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"Is there a problem with me being the Queen?"
Rimuru tilted her head, a small look of confusion on her face.
"No, no, not at all! We just... didn't expect the Queen of the Jura-Tempest Federation to be so beautiful!"
Nami and the others shook their heads quickly.
"Alright. You must be looking for Kai-chan, right? I'll take you."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
"Just call me Rimuru. That's my name."
"I'm Milim! I'm a Demon Lord!"
Chopper stared at her with shining eyes.
"A Demon Lord! Sugoi!"
"Hmph hmph! You little tanuki, you have good taste!"
Milim puffed out her chest and declared this with great pride.
"Um... I'm a reindeer. Not a tanuki."
"Whatever you are, you're my little brother from now on! Any trouble, just say my name, Milim, and I'll sort it out! Wahahahaha!"
Rimuru watched Milim launch into full chaos mode, shook her head, and turned to the group.
"Don't mind her. Let's go."
"Thank you, Rimuru-dono!"
Mary Geoise · Holy Land
"Sengoku sent this up. He claims this country has combat power on par with a Four Emperor. Nonsense."
Saint Topman Warcury, Warrior God of Justice, sat back in his seat with an expression of thorough disdain.
"The Navy must have too little to do lately if they're filing reports about this sort of thing."
Saint Shepherd Ju Peter, Warrior God of Agriculture, agreed with equal sharpness.
"I wouldn't dismiss it so quickly. Sengoku is the Fleet Admiral. He knows what he's doing."
Saint Jaygarcia Saturn, Warrior God of Science and Defense, stroked his beard and spoke measured words in Sengoku's defense.
"We should send the CP Organization to look into it."
"Agreed. Better to know than not."
The other two fell in line with Saturn's suggestion.
"The CP Organization for a matter this small?"
Warcury clicked his tongue, then conceded.
"Fine. Have the Navy support the CP Organization in investigating this 'Jura-Tempest Federation.' There's already Navy presence in that country, isn't there?"
"Agreed."
"Agreed."
Knock knock knock.
The sharp knocking cut through the room just as they were deciding which CP unit to deploy.
"Enter."
The door opened. A World Government staff member stepped in and placed a report on the table with both hands, face carefully neutral.
"Urgent intelligence from the Navy, sirs. Please review at your earliest convenience."
Warcury picked it up. His expression shifted immediately. He passed it along without a word.
The report read: Four Emperor Kaido attacked by an unknown party in the New World. Severely wounded. Whereabouts currently unknown.
"Kaido was actually wounded by someone. Was it Whitebeard?"
"It can't be. The CP Organization's monitoring puts Whitebeard inside his own territory the entire time."
"Then who? Outside of Whitebeard, there's no one. Charlotte Linlin rarely has direct conflicts with Kaido. Could it be Red Hair?"
"Impossible."
"Regardless of who it is, this requires a thorough investigation. The time is approaching. We cannot afford instability."
"Send for Spandam."
"Yes, sir."
Fleet Admiral Sengoku was equally bewildered, though for different reasons entirely.
Marine Headquarters · Fleet Admiral's Office
"How many pirate crews have gone missing this month?"
Sengoku looked up at the head of Marine Intelligence, who was standing at rigid attention.
"Twelve, sir. Every one of them a major pirate with a bounty over one hundred million."
"And you still haven't found who's responsible?"
The Intelligence chief's composure held, barely.
"Not yet, sir. However, there is one lead. Witnesses report that the ships responsible fly a flag with a strange round blue creature painted on it."
Sengoku said nothing. He opened his desk drawer, pulled out a photograph, and slid it across.
"Is this it?"
The Intelligence chief looked down.
"Yes, sir. That's the exact pattern. Where did you obtain this?"
Sengoku didn't answer that. He waved a hand.
"You're dismissed. Get back to work."
The chief saluted, left with a head full of unanswered questions, and the door closed behind him.
Sengoku sat back.
'The Jura-Tempest Federation again. What exactly are they trying to do?'
At least they weren't pirates. If they were, the Navy would have a serious problem on its hands.
He reached for a Den Den Mushi and dialed.
"Hina. It's Sengoku. Can you get me in contact with the leadership of the Jura-Tempest Federation? I want to speak with them directly."
"Hina will do her best, sir. Hina will reach out as soon as I have anything."
"Good. Don't force it. Safety first."
"Yes, sir."
And what were the highest authorities of the Jura-Tempest Federation doing at this precise moment?
"General!"
"Ahhh!!! No, I take that back, just that one move, one move!"
"Kaito, you've taken back moves several times already. A loss is a loss."
Veldora grabbed Kaito's wrist before it could reach the board.
"I slipped! I was going to put it there from the start!"
Kaito strained against Veldora's grip, fully committed to this position.
"No. Absolutely not."
Kaito went still. When he spoke again, his voice had dropped to something soft and very dangerous.
"Are you sure."
"I'm sure."
"...Fine. You asked for it."
He reached out with both hands and swept the entire board clean off the table. Pieces scattered across the floor in every direction.
"Hmph!!!"
"Kaito, you actually— "
Veldora stopped mid-sentence. His face changed completely, going from outrage to an expression that very clearly said: you're on your own.
Kaito noticed.
Something about that expression didn't sit right with him. So he'd knocked the board over, that happened sometimes. What was that look for?
"Master."
Kaito's whole body went still.
"Are you increasing my workload by throwing things on the floor?"
He turned around very slowly, wearing the smile of someone who knows the situation is bad and is hoping a smile will help.
"Hehe! Sakuya, about that. Just hear me out."