Heart Set Sail

The doctor finished the examination, straightened up, and reported respectfully.

"Saint Charlos, there is nothing seriously wrong with you. Everything is developing normally. Your body simply has not fully matured yet, so there is no need to dwell on it."

Charlos's face darkened. "Shut up."

The doctor dared not say another word. He hurriedly nodded, bowed, and quickly left the room.

Shalria cautiously moved closer, gently taking Charlos's hand. Her eyes were slightly red.

"Big Brother... I-I didn't know. I'm sorry. I'll never mess around again."

As she spoke, the little girl began crying quietly in grievance.

Charlos gently pulled his hand back and said helplessly, "Don't do that again."

Shalria immediately raised her little hand, her face utterly serious. "I promise there absolutely won't be a next time! I still need to safeguard my happy life for the rest of my days!"

Charlos froze, then turned to stare at her. "Who taught you all that nonsense?"

Shalria's eyes darted around as she secretly glanced toward Amira and Amina nearby.

Charlos understood at once and turned his gaze to the two sisters. "If I remember correctly, you two aren't very old either, right?"

Amina lowered her head nervously, staring at the ground.

Amira's cheeks reddened as she answered softly, "Though we are young... we still understand a little about matters between men and women."

Charlos waved a hand and casually laughed. "It's fine. Don't worry, I definitely won't mistreat you in the future."

The moment he finished speaking, Amira and Amina's faces flushed crimson. Even their ears burned hot, and they were too nervous to raise their heads.

At that moment, Shalria grabbed Charlos's arm again and said indignantly, "And me! Big Brother isn't allowed to leave me out!"

Charlos looked at her and shook his head helplessly. "Not you."

Shalria looked utterly confused, tilting her head as she pressed, "Huh? Why?"

Charlos rubbed her little head and said flatly, "You'll understand when you grow up."

Charlos picked up the newspaper and glanced over it, a sudden gleam flashing in his eyes.

Shalria tilted her head toward him. "Big Brother, did you think of something fun?"

Charlos chuckled. "We're forming a pirate crew too."

Shalria's eyes lit up. "Forming a pirate crew? That sounds so fun! Then it's decided!"

She immediately added, "Then we'll use our Celestial Dragon Throne Ship!"

Charlos nodded. "We don't have any other ship right now, so we can only use this one for the time being."

Akali stepped forward, her expression serious. "Saint Charlos, this must be reported to the family head. Permission to sail, supply provisions, and the deployment of accompanying guards all require the family's approval. Moving the Throne Ship without authorization will cause quite a lot of trouble."

Charlos considered it for a moment. "Fine. Then I'll go talk to Grandfather myself."

Shalria clenched her little fists and said excitedly, "I'll go with Big Brother! I'll speak up for you!"

Charlos took Shalria and headed toward the family head's residence.

Halfway there, they spotted Charlos in the distance, holding a whip and wantonly lashing slaves crawling on the ground while endlessly cursing at them.

"Why are you crawling so slowly?! Crawl faster!"

The moment Shalria saw this, her little face filled with disgust.

"That stupid pig is being an eyesore again!"

Without another word, she rushed over, leaped into the air, and sent the completely unprepared Charlos flying with a kick once more.

Charlos was dazed in midair. "Huh? Why am I flying again?"

Charlos could not be bothered to look any longer and directly pushed open the gates to the family head's residence.

Inside, the head of the Rosy Family looked up at him with a gentle expression.

"Charlos, you're here."

"Grandfather."

The family head looked at him and slowly said, "I heard that you have been diligently training your Haki these past three months. Are you planning to join God's Knights in the future?"

Charlos smiled faintly, putting on a mysterious air. "Grandfather, that's a secret. I can't tell you yet."

The family head stared into his eyes, his gaze filled with approval.

"Ambitious. I knew it. Our Rosy Family would eventually produce an exceptional son. Tell me, what have you come to see me about today?"

Charlos spoke seriously:

"Grandfather, Roger is dead, and the Great Pirate Era has officially begun.

I want to go to sea and make my way in the world, to form a pirate crew of my own.

For this voyage, I want to use the family's Celestial Dragon Throne Ship."

The family head frowned slightly at his words and asked in return:

"No. Charlos, if you wish to form a pirate crew, I will not stop you if you remove your Celestial Dragons attire and disguise yourself as an ordinary person to gain experience at sea. But if you use the Celestial Dragon Throne Ship and swagger across the seas under our noble Celestial Dragons identity, what kind of pirate would that make you? You have it completely backwards. It is utterly absurd."

Charlos paused at those words. After considering them carefully for a moment, he immediately understood the reasoning behind them and said somewhat helplessly, "Grandfather, you are right. But right now, we simply do not have a ship of our own to sail out on."

The head of the Rosy Family stroked his beard and smiled, his expression especially indulgent. "What is so difficult about getting a ship? Just have craftsmen build one."

Charlos's eyes lit up, and he quickly thanked him. "Then thank you, Grandfather!"

"Go on, my good grandson. When you are young, you should roam as freely as you please. Whatever you want to do, just do it." The family head waved his hand and gently instructed, "Come see me again in half a month. At that time, Grandfather will give you the new ship."

"Thank you, Grandfather!"

Shalria immediately skipped forward from the side and spoke in a clear voice.

The family head looked at the lively little girl and asked with a smile, "Oh? Shalria, are you going to sea with him as well?"

"Yes, Grandfather! I want to follow Big Brother Charlos and go on adventures with him forever!"

"Good, good, good. I'll grant you whatever you wish."

Charlos returned to the palace with Shalria and told Amira, Amina, and Akali everything that had been said with the family head.

"Let me tell you some good news. In half a month, we'll have a new ship of our own." Charlos smiled. "While we have these half a month to spare, let's first go to the Sabaody Archipelago to purchase supplies and prepare what we need for going to sea."

The instant he finished speaking, Amira and Amina's bodies trembled slightly. A trace of barely concealed fear flashed through their eyes, and their bodies instinctively tensed.

Charlos caught that subtle change in its entirety.

He raised an eyebrow slightly and asked in confusion, "What's wrong with you two? Why are you afraid after hearing that we're going to the Sabaody Archipelago?"

Charlos reassured them, "Don't be afraid. From today onward, you belong to me. I'll bring a dedicated guard unit on this trip, and they will protect us throughout the journey. With me here, no one can bully or hurt you."

Amira slowly raised her head, her gaze much calmer. She bowed slightly. "Yes, we understand."

Amina softly echoed, "Mm."

Akali bowed and requested instructions. "Saint Charlos, I will immediately arrange for the guard unit to assemble and organize the travel preparations. We can depart at any time."

Charlos raised his eyes and declared loudly, "Then let's set out! Our destination is the Sabaody Archipelago!"

The group set off in grand fashion, their dedicated guard unit marching alongside them in formation with an imposing air. As they traveled through the Sabaody Archipelago, every ordinary resident, merchant, and passerby who saw the spectacle of this group and the stern guard unit instinctively dropped to both knees, lowered their heads, and kowtowed, not daring to look directly at them in the slightest.

Shalria skipped along the entire way, her eyes full of wonder as she chattered nonstop.

"Wow! The roads here don't move by themselves! I thought that once we stood on them, the ground would carry us forward on its own!"

Charlos helplessly raised a hand to stop her from running around. "The ground does not move in the first place. Shalria, stop running and jumping around. Behave yourself."

Just then, several pirates dressed casually and carrying themselves with unruly arrogance happened to pass by the intersection.

From afar, they watched this strange group, the kneeling passersby, and the heavily guarded escort, unable to stop themselves from muttering quietly.

"What a strange group... This display is way too ridiculous."

The moment those words left their mouths, sharp-eyed Shalria instantly turned around. Her little face tightened as she lifted her chin high and spoke coldly with the inborn arrogance of a Celestial Dragon:

"Who are you? Why have you not knelt upon seeing me?"