Chapter Thirty: Shields Town

"Koby, I want to become a Marine too."
Koby hesitated, barely daring to move, but eventually he reached out his trembling hand and clasped it with Rowan’s.
"How about joining the Marines with me in the future?" Rowan asked.
"Right here?" Koby glanced at the nearby island, his voice quivering.
"Of course not. Someone like Morgan doesn’t deserve to be my superior. If we’re joining the Marines, it should be at Loguetown. Smoker is a Marine Headquarters Captain there."
Rowan looked toward Shells Town, his face full of disdain for Morgan.
A man who couldn't even defeat Luffy at the start of his journey—Rowan saw no reason to take him seriously. If it weren’t for the fact that he wasn’t a Marine yet and couldn’t attack him openly, Rowan would have gone ashore already and scattered Morgan’s ashes to the wind.
"Can I really do that?"
Koby clearly had done his homework, even knowing about Smoker in Loguetown.
"Stick with me, and of course you can."
Rowan smiled.
"Alright, I’ll take that as a yes."
Remembering Koby’s indecisive nature from the anime, Rowan made the decision for him. After all, he wasn’t deceiving Koby—he truly intended to join the Marines.
Under Koby’s wide-eyed gaze, Rowan grabbed him by the scruff of the neck, brought him back to the ship, introduced him to the pirates, and ordered the navigator to set sail.
He had no intention of lingering in Shells Town—his only purpose here was to buy clothes for little Donna.
Though Nami had altered several outfits for Donna using her own clothes, Rowan found them ill-suited; these clothes were never designed for a young girl.
"Who are they…?"
Stepping onto the ship, Koby froze.
These people didn’t look like the good sort.
"They were once crewmates of Krieg. Now they’re my prisoners. When we reach Loguetown, I’ll hand them over to the Marines," Rowan explained, then added another detail that made Koby tremble from head to toe. "As for Krieg himself and his officer Pearl, they’re still locked up in the storeroom."
By telling Koby this, Rowan was indirectly showing his own strength to reassure Koby that he’d be safe following him.
And indeed, the tactic worked perfectly.
When Koby learned these men were Rowan’s captives, admiration and envy filled his eyes. He wanted to be a Marine, but always felt too weak and feared rejection, so he’d never dared to try.
But when he heard that even Krieg had been captured alive by Rowan, Koby’s jaw nearly hit the floor, just as exaggerated as in the comics.

To have the power to capture Krieg alive—just how strong was Mr. Rowan?
If he joined the Marines alongside Rowan, surely he’d be accepted.
And after learning a move or two from Rowan, perhaps he too could become a powerful Marine.
Rowan merely smiled and patted Koby on the shoulder, saying nothing more.
Shells Town, a proper town, boasted a port far larger than the tiny pier in Rossi Village.
Without the pirate insignia, their ship sailed straight into port, drawing no attention except from a few dockworkers awaiting cargo.
But seeing that it wasn’t a merchant vessel, they quickly lost interest.
"I’m going into Shells Town to buy my little sister some new clothes. Want to come along?"
Cradling Donna in his arms, Rowan turned to Koby before disembarking.
"I… I think I’ll stay," Koby stammered, clearly apprehensive about Shells Town, shaking his head in refusal.
Rowan had expected this, so he didn’t insist.
With Nami and little Donna, Rowan went ashore.
Having witnessed the splendor of a great civilization in his previous life, Rowan was unimpressed by the so-called bustle of Shells Town.
He stopped a passerby, asked for directions to the best clothing store, and set off with the girls.
"Hey, Rowan, don’t you feel something’s off about this place?"
Walking down the street, Nami glanced around. The townsfolk moved carefully, speaking in hushed voices, none daring to speak loudly or play in the open.
"The Marine Captain here, Morgan, is a brutal tyrant," Rowan replied in a low voice.
He wasn’t afraid of Morgan, but he didn’t want to cause trouble here and ruin his plans to join the Marines.
Nami fell silent. She’d long known that, aside from Bellemere, there was no such thing as a good Marine in this world.
Well… Rowan would be an exception, once he joined.
"Is this the place?"
Spotting a large signboard, Rowan stopped.
According to the directions, this was the finest clothing store in Shells Town.
From children’s wear to adult evening gowns, the selection was vast.
When Donna caught sight of the clothes through the window, her eyes suddenly sparkled, only to dim a moment later.

Rowan noticed the change in Donna’s gaze—he knew she liked those clothes.
But her current circumstances and past experiences made her too timid to voice her desires.
Had her father been with her, Rowan was certain Donna would be clinging to his sleeve, begging for a new dress.
"Come on, we’re here to buy you clothes. Pick anything you like—your big brother has plenty of money."
Smiling, Rowan pinched Donna’s cheek and pushed open the door. Nami followed behind.
The store clerks were quick to spot opportunity.
The moment they saw Rowan, they greeted him with bright, eager smiles. "Are you here to buy clothes for this adorable little princess?"
"This princess dress…"
Rowan nodded, carrying Donna to a pale yellow, puffed gown.
"This is our most luxurious children’s dress, designed by the top designer from Gurney Town exclusively for nobility. Our shop owner went to great lengths…"
The clerk’s pitch was full of enthusiasm. Ever since this dress had arrived, its high price had kept it unsold. If she could make the sale, the commission would be sizable.
As for whether Rowan could afford it—was there even a question?
Experienced clerks could spot a wealthy client at a glance.
Rowan’s clothes, though plain in design, were made from the finest materials.
Such fabrics weren’t for the nobility of the East Blue—they were reserved for royalty.
And yet, this man had fashioned a rather ill-fitting dress for the little girl out of such precious fabric—using the coarsest of methods.
Would a man with such means balk at the price of a noble’s gown?
"We’ll take it," Rowan said, cutting off the clerk’s pitch.
Rowan would never be stingy with Donna; money meant little to him.
Before setting sail, the Golden Lion had given Rowan a modest sum.
No, not modest—a fortune. The very sum Nami dreamed of possessing.
But to the Golden Lion, it was nothing; his research alone would consume that amount every few days.
And after capturing Krieg, Rowan had seized another ten million Berries in cash from his ship, along with untold treasures in gold and jewels.
"Sir, there’s also this set—"