Chapter 318 Loki and Lola
One night during the voyage toward Elbaf, Katakuri silently entered Brett's room.
He'd transformed into white mochi and seeped through gaps in the planks, then reformed his body in the darkness.
"Uninvited visits in the middle of the night aren't exactly polite behavior, my friend."
Brett opened his eyes and sat up in bed somewhat lazily.
"Cut the nonsense, Brett." Katakuri's tone was cold, his attitude far from friendly. "What should we do about the current situation?"
"What should we do?"
Brett raised an eyebrow. "What are you referring to? The situation seems fine to me."
He himself wasn't particularly worried about an alliance between the Charlotte Family and the giants.
Setting aside that Fish-Man Island was already allied with Elbaf, even if this marriage succeeded, so what?
The one marrying into Elbaf wasn't Charlotte Linlin herself—it was the Charlotte Family.
In the past, Charlotte Linlin could certainly represent this family. But now, after Katakuri had developed new ideas, that situation was different.
Who knew whether Charlotte Linlin or Katakuri would represent the Charlotte Family in the future?
"Don't play dumb with me!"
Probably worried about waking the sleeping Charlotte Linlin, Katakuri lowered his voice. "Lola is very resistant to this marriage."
"She does want to get married, but only to someone she likes herself."
Right. The woman named Lola was no doll for Charlotte Linlin to manipulate.
In the original story, she'd directly fled her wedding because of Charlotte Linlin's coercion.
Though her affection wasn't exactly precious either.
If Brett remembered correctly, after going to sea she'd continuously proposed to other men. By the time she met Luffy, she'd proposed over four thousand times—all failures without exception.
Thinking about it that way, Prince Loki suddenly seemed rather pitiful.
Brett looked at Katakuri and smiled faintly. "Isn't it a bit late to bring this up now, Katakuri? Arranged marriages are commonplace in the Charlotte Family, aren't they?"
In Charlotte Linlin's worldview, only family could be trusted. So to win over others on the seas, she often employed marriage arrangements.
Who knew how many daughters she'd married off?
Katakuri fell silent.
How many of those sisters had willingly married?
But these were things he'd never really thought about in the past.
Or rather, he'd never thought he should think about them.
In the past, he'd always felt he had to obey Mama's decisions.
But now things were different.
He could no longer stand by while his mother twisted his sisters' lives according to her own desires.
Brett heard Katakuri's emotions clearly, so he said, "No need to rush. Let Lola and Prince Loki meet first."
"Loki's a good guy. You met him before, didn't you?"
"If Lola agrees herself, then you naturally have no reason to object, right?"
Katakuri nodded, then shook his head.
"But what if Lola doesn't agree?"
Katakuri understood clearly—Lola's opinion wouldn't matter going forward. Even if she disagreed, their mother would force her to agree.
"Don't we have each other?"
Brett smiled.
"We," huh?
Katakuri felt somewhat moved.
Right. With this guy's help, the situation wasn't without hope for a turnaround.
The ship continued forward.
The Charlotte Family's ship was alive—they were Homies that Charlotte Linlin had given souls to, possessing their own thoughts. Their sailing speed was much faster than ordinary vessels.
Under Charlotte Linlin's excited and repeated demands to accelerate, they quickly reached Elbaf.
Those meeting them had been waiting at the shore.
"Hahahaha! Welcome, Brett!"
His Majesty the towering Giant King stood at the coast, enthusiastically waving at Brett on the ship's deck.
"We meet again, Your Majesty."
Brett also greeted him with a smile.
His Majesty was genuinely looking forward to Brett's arrival. He'd wanted to fight him again for quite some time.
In fact, his reason for agreeing to help last time was wanting another bout with Brett.
"Mamamama! The Giant King himself came to greet us? I'm quite flattered!"
Charlotte Linlin floated up on her thundercloud Zeus, greeting him cheerfully as well.
The instant he saw her, His Majesty's grinning face immediately turned cold. He snorted. "In any case, let's continue this inside the palace."
Seeing his reaction, Charlotte Linlin's smile also diminished somewhat.
Clearly, He held considerable grievances against her and the Charlotte Family.
Probably he'd only compromised because of Prince Loki's wishes.
But wasn't that actually a good thing?
It meant Prince Loki truly was very taken with Lola.
Charlotte Linlin realized this, and her mouth curved upward again.
The convoy prepared to receive Brett's group quickly reached Elbaf's capital, racing all the way to the palace.
On the road, the Giant King invited Brett to share his carriage, excitedly telling Brett he'd prepared thoroughly for another match.
What could Brett say?
Only that he was ready anytime.
As ruler of the world's strongest nation, His Majesty the Giant King was naturally powerful.
But compared to Brett, he naturally paled in comparison.
Upon reaching the palace, the Giant King leaped from the carriage first. He shouted toward the palace interior at the top of his lungs. "Loki! You foolish son! The girl you fancy has arrived!"
On this side, Charlotte Linlin and Katakuri had already disembarked with the fidgeting Lola, standing before the palace.
"Lola, perform well for me."
As Charlotte Linlin affectionately adjusted her daughter's clothes, she leaned close to Lola's ear and whispered.
Lola's body actually trembled. She hurriedly replied, "Yes, Mama..."
Katakuri's expression remained calm. He said nothing.
Footsteps echoed from behind the palace doors, then stopped. No further movement.
Brett couldn't help smiling faintly.
How interesting.
"What are you dawdling for, you brat?! Get out here!"
The Giant King said impatiently.
After a moment, the palace's heavy doors finally opened slowly, and a figure shuffled out reluctantly.
It was Prince Loki. He was dressed now in formal human attire, his hair meticulously groomed, hands behind his back. From the side, Brett could see flowers in his grasp.
He glanced timidly at Lola, then quickly looked away.
After glancing around nervously, he finally took a deep breath and strode toward Lola.
"This... this is for you..."
His Highness blushed as he presented the flowers.
Lola stared at the bouquet roughly her own size, stunned. Then she looked up at the massive figure before her.
It's impossible... He's way too big!
****
60+advance chapters at patreon.com/Eatinpieces