe in his mouth.

Getting to see the dog fully, she still was on her guard until the voice of the old man resounded again.

"Whoever is there, there is no reason to worry. That dog only knows to bark. It will not try to hurt you."

Then Robin could see the old man appearing from the house's direction. He was an old person wearing a merchant hat and some clothes that were a bit deteriorated, but there were also visible signs of decorations, with some gold sewing on them.

The old man's expression turned brighter when he noticed that his possible client was a woman that didn't look like some beggar and immediately greeted her.

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"Young lady, with what grace do I welcome you in my humble home?"

Robin smiled calmly, and after lowering her hands from the chest, asking the old man with some hesitance.

"Are you by chance offering houses for rent? I heard about your sign in the city crowds. If so, I would like to rent one house."

"Really? Did those cheap bastards mention my houses? Come in, don't be shy standing there."

Robin looked around herself, a bit cautious, and only for a few seconds did she begin walking toward the old man. Yet as she did that, the dog came back with the shoe in his mouth, getting closer to the old man, standing proudly on guard.

Dropping the shoe from its mouth, the dog looked at Robin vigilantly and barked, making her step down. Nevertheless, the old man turned to look at the dog, and taking another shoe from his feet, he smacked the dog without much force, saying to him.

"Hush, don't scare your future master, Blacky."

The dog looked confused, seeming to understand what the old man said, and later stepping behind the old man, he looked at Robin.

"Come in, young lady. Let me show you the house and see if it's on your licking."

Saying that, he waited for Robin to get closer to him, and doing that, Robin could see that the dog was no longer barking at her instead, it moved closer to sniff her. It was only after the old man took her in the house courtyard that the dog started to wiggle his tail as he walked next to Robin.

'This dog, I thought it would be scary, but it seems contrary to that. This place is nice. It has a courtyard spacious enough to spend my time outside at night. I might even build a small pavilion at the shadow of the trees.'

The old man put his hands in his pockets and took a set of keys, and as he walked slowly to the house door, he tried the key, but it didn't seem to fit.

"Tsk, wrong key. Wait a bit, young lady, I have some houses around here, not just this one."

"It is fine, sir. I just arrived in town."

"Ohh, are you an artist? This is the feeling I get when I am looking at you, young lady." inquired the old man as he was trying the keys he had on him.

Robin smiled at the old man and responded after nodding. "Indeed, I am one of the aspirants. From where I am coming from, there is not much development in this part of the industry. However, Fiorenze is known in the entire West as the home of the merchants and artists."

"Hehe, please don't make us sound so great. We are still fighting the other three."

"War?" asked Robin, not expecting the 4 jewels of the West to be in a war against one another.

The old man waved his hand to immediately drop such a claim. "No way, we are merchants, craftsmen, artists. We are not fighting those kinds of wars like the backwaters controlled by the Mafias. Our wars are on the theatre stage, competitions of who is the fittest, trading incomes, and so on, with exceptions to war."

"Our Doge Lorenzo di Melinde and the other leaders of the Republic know that it would just turn us into some backwaters like East and South if we fight against one another."

'I heard some information while I was staying in Siciliana, that the 4 jewels respect a status quo, where they will not go to arms against one another.'

"I am glad to hear that there is no war since I am coming from Siciliana, where there are always gunfights between the Mafias."

"Understandable. You don't have to worry about anything in Fiorenze, young lady, except for money."

Then as they got in the house, Robin could see that the house was dusty and not really kept clean, but it had furniture inside.

The old man showed her around the house while clearing some spider webs hitting his head in the process. Only after showing Robin most of the house, he cleared his throat, probably from the dust he inhaled, but walked out of the house.

"So, young lady, are you interested in renting the house?"

Robin, who patted her clothes that got dusty, along with clearing some spider webs from her hair, looked at the old man calmly, only asking him something in her heart.

"What is the price for monthly rent?"

The old man glanced at Robin's serene expression, visible not affected by the dust and the dirty interior of the house or the problems outside, which left the old man impressed but at the same time sad for the degenerate manner his business turned, barely having clients to rent his houses.

"How does the price of 12.500 𝔅 sound? Taking into account that the house contains furniture and even the other daily tools, from plates, glasses. I think it is a good price. Usually, I would have to rent it out for 18.000 𝔅, but because of the manner I left the house, I will not bicker for some 5.000 𝔅."

Robin didn't take much to think of this offer and agreed to the offer.

'I know the house value is way bigger than what u just mentioned sir, this house could even be rented for 25.000 𝔅.'

"Sounds good to me, sir. Are we going to sign a contract?"

"Ahh, yes, yes. Here, I even have some sheets of paper on me. Damn, where is my pen? Tsk, did that bastard stole it from me again? It was even made from gold." asked the old man while searching his clothes and the merchant hat, without much success.

It was Robin, who took her backpack off and opened up, taking a pen and handing it to the old man.

"Here, sir. Do you wish for me to write it?" asked Robin, trying to make the life of the old man a bit easier.

"Sure, here, take these sheets of paper. Let's move to that small bench where you could write it."

She moved toward the bench and, placing down the backpack on the ground, she started writing the contract for the rent, following the old man's instructions.

[This rental agreement dated on the day of 5, the month of May, the calendar year of 1516, is between Voclain Rose, tenant, and Giorgio de Pazzi, landlord, for the rental unit located in  San Marco District.

Under this rental agreement, the tenant agrees to rent the above-mentioned residence on a month-to-month basis with a monthly rental amount of 12.500 𝔅. The payment shall be due the next month whenever the tenant can pay the rent.

In case the rent doesn't pay, it's due. They will be evicted to the landlord's wishes.]

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"Good, I really like your calligraphy, little Rose. Do you also write poems and songs?" asked the old man who saw how impeccable Robin's writing was.

"This is just a passing of time for me, sir Pazzi. Anyway, here, sign the contract since I've done my share. After that, let me write the second one, so I also have a copy."

"Haha, as you wish, young lady, it is not like I will scam you."

"I know. I just like having things done cleanly."

As she said that, Robin, who got the pen back from the old man, Pazzi, started writing the copy of the contract, and not long after, she handed the pen for the old man to sign once again.

"Now, everything is good. So, will you pay it upfront now, or do you still have problems with money since you just arrived here?"

"Sir Pazzi, I can pay you the first month, but it is uncertain the next month because I still don't have anything to work and earn money."

"I see. Well, I will not force you out so fast. You can give me half the money now, and next month if you found a job and earned some money, you can pay the rest of the money."

"No problem, sir. Here, let me give you all the rent for this first month."

After she said that, Robin took her small purse, taking one banknote of 5.000 𝔅, four banknotes of 1.000 𝔅 and the rest of the money in coins of 500 𝔅.

"Sigh, are you sure you will handle yourself in the city with only what rest of money you have? You seem to only have about 12.000 𝔅 left." said old Pazzi taking a glance at Robin's purse, quickly figuring out how she fared with money.

Robin, who handed him the money, just forced a smile, saying to him. "All I can hope is that people like my singing and plays."

"Little Rose, as long as you want to earn money and can work even the unpleasant jobs, there wouldn't be a problem with money in Fiorenze since most of the wealth of the West gathers here in the city. Now, I will no longer disturb you. I handed you the keys. For now, I will see you next month."

"Take care of yourself, little Rose, and if you are approached by suspicious people that have scummy intentions in their request, just go to the guards and report to them, they will handle them."

"Understood. Thank you for offering me this new home, sir Pazzi."

"Yea, don't bother. It is not like I will sleep in those houses. Right, take care of Blacky. He is a bit annoying but, nonetheless, a smart dog. It is the dog of a dead friend, and sometimes I am coming to keep company with the dog."

*Woof* Barked the black dog standing close to Robin while looking at the old man taking his leave.

"Little puppy, while Marcus left this world, this doesn't mean you have to be stuck in the past. You have a new master to protect, and she also seems to be a good person."

*Woof* barked the dog pouncing with his front legs on the ground as if understanding what the old man said.

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Then slowly, the old man's figure could be seen distancing from the residence and courtyard, leaving only the dog and Robin, who was standing on a bench.

Looking with a calm gaze at the dog, she used her devil fruit power to make a hand that patted the dog.

This move took the dog unprepared, and doing a small bark, he later started enjoying the patting.

"To think I will even have company after arriving in Fiorenze, it isn't so bad as I expected for the first day inside the city."

"Doggy, are you called really Blacky?" asked Robin as she moved her own hand to pat the dog, lowering herself to the dog.

*Woof* Confirmed the dog, wiggling his tail, happy.

"I see, then I will not change your name, Blacky. Let's go inside. We have to clean the house before settling inside."

Entering inside the house accompanied by the black dog, she crossed her arms, and as flower petals began sprouting around the house, she called out with a serene voice.

"Clairière Fleur"

From the petals scattered around, many hands appeared that had the dog bark, pouncing on his front legs.

"Calm Blacky, this is just my powers. It will speed up the cleaning by a lot. Let's get to work before I go to the market and look for some food for you and me."

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Meanwhile, as Robin tied her hair down and prepared many cloth fabrics from inside the house, beginning to clean the house, an old man was seen exiting the San Marco District and moving toward another street.

From that street onward, the scenario turned even more grandiose and more heavily protected by the guards wearing expensive armour.

When the guards saw the old man, they bowed down deeply, saying to him. "Your Excellency Pazzi, welcome back."

"Bah, go back to your posts, guys. I just went to an old friend's house to keep company to someone. It is not like I went to Milanose or Genovase to confront the leaders of those backwaters. Is Lorenzo at the Palazzo?"

"Your Excellency, Doge Lorenzo is waiting for you at the meeting room." replied one guard that seemed to be the captain of this group.

"I see, then let's not have him waiting. I wonder what he wants to talk about with me. Any ideas?"

"Lord Pazzi, I am just a simple guard."

"Fine, you stay here." said old Pazzi while moving past the guards stationed at the entrance of this splendor part of the city.

The people walking on the streets all had expensive clothes, with a generous style to them. The ladies were also as beautiful as one could get, but all looked down, bowing to the old man as he passed.

Old Pazzi saw a decent size building that was reminiscent of a palace and castle but without being surrounded by the heinous walls that were in fashion when building castles.

Getting to this palace, he passed past the guards that bowed their heads, welcoming him, and after a while, he walked up the staircase, reaching the second floor of this palace.

There, he entered one of the rooms where inside was a mid 50s man standing, reading a newspaper while drinking a dark liquid that became really famous since two years ago around the West Blue.

This man standing on a glamorous chair had black hair and marks of whitening around the sides of his head, clean shaved, wearing a pair of small glasses decorated with gold, while he was wearing noble renaissance clothing.

This man, in front of old Pazzi, was the leader of the Republic of Fiorenze, Lorenzo di Melinde, or how he was known around the West, Lorenzo the Magnificent.

"Ohh, dear friend. Why are you wearing those rags again? Did you went to that old friend's house to play with the little puppy?"

"Why ask if you know Lorenzo." asked old Pazzi, moving toward the remaining chair in the room next to Lorenzo.

"I am bored. That is why. Anyway, do you want some of this coffee? It is from a new batch coming directly from the South. Those marines are really good at transporting cargo with their warships that can traverse the Calm Belt."

"Yea, give me a cup. It's been one week since I last tasted some of this coffee."

Lorenzo smiled and, taking a gold cup from the table, he later poured the black-brown liquid on it, giving it to old Pazzi.

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"I heard you wanted to talk something with me?"

"That is right, here, read this newspaper." said Lorenzo as he pushed a newspaper from the table in Pazzi's direction.

Taking a sip from the coffee, he put the cup down and picked the newspaper, looking at the front page that at the top about the Revolutionaries Army success in North Blue, but the one that was boldly put at the front page was an eye-catching title.

[Kaysang Civil War Roars as South goes into uncertainty]

"Ohh, Kaysang, isn't that the old fossil from the South Blue?" asked Pazzi, as he read the title of the World Economy Newspaper owned by Morgans?"

"Move to the next page. There is an entire article on that subject. Read it since it might interest you."

Curious by what Lorenzo said, he skimped a bit the front page that talked about some pirates that created a disturbance in the world before turning the page.

Reading the newspaper carefully, there was the back image of a man with crimson hair as a start of the article.

'Hmm, what is with this picture? Seems sketchy, I doubt Morgans would even do such teases.'

[This article is written directly from the frontline of the Kaysang Civil War. As I am writing this article for the world to read, the faction of the Vermilion Royal House that was dethroned by the nobles has begun their assault to take back the reigns from the nobles who staged their coup 4 years ago.

I couldn't get to see most of the war because my life was threatened by the nobles' soldiers that staged suicidal attacks on the citizens, but gladly there was a rescue mission and safe underground location for the citizens of Sagletius to hide until the war would end.

The atmosphere here is simply chaotic, but with the appearance of the soldiers of the Vermilion House, the citizens on the underground location were calmed down.

I managed to get some information from the soldiers watching for our safety and can reveal this shocking information to you, people of the world. The Kaysang Kingdom has found their lost Crown Prince.

The aging king Opheltius is also alive and safely protected by the Crown Prince.

You might ask who this Prince is, but the soldiers still don't want to reveal anything more than that. There are only the beliefs of the citizens here that the infamous criminal of Kaysang, Blood, is the Prince, but until having concrete evidence, I can't tell you.

As I end my report from this chaos, the ground shakes as if the end of the world is upon me, but luckily the soldiers assured me that I am safe. I shall report back with more information after the war is over, and the winner is revealed.]

"I see, but this will not affect us that much. South Blue is on the other part of the world, separated by the Red Line and Calm Belt.

"Well, let's say that the coffee is coming straight from Kaysang, would you believe me?"

"Wait, really? That old fossil kingdom managed to get their hands on such absurd trade good? Don't they have a monopoly?" asked Pazzi with a surprised face.

"Indeed, those bastards have a monopoly on this trade. For two years, I had my men try to grow those beans, but without having success. They will just not sprout."

"Be patient. There's also Milanose, Genovase, and Velenci probably trying to cultivate those coffee beans and take the lead in the trade here. Once they succeed, we will immediately find out with the spies we got planted there."

"Hehe, indeed, Giorgio. Still, I hope I get invited by those celestials and have the chance to meet the Kaysang side. I am preparing a big trade offer for them if all things go as a plane." said Lorenzo, with a shrewd smile on his face.

"Indeed, the World Council is around the corner. Only 5 more months, and it will be summoned again."

"That is right, 4 years ago, that Genovase fox got to be called from the 4. This time for sure is my turn to shine."

"Bah, I could care less. I am a military man with less trade on my side. That's your job, hitting your head with annoying idiots on trade deals and all that nonsense." said Pazzi disdainfully, while Lorenzo just laughed evilly.