The one most unhappy about Zesi's return was naturally the Brunei Family's second young master, Brunei Feiluo.
Feiluo had only been brought back to the Brunei Family after Zesi left.
After joining the Brunei Family, Feiluo had grown very fond of this home, and Kate treated him very well.
He had even spent seven hundred million Beli at an auction to obtain a Devil Fruit, a secret treasure of the sea, for him.
Feiluo had originally thought that he would inherit the Brunei Family someday.
He wanted to develop the Brunei Family into something even greater and grander.
He had been working hard toward that goal, too!
But when Zesi returned, he felt that everything he had had vanished into nothing.
On the very day Zesi returned, Kate stated that he wanted to hand the Brunei Family over to Zesi and have him stop leaving from then on.
Although Zesi had not accepted, Feiluo, standing nearby, felt as though the entire world had lost its color.
Feiluo had actually known long ago that Kate had another son, his older brother.
He also knew that he had originally been an illegitimate child.
But all these years, Zesi had never returned.
And he had worked so hard and performed so well.
He felt that even if Zesi returned, he would still have a chance to compete for the position of heir.
But he had never expected that the moment Zesi returned, Kate would immediately declare, without a second thought, that Zesi would inherit the Brunei Family.
Feiluo was deeply resentful. Why?
Why should Zesi snatch everything away from him the moment he returned?
"Don't blame me. Blame yourself for getting in my way, big brother!" Feiluo said, a sharp gleam flashing in his eyes as he sped along atop a flying knife.
Early in the morning, Zesi woke up in his large bed and stretched. It had been a long time since he had slept so comfortably.
Back aboard the ship, he had needed to stay alert at all times for pirates attacking from nearby, and the ship's constant rocking on the sea had made sleeping truly uncomfortable.
Although he had grown used to it over the years, it still could not compare to being home on land.
"Young master, you're awake!" The butler, Yuri, entered with several maids, bringing Zesi toiletries and a change of clothes.
"Young master, the master asks that you visit his study after breakfast!" Yuri said to Zesi, who had finished washing up and was eating breakfast.
"Got it!"
Zesi understood why Kate wanted him to come.
He also knew that Kate was so anxious for him to take over the family not only because he did not want him sailing off and wandering around again, but also because of the pressure.
The Brunei Family was growing larger and larger, gradually becoming more than he could control.
At the same time, countless eyes had begun to fix on the Brunei Family.
The other families were not much of a concern. The Brunei Family did business with the Big Mom Pirates, so those families did not dare set their sights on the Brunei Family lightly.
But recently, many of those connected to Big Mom through marriage, and even Big Mom's sons, had begun setting their sights on the Brunei Family.
If Perospero had not stepped in to mediate, countless people would probably have already pounced.
But Kate understood very well that even Perospero could not hold them back for long.
After all, those people were Perospero's actual relatives.
Although the Brunei Family had delivered enormous benefits to Perospero every year throughout their years of cooperation, that was all they were.
The other side could offer him benefits just as well. Given enough benefits, Perospero might even turn his guns on them.
As a merchant in the New World, Kate knew all too well how terrifying the Big Mom Pirates were.
Even the current Brunei Family had no ability to resist pirates on Big Mom's level.
In fact, once word spread that the Big Mom Pirates intended to move against the Brunei Family...
The Brunei Family would probably collapse on its own before the Big Mom Pirates even needed to attack.
And Kate had placed all his hopes on Zesi.
Six years ago, Zesi had already possessed the strength to defeat Perospero.
Now that more than six years had passed, Zesi ought to have grown even stronger.
He had also asked around about some of the rumors surrounding Zesi over the years.
That was why Kate desperately hoped Zesi would return and take charge of the Brunei Family. That should make the Big Mom Pirates somewhat wary!
Kate truly did not want to see the Brunei Family he had built up destroyed in one stroke.
As it happened, Zesi had some concerns of his own.
With his dreams and ambitions, he naturally would not limit himself to a single Brunei Family.
But the Brunei Family's problems also needed to be resolved, or he would not feel at ease setting sail alone.
After breakfast, Zesi did not go to the study to see Kate. Instead, he left the Brunei Family's residence and wandered around town.
This town had also prospered because of the Brunei Family.
Businesses selling desserts or dessert ingredients could be seen everywhere.
The entire town had become a city of desserts.
"Interesting!" Suddenly, Zesi smiled faintly, as though he had seen something interesting.
But Zesi made no unusual movements and simply continued walking forward.
His route grew increasingly secluded, however, until he gradually arrived at an isolated stretch of ruins.
"You've been following me for so long. Still not planning to come out?" Zesi said.
At his words, three figures swiftly appeared, surrounding Zesi in a triangle.
"To think you could detect our presence. It seems you do have some ability!"
"He set sail so young and managed to return after spending six years in the New World. He must have at least some strength."
"Good. If we succeeded too easily, it would be no fun at all."
The three looked at Zesi with the confidence of people who had everything under control.
"If I'm not mistaken, you should be members of Shadow Wings!"
"That's right. We're from Shadow Wings!"
"Interesting. The guards the family raised have begun baring their fangs at their master!"
Shadow Wings was a secret guard force secretly cultivated by the Brunei Family.
If the commercial escort force operating in the open was a mercenary army hired by the Brunei Family with money...
Then Shadow Wings was a secret force of loyal guards painstakingly cultivated by the Brunei Family.
Shadow Wings had existed since Zesi's grandfather's generation, long before Kate took charge of the Brunei Family.
How could anyone do business in the New World without some protective force?
But back then, Shadow Wings had been quite ordinary in strength.
Later, after the family prospered, Kate devoted large amounts of money to developing Shadow Wings.
That included purchasing Devil Fruits and famous swords, inviting notable figures to instruct them, and so on.
With enormous funding behind their development, Shadow Wings rapidly grew stronger.
They were now the Brunei Family's strongest force and had helped the family resolve many matters.
"We simply think the second young master is better suited than you to lead the Brunei Family as it is now!" the three members of Shadow Wings said with faint smiles.
"Oh, it seems Feiluo has done quite well. Has he already gained Shadow Wings' support?"
Zesi had no intention of taking control of the Brunei Family.
So he did not mind Brunei Feiluo being so "outstanding" that he could gain Shadow Wings' support. Instead, he began to feel somewhat expectant.
"So, he sent you to kill me!" Zesi raised his head and said with a faint smile.
No one saw the hint of danger that flashed through Zesi's gaze.
Zesi had always lived by one rule: you could only take what he gave you.
If he had not given it to you, yet you reached for it yourself, he would chop off your hand.
Even if he did not want to lead the Brunei Family, he still had to hand it over of his own accord. You could not seize it yourself.
As a pirate, he was the one who robbed others.
If someone wanted to kill him...
Even if that person was his own younger brother...