Claudius and his group returned to their palace, and from a distance, they could already see Stussy waiting for them.
Walking up with a smile, Claudius asked, "Is everything settled?"
Stussy nodded and handed him a stack of documents. "All the authorizations are here. From today on, the World Government has officially established a new organization called 'CP-X.'"
She paused for a moment before adding with a smile, "I have to say, Your Highness, you really have a way with things. The Five Elders authorized CP-X as a completely new department, independent of both Naval Headquarters and the CP organization. Though it carries the 'CP' name, it's outside the authority of both the CP and the military high command. You can report directly to the Five Elders."
Her smile widened. "This essentially means, Your Highness, that you now hold a power on par with Naval Headquarters itself. It's really remarkable... Is this the influence of the Celestial Dragons?"
Claudius didn't seem particularly surprised, because this was exactly what he had requested from the Five Elders. He had known this was coming for a while now, so why act shocked?
Although Stussy had emphasized how powerful this new organization could be, Claudius knew better. Right now, CP-X was just an empty shell with no manpower or resources. No matter how much potential it had, without people to fill the ranks, it was meaningless.
The real challenge would be turning this potential into reality. If he could build CP-X into a strong and efficient force, then its creation would truly be something worth celebrating. Until then, there was no reason to get too excited.
That didn't stop Claudius from boasting a little. "What did you expect? I'm the Celestial Dragon most favored by the Five Elders. Naturally, I hold considerable power."
Stussy, knowing how Claudius liked to show off, didn't tease him. Instead, she played along, smiling as she said, "The more capable Your Highness is, the happier I'll be. After all, I've now been transferred from CP-0 to become the chief officer of CP-X."
Even though Claudius had requested a seemingly enormous power, the fact was that he currently had no one to fill the ranks of this new organization. The only people he could trust were Stussy and Nia. But Nia, while competent in her role, had no combat ability whatsoever and was mainly responsible for managing Claudius' daily affairs. She couldn't be expected to run CP-X. That left only Stussy, who was more than capable of taking on such a role.
Claudius patted Stussy on the shoulder. "Do your best. You'll find that this organization will offer you a much wider platform to show your talents than CP-0 ever could."
"I trust you completely, Your Highness," Stussy responded without hesitation.
Regardless of whether CP-X would succeed or fail, as long as she stayed close to Claudius, a Celestial Dragon favored by the Five Elders, Stussy knew she had everything to gain. And it didn't hurt that Claudius admired her abilities as well.
Loyalty to a strong and influential person, coupled with the promise of a bright future, made Stussy's choice clear.
Turning her gaze to Crocodile, who was sitting at the table devouring the food meant for Claudius, Stussy asked curiously, "It seems like you've already tamed that tough one?"
Crocodile, who no longer wore a slave collar, was eating like a starving man, with no sense of shame. Naturally, Stussy assumed Claudius had managed to bring him under control.
Claudius glanced at Crocodile, who seemed completely absorbed in the feast, and said, "Of course. I just had to shake my sleeve a little, and he came around. He's on our side now. Though he's still somewhat weak at the moment, his potential is good. I'll give him some time to grow stronger. Maybe one day he'll be able to handle something more important."
Crocodile grunted in dissatisfaction at Claudius' words but didn't argue.
Seeing this, Stussy didn't pursue the topic further. Instead, she shifted the conversation. "So, Your Highness, what's our next step with CP-X? The Five Elders have already given us a start-up capital of 500 million Berries."
Neither Stussy nor Nia, who had been with Claudius for a while now, was particularly impressed by the amount. In their world, such a sum wasn't anything special. However, Crocodile, who had known poverty, couldn't help but react.
"Five hundred million? That's a lot of money!" Crocodile exclaimed.
Nia shot him a disdainful look. "Five hundred million is nothing. His Highness' swords are worth 800 million each."
Crocodile looked at the two swords hanging from Claudius' waist in astonishment.
Claudius chuckled at Crocodile's awe and teased him, "What? Are you tempted by them?"
Crocodile hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. "As valuable as they are, I don't know how to use a sword. It'd just be a waste in my hands."
"At least you know your limits. Don't worry stick with His Highness, and you won't be lacking in opportunities down the line," Nia said sharply.
Crocodile shot her a glare but quickly dismissed it, realizing there was no point in getting angry at someone who was essentially harmless.
Claudius laughed at the exchange. "Five hundred million, huh? It seems like the Five Elders don't have high hopes for me. Giving me that amount... it's almost like they're telling me to just have fun with it."
Before Stussy could respond, Claudius continued, "It's fine, though. I've been hoarding my own private funds over the years, and some of the gifts people have given me in the hopes of currying favor have been sold off. I've accumulated quite a bit. The only thing I lack now is people I can rely on."
"Do you want me to go out and find some capable individuals?" Stussy asked, already knowing that Claudius wasn't keen on recruiting from within the World Government.
Claudius shook his head. "No need for now. You can have the CP organization keep an eye on the seas for me. If anyone I've been interested in pops up, let me know. I'm not eager to wander the vast oceans, only to risk running into another Buster Call."
Stussy nodded. "Understood, Your Highness."
After a moment of thought, Claudius asked, "Nia, I remember that before we left Mariejois, a businessman named Umit gave me a sizable amount of money to curry favor. Do you remember that?"
Nia thought for a moment before replying, "Yes, Your Highness. Umit gave us one billion Berries as a 'donation,' hoping for protection for his business in Mariejois."
"What's his business again?" Claudius raised an eyebrow.
Niya, who had an excellent memory, immediately answered, "He's in the shipping industry. He wants to establish a foothold in Mariejois because, without Fishman Island, Mariejois is the major transit point between the Grand Line and the New World. Controlling the shipping routes here means controlling the flow of goods between both seas."
Claudius remembered now. Umit the name sounded familiar because, in the future, this man would become the king of shipping in the dark underworld, a very powerful figure. But at the moment, Umit was still trying to gain a foothold and hadn't secured the connections he needed.
"Seems like he might be a useful guy. At the very least, he could make some money for me. After all, if I want to strengthen CP-X, I'll need a lot of funds. And while I'm not exactly short of money, more is always better. Get in touch with Umit for me when you can. I want to have a conversation with him."
Claudius smiled, then added, "Oh, and tell him to bring another billion as a meeting gift. I'm not the same person I was before."
Back then, Claudius had been just another Celestial Dragon with no real power. But now, things had changed. He was no longer at the bottom of the hierarchy. He had the favor of the Five Elders, and that meant Umit needed to pay double if he wanted to secure Claudius' protection.
"Don't worry, Your Highness," Nia replied. "Even if you asked for two billion more, I'm sure Umit would gladly bring it."
Claudius smiled and said, "Alright, enough about that. Since I'm on the rise, I don't intend to let my cousin in the North Blue struggle alone. Go fetch my phone snail. I'm going to reach out to him. It's about time someone up top looked out for him."
Claudius grinned, clearly thinking highly of himself. "I've always got Doffy's back, haven't I? Let's reserve a high-ranking spot in CP-X for him, just in case."
As Nia went to get the phone, Claudius turned back to Stussy and said, "Stussy, you're a very capable woman. Keeping you by my side for all these years has held you back in some ways, hasn't it?"
Stussy looked surprised, then quickly responded, "It's an honor to serve you, Your Highness. How could there be any complaints?"
Claudius smiled and waved his hand. "Alright, alright. I know you're loyal to me, but that's not an excuse to keep you tied down. Stussy, I've built a much broader platform now, and I think it's time to let you stretch your wings and show what you're truly capable of. You've got strategy and talent, more than enough to handle greater responsibilities."
********
I'm working on translating a Fate ff that I found really interesting. I've read up to chapter 60, and it's pretty decent overall. I've translated some of it, but since it's a typical Chinese ff, there's a fair bit of nationalism and some aspects of the MC's powers that might feel off-putting. But don't worry, I've edited and changed most of the elements that could make it unbearable.
If you're interested, I'd love for you to check it out and help me decide whether it's worth continuing to translate, or if I should wrap it up to avoid spending time on something that might not be well-received.
Fate: Question And Answer System of Traversing Heroic Spirits