One Piece: A Warlord's Path

Chapter 916: Chapter 916: Smoothie’s Oddity and Pudding’s Choice

Days later, an invitation to a Tea Party and a wedding invitation for Pudding were delivered simultaneously to Aeridar.

"Interesting. No wonder Pudding went back in such a rush. She’s getting married!"

A playful expression flickered across Aeridar’s face. He toyed with the two invitations, looking at the tall, long-legged woman standing before him with a faint, enigmatic smile.

She wore a distinctive hat and a thick scarf, her long white hair flowing all the way down to her legs. Her bangs swept over her right eye, and she wore gloves on her hands. Her legs, spanning at least three meters in length, were adorned with tattoos and tucked into decorative pink knee-high boots. Strapped to her back was a longsword encased in a spiral-patterned scabbard.

Charlotte Smoothie, the 14th daughter of the Charlotte Family, the Minister of Juice of Totto Land, and one of the Three Sweet Commanders (now that Snack had been demoted). She was a woman with a bounty of 932 million berries and the power of the Paramecia-type Wring-Wring Fruit.

Though Aeridar’s gaze felt somewhat odd, Smoothie gave a professional nod. "That is correct. The groom is the third prince of the Germa Kingdom, Vinsmoke Sanji. Honestly, I must thank you for the care you’ve shown my younger sister over the past two years."

"Pudding has helped us immensely; looking after her was only natural," Aeridar grinned, waving a hand dismissively. "I only wonder if she’ll still be willing to come help us once she’s married."

At his words, Smoothie’s elegant face stiffened momentarily, a flicker of something unreadable crossing her eyes.

She quickly masked it with a knowing smile. "I’m sure she will. Mama is very keen on Pudding staying in touch, provided her husband doesn’t object, of course."

"Good to hear," Aeridar replied, flashing a bright, "sunny" smile. He added teasingly, "Since you’ve delivered the invitations and Arlan is currently on patrol in the city, you should go find him. I won’t waste any more of your time."

Because marrying a daughter of Big Mom required joining her crew, and Arlan had no intention of leaving the Chris Pirates, while Smoothie could never leave the Big Mom Pirates, the two were forced to live apart, only meeting on rare occasions.

At the mention of Arlan, Smoothie’s expression turned unnatural. Her lips twitched awkwardly, but she remained silent.

Sensing her own lapse in composure, she forced a smile and asked, "I’m not in a hurry to find him just yet. Mama also asked me to inquire, does the Chris Pirate crew happen to have a backup of Caesar’s research data on Gigantification?"

Aeridar’s eyes narrowed slightly, but his smile didn’t falter. "Indeed. Dr. Dalt has been conducting his own Gigantification experiments. While there have been breakthroughs, we haven’t achieved full success yet."

"Why? Is your crew interested as well?" Aeridar asked pointedly.

"No success yet, then..." A flash of disappointment crossed Smoothie’s eyes, but she quickly brightened. "Mama has been funding Caesar’s Gigantification research, but just as he was finishing, his lab on Punk Hazard was attacked by Straw Hat. As you know, the research data sank into the sea with the island. Mama wants Caesar to restart the research, so she was wondering if you could provide a copy of those files?"

Aeridar’s expression shifted to one of realization. It was a perfect storm: Punk Hazard had sunk during the clash between Enel and Aokiji, and Caesar, terrified of Big Mom’s wrath, had likely lied about completing the experiment to buy time, pinning the "loss" of the data on the Straw Hat crew.

Asking the Chris Pirates for the data was clearly Caesar’s latest stall tactic.

Aeridar processed this and nodded nonchalantly. "No problem. It’s a simple matter. I’ll have it ready for you by the time you leave."

"Then you have my thanks," Smoothie said with a grateful smile. She stood up gracefully, her three-meter-long legs carrying her toward the door. "I’ll go find Arlan now. I’ll take my leave."

"Go ahead, Smoothie," Aeridar laughed cheerfully.

Smoothie nodded and turned to leave. However, the moment the door clicked shut, the smile vanished from Aeridar’s face, replaced by a dark, brooding shadow.

"It seems things are moving exactly as I suspected."

...

Totto Land.

Cacao Island Caramel Café, Chocolate Town.

"Dammit!"

"I don’t want to get married!"

Pudding paced angrily back and forth inside the café, looking like a frustrated child.

Nearby, a stout woman with pink twin-braids and thick lips stood up with a helpless sigh. "There’s no helping it, Pudding. Mama’s orders are absolute. You can’t defy them. Just try to look forward to meeting your future husband."

Charlotte Chiffon, the 22nd daughter of the Charlotte Family, the Minister of Puff of Totto Land, and wife of "Gang" Capone Bege of the Worst Generation.

Hearing her sister’s words, Pudding stopped, her hands on her slender waist. "I don’t want to marry some Germa prince! He’s just a low-life hoodlum. He’s nothing compared to Aeridar-sama!"

"No! Even comparing Aeridar to that punk is an insult to him!"

As she mentioned Aeridar’s name, her face flushed crimson, her anger momentarily replaced by a bashful shyness.

"Yes, yes. Who could possibly compare to the Great ’Golden Ring’ Aeridar?" Chiffon teased, watching her sister’s blushing face. "Pudding, do you actually like Aeridar-sama?"

Pudding’s face went scarlet instantly. Like a startled rabbit, she began to stammer, "H-How could I... Aeridar-sama is so brilliant... so powerful, so handsome... H-H-How could I like h-him... Aaaaah!"

Before she could finish, she covered her face with her hands and screamed in embarrassment.

But then, Pudding suddenly snapped her head up. Her expression turned cold and cruel, a wicked smirk playing on her lips.

"Dammit! If it weren’t for that old hag from Amazon Lily getting there first, I would be the best wife for Aeridar-sama! And those two little sluts, Millie and Mina... I’ll skin them alive sooner or later!"

"Uh-oh... ’Bad Pudding’ is out," Chiffon muttered, her lip twitching. She shouted, "Pudding! What are you talking about?"

"Ah!"

Pudding snapped back to her "innocent" self, screaming and clutching her face. "I-I-I didn’t say anything... nothing at all..."

But then, her expression shifted back to a freezing cold sneer. She whispered sharply, "No! I won’t marry that hoodlum. Aeridar-sama is where I belong! I will never betray him!"

With trembling hands, Pudding reached into her pocket and shakily pulled out a small Den Den Mushi wearing a miniature golden earring.

Chiffon watched her in horror, the realization of what Pudding was doing hitting her like a cold wave.

"P-Pudding... what are you planning?"

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