Roldy fell silent as he looked at the madness gleaming in Charlotte Linlin's eyes.
He knew she wasn't joking.
Back in the days of the Rocks Pirates, Linlin had already made this request more than once. At that time, however, Roldy had not yet grown into what he was today, and her desire for him had not reached this level of obsession. In those years, she had been more interested in seeking out other powerful men.
Blessed with astonishing beauty in her youth, Charlotte Linlin had borne children with many formidable figures. Now, after all these years, that obsession had only intensified.
Though Roldy didn't pay much attention to the internal affairs of the Big Mom Pirates, he knew one thing clearly—
The backbone of that entire crew consisted almost entirely of Linlin's children.
She had at least thirty by now.
And the fathers of those children were powerful figures from countless races across the seas.
"Linlin-nee… this…"
"Don't forget, Roldy boy—you still owe me a favor!"
Roldy had instinctively wanted to refuse.
Even when she had been stunningly beautiful in her youth, she hadn't stirred his heart. Now that she had grown heavier with age, it was even less possible.
From beginning to end, Roldy had never been interested in romance.
Beauty meant nothing to his ambitions.
But he did owe Charlotte Linlin a favor.
And now she was asking to use that favor—to demand he leave behind a child.
A debt had to be repaid.
If Linlin still looked as she once had, perhaps he wouldn't have minded.
But now…
He genuinely couldn't bring himself to do it.
Pairing a brand-new Doran's Blade with a battle-worn Doran's Shield—
Anyone in their right mind would feel that the scratched, battered shield would tarnish the pristine blade.
"Linlin-nee," Roldy said quietly, "are you certain you want to use my favor on something like this?"
"Mamama~ma! What, Roldy ? The man who never breaks his word wouldn't go back on it now, would he?"
Roldy shook his head.
"You know me. I don't go back on my word."
He took another sip of tea.
"But this ocean is vast and turbulent. My favor could be worth far more elsewhere. Even you, Linlin-nee, wouldn't dare claim you can ignore the World Government entirely."
"You know my ambition."
"A war that will sweep across the entire world is coming. In that tide, what does the level of an Emperor amount to?"
He set the cup down lightly.
"Don't forget, Linlin-nee."
"I was once a Marine."
The temperature in the room dropped.
Linlin's smile slowly faded, her expression darkening.
She understood.
Everyone did, in truth.
Roldy 's ambition was no secret.
Linlin was certain of one thing—
Within thirty years at most, while still in the prime of his giant lifespan, Roldy would ignite a war that engulfed the entire world.
Including them—the Emperors.
And that last sentence…
I was once a Marine.
After repaying Golden Lion Shiki and severing ties with the Flying Pirate Fleet, Roldy had never again called himself a pirate.
Why?
Because if a pirate stood there preaching about "pirates being evil," it would be laughable hypocrisy.
This arrogant brat had set not only the World Government as his enemy—
But every pirate on the seas as well.
He intended to tear apart the chains strangling this world through the most direct and brutal method possible.
To cleanse the filth of the seas.
Put plainly—
If she used up that favor here, then in Roldy 's eyes, Charlotte Linlin would remain nothing more than a pirate.
An enemy.
Of course, it wasn't quite as absolute as Linlin imagined.
Piracy would never disappear so long as the sea existed.
Roldy wasn't delusional enough to believe he could exterminate every pirate alive.
In his plans, the Emperors of the New World were pieces on the board—potential allies to be pulled into his camp.
Their past crimes didn't matter.
Strength did.
After the World Government fell, accounts could always be settled later.
Morally questionable?
Perhaps.
But Roldy was no idealistic fool.
Still—
Under his deliberate phrasing, Linlin's thoughts had already spiraled elsewhere.
If she became his enemy…
If they had a child…
That child would inevitably fall into Roldy 's hands.
Under his iron-handed upbringing, that child might one day be turned against her.
Would he show mercy to an old acquaintance?
She scoffed internally.
Better to imagine Roldy choking to death on water.
A man of that level would never be bound by shallow sentiment.
Linlin fell silent for a long time.
Finally, she laughed again.
"Mamama~ma! Now that I think about it, I really would hate to waste that favor on something like this!"
Roldy quietly exhaled in relief.
The topic shifted.
From the Rocks Pirates…
To the current balance of power on the seas…
In Roldy 's grand design, Linlin's strength was not to be underestimated.
The Soru Soru no Mi was an extremely formidable power. Coupled with her monstrous natural talent—second only to his own—if Linlin devoted herself entirely to refinement, she might already surpass Whitebeard and Shiki.
Even now, she stood firmly at Emperor-tier.
After chatting for a while longer, Roldy rose to leave.
The tea party would still proceed that afternoon.
And rumor had it—
Several kings of the underworld would be attending.
What a coincidence.
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