Chapter 62: Blame
Roy gazed out at the sea, lost in thought. Linlin watched him quietly, her curiosity barely contained.
"Remember?" Roy began softly. "Mother told us she was going shopping and asked what gifts we wanted."
"I wanted cake!" Linlin blurted out immediately.
"..." Roy sighed. "Linlin, please… just listen."
"Oh. Sorry." Linlin raised her hand in mock surrender, promising not to interrupt again.
Roy nodded and continued. "Later, you didn't find me, right?"
"Yeah. Linlin was hungry, and you weren't home. You disappeared in a blink, and I didn't know where you went!"
"..."
"Ahem. Go on, Brother Roy."
She puffed her cheeks, but kept quiet this time.
Roy looked at her for a moment, making sure she wouldn't interrupt again, then continued weaving his tale.
"I got curious about where mother went, so I secretly followed her to the town nearby. That's when I saw it—the World Government agents. They were threatening her… demanding that she hand over you and me. They said they wanted to train us as weapons."
"What!?" Linlin's face twisted in fury. "But they said they'd pick us up later!"
Her fists clenched, the deck groaning beneath her strength.
Roy felt inwardly relieved. Her emotional reaction was exactly what he needed—perfect for the story to sink in.
"I didn't dare say anything," he continued, his voice heavy. "I was afraid they'd hurt her. And then…"
Linlin leaned forward, her wide eyes full of dread. She didn't know whether to believe mother had betrayed them or not.
Would she really hand us over? No… impossible!
Her mind drifted briefly to Streusen—the pirate she'd once trusted but now hated. He had shown killing intent toward Roy. That alone made him an enemy in her eyes.
Roy watched her closely. He knew both he and the nun had been important to Linlin. But if he wasn't careful, he could ruin her fragile trust completely.
"Mother refused," Roy said finally.
Linlin exhaled in relief. "Then why… why didn't I see her again?"
"Because," Roy said with a sorrowful look, "she might have been murdered."
He tilted his head upward, letting tears well up—his acting sharper than ever.
"Who!?" Linlin roared, her voice shaking the ship. The deck splintered beneath her rage.
"..." Roy stared blankly at her. I just said 'might have,' and she's already ready to destroy the world.
Linlin trembled, forcing herself to calm down. She looked at Roy expectantly, waiting for him to go on.
"Mother was later confronted by a short pirate," Roy continued, lowering his tone. "He wanted us too—wanted to train us to be pirates under his command. But mother refused again, saying the Sheep's House was meant to shelter the poor and homeless. Then he said…"
Roy paused dramatically. "'If you don't hand over the children, you'll regret it, Carmel.'"
Linlin froze. Her eyes widened as the pieces fell together.
When she'd returned to the Sheep's House that day, Streusen had been there—and his face had looked wrong.
He'd done it. He had to have done it.
Linlin's body trembled, her fury growing until her pink hair began to rise and her Conqueror's Haki rippled across the air.
"Linlin, calm down!" Roy warned as her eyes flashed red.
"Kill him. Linlin's going to kill him!!!" she screamed, biting her lip until blood ran down her chin.
"Listen to me! Don't you trust your brother?" Roy shouted.
Her chest heaved as she fought to suppress the rage. "Zeus, go! Come back later!"
"Yes, Mama!" Zeus squeaked and zipped away like lightning.
Linlin sat down again, trembling. "Sorry, Brother Roy… but I can't stop thinking about killing him."
Between her brother and Streusen, there was no question whom she believed.
Poor Zeus had flown away happy—and returned terrified.
In Linlin and Roy's presence, even Homies like Zeus and Pandora were nothing more than toys. They could be created, destroyed, or replaced at will.
Roy continued quietly. "You were out of control back then. You hurt a lot of people. But a visiting giant saved us. Mother… she didn't go with him when the Sheep's House was destroyed. She left on her own, disappointed and heartbroken."
He lowered his gaze. "Maybe… she's still watching you from somewhere, waiting for you to recover."
It was a gentle lie—but a cruel one.
Roy had planted two culprits in her mind: the World Government and Streusen. Both plausible, both hateful.
Linlin's lips trembled. "So… maybe she was killed by the World Government. Or maybe it was Streusen"
"Yes," Roy said softly.
Linlin's expression hardened. "Then Linlin will kill that worthless loaf first. After that, I'll help Brother Roy destroy the World Government! We'll build the country mother dreamed of!"
"Oh, you finally get it," Roy said, feigning exhaustion.
"I'm sorry, Brother. I was so stupid… I trusted him. I even gave him all the treasure I'd stolen. He deserves to die!"
She stood, calling out, "Zeus! Bring me Streusen—paralyze him with lightning first!"
"Yes, Mom!" Zeus replied gleefully and flew off to obey.
"Don't slip up," Roy reminded coldly.
"I understand, Uncle!" Newborn Homie chuckled.
Both Roy and Linlin glared at him. "You want to be torn apart, don't you!?" they snapped in unison.
New Homie blinked. Wasn't he my uncle?
"Never mind," he muttered. "I'll go catch the guy."
Roy sighed, rubbing his temple. "Linlin… next, we need to discuss something else. Something you've been thinking about."
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