Pudding approached Carl and Olvia nervously, her steps hesitant.
Carl glanced at Pudding with a puzzled look, unsure of why she was trembling so much.
Olvia examined Pudding and asked,
"Saint Carl, who is this girl?"
Carl replied casually,
"Her name is Charlotte Pudding. I brought her back from Whole Cake Island."
"Charlotte... So she's one of Big Mom's children. I heard from Robin that you recently wiped out the Charlotte Family..."
Carl shook his head and responded indifferently,
"Wiped out is a bit of an exaggeration. I left plenty of survivors this time."
As he spoke, Carl reached out and lifted the bangs covering Pudding's forehead, revealing her third eye.
Pudding trembled instinctively but didn't dare move under Carl's oppressive presence.
Olvia gasped when she saw the eye in the center of Pudding's forehead.
"A third eye?! She's a member of the Three-Eyed Tribe?!"
Pudding bit her lip and muttered softly,
"Saint Carl, could you let my hair down? I... I'm not used to showing this eye to others..."
"What's there to be shy about? I said during the wedding banquet that this eye is beautiful. Besides, it's your innate gift. Hiding it all the time is a waste."
Despite his words, Carl withdrew his hand.
Pudding let out a small sigh of relief, her cheeks flushing slightly as Carl's words echoed in her mind.
Olvia regained her composure and sighed,
"I didn't think there were still members of the Three-Eyed Tribe left in this world. I thought they were already..."
She glanced at Carl and refrained from continuing.
Carl understood her implication. The near-extinction of the Three-Eyed Tribe was ultimately the work of the Celestial Dragons. Their natural ability to see through all things—including the ability to read Poneglyphs—was a power the Celestial Dragons could not tolerate.
Without changing his expression, Carl remarked,
"She hasn't fully awakened the abilities of the Three-Eyed Tribe yet."
Olvia nodded thoughtfully and said,
"That's likely due to her mixed blood."
"Exactly. I brought her here to ask if you have any way to help her awaken."
Olvia thought for a moment and said,
"I remember reading in an ancient book that the Three-Eyed Tribe sometimes intermarried with other races. Their descendants couldn't awaken their abilities as easily as pure-blooded members, but there were methods to address this. However..."
Carl raised an eyebrow and asked,
"However what?"
Olvia hesitated, then shrugged.
"It's been too long. I can't recall the details."
"Fair enough. But that book should still be here, right?"
"All the books from the Tree of Knowledge are here. Give me some time, and I'll find it."
"Good. In the meantime, Pudding can stay here and assist you. Let me know when you find a way to awaken her abilities."
"Alright. I'll have Robin inform you when I do."
Carl gave Olvia a glance and said,
"No need. You can tell me yourself. From today onward, you're allowed to leave the library, but your movements are restricted to the family's territory."
Olvia's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Are you serious?"
"I don't have time for jokes. If you want to leave the territory, that's fine, but if you're captured out there, don't expect me to rescue you."
Olvia composed herself and bowed deeply to Carl. Her white shirt tightened with the movement, emphasizing her figure.
Standing straight, she looked Carl in the eye and said softly,
"Thank you. Don't worry, I won't run. I just want to spend more time with Robin."
Carl waved dismissively.
"No need to thank me yet. There's still something I need you to do."
With a flick of his arm, a cloud of black mist emerged. When the mist dispersed, a stone stele marked with red runes appeared before Olvia.
Olvia's eyes widened as she exclaimed,
"A Poneglyph!"
She stepped forward and gently ran her hand over the cold stone, her expression complex.
This was what she had once pursued at the cost of abandoning her daughter, Robin. And now, it was simply placed before her—a Road Poneglyph, no less, one of the most crucial ones.
Carl spoke nonchalantly,
"Deciphering this shouldn't be difficult for you, right? Don't tell me you've forgotten how."
Olvia smiled faintly and said,
"Of course not. This Poneglyph isn't that complicated. It's just a road marker, after all."
Then, she turned to Pudding and said,
"Pudding, why don't you go tidy up the bedroom over there?"
Pudding nodded obediently and left.
Only after Pudding disappeared into the bedroom did Olvia speak again.
"Carl, why are you so intent on awakening that child's abilities? If it's about reading Poneglyphs, I can do that. Besides, her mother died by your hand. Even if she awakens, I doubt she'll truly help you willingly."
Carl gave Olvia a faint smirk.
"And you'll help me willingly? Have you forgotten about Ohara?"
Olvia sighed lightly.
"What happened to Ohara was my fault. As you said, this world doesn't need the so-called truth. Lawless freedom only leads to chaos. What the world truly needs is order. What I did before was nothing more than going against the tide."
"Oh? So you've figured it out now?"
"Yes, I have."
Carl crossed his arms, studying Olvia intently, while she returned his gaze calmly.
After a moment, Carl said,
"Then write down the Road Poneglyph's contents now."
Olvia smiled and said,
"As you wish."
She extended her hand, conjuring a book out of thin air, and handed it to Carl.
Carl opened it to find that only the first page had writing; the rest of the pages were blank.
Olvia explained,
"The first page contains the Poneglyph's content. If the book is ever lost, I can make it disappear at any time. You won't have to worry about the information being leaked."
Carl nodded approvingly.
"Not bad. You've thought it through. But don't forget about Pudding. Someone else needs her abilities."
-----------
+240 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg