Chapter 194

"That should be it..." I mutter as I fly over Water Seven's shipbuilding island, staring down at a large manor made of stone with several tall buildings surrounding it.

I take a closer look and notice the words, Galley-la Company, on it, confirming my suspicions as I nod my head and descend towards the entrance.

A tall, tanned man wearing a black tank top in the building's front yard notices my approach as he turns to look at the sky. "WHO ARE YOU AND WHY ARE YOU FLYING OVER PEOPLE'S PRIVATE PROPERTY?!" the man asks in a very loud tone, though I didn't detect any hostility in his voice.

'This guy should be Tilestone.' I deduce as I take a closer look at the man, noting his most distinguishing features; his height and his crescent white beard. 'If I remember correctly, then unconsciously screaming is his shtick...'

"I'm here to see Iceburg," I said as I landed in front of Tilestone, giving him a nod. "Kokoro from the train station said he might be able to help me with something," I added as I took out the note Kokoro gave me and offered it to Tilstone.

"I SEE. TALK TO KHALIFA INSIDE. SHE'LL TAKE YOU TO SEE MR ICEBURG," Tilestone exclaimed after giving the note a once over. "BUT PLEASE COME THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR NEXT TIME YOU VISIT," he concluded as he gave me back Kokoro's note and left after nodding at me.

I just chuckled, shaking my head as I watched Tilestone leave. I had already gotten used to encountering weirdos wherever I go in this world since almost everyone has a weird quirk.

I turned around, setting my sight on the building's entrance as I made my way there. The door was open, so I interred, pausing for a second to look around me.

I quickly spotted a pretty blonde woman with blue eyes, sitting behind a desk and adjusting her glasses as her eyes met mine. I smiled as I made my way towards the woman. However, I stopped right in front of the desk as she frowned, seemingly recognizing me.

"What's with that dirty look you're giving me? That's sexual harassment," the woman said as she adjusted her glasses, looking me up and down with a deadpan expression.

"Sexual harassment?" I remarked, my eyebrow raising an amusement. "That might be it. You just so happen to be my type..." I added with a shrug, giving her a bona fide dirty look as I stared her up and down, my eyes lingering on her body.

The woman's deadpan expression broke for the briefest second, her eyes twitching at her failure to get a rise out of me. "What is your business here?" the woman asked, clearing her throat as she took on a professional tone of voice.

"Back to business, eh?" I said with a chuckle, shaking my head and deciding to stop messing with her. "I'm here to see Iceburg," I added, giving her the note I got from Kokoro.

"I see," the woman said after giving the note a once over. "This way, please," she added as she gave me back the paper, standing up and walking away as she gestured for me to follow.

I obliged, walking behind her as she guided me towards Iceburg's office, intentionally ogling her rear whenever I noticed her turning around to glance at me, much to her bemusement.

"Please wait a moment," the woman said as we finally reached Iceburg's office, making me nod in response. "I'll inform Mr. Iceburg of your presence," she added as she entered the office after knocking on the door, closing it behind her.

I stood at the door waiting for a minute when it opened again, revealing the blonde woman's form. "Mr. Iceburg will see you now," she said, nodding at me as she walked past me, likely heading back to her post.

I shrugged, giving one final dirty look as she walked past me as I made my way towards Iceburg's office.

"Oh my... When Khalifa told me Kokoro sent a pirate to meet me, I didn't think it would be such an infamous one..." Iceburg said in a lazy tone petting the white rat in his shirt pocket as I walked through the door,

"Will that be a problem?" I asked, raising an eyebrow as I gave the man a once over. He was a tall, middle-aged man with blue hair and similarly colored lips. He wore a red and orange striped jacket over an unbuttoned orange shirt with a wide collar.

"Not at all. Please take a seat," Iceburg said while gesturing to the seat in front of his wooden desk. "Any friend of Kokoro is a friend of mine... Besides, most of our work comes from pirates such as yourself," he added, smiling as he nodded at me when I took a seat.

"I'm Iceburg, a shipwright and president of Galley-la company," Iceburg introduced himself, reaching his right hand over the table, intending to shake my hand.

"Johnny, a pirate captain and a musician," I replied, introducing myself as I shook the man's hand and nodded at him. "I was looking to recruit a shipwright into my crew, and Kokoro said you might be able to help with that," I added as I gave him the Kokoro's note.

"That shouldn't be a problem," Iceburg said after giving it some thought. "I can prepare a list of several talented shipwrights currently unemployed for various reasons," he added, waving his hand.

"However, you'll have to persuade them yourself," he concluded, shaking his head.

"I wouldn't have it any other way..." I replied, raising an eyebrow as I looked at Iceburg, who nodded at me. "But as you might know, I have a rather large target painted on my back," I added, with a sigh, scratching my head.

"I was even ambushed by six vice admirals not long ago... and I don't think most people would appreciate being put into that kind of situation," I concluded with a careless shrug.

"Indeed. I seem to have overlooked that," Iceburg said with a chuckle. "I imagine the 250 million berries bounty on your head would put you in such situations more often than not," he added, rubbing his chin in thought.

"250 million?" I remarked, my eyes widening as I looked at Iceburg. "Did my bounty increase?" I asked, getting over my surprise after giving it some thought.

My bounty increasing was bound to happen since the world government wanted me badly enough to send so many people after, not to mention I got off scot-free.

"Oh, you weren't aware?" Iceburg asked, tilting his head to the side, pushing back his pet rat into his pocket as it tried to climb out. "You can ask Khalifa to provide you with the new bounties on you and your crew when we're done here," he added, shifting in his seat.

"In any case, I might have one or two shipwrights who wouldn't be opposed to the danger in mind, but..." Iceburg said in an awkward tone after giving the note a look, reading through its contents with a thoughtful expression.

"One of them stopped building ships a long time ago, and the other..." Iceburg added, trailing at the end of his sentence with a hesitant tone.

"The other is different..." Iceburg remarked with a sigh. "I'll tell you what, come back tomorrow. I'll show you around and take you to meet the two," he added, smiling as he nodded.

"Sounds good. Thanks," I replied as I got up. "I'll see you tomorrow morning then," I added as I turned around and made my way towards the exits after getting an affirmative answer from Iceburg.