The cost of a house on our island is too high to simply include it as a standard signing bonus," Bill finally said, still tapping his finger on the table. Masterson remained seated, not leaving, understanding that the discussion wasn't over yet.
Bill remembered the advice Captain Trapano had given him before departing Vallipo aboard the Frontier Run, and a smile appeared on his face.
"I think I can justify such an expense. Once you sign the contract, you'll learn one of the Six Powers and commit to serving in the Science Division for twenty years."
Raising his hand to stop Masterson from interrupting, Bill continued:
"If you agree, the house will be registered in your name. You'll hold the deed, and if anything happens to you, it will pass on to Caroline."
Shaking his head slightly, Bill noted that Masterson was deep in thought. This offer was incredibly generous for an ensign from the Lower Blues, but for someone who had already settled for bounty hunting pirates for small sums, it wasn't an easy decision.
After a long pause, Masterson asked:
"Will most of your operations take place on the Grand Line?"
Bill nodded, and Masterson went on:
"I'm sorry, but I can't take that risk. After her mother's death, Caroline has already been through enough. I can't let her lose her father as well..."
After sitting in silence for several minutes, Bill spoke again:
"How about this: if you master several of the Six Powers, I'll appoint you as an instructor for special training and fire support in our division."
Hearing this, Masterson swallowed involuntarily and thought it over.
"So, once I demonstrate proficiency in all Six Powers, will I get a promotion?" he asked, to which Bill nodded again. After all, to be an instructor, it wasn't necessary to perfectly master every single ability.
A slow smile began to spread across the face of the cowboy in the dark hat, and he said:
"All right then, sign me up, Captain Ox."
Once the paperwork was signed, Bill asked which of the Six Powers Masterson wanted to start with. With a bit of flair, Masterson replied:
"For a sniper, the most important is 'Razor.' Let's start with that one."
Hearing this, Bill breathed a sigh of relief—this was a good choice.
After the interview, Bill left the ship, fully aware that he still had a long day ahead, as he needed to find temporary housing for the people they planned to leave on the island.
Initially, they had expected to leave behind more than a thousand people, but now that number had dropped to around five hundred.
Most of them were elderly, almost all pregnant women, and those whose conditions wouldn't allow them to endure a long stay on ships.
About thirty adult relatives would also remain, to provide assistance as needed. These people would also be the last to arrive on Little East Blue, staying in Logue Town until the last ship set sail.
First, Bill checked with real estate agents to see if there was any way to find housing for five hundred people, but he was told there simply weren't enough available places in town. However, they could build apartments on the outskirts within six months.
That wouldn't work for Bill, and as he pondered what to do, he wandered the streets until he heard a commotion up ahead.
Even without seeing anything, he could tell that someone was using a Devil Fruit ability, since he sensed a familiar smell. It was a scent similar to ozone, as if it caught in the back of his nose.
This smell was the same with every Devil Fruit Bill had encountered, whether it was Smoker casually using his powers to move around, or Fia turning her fingers into cannons while lying in bed.
Sighing, Bill decided he'd better find out what was going on.
Leaping into the air, Bill sharpened his vision and hearing. He didn't go too high—just up to the level of the rooftops surrounding the area.
Moving forward at a moderate pace, he soon spotted the source of the noise and the smell.
In reality, the salaries of sailors and assistants were generally calculated so that, after completing a six-year contract in service, a sailor could save up enough to buy a house—provided they set aside a moderate portion of their income.
For an island like the one Little East Blue was supposed to become, Masterson was requesting a house worth at least 10 to 20 million Beli, at minimum.
After discussing plans with the engineers from the Mechanical Island, Bill concluded that the maximum population the island could support was about ten thousand people. This took into account all the knowledge inherited from Vegapunk, as well as the expertise of civil engineers who had designed and built the enormous Gear Tower that lifted the entire island into the clouds.
Unsurprisingly, it would take several years for the population to grow to that size, and by that time, the island would become an extremely valuable asset.
Drumming his finger on the table, Bill fell into thought. Masterson just sat quietly, waiting for Bill to speak.