Under Ignis's gravity ability, Newgate was also flying through the air, joining Ignis and Charlotte Linlin as they headed towards a certain location.
"Your abilities and Shiki's are really convenient."
Newgate enthusiastically tried to imitate Ignis's sword-riding flight, attempting to fly while standing on his blade.
He stood on the hilt of Murakumogiri, struggling to keep his balance.
He even specifically asked Ignis not to apply anti-gravity to him, only to the sword.
This Whitebeard, not yet possessing the steadiness of his future self, still had the vigor of youth.
"Ignis, Ignis, when can you predict where Mother Carmel is?"
Charlotte Linlin rode on the thundercloud Zeus, following beside Ignis like a bodyguard.
These two future Emperors were now serving as bodyguards flanking the smaller Ignis.
"When you grow up, you'll find out."
Ignis didn't want to reveal the cruel truth just yet.
And the question of whether Mother Carmel had used the Soul-Soul Fruit to steal Charlotte Linlin's body remained unanswered.
For now, it was all unknown.
In the future, the older Charlotte Linlin would come to resemble Mother Carmel more and more in both personality and appearance, growing cruel and brutal.
But whenever Charlotte Linlin lost her memory, she would revert to her simple, original personality.
Before Charlotte Linlin, there had never been a case of someone directly inheriting another person's Devil Fruit ability.
Did Charlotte Linlin really accidentally eat Mother Carmel during a food frenzy?
Or was Mother Carmel using a special technique of the Soul-Soul Fruit to gradually replace this exceptionally gifted 'Iron Balloon'?
All of this required Ignis's investigation.
For now, though, Ignis didn't have any abilities related to souls.
So he couldn't yet determine whether Mother Carmel's soul was hiding within Linlin's soul.
Ignis had already questioned Streusen, who had witnessed everything at the time.
Streusen said that during her frenzy, Linlin had indeed swallowed everyone and everything present, leaving the scene a complete mess.
Only Mother Carmel had been willingly eaten by Linlin, leaving behind a complete set of nun's clothes.
Streusen said that Mother Carmel seemed to transform into a naked form, flying out of her clothes and into Charlotte Linlin's mouth.
That was why Streusen was so terrified of the six-year-old Charlotte Linlin and dared not go near her.
Ignis suspected that Mother Carmel had indeed used the Soul-Soul Fruit's ability to enter Linlin's body.
Mother Carmel might not actually be dead!
After all, the sun Prometheus, created by Mother Carmel, had never disappeared and actively followed Linlin.
The sun Prometheus's personality was exactly like Carmel's: treacherous and cunning.
But the thundercloud Zeus, created by Linlin herself, was naturally very kind.
Streusen had his own opinion. He believed that Mother Carmel had underestimated this exceptionally gifted monster, Linlin.
Carmel seemed to have encountered some problem and couldn't completely replace Linlin.
But Linlin's personality had already begun to shift towards Mother Carmel's.
Mother Carmel's soul was likely already merging with Linlin's soul, and eventually, they would become indistinguishable.
Streusen had actually considered cooperating with Mother Carmel instead of just Linlin.
Ignis hadn't expected Streusen to be so insightful.
He seemed to have long seen through the true natures of both Mother Carmel and Charlotte Linlin.
He could cooperate with the cunning Carmel just as easily as he could manipulate the simple Linlin.
No matter which of the two was in control of this exceptionally gifted, iron body, Streusen could take advantage.
For now, Charlotte Linlin's soul was still dominated by Linlin herself, with Mother Carmel slowly eroding and fighting for control.
...
"When I grow up? But I am grown up!"
Charlotte Linlin looked down at the smaller Ignis. Even Newgate wasn't as tall as her.
"When you can bear the pain of losing everything, you'll know."
Ignis was considering how to completely resolve the problem of Mother Carmel.
If he completely erased Mother Carmel's soul, would Linlin's Soul-Soul Fruit ability disappear?
Their souls seemed to have already intertwined and merged.
This was truly a big problem.
"The pain of losing everything? Does that mean... does that mean..."
Charlotte Linlin seemed to realize something, tears welling up in her eyes.
'Had Mother Carmel and the other children already died?'
She couldn't accept that outcome, and her aura showed signs of spiraling out of control.
Influenced by Charlotte Linlin's emotions, the sun Prometheus transformed from a yellow sphere into a blazing ball of fire.
The thundercloud Zeus also turned from white to an angry, dark storm cloud.
"Calm down, Linlin! Mother Carmel isn't dead!"
Ignis quickly spoke to stop Linlin from losing control.
Hearing Ignis's words, the simple Charlotte Linlin immediately calmed down, a look of surprise and happiness on her face.
The sun Prometheus and thundercloud Zeus returned to normal.
"Really? Ignis! That's great! I knew Mother hadn't had an accident."
Charlotte Linlin was incredibly happy. Ignis, meanwhile, internally decided that he had to defuse this unstable bomb.
He would replace Mother Carmel's position in Linlin's heart.
He didn't believe that, with Mother Carmel having only spent a year with Linlin, he couldn't replace Carmel's false affection.
"She's definitely fine. Look, isn't her creation, Prometheus, fine?"
Ignis continued to soothe Charlotte Linlin.
Newgate, watching nearby, noticed something amiss in Linlin's sudden outburst and Ignis's calming words.
'That flame next to Linlin was actually a creation of the previous ability user?'
'How was that possible?'
'Could it be that the Soul-Soul Fruit was so advanced that even its creations could be inherited?'
'Or maybe...'
"That's right! If Prometheus is fine, then Mother is definitely fine."
Charlotte Linlin instantly became certain of this point. She believed she would find Mother Carmel again one day.
"But what did you mean, Ignis, when you said I need to bear the pain of losing everything?"
Charlotte Linlin pressed further.
"Before she took you in, how many orphans did Mother Carmel already take in? She couldn't possibly give up caring for them all just for you."
"Linlin, you're already a capable, good girl now. You don't need Mother Carmel's care."
"Mother has to care for more orphans around the world. She's not yours alone."
"You need to try to accept her being gone, to let her care for others peacefully."
"That might mean losing her, understand?"
Ignis could only offer a kind lie, hoping to calmly convince the emotionally unstable, chubby girl.
"So that's why Mother hasn't come back for me, she's been caring for other orphans."
"I can take care of myself. I'm a good girl. But I still want to see her..."
Charlotte Linlin was happy to learn of Mother Carmel's whereabouts, but her mood gradually dimmed again.
Mother wasn't hers alone; she belonged to everyone.