Carlos was indulging in his fantasies when the Woman in Black spoke.
"So you were the one who caused all this and dragged me into it, weren't you?"
Huh? What did she say? Had he misheard?
Causing trouble? He didn't think he had caused any trouble.
Uh... it seemed he really had caused trouble. Wasn't he fleeing—no, retreating right now?
"Still refusing to admit it?"
"What exactly did you do? The entire island is in chaos now. It's complete pandemonium. Countless men in suits are running around like maniacs, and they've arrested who knows how many people..."
"I'd been hiding perfectly well, but suddenly the searches and inspections became incredibly strict. I was caught off guard, exposed myself by accident, and ended up being hunted down!"
The woman's voice was crisp and pleasant, like a singing oriole. However, Carlos had already stopped fantasizing. His expression was stern and solemn, almost Buddha-like.
"Are you mute?" The Woman in Black frowned, looking somewhat displeased.
"Fine, fine, fine. Even if I did bring you trouble, I just saved your life, so we're even. Stop bothering me."
The deeper his fantasies had been, the greater the contrast now. Carlos was somewhat annoyed, and his voice was icy.
The Woman in Black found that quite reasonable. She nodded and prepared to leave to find somewhere to hide. But just as she took a step, she caught sight of a ship appearing on the sea and heading in their direction.
The Woman in Black's body trembled slightly. Her emerald eyes shifted a few times, as though she had understood something. She withdrew the foot she had stepped out with...
"Why aren't you leaving?" Carlos asked with a frown.
"I am leaving. I'll leave with you later." A faint, rather captivating smile appeared on the Woman in Black's cold face.
"Did I agree to that?"
"Besides, that ship is full of vicious Pirates. Have you considered what will happen to you if you board it rashly?"
"Isn't this repaying you? Just save me all the way..."
"Tch. Don't be so greedy."
"Hmm... how about this? I'll cook for you in the future to repay you. I'm a chef, and a very skilled one!" The Woman in Black puffed out her ample chest and spoke confidently and proudly.
"That's it?"
"I'm not particular about food. As long as it fills my stomach, I can accept it. Besides, there are plenty of outstanding chefs in this world. Why should I choose you?"
The Woman in Black lowered her head and fell silent for a moment before looking up. "But it won't be easy for you to find a chef like me—highly skilled, capable in a fight, and this beautiful, right?"
Oh? This girl was a little narcissistic.
"That's a reason, I suppose. I'll reluctantly agree."
"But let me make this clear: don't go back on your word, or don't blame me for being ruthless!"
"Don't worry. I don't have anywhere else to go anyway. Working as your chef can count as finding a place to settle down. I definitely won't leave without a word anytime soon."
"That's more like it. What's your name?"
"My name is Gretel Kelly."
"Gretel Kelly?"
"That name sounds familiar. I feel like I've heard it somewhere before..."
"Don't use such a cliché method to pick up girls..." The Woman in Black gave Carlos a huge Byakugan, her gaze wary.
"I'm picking—"
Carlos was instantly speechless. This woman looked rather cold, but she was actually quite tsundere and narcissistic... Did what he said sound like he was trying to pick up a girl?
At most, it could count as a clumsy attempt at striking up a conversation. Besides, he genuinely felt that the name sounded familiar. He had heard it somewhere...
"I remember now. You're the girl who won the cooking competition held by the Royal Court Hotel."
"Tsk, tsk. You've changed quite a bit. Are you skilled in disguise?"
Carlos carefully examined her from head to toe. Aside from her face, everything else matched. When this woman had been announced as the champion in the plaza, he had vaguely heard her name, though he hadn't paid attention at the time.
"I am indeed skilled in disguise."
"So, you were the one who killed John Dilton?"
"That's right. It was me!"
"I have an irreconcilable hatred for him. My entire family, except for me, died at his hands—my parents and my sister."
"What? Are you planning to capture me and send me to the John Family for the reward?"
"How could I? I just killed so many members of the John Family myself. Besides, scum like that deserved to die!"
"More importantly, I also have a major conflict with the John Family. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. We have no conflict of interest, no grudge, and we're on the same side. Why would I capture you?"
"Enough of that for now. Let's get aboard first and talk later."
Carlos moved quickly toward the shore. A small boat rode the waves toward the beach, with Olsen personally steering it alongside two Pirates. He was quite tactful. Gretel Kelly followed behind.
Whoosh... Carlos bent his legs slightly, flashed forward, crossed more than ten meters, and landed steadily on the bow. Kelly did not have such impressive jumping ability, so she could only wait for the boat to come closer before boarding.
"Boss, who is this?" Olsen glanced at the beautiful woman and asked quietly.
"She'll be one of us from now on. She's a chef."
"Enough idle talk. We'll talk properly after we get aboard and leave."
"Yes, Boss!"
Boss?
Kelly was utterly confused. Shouldn't they be calling him Captain?
Wasn't "Boss" usually what street thugs and underworld forces called someone?
Half an hour later, Carlos had already traveled far from Maglin Island. The weather at sea was unpredictable. Although the weather in the Four Blues was somewhat more regular, it could still change at any moment. The sky was gloomy, the sea breeze gentle, and a fine drizzle fell like threads of silk. A large umbrella had been set up on the deck, beneath which Carlos lounged in a recliner, leisurely drinking wine and reading a book.
The other Pirates aboard the pirate ship were gambling wildly in their rooms. There was no helping it—there were not many forms of entertainment at sea, and gambling was both the most popular and the most common.
Tap, tap, tap... Footsteps sounded. Kelly, now dressed in a chef's uniform, approached with an umbrella in one hand and a tray in the other. On the tray were two steaks, two glasses of red wine, and of course, a full set of tableware.
"Want to try my cooking?"
"Mm."
Carlos set down his book, took a plate of steak, stood up, and placed it on the nearby table. He picked up his knife and fork, cut off a... huge piece, slicing away half of it in one cut. Then he stuffed the steak into his mouth and began chewing in great mouthfuls.
Fragrant, tender, smooth. Carlos wasn't very cultured, so those were the only three words he could think of.
"Not bad. You've got some skill."
With that, he speared the other half of the steak and shoved it into his mouth, chewing heartily. He picked up the red wine and drained it in one gulp, then grabbed his book, lay back down in the recliner, and resumed reading as the sound of his chewing continued...
Kelly was instantly dumbfounded. Who ate steak like that?
Kelly simply had not seen enough. Carlos's way of eating was already rather restrained. If it were Luffy ten or twenty years later, even a dozen steaks would be swallowed in a single bite. Yes, swallowed, not eaten.
Besides, Carlos ate the same way he did everything else—he had always done as he pleased. He ate however he wanted and never cared about what others thought. Put bluntly, it was self-centeredness; put nicely, it was carefree freedom!
"I still don't know your name," Kelly said softly after swallowing a small piece of steak and elegantly taking a sip of red wine.
"My name is Lucifer Carlos," Carlos replied without even looking up, his attention fixed on the book.
"You're a Pirate?"
"No. I only recently took these Pirates in as subordinates. My real identity is the Mafia Boss of Iron Island!"
Mafia?
Kelly frowned slightly. Because of John Dilton, she had never had a favorable impression of the Mafia. They were even worse than Pirates...
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