Fish-man Tom had already made his stance clear, leaving Gin at a loss for further persuasion to convince him to go to the East Blue. Instead, Gin proposed the idea of sending exchange students, which Tom agreed to. After some casual conversation with the members of Tom's Workshop, Gin noticed Tom subtly hinting at his departure. Understanding the cue, he tactfully took his leave.
"That guy Gin really is relentless," Cutty Flam remarked, watching Gin's retreating figure.
Once Gin was out of sight, Tom asked his secretary, Kokoro, to close the door. Then, in a rare moment of seriousness, he instructed Iceburg and Cutty Flam to follow him to a warehouse that was usually neglected.
The two young men, puzzled, followed Tom. Upon arriving, Tom disappeared for a short while, only to return carrying a thick stack of blueprints. He handed them to the more composed Iceburg.
The moment Iceburg saw the contents of the blueprints, even his typically calm and mature demeanor faltered, his mouth agape.
Cutty Flam, known for his wild imagination, couldn't help but question, "Is this something that humans can actually build?"
"This is the most terrifying monster ever conceived in the history of shipbuilding," Tom said gravely. "The group of government officials who came earlier today were here for these blueprints. They're already suspicious of me. Keeping them in my possession has become far too dangerous. I hope you two can safeguard them and ensure they don't fall into the hands of those with ambition."
"...I understand, Mr. Tom. I'll take good care of them," Iceburg said nervously as he carefully set the blueprints down.
Cutty Flam, however, was intrigued and suggested, "Why don't we try building some parts of it? Even if we don't construct the whole thing, we could test a few weapon components to see if the blueprints are genuine!"
"No way!" Iceburg rejected the idea outright. "The government is already suspicious of Mr. Tom. If we start building anything from these blueprints and they catch wind of it, we'd be exposing ourselves completely!"
Iceburg's face showed a hint of concern as he turned to Tom and proposed, "Mr. Tom, the World Government is capable of anything. If worse comes to worst, perhaps you should reconsider Gin's suggestion. After the trial, you could move to the more remote East Blue for a while to avoid their scrutiny."
Tom laughed heartily, as if amused by Iceburg's "naivety." "Do you really think moving to the East Blue would completely escape the government's notice? And how do you know that even if we evade the government, we won't attract the attention of other ambitious figures? That Gin—he's practically singing praises about the governor of his homeland. Even if half of what he says is true, it's enough to prove that the governor is no ordinary person. If he hears about these blueprints, are you certain he wouldn't get ideas?"
"Then why did you agree to accept the students they're sending? Aren't you worried they might learn about the blueprints from you?" Cutty Flam asked curiously.
"That's precisely why I'm entrusting the blueprints to you two!" Tom replied with a smile.
Cutty Flam scoffed, "You're so clever, aren't you? But what if they get the information from us instead?"
"They won't," Tom said, his expression turning serious. "I want you two to temporarily leave Tom's Workshop once the exchange students arrive."
Crash!
The teacup Iceburg had been holding slipped from his hand and shattered on the floor.
Cutty Flam froze, then stared at Tom in disbelief. "You—you're kicking us out!?"
"No, you will always be part of Tom's Workshop. I would never kick you out," Tom said firmly. "But you two have grown up. You're the most talented young shipwrights I've ever seen. Over the years, you've learned everything I can teach you. It's time for you to carve out your own paths. With your skills, you shouldn't be confined to this garbage dump. You could move into the city and—"
"I'm not going into the city!" Cutty Flam interrupted angrily. "The people there are useless—they probably can't even build a simple raft! Gin was right about a few things. You're the world's greatest shipwright, but this city hasn't given you the respect you deserve!"
The environment of Tom's Workshop wasn't much better than the slums of the Navia Kingdom. Aside from being less crowded, it was just as bad, filled with garbage and surrounded by wastewater from the city. The air carried a faint stench. Cutty Flam, who wasn't one to complain about hardships, had lived here for over a decade without issue. But as Gin had pointed out, he found it unfair that such a remarkable shipwright had to endure such conditions. This unfairness extended to his view of the city itself, leaving him with little affection for it.
Tom was momentarily stunned. He didn't feel resentment or bitterness about his circumstances, but seeing his student passionately stand up for him moved him deeply.
Tom burst into his habitual laughter again. He was genuinely happy, but to Cutty Flam, it seemed dismissive, which only fueled his anger further.
"What's so funny?" Cutty Flam snapped. "I know you think of Water 7 as your home and can tolerate anything for its sake. But my home is Tom's Workshop, not Water 7!"
With those words, Cutty Flam slammed the door and stormed out, leaving the room in silence.
"Flam is always so impulsive, never patient enough to hear me out," Tom said, smiling bitterly.
Turning to his eldest apprentice, Iceburg, Tom continued, "Gin had a point earlier. A single Sea Train isn't enough to save this city. That's why I want you two to move into the city. I can only build ships, but the city's problems can't be solved by shipbuilding alone. I believe you two can find solutions. Especially you, Iceburg—you not only have the talent for shipbuilding but also the leadership skills to make a difference. I trust you can help restore Water 7 to the glory I remember."
Tom's face lit up with enthusiasm as he recalled the city's former prosperity.
"Mr. Tom, I don't understand..." Iceburg hesitated, seeing Tom's fervor. He couldn't quite grasp why his teacher felt such a near-missionary sense of duty to save Water 7.
Tom was a fish-man, and as Gin had mentioned, his name wasn't even listed in the city's registry. The idea of sentimental attachment to a hometown didn't fully explain it.
"I don't regret building a ship for Roger. That was the greatest honor of my life," Tom said softly, as if answering Iceburg's unspoken question. "But the Great Pirate Era did begin because of Roger, and Water 7 has indeed declined as a result of it. When a ship has problems, it's the shipwright's responsibility to fix it. Now that Water 7, this ship, is broken because of me, I have an even greater responsibility and obligation to repair it."
"What kind of shipwright jumps ship at the first sign of trouble? That's something only cowards would do—not shipwrights," Tom said, patting Iceburg's shoulder with conviction.
🔥 Want to read the next 20 chapters RIGHT NOW?
💎 Patreon members get instant access!
⚡ Limited-time offer currently running...
👉 [Join on - patreon.com/GoldenLong]