He is a Noble Man!
Surprise!
A big surprise!
Charlotte Linlin furrowed her brows as she gazed at Bain and Lyle, who had suddenly appeared before her. Confusion flickered in her eyes.
"What's going on with these two?"
Bain had his reasons for coming, but what was Lyle's intention?
With a tone filled with doubt, Charlotte asked, "Well? What do you two have to say?"
Bain hesitated briefly before flashing a smile. "It's Lyle. He said he had a gift for Gillian."
A gift for Gillian?
Something felt off.
Were they even familiar with each other?
No, probably not. They had barely spoken before.
Charlotte's frown deepened. She couldn't believe someone would just give something away without an ulterior motive. There had to be something behind this.
Bain, sensing her suspicions, continued, "He just wanted to entrust his medical collection to someone truly dedicated to medicine."
Hearing this, Charlotte exhaled, relieved. For a moment, she thought there was some kind of unexpected trouble.
So Bain must have told Lyle about Gillian.
First, Bain had given Gillian his own medical notes. Now, Lyle had come to offer his entire collection of medical books—without expecting anything in return.
"Not bad. A selfless act like this is rare."
As expected, the world of pirates wasn't completely devoid of good people.
After all, some hide their merits and names rather than seeking recognition.
Charlotte glanced at Lyle, who remained silent. He seemed like a man of few words. If anything, he was surprisingly generous.
Seeing no reason to refuse, Charlotte nodded. "Then, on behalf of Gillian, I thank Dr. Lyle for his generous gift."
But Lyle shook his head.
"I will never be a doctor again."
…?!
Charlotte was stunned.
From what she knew, the people had forgiven Lyle after learning the truth. They hadn't held his past deception against him.
She had to admit—ordinary people could be surprisingly kind and understanding.
So why was he abandoning his identity as a doctor now?
"Why?"
Lyle fell silent.
Memories surfaced before his eyes…
A freezing winter night. Snow, wind, and the unforgiving cold.
His mother had worked herself to exhaustion just to care for him, only to collapse from illness that same night.
Desperate, he had begged for a doctor. But because of the kingdom's oppressive medical laws, no one came to help.
He could only watch as his mother's life faded away before his eyes.
Powerless.
Helpless.
It was all because of money. Because of an unjust kingdom's decree, she had missed the critical window for treatment.
That night, in the midst of the storm, he ran through the snow, tears streaming down his face like shattered beads.
Endless sorrow engulfed him.
That night changed everything.
That night, he swore—he would never forgive this world.
He would do whatever it took to achieve his goal… even if it meant walking a path others condemned.
Charlotte observed his long silence and grew puzzled. But her Observation Haki picked up on it—waves of sorrow and pain radiating from Lyle.
She was moved.
A man carrying such a deep wound…
Lyle finally looked up, eyes glistening with unshed tears.
He stared at Charlotte and said softly, "Thank you."
Charlotte's eyes widened.
Her wariness shot up instantly.
What?
Thank her?
What did that mean?
Why thank her out of nowhere?
Lyle turned and left, leaving behind only a key to his collection room.
His departure was swift—no hesitation, no explanation.
Charlotte stood there, caught in the wind, utterly baffled.
She turned to Bain, still confused.
"…What did he mean by that?"
Bain merely smiled. Then, he bowed deeply and said, "Thank you for helping this country."
Charlotte froze.
"…Hah?"
"What nonsense are you spouting? I didn't help anyone."
She waved her hands dismissively, denying it on the spot.
What kind of joke was this?
She, Charlotte Linlin, a serious person?
A busybody?
Absolutely not.
Not in a million years.
This guy was ridiculous. What kind of crazy talk was this?
Bain didn't press the matter.
He simply sighed inwardly.
"This is a person who truly doesn't care about recognition."
He is a noble man.
Charlotte, on the other hand, just wanted to see them off as quickly as possible.
She had no idea how they had figured things out.
And frankly, she didn't want to know.
Before leaving, Bain gave her a knowing thumbs-up.
Charlotte's mouth twitched.
This guy…!
Well, at least for now, only these two seemed to know the truth.
No rumors had spread.
She sighed in relief.
With their personalities, it was unlikely they'd go around blabbing about it.
So, in the end…
Maybe, just maybe…
She hadn't been exposed.
Still—better safe than sorry. She needed to leave. Fast.
If anyone pieced things together in the next few days, it could attract the wrong kind of attention.
The mission was already accomplished. There was no reason to linger.
Charlotte's survival instincts kicked in.
She was out.
---
Two Weeks Later – Lati Island
Charlotte flipped through the latest newspaper.
Nothing about her on Senfrevo Island.
She exhaled, relieved.
Whatever had happened there had caused quite a stir. People were still speculating about the mysterious figure who wiped out that pirate crew.
But after checking the reports, she confirmed—her name was nowhere to be found.
Good.
Meanwhile, thanks to Dr. Lyle's donation, Lati Island's medical knowledge had made a major leap forward. His collection was invaluable, forming the foundation of a new medical database.
A huge gain.
As she set down the newspaper, Gillian walked in.
Charlotte immediately noticed the unease in her expression.
"Charlotte," she asked suddenly, "what kind of person do you think Dr. Lyle is?"
Charlotte met her gaze, pondering for a moment.
"There's a saying—judge people by their actions, not their hearts. No one is perfect when judged by emotions alone."
Gillian blinked.
"…Huh?"
This sounded… deep.
Too deep.
What kind of saying was that?
Charlotte coughed lightly.
Seeing her confusion, she patiently explained, "Don't focus too much on appearances or past mistakes. Look at a person's true intentions and deeds."
Understanding flickered in Gillian's eyes.
She had already known the answer in her heart. She just needed reassurance.
Charlotte smiled.
"Just stay true to your kindness and principles."
Gillian took a deep breath, nodding firmly.
"I understand, Charlotte."
Seeing her regain her determination, Charlotte felt a sense of relief.
Sometimes, a little chicken soup for the soul wasn't so bad.