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Alabasta Kingdom · Royal Palace
"Mr. Kagaya! How do you plan to handle the nations that were affiliated with the World Government?"
Nefertari Cobra looked at Kagaya sitting across from him and asked with a grave expression.
"Kaito-sama's intention is to absorb all of them, with only a handful of exceptions. Every other nation is to be incorporated into the Jura-Tempest Federation."
"After all, very few of the rulers of these countries are decent people."
As Kagaya said this, a sharp glint crossed his eyes. The intelligence reports he had read earlier surfaced in his mind, and a quiet anger stirred within him.
Few of these rulers treated their own people as human beings. Every royal family was built on exploitation and oppression.
"I see! In that case, if it becomes necessary, I am willing to give up my throne!"
"After all, if our people join you, they should live very well."
"Haha! That won't be necessary. Your royal family may continue to exist, but administrative and military authority will need to fall under the Jura-Tempest Federation's jurisdiction."
What Kagaya was describing was, in essence, turning the Alabasta royal family into a symbolic institution without real power.
It was a respectful form of annexation. The Alabasta royal family had genuinely conducted themselves well.
"Is that so! Then it seems Vivi can still play at being queen in the future! Hahahaha!"
Cobra couldn't help but burst into laughter at that.
"Haha! Princess Vivi is indeed very well suited to become a queen!"
"After all, she is my daughter! Hahahaha!"
Jura-Tempest Federation · Kaito's Villa
"Yahoo! I'm finally home! I missed you all so much! Let's never be apart again!"
Izayoi Sakuya looked at Kaito squirming around joyfully under the covers on his bed, and the vein on her forehead grew more and more prominent.
"Master! Miss Kanae has arrived downstairs. Are you sure you won't come down?"
"Down, down, down! Let's go!"
The moment he heard Kanae was there, Kaito flipped out of bed in one motion, opened the door, and headed straight downstairs.
As soon as he reached the stairwell, he saw Kanae Kocho and Testarossa sitting in the living room, drinking tea.
"Kanae, why don't you just move in? It would save us both the back and forth."
"Kai-chan! I still need to look after Shinobu and the others. Once they've truly grown up, I'll move in!"
Kaito responded with a helpless look.
"Shinobu is already running a scam at her barbecue restaurant. How much more growing up does she need? I think she's plenty grown."
"Oh my! Is a certain someone perhaps a little tempted?"
Kanae looked at Kaito with a teasing expression.
"Uh... how could that be? Am I that kind of person?"
"I rather think Master is exactly that kind of person."
The white-haired woman to the side took an elegant sip of red tea and remarked lightly.
"Ha! Testarossa, be careful, I'll sue you for defamation! You are slandering me!"
Testarossa looked back at the flustered Kaito and said indifferently.
"Oh my. Then go and complain to Ultima! Let's see whose side she takes."
"Uh..."
Kaito was instantly silenced.
Right. He had almost forgotten. The Chief Inspector position was currently held by Ultima, the Primordial Violet.
If Ultima were to pass judgment, it would not matter in the slightest whether it was genuine defamation or not. She would convict Kaito of false accusation without a second thought.
"You're ruthless."
"Anyway, what are you even here for? Surely a diplomat has actual work to do. Be careful, I'll dock your pay."
Testarossa smiled slightly at that.
"Oh dear! I didn't realise I actually had a salary. Is Master going to start paying me?"
"And who exactly am I supposed to conduct diplomacy with now? It seems every country that ever crossed you has already been destroyed."
"Uh... well... it seems..."
Kaito tried to think through the list. The Kingdom of Falmuth was destroyed by Diablo.
The Western Nations were still under investigation as to who had wiped them out.
Then there were the countries in the Black Bullet world. Every single one of them had been annihilated.
And the World Government had not lasted much longer.
Hiss...
The more Kaito thought about it, the more it felt like he was...
'Oh no. System! Am I the villain boss?!'
'Will some hero come charging at me one day, shouting about love and the power of bonds?!'
[Host, you do not believe yourself to be a good person, do you? Also, I suggest Host watch fewer manga going forward. This is reality.]
'...'
"Cough cough... Let's be serious. What's the actual matter?"
"Hehe! Intelligence sent back by Souei."
Testarossa extended a slender hand and passed Kaito a slip of paper.
Kaito took it and read. His expression changed immediately.
The note read: Demon Lord Clayman is mustering troops. Suspected to be planning an attack on our territory.
"Good heavens. I haven't even gone to deal with him, and he's coming to start trouble with me first."
Kaito tilted his head back and called upstairs.
"Rimuru! The country has a problem and it's time for you to act!"
"What?! What?! Where's the problem!"
Rimuru came running down the stairs barefoot, wearing a dinosaur pajama identical to Kaito's.
"Have a look at this."
Rimuru took the slip of paper and read it. Her expression went serious on the spot.
"Is this real?"
"Souei sent it back, so I doubt it's wrong."
Rimuru nodded, taking that in.
Then she asked.
"Kai-chan! Are you planning to have me make a move?"
"To be precise, I'm sending you out for some exercise. Clayman alone can be dealt with by almost anyone. If you stay idle much longer, I suspect Raphael might go on strike."
"Hehe! Then I'll go for a stroll!"
Rimuru gave a wry smile and then replied with a cheerful expression.
"I'll have Testarossa go with you along with the Imperial Guard Corps."
"Isn't that a bit like using a cannon to kill a mosquito?"
Rimuru asked with a surprised look.
"It's fine. One is a stroll, two is also a stroll. Why not go together?"
"Oh dear! I cannot pretend I did not hear that! Master thinks I have nothing to do, doesn't he!"
Kaito looked at Testarossa's squinting eyes and shot back without any hesitation.
"Hmph hmph! I do think you're very idle, so why not keep Rimuru company? I'll give you a bonus."
"Hehe! I don't need a bonus. I just want Master to agree to one condition."
"What condition?"
Kaito asked with a puzzled expression.
"I haven't thought of it yet! I'll tell you when I get back!"
A playful gleam passed through Testarossa's eyes as she looked at Kaito.
She had her sights set on this man. Not even Veldanava himself could take him from her, she had quietly decided.
Kaito, not understanding the weight of that look, said nothing more and simply nodded in agreement.
Beside them, Kanae Kocho caught Testarossa's eye and gave her a knowing smile.