Ortoren didn't respond to Charlotte Linlin's remark. Instead, he asked,
"How have things been in Totto Land lately?"
"Are you asking as intelligence gathering, or just on a personal level?" Charlotte Linlin countered.
Ortoren smiled.
"Personal."
Charlotte Linlin nodded, then continued,
"Things are going well. I've recently decided to reform the family's management structure, to make Totto Land function more like a proper nation. On each island, I'll station a family officer as the local minister. From there, they'll build their own island-specific administrative systems. Step by step, from the bottom up, we'll have complete control of the nation..."
As Ortoren listened, he found himself nodding inwardly. This was the system that would later become the long-standing governance model of the Big Mom Pirates—essentially a bureaucratic structure.
And indeed, this system greatly contributed to making Totto Land's pirate territory more formalized and state-like.
While Ortoren pondered, Charlotte Linlin continued, her tone filled with anticipation.
"This way, our Big Mom Pirates will enjoy a stable environment, attract more capital, and generate greater profits. Those profits can then be turned into weapons, warships, and armies. Over time, even Whitebeard won't be able to keep pressing me down. Roger's title as Pirate King was built on the waves of an era he created. And I, sooner or later, will sit on that throne as the ultimate ruler of these seas!"
She then gave Ortoren a dissatisfied look.
"If you were willing to return now, we could declare all-out war on the Whitebeard Pirates immediately. With the two of us together, who in this world could possibly stop us?"
Ortoren couldn't shake the sense of déjà vu. Didn't Shiki use almost the same pitch when trying to lure Roger during the Edd War?
Thinking of Shiki brought Ortoren's mind to Impel Down. In the original timeline, Shiki should be preparing to escape right about now. But that was impossible here. After Shiki had been captured, Ortoren had suggested fitting him with a collar. Sure, the guy could chop off his legs and fly away—but was he going to cut off his own head and fly with that?
He wasn't some witch doctor summoning flying heads.
Looking back, Ortoren realized he'd been too young then, not as cunning as he was now. If it were today, he wouldn't have told the Marines to slap a Seastone collar on Shiki. He'd rather let Shiki escape again, just so he could capture him a second time. The same man, two major accomplishments—that's sustainable resource cycling.
Shaking off those thoughts, Ortoren asked,
"Right, about that weapon production I asked Katakuri to mention—how's that coming along? Now that you've got funds on the way, we at G-5 are planning to make another purchase. Plus, the World Government is about to start outsourcing weapon manufacturing. If your production capacity is up to it, you should put in a bid..."
"Bid against who?" Charlotte Linlin rolled her eyes.
Ortoren thumped his chest confidently.
"Me. I'm a Vice Admiral of Marine Headquarters. I can act as your intermediary and recommend you. From what I hear, CP is in charge of overseeing the project. But don't worry, I've got good connections over there too. Once you're ready, the moment the higher-ups loosen things up, I can get you in immediately."
Charlotte Linlin eyed him skeptically.
"As a middleman, you're planning to skim off the top, aren't you?"
"That's unfair. Even brothers keep clear accounts, and we're no exception. If I go to all this trouble to land you a huge sales channel, shouldn't I get some compensation for my effort? I'm not some mining slave!" Ortoren said, full of righteous indignation.
"How much do you want?" Charlotte Linlin didn't bother arguing and went straight to the point.
"Talking money might sour things. What I mean is, we share the profits." Ortoren gave her a warm smile.
Charlotte Linlin snorted.
"Do you even know which stage of weapon production eats up the most money?"
"Research and development..." Ortoren admitted, a little embarrassed.
"Do you realize how much Caesar has burned through since coming to Totto Land?" Charlotte Linlin sneered, fixing her eyes on him.
"How much?" Ortoren asked nervously.
"It's about to break the five hundred billion Berry mark. Five hundred billion! Do you know what that means? Even if you sold all of G-5, it wouldn't be worth that much!" Charlotte Linlin spread her fingers wide, her voice filled with frustration.
"Five hundred billion!?" Ortoren was stunned. "What's he researching, ancient weapons? How could it cost five hundred billion? What kind of project is this? Don't let him fool you. Before I came here, Dr. Vegapunk told me Caesar's favorite trick is conning funds to fuel his personal extravagance!"
In the original story, Caesar had already conned Charlotte Linlin out of plenty while under Doflamingo's wing, blowing it all on lavish indulgences.
The man had a record.
That's why Ortoren doubted him. Five hundred billion... Well, maybe it wasn't entirely absurd. Scientific research was always a terrifying money pit. Back at Punk Hazard, when chatting with Borsalino, he'd heard the place burned through nearly a trillion Berries of World Government funding every year.
What on earth were they researching to cost that much?
It was hearing this news that made Ortoren feel he truly was a master of calculation. Entrusting Vegapunk to the World Government, letting them foot the bill, and then reaping the results himself later—now that was sweet.
Charlotte Linlin sneered coldly.
"If he can swindle money out of me right under my nose, then that just means he's skilled enough and bold enough. I won't hold it against him..."
Seeing how confident she was, Ortoren let the matter drop. After all, in the original story, Caesar had never been within Charlotte Linlin's direct line of sight. Back then, he might have dared to fool around, but now... he probably wouldn't.
"Of course, not all that money went into weapons or technology. Most of it's gone into biotechnology. That brat told me he could create a Giant Race... I'm actually looking forward to it," Charlotte Linlin added.
Then she moved the topic along.
"Anyway, even putting that aside, I've invested heavily. And now you think you can just flap your lips and expect me to share the profits? You really think that's fair?"
"I provided the channels! The World Government's procurement orders are astronomical—trillions are nothing unusual. Do you realize how much profit is in this? How is that unfair?" Ortoren shot back, completely unapologetic.
"Do you think you're my only contact in the World Government? In a couple of days, Stussy, the Queen of the Pleasure District, will be at my tea party. Isn't she one of your people?" Charlotte Linlin said with disdain.
Why would she need Ortoren's introduction? He himself had said CP handled the vetting. Going straight to Stussy was cutting out the middleman.
"You know Stussy's identity?" Ortoren asked, a little surprised.
"Hah... what's so surprising? She looks exactly like that useless woman did in her youth. Caesar works under me, and none of MADS' old secrets could ever be hidden from me..." Charlotte Linlin sneered.
Ortoren couldn't help but think, Truly worthy of being called the number one intelligence force in the pirate world.
But he wasn't ready to give up yet.
"Still, I was the one who first came up with this idea and brought the opportunity to you. I burned plenty of brain cells for it. Shouldn't I get some share of the benefits?"
"How did you turn so mercenary?" Charlotte Linlin frowned, her tone edged with displeasure.
"Survival, of course. My grand plans for G-5 haven't even begun yet. Of course I'm strapped for resources..." Ortoren grumbled.
The more Charlotte Linlin looked at him, the more she liked what she saw. It had been a long time since they'd spoken like this. Even though he was here demanding benefits, to her motherly eyes, this rebellious son of hers still looked handsome and sharp.
But she couldn't just agree to everything he said. That would make it seem like she spoiled him too much.
So after letting Ortoren pester her for a while, Charlotte Linlin tapped her slender fingers on the table, raised her brows, and said,
"You yourself said that even brothers must keep accounts clear. But since you're my son, and we've come this far, sharing the results with you isn't out of the question..."
"Name your terms! As long as it's not money, our mother-son bond runs deep!" Ortoren answered without hesitation.
"Then say something nice for once. All these years, I've never heard you speak a kind word to me..." Charlotte Linlin sighed, her tone full of mock grievance.
The request made Ortoren's teeth ache. But for the sake of G-5 and Marine justice, he took a deep breath, forced a smile, and looked at her with a syrupy tone.
"My dearest mama, your son is working hard to build his future. I hope—"
But before he could finish, Ortoren was so disgusted by his own words that he slammed the table and shouted,
"No, no, I can't do this! It's revolting! You might as well tell me to go smash Whitebeard to death for you!"
He hadn't even gotten through it, but Charlotte Linlin was already pounding the table, laughing uncontrollably. Her laughter grew so wild that tears were nearly spilling from her eyes.
When she finally calmed down, she wiped at the corners of her eyes, her voice still full of amusement.
"Alright, alright, alright! I'm truly happy today. I'll agree to it!"
...
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