Lying is not a good thing.
The entire Rocks Pirates were busy.
"Charlotte, I'm afraid that even if we empty the Beehive, we won't be able to fit all the books!" Lina said, her voice carrying a tone of helplessness. This was the conclusion she had reached after careful estimation.
There were simply too many books—so many that it was impossible to count them all. This was an accumulation of knowledge gathered over countless years.
"Don't worry, Lina, we will find a way." Charlotte Linlin, also known as "Big Mom," responded with a confident smile.
Lina turned her head to look at Charlotte. Though she was surprised by her unwavering confidence, she never doubted Charlotte's ability to make things work.
"I understand."
Only Beta looked confused. What did he understand?
With his big and rough demeanor, Charlotte didn't trust him to handle delicate work. Douglas Bullet was much better than him in this regard.
So Beta was left without a task and could only follow Charlotte and Lina as they moved through the town of Ohara.
Charlotte, however, had someone else in mind—Mitis. The key to solving their problem lay in the power of the Book-Book Fruit, a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit that allowed the user to turn books into storage spaces.
In this world, the phrase "a golden house within a book" was not just a metaphor.
The three of them walked quietly through the streets of Ohara. Everything seemed peaceful.
But this peace would not last. Soon, the Demon Slayer Order would descend upon this island, leaving nothing but ruins in its wake. The great tree of knowledge, the scholars, the books—it would all be erased from history.
Charlotte looked around with a sense of foreboding.
Perhaps only things lost could be remembered forever.
Lina felt an unusual sadness emanating from Charlotte. This feeling had been growing stronger over time, as if she had gained an ability to sense others' emotions—especially Charlotte's deep and turbulent thoughts.
Today, the feeling was overwhelming.
"Hello, big brother."
A childish voice interrupted Charlotte's thoughts.
She turned her gaze toward the source.
A little girl, white and delicate like a porcelain doll, stood before them. A large bag was strapped to her back, filled with neatly packaged flowers.
For someone so young, the load was heavy. But her big, bright eyes were filled with determination.
"Big brother, big sister, do you want to buy some flowers?" she asked with a polite bow.
Lina felt her heart melt at the girl's adorable expression.
A gentle smile appeared on Charlotte's face. She crouched down and patted the girl's soft hair.
"Little sister, how much are they?"
The little girl hesitated when she noticed the long blade, Napoleon, hanging from Charlotte's waist. She responded timidly, "Big brother, 200 Berries. Is that okay?"
Charlotte chuckled softly, sensing her unease. "You shouldn't ask me that, little sister."
She smiled warmly and added, "Don't worry, this weapon is for dealing with bad people."
The little girl's innocent eyes widened. "Really? Then big brother must be really strong!"
Charlotte nodded. "Of course. The sea is a dangerous place, filled with bad people."
"I'll take ten," she said, pulling out a crisp stack of bills—2,000 Berries—and placing it in the girl's small hands.
The girl's eyes lit up. Carefully, she placed her backpack down and began selecting flowers.
"This one looks nice."
"Oh, this one is also good!"
She carefully picked out ten of the best flowers and handed them to Charlotte with both hands.
Charlotte accepted them and then asked, "Little sister, why are you selling flowers at such a young age?"
The girl beamed. "Oli is not young anymore! I can be independent."
She puffed up her chest with pride. "Dad and Mom are both amazing archaeologists, just like big brother!"
Charlotte's smile softened. "That's impressive! And you're amazing too."
Lina, standing beside her, gently asked, "Little sister, where are your parents?"
The girl's expression darkened. "Dad and Mom... they're sick. Their colleagues told me they went far away for treatment and won't be back for a long time."
Charlotte and Lina froze. A hint of sorrow flashed across their eyes.
Just then, the little girl turned to the tall and burly Beta, her voice timid yet polite. "Uncle, would you like to buy some flowers?"
Beta's face darkened instantly.
His eye twitched, but despite his irritation, he forced a smile. "Little sister, I'm only 16 years old. Not an uncle—call me big brother."
The girl blinked in surprise, studying him intently before shaking her head. "No, you don't look like a big brother at all."
Beta's expression twisted into one of disbelief. He clenched his teeth, his pride wounded. "If you call me big brother, I'll buy all your flowers!"
The girl hesitated, her small hands fidgeting as she wrestled with the moral dilemma.
Beta smirked, thinking he had won.
But then, the little girl lifted her head and firmly declared, "Even though I want to sell all the flowers... my parents taught me that lying is not a good thing."
Beta staggered, his vision going black for a moment. With a loud "thud," he collapsed onto the ground.
Moments later, he sprang up, his face filled with frustration. "How dare you! Look closely—I'm only 16!!"
Charlotte sighed, noticing the girl flinch at Beta's outburst. She promptly kicked Beta aside. "You're scaring her."
Charlotte patted the girl's head reassuringly. "That guy may look... a little rough, but he's actually a good person. Don't be afraid."
The little girl peeked at Beta, who was rubbing his bruised backside, and nodded hesitantly.
Carefully, she tucked the 2,000 Berries into a small pouch, which already contained a thick stack of money.
Lina chuckled. "Little sister, you're quite rich!"
The girl giggled proudly. "I've been saving for a long time."
Lina's heart ached. What a mature child.
Her parents must have been so proud of her.
"Goodbye, big brother! Goodbye, big sister! Goodbye, uncle!"
The girl cheerfully waved before heading off to sell more flowers.
"How dare you! I told you, I'm not an uncle!!" Beta roared, still rubbing his sore behind.
Charlotte, watching the girl disappear into the distance, suddenly spoke in a quiet but resolute voice. "What do you think? Should we build a hospital on Hachinosu to provide free treatment for the island's residents?"
Lina and Beta looked at her in shock, their expressions turning serious.