Chapter 355: South Blue
In these five years, Charlotte had seen many things—
but what he saw the most was poverty and greed.
Especially here, in the South Blue.
The moment Charlotte entered South Blue,
his first impression was:
poverty.
Here, the people could hardly even afford food.
At first, when the women aboard Charlotte's ship witnessed the dire situation, their hearts softened.
They decided to start a food distribution.
This made Charlotte want to laugh.
But he didn't stop them.
Because soon enough,
they would see the true nature of human hearts.
It didn't take long—
Once word spread that someone was handing out free porridge,
huge crowds rushed in.
Elena and the other women tried to maintain order,
but in the face of starvation,
order was meaningless.
The strong and healthy pushed their way to the front,
eating until their mouths dripped with grease.
While the weak and sickly continued to shiver in the cold—
empty-handed.
Seeing this, Elena was furious.
She killed the strong who had stolen from the weak.
But even then—
The eyes of the survivors showed only numbness.
Elena asked: "Why don't you work?"
A childish question perhaps,
but the quickest way to understand the truth of the South Blue.
The answer came:
They were crushed under the weight of the Heavenly Tribute and the nobles' oppression.
At that, Elena fell silent.
She asked again:
"Why don't you rebel?"
In response, the impoverished people led her to a mass grave.
There lay the corpses of those who had once dared to fight back.
Toki (Amatsuki Toki) fell silent as well, her heart heavy.
She wanted to beg Charlotte to help them.
But Charlotte—
Why should he?
Even if he overthrew the corrupt rulers,
what would it change?
The people themselves were already broken—
numbed into submission.
After witnessing the cruelty of the South Blue's nobility and kingdoms—
Charlotte lost all interest in the South Blue.
There was nothing here
except the extravagance of the upper class
and the bottomless suffering of the poor.
"Captain! Admiring the view?"
Barrett walked over,
seeing Charlotte leaning on the rail, staring blankly at the sea.
"Oh, it's you, Barrett. What is it?"
Charlotte turned to face the towering young man.
"Nothing.
It's just…
this place reminds me of my childhood country—
the same poverty,
the same opulence."
Barrett gazed over the blue ocean.
"Hahaha!
You're seeing one of this world's universal problems.
What can we even do?"
Charlotte said, resting his chin on his arms.
"Captain…
do you want to change it?"
Barrett suddenly asked.
"…What makes you say that?"
For the first time, Charlotte turned and seriously looked at Barrett.
"I can feel it," Barrett said.
"Captain, you hate this ocean.
You want to change it.
But you don't know where to start."
Charlotte remained silent.
He quietly stared at Barrett.
"If you really want to change something—
I'll always stand behind you."
Barrett said firmly.
"Hahaha!
Little brat,
you think you're strong enough now to start dreaming big?"
Charlotte burst into laughter.
Barrett only smiled silently.
"Where's our next stop?"
Charlotte asked, still leaning on the rail.
"The Kingdom of Sorbet."
Barrett replied.
"Sorbet Kingdom?"
Charlotte blinked in surprise.
That name was… familiar.
"You know it, Captain?"
Barrett asked curiously.
Charlotte shook his head—then nodded.
"Hopefully, that kingdom can change my view of the South Blue a little."
Charlotte said thoughtfully.
If he remembered correctly,
the Sorbet Kingdom was the homeland of Bartholomew Kuma—
the "Tyrant."
He wondered what surprises the kingdom might hold.
Time passed quickly at sea.
It was boring.
Without the random pirate groups seeking death by attacking them,
Charlotte might've died of boredom.
Soon, they arrived at the Sorbet Kingdom.
The port was utterly desolate.
Such a vast dock, yet barely any merchant ships—
only a few fishing boats bobbing weakly in the water.
When Charlotte's massive ship docked,
a commotion erupted among the idle dockworkers.
"What a huge ship!"
"Quick!
Quick!
Inform King Bartholomew!
A massive ship has arrived!"
Charlotte heard the shouts from below with amusement.
"King Bartholomew?
I wonder if Kuma is already ruling?"
Charlotte mused as he surveyed the island.
"Go ashore and resupply.
We'll be staying here for a while."
He ordered casually.
Though the island seemed small and backward,
when the Captain spoke, everyone obeyed without question.
"Come on, let's have a look around,"
Charlotte said to the women.
But the thought of all the women flooding the streets at once made his head ache.
"Actually… never mind.
You all explore on your own.
If something happens, signal me."
Charlotte said, waving them off as he strolled into the city alone.
The moment he set foot in town—
Seeing a group of well-dressed women and armed guards flooding in,
the city guards panicked and rang the alarm bells.
In the royal palace—
A young boy reading reports frowned at the sound.
"Another pirate raid?
We must join the World Government soon…
or pirates will overrun us."
Resolving himself, the boy picked up a Bible,
slapped it against his chest—
And disappeared.
In the next instant,
he soared toward the city gates.
In just a minute,
he arrived atop the city wall.
"Your Majesty!"
The guards cheered in wild excitement upon seeing the boy.
King Bartholomew.
The young king glanced around swiftly.
"Where are the pirates?"
But instead of savage pirates,
he saw—
A group of richly-dressed women.
And a number of armed guards.
They were far too orderly,
too disciplined,
to be pirates.
Then the young king's gaze locked onto a certain man.
Standing calmly with arms behind his back—
Golden hair, white-gold suit, cold and imperious air.
The boy's pupils shrank.
He had seen this face countless times in the newspapers.
The captain of the Rockefeller Pirates.
The World's Number One Swordsman.
The legendary pirate—Charlotte Rockefeller!
"Trouble…"
The boy whispered,
his stoic face for the first time showing an emotion:
Nervousness.
"Your Majesty, should we drive them away?"
A general asked.
"No!"
The boy immediately waved his hand.
"Do not provoke them!
Otherwise, it will bring destruction upon the Sorbet Kingdom!"
The young king ordered firmly.
"Stay here.
I'll go alone to meet them."
"No matter what happens—
even if I die—
you must not start a conflict with them."
The boy said solemnly.
And then he leapt from the walls toward Charlotte.
(To be continued...)
---
Read up to 20 Chapters ahead on patreon.com/Fanglin
[Please leave a 5 Star review and power stone for this novel]
*Thank you*