Chapter 119 Tense atmosphere
The tea party hosted by the Queen of Totto land, Charlotte Linlin, was certainly impressive.
The setup for the event began the night before. The location was a large area at the top of the palace. This area had been expanded recently. A man had used cookies to make the area bigger. From afar, it appeared like a crown on top of a cake-like castle.
As it neared eleven o'clock, the time for guests to arrive approached. Instead of using the stairs inside the castle, an elevator made of candy extended from the entrance of the palace up to the banquet area on the top floor.
When the four of them reached the elevator, the man who constructed it, Perospero, greeted them with a grin, saying, "Mr. Brett, mother is eager to hear your response. "
Brett returned the smile.
The four of them stepped into the elevator and rode it all the way up.
As they spiraled upward, Tesoro asked, "Is this really alright? "
"I can't picture you just staying on Fish-Man Island forever. "
Brett wasn't too scared of the Charlotte family, but Tesork felt differently. He couldn't remain on Fish-Man Island and live a quiet life like Brett could.
"Give it a shot. If it goes badly, we'll just try to escape. "
Tesoro was moved that Brett cared for him.
"Alright, then I'll join you in this madness! " Tesoro smiled, saying, "After all, it might not lead to the worst outcome, right? "
'The aim this time is to sabotage Big Mom's plan while also making her see us as reliable allies. '
Brett smiled.
Big Mom isn't a good person, but there's still potential for collaboration.
The elevator reached its destination. Once they exited, a lively scene greeted their eyes.
The large venue was already filled with a crowd, with many tables and chairs set up, but guests weren't rushing to sit down. They were mingling in small groups, chatting and laughing.
For the elite, the gathering is primarily about building connections rather than just eating and drinking.
"Hey, you all made it! "
With heavy footsteps, a sinister voice called out.
Brett turned to see Cracker, encased in cookie armor, striding over with a teasing grin on his rough-looking cookie face, saying, "So, have you thought about what to say to mom? I'm really eager to hear your refusal. I was worried you'd escape last time, but this time you probably won't get away. "
"Hey, hey, Cracker, no matter what, we're guests here. Is this how the Charlotte family treats the guests they invite? "
Tesoro said coldly.
There's a straightforward idea in how people communicate with each other. How much you value yourself influences how others perceive you.
Right now, Tesoro knows his worth.
Just as Cracker's face started to shift, a voice interrupted him.
"Cracker, take it easy. "
The man quietly leaned against the wall, tossing a few jelly beans in his hand. His scarf covered the lower part of his face, "Do you want to disrupt mom's tea party? "
"Sorry, brother."
The proud Cracker was very deferential in front of this man. He nodded, turned, and walked away without glancing at Brett and the others.
Brett observed the man by the wall.
Charlotte Katakuri, the second son of the Charlotte family, Big Mom's right-hand man, and the mightiest general.
In some ways, he is even tougher than Big Mom.
"Hope you are ready to respond to mom later. " Katakuri remained very composed, showing neither excitement nor boredom.
However, Brett knew this man had a passionate spirit that he kept hidden.
"No problem."Brett's reply was also quite neutral.
As they officially entered the venue, Brett scanned around and said, "Tesoro, let's get to work. "
"Understood. "
Tesoro slightly smiled and nodded, "Let's go, Baccarat, it's time to display your skills. "
"Count on me, Lord Tesoro! " Baccarat's gaze was full of seriousness.
Tesoro quickly mingled with the guests alongside Baccarat, utilizing his talents as a skilled businessman.
Though chatting and laughing were just for show, the real objective was for Baccarat to engage more guests and draw luck from them.
Baccarat can enhance her luck by absorbing it from others. While she can't share this luck, being close to her can safeguard someone from bad luck.
"And then, there's you,Tanaka. "
Brett glanced back at Tanaka who was following him.
"I understand, Lord Brett " Tanaka said earnestly, "I will be on high alert and use my powers as soon as I get your cue! "
Brett nodded.
It's best to prepare for the worst situation first.
If Baccarat and Tanaka's abilities work well together, just getting away should be manageable.
Calculations are done in his mind without intention, and lacking prior knowledge of their abilities, even Big Mom wouldn't be able to stop them.
The only uncertain factor is—
Brett stayed still, quietly listening to Katakuri's voice amidst the surrounding noise.
Both men have exceptional observation haki, one can see the future, the other can listen. If these two compete, the outcome would be unknown.
'That's the worst-case scenario. We must do our best to avoid that situation.'
"Hey Brett, over here, over here! "
A sweet, gentle voice called out, leading Brett to follow the sound.
At a nearby table, Stussy sat smiling and gesturing for him to join her, saying, "Come and sit here. "
Several other men were at her table, including the familiar Birdman and two others.
One of them was a heavyset man wearing sunglasses and had a cigar in his mouth.
The other was an elderly man with a white beard and a reddened nose, drunkenly sprawled out on the table.
Brett approached the group.
"Hahahaha, how did yesterday's news treat you, Brett? "
Morgans was eager to laugh, saying, "The Whitebeard Pirates, the Big Mom Pirates, and Fish-Man Island are just like those ongoing love stories in romance books, right? So, I intentionally wrote it that way. The same style as romance novels. How does it feel? Is it refreshing right? "
Brett pulled out a chair and sat down with a serious expression, stating, "I just want to rip out all your body hair. "
"Oh, that's not good. " Morgans recoiled a bit, but he still smiled as he said, "They're my prized possessions. "
"Oh, you're the one who caught that fool Umit, Fishman Brett, right? "
The old man with the white beard who was lying on the table lifted his head and burped from the alcohol. It was then Brett noticed that this man had a wild look in his eyes, with each eye gazing in a different direction.
"Hiccup~ That's perfect. We can discuss working together later.."
Stussy made an introduction at just the right moment, saying, "Brett, meet Mr. Kipotson, a big name in the warehousing field, often referred to as the master of hiding. "
'Warehousing? I get it, shipping and storing go hand in hand.'
"Of course. "Brett returned a smile and remarked, "Let's have a chat with Tesoro later. "
Kipotson laughed softly before pulling out a bottle of wine to enjoy again.
"Now about this person—"
Stussy grinned wider and introduced the hefty man, "He's another major player known as the Loan shark King, the God of Fortune, Lu Feld. "
'Oh, isn't he the one you shot with your finger gun in the original game?'
Brett clearly sensed that this God of Fortune didn't have nice feelings towards him.
In reality, Lu Feld had a very stern look on his face, stating, "You've truly given me a lot of problems, Fishman Brett. "
"Since Umit borrowed a large sum from Lu Feld for his business growth, but. . . " Stussy clarified.
"Is that the case? What do you mean? "
Tesoro's voice interrupted, as he concluded his previous conversation, walked over, pulled out a chair, and seated himself next to Brett, asking, "Are you suggesting we help Umit repay the debt? "
Brett could hear various screams around him, and some people were already facing bad luck.
The God of Fortune, Lu Feld scoffed but showed no interest in arguing back at Tesoro. He wasn't stubborn.
Brett thought again about how those who reach a certain level in business often have a knack for smooth dealings.
This was unlike pirates. Pirates tend to be very set in their ways, and the stronger they are, the more stubborn they get.
"So, Brett, what's the fish-man island's stance? " Morgans eagerly inquired, "Whitebeard or Big Mom? "
Brett settled back in his chair and smirked, "Take a guess. "
"C'mon ! "Morgans, feeling frustrated, raked his hair with both hands, saying, "This is clearly huge news! ! "
"Mom is here! "
Suddenly, marshmallows began to float in the air, all while they cheered joyfully.
How did Brett know they were marshmallows?
Because one landed right in front of Bright, and it looked up at him, saying, "Please eat me."
Brett felt a shiver, picked it up, and tossed it back into the air.
Just then, with the flying treats, Big Mom appeared, dressed in pink, making a grand entrance surrounded by her family associates.
"Maa mamaa, let's all enjoy today's tea party like always! ! "
The lively shouts filled the air almost entirely.
BLU BRU BRU.
At that moment, Brett's transponder snail started ringing.
Brett raised an eyebrow.
'Here it comes.'
With a look of concern, he answered the call and hurried away from the table. Almost simultaneously, Katakuri's gaze fixated on him from a short distance.
He gestured towards a underling and quietly spoke to him.
Nearby, Brett quickly made his way to a hidden area near the elevator entrance and let out a sigh of relief. Luckily, Katakuri was present; otherwise, he would have been anxious about how to get their attention.
After some time, Brett returned to his spot looking serious.
"What's the update? " Tesoro asked at the right moment.
Almost simultaneously, at the table next to Brett where Big Mom and the family leaders were seated, a man hurriedly approached Big Mom and quietly shared something with her.
Big Mom's previously cheerful expression suddenly turned dark. She rose and fixed her gaze on Brett's table, specifically on Brett.
"Brett, what's your response? "
The cheerful atmosphere of the tea party became tense.
Brett took a deep breath and replied, "The people from Fish-Man Island said they need to think it over once more. "
"Are you trying to deceive me? " Big Mom exclaimed, her eyes wide. " I've been rejected by Fish-Man Island, haven't I? "
An invisible force came toward him, Brett felt the weight of the situation.
He glanced at Big Mom. A smirk formed on Cracker's face, while the other members around him had serious looks.
Yet, this was anticipated.
****
50+advance chapters at patreon.com/Eatinpieces