Early morning, as the sun rises.
The Charl Family Villa.
Verisia woke up early, putting on a brand-new dress, excitedly waiting for today’s outing to the sea.
Curls had been waiting in the hall for a while, as he only needed three hours of sleep and woke up earlier than his sister.
Although both were ready, Ronald, the head of the Charl family, was still choosing his attire for the day.
Holding a black tailcoat in front of himself, Ronald looked conflicted.
While the black tailcoat exuded a noble aura, the collar was a bit tight.
The white tailcoat, on the other hand, was too plain and looked quite ordinary.
What should he choose?
“Father, hurry up!”
Verisia urged from the hall.
“Alright, just a moment.” Ronald called back to his precious daughter and finally settled on the black tailcoat.
Despite the tight collar, the black coat conveyed a sense of seriousness and dignity.
Next, he turned to the seven or eight exquisite hats on the rack, facing another difficult decision.
The red hat seemed too flashy and eye-catching.
The blue hat, though casual, didn’t match the black tailcoat, risking ridicule from others.
The white hat…
“Hurry up!” Verisia, hands on her cheeks, was visibly impatient.
Curls, used to his father’s indecisiveness, remained unfazed.
However, if this delay continued, the ship to the Baratie would depart without them.
To ensure his sister’s anticipated trip to the Baratie wasn’t ruined, Curls decided to help his father.
“The black hat looks good.”
Following Curls’s suggestion, Ronald picked up the black hat with a white feather, observing himself in the mirror.
“Son, are you sure?”
Curls, sprawled on the sofa, replied without looking up, “Sure, the black hat with the tailcoat makes you look dignified and noble. Anyone can see your status.”
Feeling confident, Ronald chose the black hat and put it on.
“Which cane, though? The white standard one, the black one, or the gold-inlaid ebony cane? The white one is a bit light, and the black one too…”
Curls was puzzled.
“Why are you considering the weight of the cane?”
Ronald seriously explained, “It’s for self-defense. If we encounter pirates, I can use the cane as a weapon.”
Curls was speechless.
“But you don’t even know how to use a flintlock. What good will a cane do against pirates?”
Ronald shook his head, disagreeing.
“No, son, you have the wrong mindset. If we don’t resist pirates, they’ll see us as easy targets. We must fight back.”
Curls couldn’t believe his ears. His father, a former brewery worker, now spouting such principles.
“Have you been reading something lately?”
Ronald gestured with the gold-inlaid cane, answering, “Oh, I’ve been reading a book called ‘Slaughtered Lambs.’ These are philosophies I learned from it. How about that?”
Curls didn’t want to comment.
“Let’s get back to the choice. I think your reasoning is sound, and the gold-inlaid cane suits you best.”
…
Ten minutes later.
The villa’s door opened.
The Charl family was ready to leave.
The waiting coachman quickly drove them towards Loguetown’s port.
Watching the passing scenery, Curls sighed slightly.
Despite the high-quality carriage, the travel speed was still slow compared to modern cars.
The carriage arrived later than planned due to the crowded streets of Loguetown, but they made it just in time before the ship’s departure.
With their current wealth, the Charl family could easily buy a ship to reach the Baratie, but that would be too troublesome.
Besides, travelling by ship with others felt more ceremonial.
Ronald would never admit he chose the ship to save money.
“Whoa!”
As they reached the port, the coachman pulled the reins, stopping the carriage smoothly.
“Mr. Charl, we’re here.”
“Thank you.”
Ronald stepped out, holding his gold-inlaid ebony cane, followed by his black hat with a white feather.
On the ground, Ronald exuded an aura of wealth and importance.
He coughed lightly and adjusted his bow tie, slightly uncomfortable in the tight-collared tailcoat.
Curls then elegantly helped his sister Verisia out of the carriage.
At the port, a massive white ship with numerous large sails awaited.
The ship could carry over a thousand passengers and host grand events without any issues.
Crowds bustled at the port, with tourists boarding, workers loading cargo, and staff maintaining order.
Standing amidst the crowd, Curls felt a slight déjà vu of the Titanic, although the ship before him wasn’t as grand as that legendary vessel.
The Titanic was once the largest, most luxurious passenger ship, famed for being “unsinkable.”
While the ship before him wasn’t comparable, the technology in the One Piece world was unique, with even sea trains existing in the Grand Line, suggesting steamships weren’t far off.
“All aboard!”
As the ship prepared to depart, the Charl family boarded.
“Are you the Charl family?” a crew member asked.
“Yes,” Ronald replied.
“Welcome. Your deluxe room is this way.” The crew member smiled, leading the way.
“Thank you.” Ronald adjusted his cane, trying to figure out the best way to hold it.
Seeing a nobleman nearby, Ronald mimicked his posture, placing the cane under his arm and walking confidently.
Curls could only sigh internally.
Due to the decline of previous generations, Ronald hadn’t learned proper noble etiquette and was improvising.
As the three arrived at their reserved room, the ship raised anchor and set sail.
At the port, workers took a break, discussing the recent gang incident in Loguetown.
“Did you hear? There was chaos at the East District casino last night.”
“I know. I live nearby. Captain Smoker and the Marines arrived, but the gang was already destroyed by a mysterious person!”
“Loguetown’s gang wiped out? Who could be that powerful?”
“Who knows, but it’s good the gang is gone. At least we won’t be forced to pay protection fees for a while.”
“Exactly!”
Little did they know, the mysterious person who single-handedly destroyed Loguetown’s gang had already boarded the ship with his family, heading to the Baratie.
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