A man's cough echoed abruptly through the courtyard, drawing attention from the women gathered by the pool. After a brief moment of surprise, they began looking around, and it was Monet who first spotted Carl at the entrance.
Upon seeing Carl, Monet immediately called out in delight, "Young Master!" The other women followed her gaze and soon reacted similarly.
The next second, except for Shalria, who was still nestled anxiously against Shirahoshi's chest, the rest of the women rushed toward Carl.
From Carl's perspective, a wave of shimmering white surged toward him, surrounding him in an instant.
In the world of pirates, the women's figures needed no elaboration, and Monet and the others were among the best of them. Any ordinary man in this situation might have had a nosebleed from the sheer spectacle. However, Carl's composure far surpassed that of normal men—he didn't even blink.
As Monet and the others reached his side, Carl surveyed them briefly before locking eyes on Olvia, who was peeking out from behind Robin. His lips curled into a faint, knowing smile.
Under Carl's gaze, Olvia's face grew even redder. She lowered her head, burying it against Robin's shoulder as she murmured softly, "Carl-sama, you're back..."
Carl crossed his arms and chuckled. "Yeah, I went to the library first to find you, but it turns out you were here."
Hearing this, Robin quickly stepped forward to explain for her mother.
"Young Master, I was the one who brought my mother here. I didn't mean to delay anything important for you—I sincerely apologize!"
As she spoke, Robin placed her hands over her stomach and was about to bow deeply at a ninety-degree angle.
But Carl was quicker. He reached out and pressed her shoulder down, stopping her.
"No need to apologize. Your mother is a free woman now. There's no rule against her coming here to visit her daughter."
Olvia, however, quickly turned and attempted to leave. Carl's figure flickered, and he blocked her path.
"Where are you rushing off to?"
Biting her lip, Olvia hesitated before saying, "To... to change clothes. This outfit isn't appropriate."
"Hmm? I think it suits you just fine. No need to change."
Carl's tone was firm, leaving no room for argument. Olvia dared not resist and could only stand there obediently.
Monet stepped forward and gently suggested, "Young Master, would you like to relax as well? I can assist you."
Carl smirked slightly. In the next instant, darkness surged up from the ground, enveloping him entirely in a black sphere, obscuring everything inside.
When the darkness dissipated, Carl was left wearing only a pair of loose black swim trunks, revealing his well-defined upper body.
Among those present, aside from Olvia and Pudding, the others had all helped Carl change before, so they were hardly surprised by his appearance.
Monet naturally leaned against Carl's chest as he wrapped an arm around her waist and walked toward the pool.
Upon reaching the poolside, Carl sat down at the edge, immersing himself in the water comfortably. Hancock and Monet sat on either side of him, leaning in close.
Feeling the softness on both sides, Carl closed his eyes, ready to enjoy this moment of leisure—
Until Shalria's voice suddenly rang out from above. "Carl-sama!"
Carl arched a brow and opened his eyes, turning his gaze toward Shirahoshi. He had completely forgotten about Shalria.
Standing on Shirahoshi's chest, Shalria waved excitedly at Carl. Shirahoshi, however, softly warned her, "Lady Shalria, please be careful… You might fall…"
But Shalria didn't heed the warning. The moment Carl nodded at her, she got so excited that she took a step forward.
However, Shirahoshi's skin was far too smooth. The instant Shalria stepped forward, she lost her footing and slipped, letting out a startled scream as she tumbled downward.
Carl's face showed a trace of helplessness. Behind him, Robin quickly crossed her arms, ready to use her ability to catch Shalria.
Just as Shalria was about to hit the water, several pale arms sprouted from Shirahoshi's waist, linking together. The foremost hand caught hold of Shalria's swimsuit.
Unfortunately, Shalria's swimsuit was a delicate, loose-fitting style, and the straps weren't fastened tightly. Under everyone's astonished gazes, Robin's tug caused the swimsuit to slip right off, leaving Shalria in nothing but a bikini bottom.
Carl's mouth twitched slightly as he raised his palm, activating the gravitational pull of his Dark-Dark Fruit.
Buzz!
The force of attraction held Shalria in midair for barely a second before pulling her toward Carl.
With a soft pop, Carl found himself in a peculiar situation, his hand pressed against an awkward spot. He fell into a moment of silent contemplation.
Shalria's face froze. She stiffly lowered her gaze to where Carl's hand rested. In the next instant, her face turned so red it seemed to emit steam. Her eyes rolled back, and she fainted on the spot.
Carl quickly withdrew his hand, and Shalria collapsed against his chest. Monet and Hancock, ever considerate, shifted slightly to make room for her.
Nearby, Sugar swam over, holding Shalria's swimsuit in her hand. Monet took it from her and softly said, "Lady Shalria, we found your clothes. Do you want to put them back on?"
Shalria trembled slightly. With her face still buried against Carl's chest, she whispered,
"G-Give it to me..."
Monet handed over the swimsuit, and Shalria weakly grasped it but made no move to rise.
Seeing this, Carl spoke. "I'll close my eyes. You can get up now."
Before he could finish speaking, Shalria shot up abruptly, exclaiming,
"Carl-sama, please don't! It was my fault for being careless…"
With this sudden movement, Carl inadvertently got a full view of everything. Yet, he remained completely unperturbed, his gaze calm and unflinching.
Monet and the others covered their mouths in astonishment.
Olvia swallowed and muttered to herself, "Are all Celestial Dragons this… uninhibited?"
Hearing this, Robin leaned in to whisper something in Olvia's ear. A look of realization dawned on Olvia's face.
Blushing furiously, Shalria straddled Carl's waist as she hurriedly put her swimsuit back on.
Once dressed, she slowly stood up, lowering her head. In a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz, she murmured, "Carl-sama, I… I should go…"
Carl waved dismissively. "No need to leave. Stay and have dinner with us tonight. Should I have someone inform your father?"
Shalria's eyes widened in disbelief before quickly turning to joy. She nodded eagerly.
"No need, Carl-sama! As long as my father knows I'm here, that's enough!"
After all, Rosward would love nothing more than for Shalria to move in with Carl permanently. No notification was necessary.
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+230 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg