Chapter 17: I Am Your Dog!

Inside the church, Carl suddenly felt something. He closed the Bible in his hand, turned his head slightly, and smiled at Ginny beside him.

"Get ready. The people coming to pick us up are here."

Ginny, who had been gazing at Carl in a daze, blushed and quickly adjusted her white vest. Sitting up straight, she asked nervously,

"W-What do you mean, Brother Carl? What kind of guest?"

Before Carl could answer, the sound of footsteps echoed from the church entrance.

Spandam stopped abruptly in front of the door, extending a hand to halt Babs and the others behind him. He whispered,

"Alright, don't go in. Don't disturb him!"

Babs grew even more curious and couldn't help but ask,

"Mr. Spandam, are you sure this Carl is the person you're looking for? I don't mean to question you, but this man is likely a Devil Fruit user, and the disappearance of King Bekori is linked to him. I'm just concerned that—"

Spandam shot him a glare and lowered his voice even further.

"I told you not to call this gentleman by his first name! Let me make this clear—if you offend this man, with just one word from him, not only you but even I could disappear from this world!"

Babs had always known Spandam to be arrogant and lawless. Yet, seeing him this terrified over just a name made it hard to imagine who this young man, Carl, truly was—and why someone like him was staying in the small Sorbet Kingdom.

Choosing not to ask further, Babs ordered the Marines to remain outside.

Meanwhile, Spandam licked his palm, slicked back his hair, straightened his clothes, and forced a fawning smile onto his face. With an obsequious posture, he stepped into the church alone.

Inside, Carl and Ginny sat on a bench, their backs facing the entrance. Spandam dared not make a sound. Instead, he walked lightly to the side of the bench and asked with a sycophantic grin,

"Excuse me, is Master Carl here?"

Carl stood up. At 1.9 meters tall, his towering presence gave off an oppressive aura. His calm expression confirmed Spandam's suspicions—this was undoubtedly the man he had been sent to find.

"I am Carl. You must have been sent by Uncle Garling, correct? Your name is… Spandam?"

The moment he heard "Uncle Garling," Spandam nearly dropped to his knees. He immediately bowed even lower, his voice trembling with excitement.

"Yes, yes! I am Spandam! Lord Carl, please forgive my earlier rudeness. It is truly the greatest honor of my life to meet you!"

Spandam had long mastered the art of flattery. He understood exactly who held true power in this world.

When he had first received orders from Mary Geoise, he had nearly lost his mind with excitement. The voice from the Den Den Mushi belonged to none other than **Saint Figarland Garling**.

**The Figarland family.** Celestial Dragons among Celestial Dragons. And Garling, as the family's head, was a figure of unfathomable prestige.

To Spandam, this assignment wasn't just a task—it was an unparalleled opportunity. Even the slightest association with the Figarland family could elevate his status to new heights.

And now, the person he was sent to escort was **Garling's nephew**.

Though he had never met Carl before, he now regarded the young man as more important than his own father.

Kuma and Ivankov emerged from their rooms upon hearing the commotion. The sight of Spandam confirmed their fears—this was someone from the World Government.

A look of sorrow crossed Ivankov's face. He knew this meant it was time to part ways with Carl.

Meanwhile, Ginny was taken aback. It was the first time she had witnessed Carl's noble status firsthand. A high-ranking World Government official was acting like a groveling servant before him.

Carl glanced toward the entrance and said,

"There are a lot of people outside. Why didn't they come in?"

"Lord Carl, Lord Garling instructed that your identity should remain discreet. I didn't want too many people knowing about you!"

Carl nodded in approval.

"You did well."

Hearing this praise, Spandam beamed with pride. Puffing out his chest, he proclaimed,

"Don't worry, Lord Carl! Lord Garling told me that if you ever have any inconvenience, you can rely on me! I will handle everything for you. You are my master—**I am your dog!**"

Even Ginny was left speechless by this declaration.

Carl, too, was momentarily stunned before he coughed lightly and said,

"Alright, have the people outside come in now."

"Yes! Saint Carl!"

"Wait," Carl interrupted. "Don't call me 'Saint' in front of outsiders, especially Marines."

"I understand!"

Now fully transformed into an eager servant, Spandam hurried outside to call the others.

As soon as he left, Ginny couldn't help but comment,

"He's really… something else."

Carl chuckled.

"You'll meet plenty more people like him in the future. Better get used to it now."

A few moments later, Spandam returned with Rear Admiral Babs, a group of Marines, and several nobles.

Their expressions held a mix of awe and caution—Spandam had clearly briefed them on something outside.

Babs observed Carl carefully. What surprised him was how young Carl looked. What unsettled him, however, was the faint sense of danger he felt from him.

That meant Carl was at least as strong as Babs—**perhaps even stronger.**

As Carl noticed Babs' rank insignia, he casually walked toward him.

With each step Carl took, Babs' body instinctively tensed.

But when Carl finally spoke, his words left the Marine completely dumbfounded.

"Hello, my name is Carl. My friends and I would like to join the Marines."

For a moment, Babs was too stunned to respond.

Spandam, irritated by his silence, stomped his foot and cursed inwardly.

He then gave Babs a shove—though Spandam was so weak that he nearly fell over himself. Furious, he barked,

"Rear Admiral Babs, **Mr. Carl** is speaking to you. Show some respect!"