Chapter 287: The Kingdom of Perfume and Flowers
Entering the town, the bustling streets were filled with lively shouting.
"Perfume! Rose-scented perfume!"
"Fresh flowers! Beautiful roses!"
"Come take a look! Latest newspapers!"
The constant yelling from street vendors made Charlotte's children, who had never seen such a lively scene, widen their eyes like saucers, completely captivated by their surroundings.
The air was filled with the fragrant aroma of perfumes, and Charlotte's wives couldn't help but be drawn to it as well.
"Charlotte! Charlotte! Let's go check that out!"
Ileana pointed toward a bustling stall where women and young ladies were crowding around.
Charlotte looked over and saw a large number of women gathered around a vendor who appeared to be selling perfume. Intrigued, he made his way over with his group.
"Hehehe! This perfume took me eighty-one days to refine! It not only repels mosquitoes and bugs but also keeps you awake! Even if you don't sleep for three days and nights, just one sniff will keep you alert!"
Before they even got close, they could hear the vendor bragging loudly.
Squeezing through the crowd, Charlotte picked up a bottle from the stall and took a sniff. Immediately, a sharp, pungent smell assaulted his senses, sending a cold shiver through his soul.
He couldn't help but chuckle as he put the bottle down, shaking his head at Ileana and the others.
"Hey, mister! You sniffed it, so you gotta buy it!"
The vendor immediately jumped at him, demanding payment.
Charlotte gave him a calm glance, then pulled out a thick wad of Beli from his pocket and slapped it into the man's hand.
"Is this enough?"
"Enough! More than enough!"
The vendor's eyes lit up as he hurriedly stashed the money away.
Charlotte's bold gesture caught the attention of several noble ladies and young women nearby, their eyes glimmering with admiration.
One of the well-dressed women approached him with a charming smile.
"Sir, I am Duchess Tamodo. Would you care to have a drink with me?"
A wave of heavy perfume assaulted his senses, forcing Charlotte to take two steps back. He hadn't even budged during his battle with Whitebeard, but this woman's overpowering scent actually made him retreat.
Clearing his throat awkwardly, he forced a smile.
"Ah, I appreciate the offer, but I must decline."
"Hmph! Fool!"
The duchess snorted and stormed off, leaving the vendor to desperately try to win back her favor.
Watching her leave, Charlotte couldn't help but feel a strange desire rise within him.
But before he could think more about it, a sudden sharp pain shot through his waist.
He turned to see Ileana pinching him with an icy glare.
"My dear husband, who made you so bold today?"
Sensing danger, Charlotte quickly tried to defuse the situation.
"Oh, come on! Who could possibly compare to my beautiful wife? Let's keep moving!"
To change the topic, he waved at the others.
"Go ahead, everyone! Buy whatever you like! I'll cover it!"
The children cheered, scattering in every direction while the women followed at a more graceful pace.
But just as they started to enjoy their time, chaos erupted from the port.
"Move it! Make way! The Viscount has been murdered!"
A soldier rushed through the streets, shouting in panic.
Hearing this, Charlotte couldn't help but smile faintly.
"Looks like trouble's brewing already."
Before he could think further, a young man suddenly blocked his path.
"Excuse me! Are you... are you really the legendary swordmaster, Rockefeller Charlotte?"
Charlotte raised an eyebrow, surprised at being recognized despite his disguise.
"Who are you?"
The young man eagerly pulled out a newspaper, showing Charlotte's wanted poster.
"Your face... even with the disguise, it's unmistakable! You are the legendary swordsman!"
Sighing, Charlotte waved his hand.
"Fine, fine. You caught me. But don't go spreading it around."
To his surprise, the young man immediately bowed in respect.
"Please, would you honor me with your autograph?"
Taking the wanted poster, Charlotte quickly signed it and handed it back.
The young man beamed, bowing repeatedly.
"Thank you so much!"
As the young man left, Charlotte shrugged at his companions.
"You know, being the world's greatest swordsman does come with its fair share of admirers."
The women just rolled their eyes, not taking his boast seriously.
They continued exploring the marketplace, enjoying the atmosphere, but soon their peaceful outing was interrupted.
"There! That's the man who killed the Viscount!"
A loud voice called out as a squad of armored soldiers surrounded them.
Their leader, pointing at Charlotte, barked orders.
"Arrest them! Take them to the Prime Minister!"
The soldiers advanced, raising their spears, but Charlotte remained unfazed, his expression calm and indifferent.
Esdeath, standing at his side, smirked coldly as she stepped forward, her presence exuding an intimidating aura. The soldiers hesitated, feeling an unnatural chill in the air.
"Do you really think you can touch him?"
Her voice was like ice, and before the leader could react, Esdeath raised her hand, conjuring a massive ice spike from the ground, freezing several soldiers on the spot.
One of the men, terrified, tried to flee, but Esdeath raised her sword, slicing through the ice and sending frozen shards flying.
"Kill them all," she commanded coldly.
Her subordinates moved with deadly precision, dispatching the soldiers with ruthless efficiency, leaving the street littered with corpses.
Charlotte sighed, knowing that their presence was now thoroughly exposed.
"Well, I suppose it's too late to keep a low profile now."
Looking at the shattered ice and fallen soldiers, he couldn't help but smirk.
"Alright, let's head for the castle. Might as well see who's in charge around here."
As they made their way through the city, the locals watched in stunned silence, too terrified to even move.
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