— — — — — — —
Time?
It always moves the fastest.
Half a month gone in the blink of an eye.
During these two weeks, the entire Charlotte Family underwent significant changes.
Learning! That was basically the only thing occupying everyone's lives.
Aside from learning, all they did was… more learning.
For everyone in the Charlotte Family, they had fallen into a cycle where learning became the most important thing.
In fact, they all believed it was the only thing that truly mattered.
"Phew—" A deep breath was exhaled.
Daifuku and Oven.
The two of them were nearly at their breaking point.
"Hehehe—"
Watching these two exhausted brats, Joey smiled warmly and said, "So, you two brats, do you feel any different now?"
The two silently looked at their older brother.
Opening their mouths slightly, they hesitated.
"..." Then, silence.
Daifuku sighed, "Teacher Scáthach is terrifying beyond belief. That was pure, absolute domination. It wasn't even a battle on the same level. I just can't understand… how can one person be this strong?"
Joey responded gently, "In her world, she has the skill to slay gods. Teaching you two brats is naturally an easy task for him."
Oven nodded in realization, "So she is really that terrifying?"
"Of course!" Joey affirmed, "If not, why would I have made him the Charlotte Family's teacher? these two are both top-tier in skill and knowledge. You two need to study hard."
Daifuku and Oven obediently nodded.
Joey then continued, "You two brats, I know you're close to your limit, so fine! I'm setting sail soon, and this time, you two are coming with me."
"What?!"
"Finally?!"
Daifuku and Oven immediately jumped up in excitement.
They were absolutely thrilled.
Finally, a legitimate excuse to escape from lessons!
But—
Creak!
At that moment, the door suddenly swung open.
Scáthach stepped inside.
Their smiles froze instantly. Their entire bodies stiffened.
Scáthach said indifferently, "Setting sail? That's fine. Daifuku, Oven, on this voyage, make sure you master what I've taught you. When you return, you will be tested. If you fail… you know the consequences."
"Yes, Master!"
The two responded with a deep bow.
They looked just like well-behaved children, showing none of their usual antics.
Joey chuckled and shook his head.
Seriously.
What could he even say? His younger siblings had been completely disciplined by their Master.
Scáthach then turned to Joey, her gaze deep as she remarked, "Your potential is incredible. If you truly dedicated yourself, you might even surpass me one day."
But Joey simply smiled and said, "I'm sorry, but I can't accept that ambition. To me, a person can live without emotions, but emotions should never be abandoned."
"If I become someone who doesn't care about family, then what's the point of having power?"
He didn't like the idea of being emotionless.
To him—The bond with his siblings.
The love of a mother and son.
The respect between a teacher and disciple.
These feelings— Are what make someone truly human. If emotions are gone, is a person even really alive?
A soulless machine.
If that's what a human becomes, then what difference is there between life and death?
Joey shook his head gently, "Lady Scáthach, I'm sorry."
"What a pity…" Scáthach also shook her head. "Oh well. Even though you refuse, it's not necessarily a bad thing."
"Over the years, I've trained countless heroes, including that mad dog. But in the end, none of them had real emotions. They all believed that sacrifice was the duty of a hero, yet they never understood the value of human feelings."
As she spoke, Scáthach's expression became filled with emotion.
Joey simply shook his head, choosing not to say more.
It was impossible for him to accept such a way of thinking.
He was human. Not a beast.
— — —
With his departure approaching, there were still matters to be settled.
Even though he didn't need to manage everything himself—
There were still many things that required careful attention before he left.
This was crucial.
Inside the Study
Joey, Perospero, and Amande sat together.
Joey began, "Perospero, Amande, I'll be away for a while. This voyage will take about three months, then I'll be back. During this time, you two are responsible for managing the family affairs."
Perospero responded seriously, "Big Bro! Don't worry. The Trade Guild won't have any problems."
"Hehehe—"
Hearing this, Joey chuckled, "I'm not worried about the Trade Guild. It's running smoothly on its own now. You, on the other hand, should just focus on learning from the two teachers!"
Perospero knew exactly what he meant.
Training in combat was still manageable.
But the real challenge was studying strategy and business under Zhuge Liang and understanding human nature.
Those lessons had completely consumed Perospero.
He was obsessively learning everything he could.
Even though it had only been two weeks—now— Perospero could spend his days eating, drinking, and playing, and the entire Dark Trade Guild would still function smoothly.
That was the confidence he had gained from his recent studies.
"Hehehe—" Perospero chuckled. "Big Bro! Sometimes, I thought I was strong, but after truly learning, I realized how weak I actually was. It's honestly hard to believe."
Amande agreed. "Yeah, Big Bro! Teacher's teachings are truly incredible."
Joey looked at his younger siblings with warmth.
Compared to half a month ago, they had changed significantly.
Perospero was still ruthless and cunning.
But now, he knew the fine balance between cruelty and profit.
And Amande?
Actually!
She never had an issue with ability, she just needed confidence.
Now?
Under Zhuge Liang's guidance, her confidence was finally starting to surface.
Joey couldn't help but be impressed.
Under Scáthach's training, everyone was developing the aura of a hero.
Under Zhuge Liang's instruction, everyone was gaining vast knowledge and reshaping their personalities.
And that was enough.
Burning about 200 Devil Fruits?
That no longer mattered!
Losses could always be recovered. Those were expendable.
What truly mattered was strengthening the family.
And at the core of the Charlotte Family— Its foundation! Its roots!
That was what Joey valued most.
Joey and Perospero discussed matters regarding the Dark Trade Guild.
It was worth mentioning that Linlin never trained under Scáthach. Linlin was too short-tempered and would never accept such teachings.
Linlin and Katakuri had already set sail again continuing Big Mom's pirate crew plan.
With them gone. There were no issues on the pirate crew's side.
The next major concern was the Dark Trade Guild.
Perospero pondered and said, "Big Bro! That's not a problem. I've already accounted for everything. In just one more year, when the World Conference begins, a lot of the trouble will ease."
Joey replied, "Regardless, we can't afford to be careless. I'm taking Daifuku and Oven with me this time. Although Opera and the others will be guarding Totto Land, if an emergency arises, you can pull some people from there."
Hearing this, Perospero nodded. "Got it, Big Bro!"
After wrapping up their discussion.
Joey turned to Amande. "What do you think?"
"Hehehe—"
Amande chuckled. "Big Bro, you're always teasing me! I've been feeling great lately. I've changed a lot."
Joey smiled gently. "That's great, isn't it? People grow by improving step by step. Confidence is essential. Keep learning from Teacher Zhuge Liang. Totto Land's construction still has a full year to go, so there's no rush. We have enough manpower."
"Mhm!"
Listening to Joey, Amande nodded obediently. The usually cold and elegant Amande seemed cute and docile at this moment.
Because in front of her big brother.
She didn't need to keep up that cold and indifferent facade.
However, Joey then spoke seriously. "Draenor Island is a top priority. Make sure all aspects are well managed. Other than Whole Cake Island, Draenor Island is the most critical!"
Amande, back to her composed self, responded, "Big Bro! You can rest easy. I'm the Minister of Draenor Island. I know exactly what to do."
"Good."
Joey nodded. "The construction speed of Hundred Arms Island, Sun-Chasing Island, Giant Whale Island, Memory Island, Paradise Island, Elf Island, and Atlantis all need to be increased."
Joey considered the situation further.
Within Totto Land's waters.
There were 36 islands in total.
Whole Cake Island was the central hub.
Next was Draenor Island and another 11 islands had designated inhabitants.
Leaving 24 islands still unclaimed.
After a moment of silence, Joey decided, "Alright! These 12 islands will be the main focus of development. The remaining 24 islands will be prepared with rune placements and core infrastructures before we bring in new races."
"Understood, Big Bro!"
This wasn't just an endless list of reminders.
As the family's leader.
Before departing.
Joey was personally handling these arrangements.
In reality.
Joey didn't have to set out on this journey himself.
But—As a perfectionist, Joey trusted his subordinates to do the work but insisted on personally laying the perfect groundwork.
This wasn't a joke.
A solid foundation was crucial.
To Joey. As long as the foundation was laid properly, nothing else would be a problem.
— — —
The next day
The ship was ready.
"Be careful!"
"Over here!"
What was once just a 2,000-person mafia—had now expanded into 20,000 men.
One of the rarest human groups in Totto Land.
This time, Joey set sail with 3,000 of them, excluding chefs and maids.
In truth, they were no longer called the mafia.
Instead, they were known as the Black Soliders!
A simple name, yet it represented the Charlotte Family's most loyal warriors.
Their strength wasn't the greatest.
But their loyalty was undeniable.
Even without a slave contract, they would still stand in front to protect the family.
Clap!
Daifuku and Oven walked over, managing logistics along the way.
Joey approached with Perospero and Amande.
Soon, they stopped in front of the ship.
Joey smiled. "Alright, you two head back. Everything is arranged here. There won't be any problems."
Although they nodded obediently.
They still stared at Joey for a long moment.
However, Joey didn't pay much attention to their lingering gazes.
Perospero and Amande.
They just felt like their center was leaving, and for a moment, they weren't sure how to handle it.
After all.
As long as Big Bro was home, even if he did nothing, he was still the family's pillar.
Joey then turned to a group in the distance. "Alright, you little troublemakers. Since you're already here, come with me. You can keep learning later. For now, you'll follow me on this journey and broaden your horizons."
"Big Bro!"
Hearing Joey's words.
Nusstorte, Moscato, Mash, Custard, and some others all rushed over.
Clinging to Joey's legs.
Afraid they'd be dragged back to studying.
Kids, after all.
Always hated studying!
.
.
.