Noblesse Privilege 17

Noblesse Privilege
Chapter 17

-VB-

“You just had to stir up a bee’s nest, didn’t you, Geoffrey?”

I laughed, and it was a carefree laugh.

Why would it not be?

Yes, I was meeting with one of the Five Elders. Yes, I knew that they disliked the Nefertari Royalty. Yes, I brought Nico Robin with me, knowing that it was on their orders that Ohara Island sunk.

No, they couldn’t do anything to me with me pushing much further than I have done so far.

“Tell me,” the oldest of the Five Elders - the five World Nobles who controlled everything in the World Government, including the Marines - asked me. “What made you think that bringing in Nico Robin into Mary Geoise, nevermind the Pangaea Castle, is a good idea?”

“Why, Teacher Pearlman,” I grinned. “Because it’s me!”

Surrounded by his guards and my guards, Elder Sono Pearlman* punched me in the face.

Both of us cried out in pain, me because I got socked in the face and him because he nearly broke his bones punching me in the face.

Neither guard groups moved. They knew and saw enough of our exchanges that this was not only not outside of expectations for us but normal.

Robin just stared at the two of us in shock.

While Teacher Pearlman shook his aching hand, I sat back up and chuckled.

“Shitty brat.”

“Violent teacher!”

“Grating idiot!”

“Condescending coot!”

“Lord Elder,” Elder Pearlman’s secretary, a young woman with black hair and white eyes, spoke up. “We have limited time.”

The tall Elder grumbled. “I get it,” he replied without turning to face her. “I assume you want to add her as … what? You don’t do slavery, so I assume you want her as a concubine and want her fugitive status revoked?”

“Well, I don’t want to make her my concubine, but I certainly do want her fugitive status revoked.”

“Impossible. She is a dange-”

“I know the whole issue is about the poneglyphs.”

The elder’s mouth clacked shut.

“Everyone. Leave us.”

Everyone, including my own guards but not Robin, left the ornate marble room.

“How do you know?” he gritted out.

I grinned up at him. He was very tall, and even sitting, he loomed over me. “I am a World Noble, and in line to join the Five Elders if you or Norry Russell die. Why would I not know?”

“That is not answering the question,” Teacher Pearlman gritted out. “How do you know? Did this girl teach you?”

I snorted. “Teacher, I know more about the weapons and the Lost Kingdom than she does,” I replied flippantly. “Honestly, I don’t see why it’s a big deal. It’s a bygone kingdom, bygone history, and it actually helps us World Nobles if everyone knows why the Lost Century is lost.”

“... Others have proposed similar things in the past. None have succeeded in making it happen.”

“I don’t plan on it, teach. Don’t worry.”

“Then what?”

“If she is with me, who already knows, and get her to pledge to not divulge the information, then it’s not a problem, right?”

“If the situation was simple as that, then Buster Call would not have been needed,” he snapped back.

“But that’s because no trustworthy World Noble would offer to help. However, I am here, aren’t I, teach? Am I not trustworthy to you?”

“You consort with the Nefertari!”

“Again, I don’t see how that’s a bad thing. If I bring the Nefertari to the Redline, then isn’t that better?”

“You insuffera- NO!”

“So I’m not trustworthy?”

He punched me again.

This time, I took the hit to my forehead and glared up at him. “I let a lot of shit go, teach,” I spoke slowly. “I know that Russell and Yasutani have done shit to combat my influences. I let it be because they are elders. You know why you should let something small like this go, lest I decide to fully fight back.”

He glared back in turn. “You dare threaten civil war?”

“It wouldn’t be a civil war. I know I’m too weak for something like that. But breaking the Redline wouldn’t be too hard.”

He gritted his teeth, and Robin shrank into the couch, obviously realizing that something big was being tossed about above her head.

“Why her?” he demanded tiredly as he pulled his fist back.

“Why not?” I grinned back as I pulled back. “Aside from the fact that she’s an eye candy, it’s better than letting her cause problems behind your back, right? If the Cipher Pol have yet to catch her, then what are their chances of catching her now?”

He grumbled. “Others will not easily accept this. I won’t accept this easily.”

“Then we’re getting down to negotiations, yes?”

“Yes, yes, you mercantile drudger,” Elder Pearlman grumbled.

“Good. Well, you know me. I always offer up more if you are willing to get the Mariens to actually enforce the World Government’s ban on slavery.”

“And you know just as I know that it’s impossible.”

“Shucks. Got any offers?”

“Usage of your ports in the New World.”

“For who? You and other Elder’s personal armies or the World Government?”

“For the Marines.”

“Bah. Sure.”

“... Seriously?”

“Yes.”

“Y-You-!” he hissed before dropping his face into an awaiting hand. “You denied us fleet basing rights even when we offered you much more, but you would just give it to us for this one girl? You know my granddaughter would have happily jumped into bed with you!”

“Yeah, and she’s also very picky. I would have died trying to fulfill her needs.”

Pearlman narrowed his eyes. “Careful, boy.”

“I am being careful! I could have said a lot worse, and you know it!”

“Fine. I’ll tentatively accept this.”

“Great. Just so you know, this doesn’t include my allies’ ports. Just mine.”

“I know. Now git. I don’t want to see your face for another six months.”

-VB-

A/N: canonically, Five Elders are not named. So I just took the Japanese voice actor and the English voice actors’ names and mixed them to get “Sono Pearlman” for the tall and thin bearded and moustached elder.