At Marshall D. Teach's insistent request, Whitebeard finally relented, approving him as the candidate for the arranged marriage.
Once the decision was made, the Whitebeard Pirates sprang into action. They sent a letter to Whole Cake Island, enclosing what Teach claimed to be his "most handsome" photo.
As the Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, Teach's photo had been published in newspapers before. However, to be honest, the pictures weren't exactly flattering. Then again, with Teach's appearance, even the most talented photographer would find it a challenge to make him look good.
Meanwhile, Dragon remained on the Moby Dick, recovering from his injuries. During his recovery, he used a Den Den Mushi to contact the Revolutionary Army's Chief of Staff, Sabo, and the North Army Commander, Karasu, instructing them to prepare reinforcements to rendezvous with Whitebeard. If Big Mom agreed to the marriage, they could directly attend the ceremony as well.
...
Whole Cake Island
Perospero, the eldest son of Big Mom, pushed open the doors of the Cake Chateau, holding a large envelope aloft as he walked in, announcing,
"Mama! The Whitebeard Pirates just sent us a letter!"
"Hm?"
From the shadows, Big Mom slowly raised her enormous head. Drool dripped from her mouth, pooling into small puddles on the floor.
Perospero approached her, respectfully holding the envelope in both hands. At its center was a conspicuous pink heart-shaped seal.
Big Mom's gaze lingered on the heart seal for a moment before she reached out to take the envelope. She tore it open and removed the letter inside.
As Big Mom unfolded the letter to read, a photo slipped out and fluttered to the floor.
Perospero bent down to pick it up. One glance at the photo caused his expression to stiffen, his lips twitching uncontrollably.
The photo showed Teach in a side profile, a pose that conveniently obscured the disproportionate size of his face. He flexed one arm to show off a prominent bicep, which looked so exaggerated that it sent a shiver down Perospero's spine.
Seeing Perospero's odd expression, Big Mom frowned and asked,
"Perospero, who's in the photo?"
"It's the Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, Marshall D. Teach!" Perospero quickly replied.
"Oh, I remember him."
Big Mom nodded, then turned her attention to the letter in her hand. The handwriting was familiar to her—after all, she had once sailed on the same crew as Whitebeard.
After reading the letter's content, Big Mom's lips curled into a grin before she burst into laughter,
"Mamamama! How amusing! So Newgate wants his 'son' to marry my daughter?"
Perospero was stunned, glancing at the photo in his hand with a look of disgust.
"You don't mean this guy, do you?"
Big Mom's laughter grew louder.
"Mamamama... That's right! It's Teach! I barely remember what he looks like—show me his photo again."
Perospero handed over the photo. Big Mom glanced at it, her eyebrows twitching.
"This guy is hideous!"
Perospero wholeheartedly agreed, nodding. However, Big Mom only laughed again.
"Mamamama... Perfect! The uglier, the better! Otherwise, it'd be too much of a bargain for her!"
Big Mom's expression darkened as she gave Perospero an order.
"Go tell Chiffon she's marrying Teach. If she refuses, execute her on the spot!"
"Chiffon?"
Perospero blinked, but understanding soon dawned.
Charlotte Chiffon, ranked twenty-second among Big Mom's daughters, had once ruined a marriage alliance with the giants, earning her Big Mom's enduring disdain.
That was likely why Big Mom chose her to marry someone as unsightly as Teach.
Still, when it came to appearances, it was hard to say who was getting the worse deal. Chiffon's masculine features didn't win her many admirers, either.
Big Mom's patience ran thin as she snapped,
"Why are you still standing there? Go now!"
Startled, Perospero apologized profusely before bolting from the room.
Left alone in the vast hall, Big Mom studied Whitebeard's letter with a mischievous smile, muttering to herself,
"Mamamama... So you finally made your move, Newgate. Saves me the trouble of coming for you."
...
Meanwhile
Whitebeard soon received a reply from Big Mom. Upon learning she agreed to the marriage, Whitebeard remained calm, but Dragon couldn't contain his excitement, as though he were the one getting married.
The letter included a photo of Charlotte Chiffon. When Whitebeard and Dragon saw it, both fell silent.
Whitebeard silently handed the photo to Teach, who had been craning his neck to see.
Teach's first reaction upon seeing the photo was nearly blurting out, "Who's this guy?"
The crew members gathered around, each wearing strange expressions. Marco and Thatch exchanged glances, and Thatch clapped Teach's shoulder heavily.
But Teach, being the cunning schemer he was, quickly adjusted his mindset.
Under the astonished gazes of the crew, Teach grinned widely,
"Zehahaha! What a unique face! I like it!"
Then, to everyone's horror, he planted a wet kiss on the photo, leaving a glistening smear behind.
"..."
The deck fell silent. Even Whitebeard stared at Teach in disbelief before finally asking,
"Teach, are you sure you want to marry Charlotte Chiffon?"
Teach nodded emphatically.
"Yes, Pops! I'm already looking forward to the wedding!"
Seeing Teach's determination, Whitebeard let the matter rest. In truth, he had considered negotiating with Big Mom to choose a more presentable daughter for the marriage.
After all, he thought Teach was already making a great sacrifice by volunteering for the alliance.
If Teach knew what Whitebeard was thinking, he might have slapped himself. After all, his aesthetic preferences weren't that unconventional.
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+255 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg