Katakuri stepped forward and handed the small box in his hand to Ortoren.
Ortoren looked at him, a bit puzzled, but before Katakuri could say anything, Charlotte Linlin—sitting on the throne—spoke up directly.
"Take it. That's a gift from me."
Ortoren wasn't the type to stand on ceremony. Hearing that, he simply reached out and took the box from Katakuri.
"Perospero, arrange a place for Ortoren to stay," Charlotte Linlin said. "And while you're at it, show him around and help him get used to the environment."
Perospero grinned, licking his tongue, then nodded and called out to Ortoren.
"Come on, there are plenty of rooms here. You can pick whichever you like. And if none of them suit your taste, I highly recommend my candy house. Don't worry—I can whip it up in no time with my powers. Guaranteed to satisfy..."
Ortoren pictured a candy house made with Perospero's ability and instantly felt uneasy.
"No need," he said quickly. "I'm not picky. Just take me to any room you think is fine."
The two chatted as they walked, soon leaving the room behind.
...
Once their voices faded and the Homies' door closed automatically, Katakuri turned to his mother.
"Mama, Ortoren doesn't really see himself as one of us. I've spoken to him about this many times before. I don't think he plans to stay..." he said after a moment's thought.
Charlotte Linlin grabbed a pastry off the table, took two bites, and chewed casually before replying.
"Whether he stays or leaves, it doesn't matter, Katakuri."
"Huh?" Katakuri looked slightly confused, not quite understanding her meaning.
Charlotte Linlin, patient as ever with her favorite son, swallowed her food and explained.
"What matters is my attitude—our attitude. It's goodwill."
She paused briefly, then went on.
"Ortoren left me when he was still little... and in hindsight, that was my mistake. I misjudged things. I thought he'd hold deep hostility toward me. But after today's meeting... I was surprised. It seems... that boy doesn't hate me. He doesn't resent me for abandoning him."
Katakuri nodded.
"Right. I've talked to him about that too. He told me he doesn't feel any hatred or disgust toward you. But he also said he doesn't feel any closeness either. It's more like... dealing with a stranger."
"For us, that's already a good start," Charlotte Linlin said softly. "Whether it's the words I said or the gift I gave him, they were both meant as gestures of goodwill. And if that goodwill can bring even a small change in our distant relationship, that's enough. It tips the scales of fate slightly in our favor—and that's all we need."
Katakuri thought for a moment, then gave a slight nod.
Charlotte Linlin continued.
"If he chooses to stay, that would of course be wonderful. I can keep him close and train him personally. With his talent and potential, he's bound to become a true right-hand man one day—and truly one of us."
"And if he decides to leave?" Katakuri asked.
"Then it means he's even more stubborn than I thought. But it also means he has backbone—and courage, Katakuri," Charlotte Linlin said with a smile.
Right now, Ortoren's situation was like that of a poor kid suddenly discovered by a billionaire mother. She promised him endless wealth and glory—if he'd only return to her arms.
A path straight to the top.
Under normal circumstances, most people would be thrilled to accept such an offer—rushing into the arms of their wealthy mother and living a life of privilege.
But if Ortoren refused... that would indeed show he was far more stubborn, proud, and courageous than most.
Of course, you could also say he was arrogant. Or foolish.
It just depends on how you see it.
"Stubbornness, integrity, courage—these are all traits the sea cherishes. Add to that his exceptional talent and potential, and even if he chooses to refuse, I still believe in his future, Katakuri... If he decides to stay, he'll be nurtured by the Big Mom Pirates. But if he leaves, then it will be the tempests of this world that raise him. House flowers have their elegance and beauty, but wildflowers have their wildness and romance. Who's to say which is better?" Charlotte Linlin smiled, a trace of anticipation in her expression.
"House flowers... and wildflowers?" Katakuri murmured softly.
Whether it was the massive hammer Ortoren had forged himself or the gift Mama had just given him, in Katakuri's eyes, both signified one thing—Ortoren's future would be far from ordinary.
He once said that the world was vast, and he wanted to see it with his own eyes. To truly understand this beautiful yet brutal world, one must keep climbing. Only by reaching higher can one see farther and more clearly.
And only from the peak of the world can one witness its true form—right?
To reach that summit, his journey would inevitably be filled with storms and rain. But storms and rain, while harsh, also nourish.
Now, Katakuri understood—if Ortoren chose to leave, those very storms would guide him, pushing him along the thorny path that leads up the spine of the world.
And one day, when he's climbed high enough, he'll naturally cross paths again with the Big Mom Pirates—already perched atop the world—with Mama, and with him, Katakuri.
When that day comes, perhaps this initial goodwill would bloom into something unexpectedly wonderful.
Seeing Katakuri's eyes light up with understanding, Charlotte Linlin smiled in satisfaction.
Then, she suddenly grabbed a jug of strong liquor from the table, took a few heavy gulps, and with a loud bang, slammed the glass back down.
"Mamamama, hahahaha! Besides—after all I owe him, what right do I have to stop my son from heading out to sea?"
...
With the matter of Ortoren set aside, Charlotte Linlin's tone shifted slightly heavier.
"How's the intel on Shiki coming along?"
"Not very clear," Katakuri responded immediately.
Thanks to the extensive network Charlotte Linlin had cultivated over the years—and her outrageous approach to "marriage alliances"...
Well, when most people talk about marriage alliances, they usually mean marrying off someone in the family to form ties. Charlotte Linlin, on the other hand, had taken a far more brutal approach—using herself as the bargaining chip. She married again and again, to the point that her ex-husbands alone could form a whole combat unit.
And the thing was, she was still in her prime—her beauty hadn't even begun to fade. Just like Ortoren's father, there were still plenty of simps lining up for her.
Even those who had technically "divorced" her would jump to offer their support the moment she gave the word.
In addition, Charlotte Linlin had always loved hosting tea parties, constantly cultivating her relationships and expanding her reach deep into the underworld, forming strong ties with many shady figures.
Because of all this, the Big Mom Pirates had developed an incredibly powerful intelligence network over the years—so much so that they eventually claimed the title of "the most capable intel force in the pirate world!"
Still, even with all that, it remained difficult to gather much intel on Shiki. His core crew spent most of their time flying in the sky, and his base—the secret realm of Merveille—towered above the clouds. Their spies had no way to reach it.
Charlotte Linlin, fully aware of how tough the job was, didn't blame her intelligence team. She only sighed helplessly.
"In any case, Shiki's already mobilizing his fleet. We can't just sit back and wait for disaster. We can't let the war reach the heart of Whole Cake Island. Have our fleet gather at the front lines of Totto Land..."
...
(50 Chapters Ahead)
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