Chapter 14: Security

Chapter 14: Security

Time passed quickly! For the safety of the journey, Charlotte finally decided to commission a ship from the underground forces. After all, shipbuilders on Ratti Island were few and far between. Plus, if she built one herself, who knows when it would be ready... and the security would be quite questionable. Doing a decorative painting is acceptable, but building a ship is a completely different matter. So Charlotte decided to be pragmatic: she had money, she would buy one! She didn't worry about the details. However, the ship still needed time to be built.

Recently, pirates have been wreaking havoc frequently. For safety, she decided to commission a specifically designed ship. She didn't want to set sail and be chased and sunk by pirates. The requirements for the ship were simple: It had to be fast, sturdy enough, big enough, and with enough artillery. Of course, it cost a good sum of money: 1.2 billion berries, which left Charlotte quite worried. But there was no other choice, safety is paramount and the ship is crucial for survival in battles against pirates.

Recently, the nearby seas were also restless. It's not known whether it was because of rumors of treasures or because of Ratti Island's port, but pirates had set their eyes on the island. For safety and to avoid trouble, she decided to eliminate the pirates. Charlotte patrolled the nearby seas and physically eliminated pirates in places where no one could see her. If no one saw her, no one would know it was her. Charlotte was very proud of her perfect plan. There were no rumors about her in the village, and everything remained as peaceful and quiet as ever.

To accumulate initial funds and complete her long-awaited fortress base project, she exchanged the rewards of the captured pirates. She always collected the rewards through clandestine channels, even if it meant losing a portion, no one noticed. Prudent and elegant! This gave Charlotte some peace of mind. The new port on the island was already finished, costing 780 million berries, making it much larger. Now it looked quite spacious.

The power of money cannot be denied, and her collaborators also made a great effort. Of course, it was also because of Charlotte's power and berries, with the latter being the most important reason. Her collaborators' attitude towards her made her uncomfortable. So she left Ivan, her chosen worker, in charge of everything, because the most capable should work more.

Ivan, full of energy, took on all of Charlotte's responsibilities. Charlotte selected many talented people and used her Observation Haki ability to evaluate them. Since then, she spent time training them, guiding them in their training. These people would be the pillars of the Hiberfield family in the future.

The fastest and strongest progress was made by Beta, whom Charlotte trained rigorously. Now he could command a ship and hunt pirates alone, and even go out to hunt sea kings. Therefore, Beta and his team were in charge of the family's provisions. After all, there were many mouths to feed.

There were also some people that Charlotte designated to learn various skills. Like navigators, doctors, carpenters, and cooks, using clandestine channels. Both navigators and doctors and carpenters are indispensable talents.

In these months, many liberated slaves were evaluated by Lina and joined the maids' group. Yes, under Lina's direction, the maids' group grew even larger. Now, the Hiberfield family was moving towards stability in all areas, with great momentum.

Charlotte didn't have to worry too much. Only her ship was missing, and she could eliminate the pirates in the nearby seas, further increasing security. And in reality, she hadn't spent that much money. Pirates, with their crimes and looting, were valuable not only for their rewards but also for the treasures on their ships. In fact, as they say, "to steal and burn, a band of gold," ancient wisdom doesn't lie.

So Charlotte started to accumulate solid materials to build her fortress. On Ratti Island, the underground forces had already established a branch and were delighted to see Charlotte eliminate pirates. Especially because of her youth and determination, they invested more in her future. A monstrously strong young person!

Of course, business is business, and it wasn't free, but although the profits weren't great, the trade volume compensated for it. Both parties were satisfied with their cooperation relationship. They didn't know who the other was, and didn't mention it, a mutual understanding. Now they just needed to find a world-class architect to start the work.

It must be known that world-class architects are very valuable talents, treasures of the great forces. Especially those who can build fortress bases, who mostly work for the Marine and reside in their headquarters. After all, the Marine's fortress bases are all over the world, quite impressive. Charlotte didn't have the ability to steal talent from the Marine, an organization full of strong and monstrous individuals.

If the Marine targeted her, she would be in serious trouble. Difficult to handle! This matter couldn't be rushed, so Charlotte contained her impatience. Fortunately, her strength had improved tremendously, completely mastering Armament Haki and the Marine's six techniques. Life continued as usual.