One Piece: Mandala Swordsman

Chapter 28 If he doesn't speak, I'll play dumb.

You need plenty of bait, a long line, and patience to catch big fish.

Wales has always thought so.

He couldn't sit still after learning from those pirates that the Yado Merchant Guild had young experts.

The Navy is currently desperately seeking talent. In this age of great voyages with an increasing number of pirates, whoever can snatch up the best talent will be the winner.

Unfortunately, Welsh could not learn more from those battered pirates.

The major pirates were almost always handed over as corpses or heads, and some smaller pirates were also beaten so badly that they were unable to fight back and were even delirious. This meant that Wales could only get some intermittent answers.

As for treating pirates?

You're kidding, you'd think they could treat him? They'd just throw him in jail.

The fact that he didn't kill those scumbags on the spot already showed his great magnanimity.

But regardless of who he is, his presence in the Yado merchant group is an undeniable fact.

Wales also investigated the Yado merchant group. Captain Hartle was a rare honest businessman who valued promises, was loyal, broad-minded, and had a great liking for the navy. The group was on the verge of bankruptcy, but in the past few months, it had been brought back to life.

If they are one of his subordinates, then the chances of winning them over are very high.

In that case, why not just invite them over?

Whether he can actually join the navy from the merchant corps depends on his abilities in Wales.

Because the waters of the North Sea have been calm recently, most of the big fish have been caught, and the small fish don't dare to cause trouble, budget expenditures have dropped significantly, which is why Wales was able to come up with 1000 million peso in one go.

Although it hurts a bit, it's not a loss if it can recruit talent for the navy.

Moreover, recruiting good talent is crucial for the branch's evaluation. If the recruitment is successful, it can benefit the branch, making it a worthwhile investment.

He made all the necessary preparations in order to catch a big fish.

In short, all that's left is for the right opportunity to come.

This trip was a private one for Hartel and Roman. After all, they were going to the Navy branch, and Hartel wasn't entirely comfortable sending a young girl.

She may be exceptionally capable and resourceful, but she still lacks experience in such large-scale events, so having a leader is crucial at this time.

As for Roman, she hadn't thought much about it.

Just treat it as a trip to collect money.

Did they say in the letter that they wanted her to join the navy?

No!!!

Did I say I'd give her money?

Yes, I have!!!

Let's keep it simple: we take the money, eat and drink, and the navy really cares about that?

So one took it seriously, and the other was carefree; the two of them arrived at the naval branch on a passenger ship.

Wales had been waiting on the shore with a group of his men, and when he saw Hartle in his suit, he quickly reached out his hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lord Hartel Merchant Guild."

Hartel naturally took the gesture of goodwill from a naval admiral very seriously, removing his hat and shaking hands with him.

"Hello, Lieutenant Colonel Wales, thank you very much for your invitation."

After some pleasantries, we got down to business.

"I wonder where your guard is now..."

"Ah, she's here."

"Hello, Lieutenant Colonel Wales."

Her sweet, gentle voice flowed like a spring into the heart of the Welsh colonel, stirring his tenderness and reminding him of his lovely daughter.

The girl in front of me was wearing a black dress, black leather boots, and a black hair tie. Her hair was styled in a pretty high ponytail, and she looked exceptionally beautiful. However, the child's eyes seemed to have a disease, as they were lightly covered with black gauze.

"Is this your daughter? She's so cute!"

Wales couldn't resist reaching out and patting her head.

“No, she’s a guard for the merchant guild, and also the person you’re looking for to eliminate the pirate crew,” Hartel explained.

The next second, Wales' smile froze, his hand hovered in mid-air, and he seemed to be petrified.

Is this the little girl he's looking for?

……

To welcome Hartle and his party, Lieutenant Colonel Wales prepared a sumptuous lunch.

In his private office, a snow-white tablecloth had already been laid out, along with a freshly opened bottle of champagne, which was later replaced with juice.

There's also fragrant turkey, peppered steak, nutritious vegetable salad, and even the tableware is made of silver.

Both men had their own thoughts about the navy's meticulous hospitality.

Hartle: It seems you really value the little black cat.

Roman: We've made a fortune! We're having a lavish meal and getting paid for it!

However, Wales looked rather worried because the other person's age was quite different from what he had expected.

Even if you know the other party is very young, the girl in front of you could even be described as young, so the benefits you prepared beforehand seem to be of little use.

Wales has heard of several people who displayed monstrous strength in their youth, such as the famous naval hero Garp, the currently powerful Vice Admiral Kuzan, Sakazuki, Borsalino, and others, all of whom were exceptionally talented in their youth.

Their value to the navy is immense, but they are also a difficult group to manage.

Because they haven't fully developed a sense of right and wrong at this age, and out of ignorance, they think more about what they want to do rather than the consequences of doing it.

Examples of children who displayed astonishing talent but rarely joined the Navy include Charlotte Linlin, a famous example. She defeated a giant and Kaido of the Beasts at age five, and was the kingdom's greatest warrior before the age of ten. Although this girl was older than the two men at the time…

As a child, Linlin was willing to destroy a country for sweets, and Kaido would cruelly destroy a town just to see if he could commit suicide that way.

If everything hinges on whether she wants it or not, then personal gain seems to be out of the question.

Moreover, thinking about his daughter's rebellious and immature behavior, Wales was very worried about whether the conversation would go smoothly and whether the girl would be able to understand.

Wait, she doesn't just think he came to thank her, does she?

Thinking about this, Wales felt a bit of a headache, because he hadn't expected the girl to be so young, so he had opted for a roundabout and tactful invitation. Now that he thought about it, maybe the girl in front of him didn't even understand what he meant. (Roman: Yes, that's what I think too.)

This is getting a bit complicated.

However, Wales was, after all, a seasoned veteran of officialdom, and during lunch he began to pay attention to the interaction between Hartle and Roman.

Although the two claimed to have only an employer-employee relationship, they treated each other very warmly.

Perhaps we can start with Hartle. What I say might not work, but if Hartle speaks to Roman, she might listen.

it is good.

Seeing the two men had finished their meal, Wales felt the time was right and was just about to speak when…

"Is there anything you'd like to say? Just tell me directly," Roman said with a smile, wiping the corner of his mouth.

Wales felt as if he could see right through him.