Pirates: Building a Pirate Family

The two sides shook hands.

Charlotte felt a strange new presence through her mind as she connected with the person before her.

"Is this kid really the hero of Kamei Island? He seems so young. I hope he doesn't disrupt my plans!"

This was the thought Charlotte picked up when touching the man's hand.

"So, ghosts do exist?" Charlotte mused, now fully alert.

"Hello, Mr. Chamberlain! May I ask what happened to the previous mayor?" Charlotte asked, maintaining a firm grip on the man's hand.

Chamberlain tried to pull his hand back but couldn't. Resigned, he smirked and allowed Charlotte to hold on.

"Is this kid… gay?" Chamberlain thought to himself, though he showed no outward reaction.

"Excuse me?!" Charlotte's inner voice snapped.

"The last mayor retired due to age. I have no idea where he is now. Rumor has it he went traveling," Chamberlain replied, pretending to be thoughtful.

"Damn that old man! He tricked me out of 50 million Baileys and disappeared. I still haven't found him!" Chamberlain cursed silently.

Charlotte sighed in relief. He had initially suspected Chamberlain of foul play against the old mayor. Knowing the mayor was still alive put him at ease; after all, the former mayor had been kind to Charlotte in his childhood.

"So, what brings you to me, Mr. Mayor?" Charlotte asked again.

"Haha! Nothing much," Chamberlain replied, grinning. "I just wanted to meet the hero of Kamei Island and let you know that I'm here to support you in any way I can."

Charlotte could sense the falseness of his words. Without his ability to read minds, he might have been deceived by the man's flattering demeanor.

"Hmph. I'm an agent of Umis, the King of the Sea," Chamberlain thought smugly. "I'm here to establish a foothold for our operations in the second half of the Grand Line. This island is key to our plans."

"The Shipping King!" Charlotte recognized the name instantly. One of the six notorious underground kings of the dark world, the Sea King was someone to be wary of.

Chamberlain noticed Charlotte frowning. "Is something the matter, Mr. Charlotte?" he asked.

"No, nothing at all," Charlotte replied, masking his thoughts with a smile. He released Chamberlain's hand, much to the man's relief.

"Well, I'm glad to hear that. If you ever need assistance, don't hesitate to reach out," Chamberlain said, patting his ring-covered chest.

"Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I appreciate it," Charlotte replied politely.

"Oh, by the way, I'll be hosting a banquet in two days. It would be an honor to have you join us," Chamberlain added.

"Of course. I'll be there," Charlotte agreed, already aware of the mayor's ulterior motives. The man clearly wanted to use him as a local figurehead to expedite his plans.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, the two parted ways.

Charlotte exited the café, slightly tipsy from the wine they had shared. "Who serves red wine in a coffee shop?" he wondered, shaking his head as he returned to his villa.

Back at home, his five maids and Ivan rushed to assist him when they saw him swaying.

"Master!"

"Boss!"

The maids helped Charlotte inside, but the alcohol and proximity to the maids made him flustered. Ignoring Ivan, he let two of the maids lead him to his room. The remaining three blushed furiously as Ivan instructed them to wait outside.

The Next Morning

Charlotte awoke with a splitting headache. As he stretched, he noticed two delicate hands resting on his chest. Turning to either side, he saw Martha and Jenny, their clothes disheveled and barely covering their bodies.

"What on earth happened last night?!" he thought, panic rising as he hastily lifted the blanket. The sight beneath made his face turn beet red.

The movement stirred the two maids awake. "Master!" they exclaimed in unison, sitting up completely, their lack of clothing evident.

Charlotte quickly turned away, stammering, "G-Get up! Get dressed!" He grabbed his clothes and fled the room.

Outside, he found the remaining three maids holding toiletries. "Go inside and help them clean up," he instructed, not stopping as he walked out of the villa.

On the beach, Charlotte drew his sword, venting his conflicted emotions with powerful slashes. The sands bore deep gashes from his sword energy, only to be smoothed over by the incoming waves.

After some time, Charlotte calmed down, regaining clarity. His mind wandered to the accidental release of his Conqueror's Haki—a power he had yet to fully control.

"I need to master this ability," he resolved, focusing inward to memorize the sensation.