"Sir, he is called Pagaya, very sorry that he offended you. He is my friend, also because of being impulsive for my safety, could you let him off this time?", Conia slightly sighed, spoke up to resolve the situation for Pagaya, in her tone there was a faint trace of fatigue that was hard to detect.
'Having this kind of friend is truly mentally exhausting.'
Once, she had thought Pagaya was a responsible man.
When they were young, he even got bruised all over his face from fighting other kids to protect her.
Who would've thought that now he had become like this, so cowardly it made one despair.
No wonder he had never passed the selection of divine guards, not qualified to enter the Holy Ground.
Perhaps, the truly brave Skypieans had already long been selected into the Holy Ground.
But what could be done?
Even if Pagaya was so disappointing, he was still a friend she had grown up with.
To help him out, Conia could only brace herself and step forward to speak for him.
"You want to excuse him. But in his heart, maybe he's secretly hating you, do you believe that?", A low, cold voice came from beside her, tinged with a trace of mocking laughter. Rosse had somehow approached without notice, warm breath brushing past Conia's ear.
That voice was like a devil's whisper, causing Conia's entire body to tremble slightly.
"I don't believe it!", Conia shook her head fiercely, her tone firm and resolute.
She believed everyone simply lacked courage, how could they possibly hate her?
Just now, she saw clearly, Rosse had already raised his hand, ready to command the woman on the divine statue to act.
That earlier warning, this time, there would definitely be blood.
In Conia's eyes, she was saving someone.
"Oh? Is that so. Then why don't we make a bet, how about it? Let's bet on whether he really resents you," Rosse curved his lips into a playful smile, "If I lose, I'll let all the Skypieans go, take my people and immediately leave Skypiea. But if I win…"
He deliberately paused, his gaze brimming with interest as it locked onto Conia.
"I'll let you deal with me however you want," Conia immediately responded without hesitation, stubbornly lifting her head, meeting Rosse' eyes, her clear pupils burning with unwavering determination.
This was a sure-win bet.
At the same time, it was also an opportunity to save Skypiea.
She believed she was doing the right thing.
She also believed Pagaya and the others would understand her actions.
"It's a deal," Rosse nodded in agreement, his smile even brighter.
The Skypiean representative he sought was certainly not some useless trash.
They needed to be someone the Skypieans trusted, yet still kept a distance, with some psychological separation.
First having the status of a Jaygarcia family member, and only then being a Skypiean, only such a person could truly be "one of us."
The next second, Rosse shifted his gaze onto Pagaya, who was curled on the ground like a quail, "Pagaya, right? Stand up. Since you're Conia's friend, I'll forgive your offense this time. Go enter the Holy Ground with her."
"No no no no, sir, please spare me! The Holy Ground is where gods reside. I can't enter…", Pagaya was scared out of his wits, waving his hands repeatedly, his head shaking like a rattle drum, his face filled with terror and resistance, wishing he could immediately kneel and kowtow for mercy. [T/N: I am not sure but Skypieans call Upper Yard, 'Holy Ground' right?]
Hearing Conia speak for him earlier, Pagaya had quietly breathed a sigh of relief, thinking he'd narrowly escaped disaster.
Who would have thought Rosse would make him enter the Holy Ground?
That was even scarier than killing him outright.
Bringing outsiders into the Holy Ground? That would absolutely be seen as betrayal and punished by the gods.
Back when the Roger Pirates stormed the Holy Ground, they were strong enough to make the gods lower themselves to make friends.
But he wasn't the same now. Back then it was the gods who conceded. Now, if he led someone in, wouldn't that make him a traitorous guide?
Pagaya didn't dare gamble with the gods' intentions.
The gods were kind to them, but after all, they were gods revered by Skypieans.
By comparison, Rosse seemed more reasonable in speech.
"I'm not discussing this with you, Pagaya," Rosse flatly interrupted Pagaya's wailing, his tone direct and firm, "I'm giving you two choices. Either go with Conia into the Holy Ground, or…"
"Sir, I choose the first one! The first one!", Pagaya screamed, as if afraid Rosse would go back on his word, shouting as he scrambled and crawled.
Inside, his resentment toward Conia had reached the limit.
'It is all that damn woman's fault!'
'If she hasn't stepped out from the start, how could things have escalated this far?'
'With so many people in the plaza, even if misfortune came, it wouldn't have landed on me.'
Pagaya didn't dare and couldn't do anything to Rosse, but as for Conia, he had no scruples.
At this moment, he could only curse Conia silently in his heart.
"The first one?"
'Interesting, here comes my favorite multiple-choice game again.'
Rosse chuckled softly, slowly and leisurely pulling out the platinum pistol with a metallic sheen from his lower back.
Ever since crossing over, he had always carried this pistol on him.
This platinum pistol had practically become his signature choice tool.
With a flick of his finger, the pistol seemed to be endowed with life. Wrapped in seawater, it slowly floated to Pagaya's front.
"Go on, shoot! Kill your friend, and you won't have to enter the Holy Ground," The muzzle was pointed straight at Conia's chest.
"You want me to kill Conia?", Pagaya looked at Rosse in disbelief, as if staring at a devil.
"Pagaya, don't be afraid, come with me into the Holy Ground, nothing will happen," Conia bit her lip, forced out a reassuring smile, and gently tried to persuade him.
She wasn't afraid of having the gun pointed at her, because she truly didn't believe Pagaya would pull the trigger.
This was just Rosse coercing Pagaya into submission.
As long as Pagaya was willing to enter the Holy Ground with her.
Then all the people of Skypiea would be safe.
'The Lord God is merciful.'
'After this man and his people leave, the gods will definitely understand our act of disrespect.'
"This…", Pagaya's face twisted completely, his features scrunched into a ball, veins bulging on his forehead, sweat like beans rolling down.
He didn't dare, and couldn't make that decision.
He didn't even dare to hold the gun.
Like a drowning man, he frantically rolled his eyes, scanning around, his gaze anxiously sweeping past the numb faces around him.
'Please!'
Whether it was pulling the trigger on Conia or biting the bullet and entering the Holy Ground.
'Every choice is painful, just don't make me choose.'
However, his hope was destined to be in vain.
The surrounding Skypieans were like cold statues, completely indifferent, not a single person stepping out to speak for Pagaya.
If they spoke for Pagaya, then who would speak for them?
"You all!"
Pagaya finally realized. No one would step out, no one would decide for him, bear even the tiniest sliver of responsibility.
At this moment, his last mental defense completely collapsed.
He was just an ordinary person, why force him?
"AHHH! Conia, this whole thing is your fault!", Pagaya wailed in tears, suddenly gripped the platinum pistol, and under Conia's disbelieving gaze, pointed it at her chest.
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