Chapter 346: Professor Clover
Clap!
Clap!
Clap!
A round of applause echoed from the doorway.
Charlotte had appeared at some point, standing outside the room, having clearly overheard the entire conversation. He now clapped with slow mockery.
"Who's there!?"
Professor Clover's face changed instantly, eyes snapping to the door in alarm.
Charlotte pushed it open with ease—the locked door folding like paper beneath his hand—and strolled in.
"Professor, that little speech of yours just now… I found it both touching—and utterly shameless."
He spoke as he entered, casually mocking the stunned pair.
"Charlotte! Why are you here?"
Olvia cried out in surprise.
"You left without a word. Your husband's body is still on my ship. I figured I'd be nice and bring him over."
Charlotte rolled his eyes and gestured behind him.
Both Clover and Olvia looked toward the door, where a simple coffin now lay quietly.
Seeing it, Olvia's tears flowed again uncontrollably.
Charlotte sighed inwardly. No wonder they say women are made of water.
Professor Clover, meanwhile, was carefully inspecting the visitor. Blonde hair, sharp features, an aura of command and power, and two distinct curled mustaches above his lip. A white and gold coat draped over his shoulders.
The more Clover looked, the more uneasy he became.
He hurried over to a desk, yanked open a drawer, and began flipping through a stack of bounty posters.
On the fourth poster, his hand froze.
He held it up and matched the face.
"Rockefeller… Charlotte!"
Clover blurted in shock.
Charlotte had disguised himself slightly upon arriving in Ohara—growing out two curled mustaches—to avoid alarming the public.
But with the notoriety the Rockefeller Pirates had gained in the Four Seas lately, Charlotte's name and face had been plastered across newspapers nonstop. Even civilians who didn't normally pay attention to pirates now knew of the legendary New World pirate currently sailing through the Four Seas.
While his disguise might fool the public, anyone with a trained eye could still identify him—especially thanks to the one-of-a-kind Poseidon ship.
"Professor,"
Charlotte greeted with a smile.
"Y-You… Why are you here?"
Clover asked nervously.
"Oh? Ask Olvia. She's the one I saved from the World Government."
Charlotte casually motioned toward her.
Seeing Olvia nod slightly, Clover finally relaxed—just a little.
"And… may I ask what brings you here? Is there something you need?"
Clover asked cautiously.
Charlotte's presence was too overwhelming to ignore.
"Need? Oh, I do. I want to restock my ship's supplies—and I want copies of Ohara's entire library."
Charlotte laid out his request with a grin.
Looking around at the surrounding books and knowledge, he'd made his decision. If Ohara was destined to be destroyed, then he'd at least preserve this treasure trove of human knowledge. He might not be able to stop its demise, but he could carry its legacy forward.
Clover was stunned by the request.
Restocking? Fine.
But copying the entire library?
What was he planning?
"How about it, Professor? Surely that's not such a tall order, is it?"
Charlotte's eyes twinkled, but his smile carried an unmistakable weight.
"I… I'll have to discuss it with the others. Ohara isn't mine to decide for alone."
Clover was sweating under the pressure. One wrong word from him and Charlotte could destroy the entire library by force.
"Fine. Get me an answer by tonight. I'll be resting here on Ohara for the next few days."
Charlotte shrugged nonchalantly.
If they cooperate, great. If they don't—well, I am a pirate, after all.
"Well, I've delivered your cargo. If anything comes up, I'm sure you'll know where to find me."
Charlotte added as he turned to leave.
Clover nodded repeatedly and saw him out, shoulders tense the entire time. Speaking to Charlotte was utterly draining.
Once the pirate had left, Clover immediately shut the door tight and turned back to Olvia.
"How did you end up involved with the Rockefeller Pirates!?"
he demanded.
"It wasn't intentional," Olvia said softly. "We were ambushed by those masked agents. We ran… and just happened to encounter the Rockefeller Pirates. They drove the agents off and saved me. I later collapsed from exhaustion, and they took me in. My daughter was even born on their ship."
Hearing this, Clover sighed deeply.
"The Government already watches us closely. Now that we've gotten involved with the Rockefeller Pirates, if they use this as an excuse to strike—what do we do then?"
He slumped into a chair, clearly burdened.
Olvia turned pale. She hadn't considered the full weight of what her rescue might mean.
"I… I don't think… they'd go that far?"
She said uncertainly.
"Who can say?"
Clover shook his head. "Anyway, go bury your husband. I'll handle this."
"Thank you, Professor."
Olvia bowed slightly and left, carrying her child.
Looking again at the bounty poster in his hand, Clover sighed bitterly and headed out as well.
He hadn't forgotten Charlotte's request.
A request that sounded more like an ultimatum.
These are troubled times indeed…
—
The news of the Rockefeller Pirates' arrival in Ohara sent shockwaves through the island's inhabitants.
Even the hidden agents stationed across the island reported the development immediately.
"Damn it!"
In Mariejois, Saint Saturn of the Five Elders slammed a goblet onto the floor, fuming.
"That blasted Rockefeller Pirates again! Always where they shouldn't be!"
"We should dispatch the God's Knights to eliminate them!"
he snarled.
"We can't!"
Saint Peter immediately objected.
"Our current priority is the Roger Pirates. That comes from Lord Im himself."
The tension was rising. Charlotte's presence had once again disrupted their careful plans.
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