Gloriosa on the other end of the transponder snail was clearly choked up for a moment before she continued:
"...Fine. Since Linlin has confirmed it. Where are you guys now? When will you be back?"
Kuri looked up at the Red Line towering into the clouds before her and answered crisply, "We've arrived at the Red Line! otousan said she has some business to take care of!"
The transponder snail remained silent for a few seconds before Gloriosa's even more confused voice came through:
"The Red Line?! Why did you run over there? Totto Land is in the completely opposite direction! Kuri! Is Linlin— —"
"Click!"
Charlotte Linlin abruptly stretched out a dragon claw and used her nail to hang up the transponder snail, preventing Gloriosa from potentially exposing her secrets.
The scene was momentarily very quiet.
Kuri blinked her big eyes and looked back at Charlotte Linlin. Although she couldn't see Charlotte Linlin's face, she said in a tone that was both innocent and suddenly enlightened:
"otousan... did we... get lost?"
"No! Absolutely not!" Charlotte Linlin immediately denied it, her voice booming to cover up her guilty conscience, "It's just a strategic detour! Yes, a strategic detour!"
It's all that bastard Redfield's fault! He smashed my log pose! It caused my sense of direction to have a slight deviation!
Watching her stubborn father, Kuri secretly covered her mouth and chuckled, not exposing her.
She was now one hundred percent certain that this incredibly powerful otousan of hers was a complete and utter idiot when it came to directions!
Charlotte Linlin was so embarrassed she became angry. Her dragon eyes swept across, and she happened to see a pirate ship flying a skull flag sailing below.
"Hmph! Just in time, I'm missing a log pose!"
Without another word, her giant dragon body dove, instantly descending above that poor pirate ship with terrifying pressure.
Before the terrified pirates on the ship could react, a giant dragon claw reached down, scooped up a pile of log poses from their Captain's cabin, and then, without even glancing at the pirates who had collapsed to the ground, she flapped her wings and soared back into the clouds.
"Look! Isn't there a log pose right here?" Charlotte Linlin stuffed the stolen log poses to Kuri, her tone recovering the composure of "everything is under control,"
"I was just picking up some supplies! Now, we're going home!"
She adjusted her direction according to the newly acquired log poses and flew toward the correct Totto Land Sea Area.
Kuri hugged the log pose that still smelled of sweat from the original pirate ship, looked at otousan's feigned calm back, and secretly made a face.
Bastard father, not only likes to play with her daughter, but is also directionally challenged! I've got this secret locked down!
...
"Buru Buru! Buru Buru!"
The atmosphere that had just calmed down was broken again by the transponder snail in Kuri's hand that rang persistently.
Kuri looked at the transponder snail that was still simulating a "hung up" expression and carefully answered it again: "Moshi moshi?"
The transponder snail instantly simulated Gloriosa with her willow-leaf eyebrows raised and looking furious, her sharp voice almost piercing through the receiver:
"Kuri! You little brat! How dare you hang up on me! Do you want to taste the flavor of my Perfume Femur?!"
The powerful resentment hit her even through the transponder snail. Kuri shrank her neck in fear and quickly explained: "No! mother! It was otousan she— —"
Before she could finish, a frost spread out, freezing Kuri's mouth. Kuri's two little eyes widened, looking at Charlotte Linlin in disbelief.
This bastard father! She definitely wants to make her take the fall for this! Bastard father!
"What's wrong, Gloriosa? Is there anything else?"
Charlotte Linlin's booming voice came through. She changed the subject directly, as if she didn't see the angry Kuri at all.
Hearing Charlotte Linlin's voice, Gloriosa's tone on the other end of the transponder snail instantly did a 180-degree turn. The feistiness vanished without a trace, replaced by a kind of resentment mixed with coquettishness and the seriousness of reporting official business:
"Linlin~" She first complained a little, then immediately cut to the chase,
"It's news from Captain Rocks. He found some clues to the things he was looking for at the International Charity Alliance Temple, and he needs you to return to Hachinosu Island."
"International Charity Alliance Temple...?" Charlotte Linlin's giant dragon eyes narrowed slightly, and she quickly retrieved information about this place in her mind.
That was an organization under the World Government that ostensibly engaged in charity work but actually had a deep background and possessed extremely strong armed guard forces. It was said to have some secret connections with the Celestial Dragons and the God's Knights.
Its headquarters was not in the New World but in an area of the first half of the Grand Line that was not an Affiliated Nation of the World Government. Its geographical location was sensitive, and to quickly conquer it without falling into the encirclement of Marine reinforcements, it really required a sufficiently powerful high-end combat force to end the battle quickly.
"Hmph, that place, huh~" Charlotte Linlin's tone carried a hint of realization and mockery,
"Hiding behind the guise of charity, who knows how much filth is hidden underneath. Rocks sure knows how to pick a place, and he really knows how to order people around."
She pondered slightly and then made her decision: "Fine, got it. Wait until I safely send Kuri back to Totto Land, and then I'll go over there. How is the situation in Inazuma right now? Is everything still stable?"
Although she was away, she was always concerned about the "home" that had just gotten on the right track.
Gloriosa's voice immediately took on the competence of reporting work:
"Mm! The overall situation is very good! Mia has arranged the resource allocation and infrastructure construction in an orderly manner, and production and trade on the various islands are becoming more and more active.
The patrol team trained by Lilith is also shaping up well; they can already independently handle some small-scale riots and disputes between islands.
It's just... it's just that new guy, Redfield. His injuries are recovering very quickly, but he always stays in a corner by himself. His eyes are weirdly scary, and he doesn't really communicate with others. The sisters are all a bit afraid of him."
"Don't worry about him. That guy is just like that. As long as he doesn't cause trouble, let him be." Charlotte Linlin had long expected Redfield's reclusive nature,
"Tell Mia and Gölz to maintain the status quo and push forward the academy and market construction according to the plan. I'll be back after I finish Rocks' task."
"Alright, Linlin! Then you and Kuri be careful, come back early!" Gloriosa's voice softened again, carrying deep attachment.
"Got it."
Ending the call, Charlotte Linlin flapped her Dragon Wings, accelerated, and sped off in the direction of Totto Land.
The white dragon shadow streaked across the sky, carrying a hint of the grimness of an upcoming mission, as well as concern for the fledglings back home.
Kuri gripped the dragon horns tightly, looking angrily at the otousan beneath her feet.
She had already foreseen what kind of encounter she would have at the hands of Gloriosa after returning to Inazuma.
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