Heading to the Flower Country
On the calm waters of the West Blue, two pirate crews clashed in a brutal battle.
Swords flashed, gunfire roared, and the screams of the dying mingled with battle cries. The sea, once tranquil, was now dyed red.
Inside the captain's quarters, Charlotte Linlin remained motionless, unconcerned with the carnage outside. She had left the fight entirely in the hands of her younger siblings.
"Charlotte, aren't you going to check on the battle?" Lina asked hesitantly, concern etched on her face.
Charlotte shook her head without hesitation, her deep voice resolute.
"The young eagle must learn to spread its wings and soar."
Lina's expression tightened, her lips parting as if to argue, but in the end, she remained silent.
Charlotte was confident that Beta and Douglas Bullet could handle the enemy. The fights in the West Blue were nothing compared to the Grand Line's brutality—this was merely training for the crew.
Future battles would not be this easy.
When the time came for true war, he could not protect everyone. That was impossible.
Though he harbored no love for battle, preparation was a necessity.
Flowers raised in a greenhouse would wither in the storm.
As Charlotte's gaze hardened with determination, Lina sighed. She could see the burden in his eyes—his mind was already in the future, contemplating unknown dangers.
What awaits us in the future?
Lina couldn't understand what troubled Charlotte so deeply, but his unease made her uneasy as well.
Outside, the battle sounds gradually faded, and soon, an eerie silence fell over the ship.
Charlotte exhaled.
"It's over," he said flatly.
"Let's go."
He rose from his chair, expression calm, and stepped outside. Lina followed closely behind.
---
Aftermath of the Battle
On the deck, members of the Heberfeller Pirates moved efficiently.
The wounded were treated, weapons reorganized, bodies dumped overboard, and treasures collected. Despite the earlier chaos, everything was orderly.
"Captain!"
A pirate, still smeared with blood, approached Charlotte.
"You've all done well. Get back to work," Charlotte said.
He observed the crew's injuries—most were minor, nothing that required serious treatment. Some were likely self-inflicted due to the heat of battle.
The enemy had been utterly outclassed.
"Boss!"
Beta, still energized from the fight, rushed over.
"Not bad," Charlotte remarked. "You did well keeping everything in order."
Beta grinned. "Boss, this was nothing. Those guys were too weak."
Then, as if recalling something, Beta smacked his forehead.
"Ah! Right! Boss, we found a little girl on their ship."
Charlotte raised an eyebrow.
"A little girl? On a pirate ship? That's rare."
"She's not a slave," Beta clarified before Charlotte could ask.
Charlotte paused. "Alright. Let's go see her."
---
A Mysterious Child
Not long after, an eight- or nine-year-old girl stood before him.
She was small and frail, her large eyes filled with apprehension as she clutched the hem of her tattered clothes.
"Don't be afraid," Charlotte said, his voice uncharacteristically gentle. "You're safe now."
But the girl flinched, pressing herself against the ship's railing.
Charlotte frowned. What am I supposed to do with a scared kid?
Sensing his awkwardness, Lina stepped in.
"Charlotte, let me handle this," she said softly.
With Lina's gentle words, the girl slowly calmed. Before long, Lina led her away to clean up and rest.
Charlotte remained silent, watching.
Beta, who had been observing the scene, struggled to suppress a laugh.
Charlotte shot him a murderous glare.
"What's so funny?"
"Ah—uh, nothing! Nothing at all!" Beta stammered. "The weather's nice today, isn't it? Yeah, real nice."
Charlotte narrowed his eyes. "We're below deck, idiot."
Beta's forced grin twitched. Damn, terrible excuse.
Charlotte sighed. Why do I even bother with him?
Beta, sensing the danger had passed, quickly scurried off to bother another crewmate.
Charlotte shook his head and returned to his quarters.
---
A New Destination
Lina entered later, bringing the girl along.
"Charlotte, can we help her?"
Charlotte blinked. "Help? How?"
The girl spoke for the first time, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Big brother… can you take me home?"
Charlotte tilted his head.
"Where's home?"
"Flower Country," she said.
Charlotte's expression shifted slightly.
The Flower Country?
That was unexpected.
He studied the girl again, this time more carefully.
"Why were you on a pirate ship? Where's your family?"
The girl hesitated, then admitted, "I ran away from home… but pirates caught me. They were going to kill me, so I told them my father was rich. I said he'd pay them a lot of money… so they kept me alive."
Charlotte exhaled through his nose.
A runaway rich girl, huh?
She was only alive because her father had money. Otherwise, the pirates would've disposed of her long ago.
But this presented an interesting opportunity.
Charlotte finally nodded.
"Fine. We'll take you home."
He wasn't just doing this out of kindness. There was profit to be made.
And beyond that, the Flower Country intrigued him.
A powerful, closed-off nation, its military force—the Eight Treasures Navy—was considered "pirates" by the World Government. But anyone who knew their history understood the truth. They were the Flower Country's hidden navy, forced to operate in secret due to government restrictions.
There were eight divisions, each representing a different generation of warriors. Their influence was far greater than it appeared.
Charlotte had always been curious about this nation with deep ties to Eastern culture.
When the crew heard the news, excitement spread like wildfire.
The Flower Country was rumored to be prosperous and filled with treasures. For pirates, it was an enticing destination.
"Flower Country, here we come!"
With that, the Heberfeller set sail eastward.