Protecting Peace with the Sword in Hand
He, Heberfield Charlotte, became famous on Lati Island.
This incident made Charlotte feel uneasy—how was he supposed to keep a low profile now?
If word spread, the consequences could be disastrous!
Trouble. It was exactly what he tried to avoid.
He kept a low profile not out of humility, but because unnecessary attention would interfere with his training.
But now, things had changed.
For nearly a month, Lina, a waitress from a local tavern, had been following Charlotte. She had long grown accustomed to his humble demeanor—always so gentle, always with a warm smile.
Charlotte soon arrived at the port controlled by the Heberfield family.
A pirate ship they had captured had long since been refitted, now flying the Heberfield family's flag—two white angel wings folded together, with a king's sword between them.
It was a clear symbol: guarding peace with the sword in hand.
There was no need to ask—this was undoubtedly Ivan's handiwork.
At a glance, the ship resembled some of the old vessels used by smaller pirate crews. It wasn't particularly large, but even so, Lati Island's only port felt cramped.
"Boss, if the Heberfield family wants to grow, we should expand and repair the port!"
Ivan spoke with a rare seriousness.
This had been his plan for a long time. Unlike typical pirate crews that thrived on plunder, he envisioned the family growing through legitimate trade.
However, their current port was far too small to support such ambitions.
A large port meant business taxes, steady income, and long-term stability—a foundation for the Heberfield family's future.
Charlotte hesitated. He knew full well how important a strong port was. But this was also a troublesome matter.
A prosperous port could easily draw the attention of pirates.
Ivan, noticing his leader's troubled expression, assumed Charlotte was contemplating the future of the family.
In reality, Charlotte just had a headache.
On one hand, he disliked uncertainty and risk. On the other, he wanted a refined life—good food, a peaceful existence, and a place to rest without worry.
It was a difficult decision.
How should he proceed?
"We'll need a long-term plan…" Charlotte muttered.
But before he could finish his thoughts, he saw Ivan's expectant gaze—burning with enthusiasm.
Seeing his subordinate working so hard for his sake, Charlotte couldn't bring himself to reject the idea outright.
"Fine, let's give it a shot."
Ivan's eyes lit up. "Boss, don't worry! I've already contacted Mr. Rady to draft the blueprints!"
Charlotte nodded. Everything was being set in motion—a precautionary step for the future.
Ivan had always been reliable when it came to handling the Heberfield family's affairs.
Without him, the family wouldn't have survived this long.
Because of Ivan's efforts, Charlotte had the luxury of training and fishing in peace.
Of course, expanding a port came with risks. But as long as he remained low-profile, no one would pay much attention to him.
And if things got dangerous?
Well, the New World had no shortage of powerful banners to hide behind.
Worst case scenario, they could just fly the flag of one of the Four Emperors and pay a small sum in protection fees—a common practice in the New World.
Thinking of this, Charlotte felt reassured.
The port would take a long time to truly develop.
Mr. Rady, the architect behind their current small port, had once studied architectural design abroad. He was a capable and experienced old man.
Charlotte tapped his chin in thought.
While Lati Island was remote, its location wasn't bad.
As long as they secured the protection of a future Emperor, implemented reasonable business taxes, and turned it into a shipping transfer hub, money would start flowing in.
Financial strength was just as important as combat strength.
If he wanted to live peacefully, he needed money.
Without power, he'd be left struggling for survival.
As for pirates, they knew nothing about business and development.
Of course, if they had to choose an Emperor's flag, Whitebeard's would be the safest bet.
Charlotte turned to Ivan. "How much money do we have? And how much do we need to fully implement this plan?"
Ivan, ever the realist, replied, "Boss, that depends on Mr. Rady's blueprints—the port's scale, materials, and labor costs. If we want quality materials, the price will be even higher."
"As a reference, the current port was originally built for 160 million Berries."
Charlotte's expression darkened. One hundred and sixty million?!
That was a ridiculous amount of money!
Right now, Berries were still quite valuable.
Charlotte had never even seen that much money since arriving in this world.
"The funds we have on hand are far from enough," Ivan continued. "We only have the 30 million Berries you looted from those pirates."
Charlotte sighed. Thirty million? That wasn't nearly enough.
The previous gang boss had invested in this port, but due to his lack of strength, few merchant ships dared to stop here.
As a result, the port remained underdeveloped.
Charlotte stroked his chin in silence, absorbing Ivan's analysis.
The only 30 million Berries they had came from a pirate raid.
"So, what's our biggest source of revenue?" Charlotte asked.
At least they weren't in immediate financial distress. He could take his time figuring out a solution.
"A portion comes from protection taxes we charge, and sometimes commercial taxes from passing traders."
Ivan's tone carried a hint of embarrassment.
Charlotte was surprised. Their income was truly meager.
It was a miracle they hadn't starved to death yet.
"Boss, we do have a fishing boat that can venture into the open sea…"
Charlotte sighed.
The family was poor—so poor that relying on fishing was a legitimate financial strategy.
What a headache.