"This is the wife of the Governor of the Yadis Kingdom!!"
As soon as the words left her mouth, Gion's face flushed with a mix of anger and shame.
That bastard Daren actually did something so indecent at a naval base. For someone like Gion, who grew up at headquarters and was raised under Staff Officer Tsuru's doctrine of "Cleansing Justice," this was absolutely unacceptable.
Especially since her trip from headquarters wasn't just a courtesy call—she was here for inspection and supervision.
If news of this got out, it would severely damage the Marines' reputation!
Not to mention the political scandal it could spark!
Daren, that bastard... He's a disgrace to justice! A total scumbag!
But to her surprise, Daren—the very man behind all this—looked completely unfazed. With a charismatic smile on his face, he slowly stood up.
"Oh, so it's Lieutenant Commander Gion and Lieutenant Commander Tokikake. You've come a long way from Marineford. That must've been tiring."
He casually bit down on a cigar and extended his hand.
"Welcome to North Blue Branch 321."
Gion stared at him coldly, making no move to shake his hand.
Daren didn't seem to mind. He simply shrugged, pulled out another cigar, and handed it to the curious Tokikake beside him.
"Lieutenant Commander Tokikake, I've heard much about you."
Tokikake's eyes lit up when he saw the cigar. Its intricate pattern clearly marked it as a high-end brand, the kind reserved for nobles.
He instinctively reached out to take it—only to freeze when he caught the blazing look in Gion's eyes. Awkwardly, he pulled his hand back.
"Hey, Daren... Is this woman really the Governor's wife from the Yadis Kingdom?"
Tokikake lowered his voice, whispering the question.
Daren just smiled and said nothing.
Tokikake sucked in a breath.
Bastard!!
He cursed silently.
He'd seen Lady Margery's face—mature, alluring, still full of charm—and this guy got to enjoy all of that?
Damn it! He was clearly better looking—why didn't he get this kind of luck!?
And most of all, she was the Governor's wife!
That status alone… Just thinking about it was thrilling... Ahem...
Grinding his teeth, Tokikake muttered, "Captain Daren, this isn't really appropriate, is it?"
His tone clearly carried a trace of jealousy.
Gion shot him a glare before turning and bowing deeply to the woman still hiding under the covers.
"My sincerest apologies, Lady Margery. This is a failure on the Marines' part."
"I'm Gion, an inspector from Marine Headquarters. Please rest assured, we will thoroughly investigate Captain Daren's misconduct and deal with it severely!"
As she spoke, Gion silently vowed to report everything to headquarters. There was no place in the Marines for someone like Daren!
Just then, Lady Margery peeked shyly out from under the covers. Her eyes, full of charm, flicked toward Daren—who was calmly smoking his cigar—and a hint of bashfulness sparkled in her gaze.
In a soft, almost whisper-like voice, she said, "Um… Lieutenant Commander Gion, actually, I was willing."
"I… really like Captain Daren."
Gion froze.
Tokikake was dumbfounded.
They'd thought Daren had used his rank or power to coerce Lady Margery into this.
But now… it turned out she was a willing participant?
Wait a minute!
Their minds jumped to the official ship docked at the port.
This—this was delivered takeout!?
"Well then, officers from headquarters, let's not disturb this lovely lady's rest any longer," Daren said with a grin.
He slipped on a fresh military uniform, draped a broad cloak over his shoulders, and nodded toward the door.
"Let's head to the office to discuss official matters. This way, please."
...
Branch 321, Base Commander's Office.
A massive plaque hung on the gray walls, with the characters for "Justice" emblazoned in bold, sweeping strokes.
Daren sat comfortably in the commander's chair, lighting a cigar as he spoke.
"Lieutenant Commander Gion, Lieutenant Commander Tokikake, give me some good news—has my commission arrived?"
As he spoke, he casually sized up the two standing before him.
This was the first time he'd seen these two future Admiral candidates since arriving in this world.
Gion was tall, with long, slender legs free of any excess fat. Her black hair was tied into a high ponytail, and she wore the Marines' wide cloak with an air of confidence. Her dark, glossy eyes sparkled with sharpness, and the beauty mark near her lips added a subtle charm.
She looked different from her anime counterpart—at this stage, Gion was only around eighteen or nineteen, still youthful and a little green, but already radiating a budding allure.
As for Tokikake... well, he looked rough.
Standing there with a cigarette in his mouth, hands in his pockets, his eyes kept darting toward the cigars on the desk. He was barely in his twenties, yet he gave off the world-weariness of someone in his forties—a man who aged in a hurry.
Both were classic examples of young officers born into elite military families...
Daren couldn't help but feel a twinge of emotion.
Tokikake's background was relatively humble.
But Gion? She was the real deal.
Her talent was impressive enough on its own, but her lineage was even more outrageous. Vice Admiral Tsuru, the Chief Staff Officer of Marine Headquarters, treated her like a little sister, and even Admiral Sengoku looked after her personally. She was practically raised by the top brass—blessed by birth, skill, and backing.
Even the so-called "Strongest Marine," the legendary hero Garp, was referred to by her as "Garp-chan."
People say comparison breeds resentment, and Daren could see why.
He'd clawed his way up to the rank of Captain, while Gion had started her very first mission as a Lieutenant Commander.
And it was obvious: this so-called "assignment" for Gion and Tokikake was really just a resume booster. Once their term ended in a few months, they'd return to headquarters with glittering credentials and head straight into Zephyr's elite officer training program. From there, it would be a clear path into the Marines' core leadership.
Envy was natural.
Still, it was clear they were young, full of that unique combination of pride and naivety that came with youth.
All perfectly normal.
Hearing Daren's question, Gion, still visibly annoyed, snorted and pulled out an official document.
"Congratulations, Captain Daren. As of this moment, you are the highest-ranking officer overseeing all Marine operations in the North Blue."
Daren took the appointment letter and scanned it.
Appointment Letter:
Effective immediately, Captain Rogers Daren of North Blue Branch 321 is hereby appointed Supreme Commander of the North Blue Marine Forces.
A satisfied smile spread across his face.
This document didn't exactly change anything—he already had control over the North Blue's Marine forces—but still, who would say no to a higher title, especially one that made everything easier?
Besides, other than Garp, who would turn their nose up at rank?
"Appreciate the trouble," he said, grinning as he looked up. "How long will you two be staying in the North Blue?"
Gion replied coolly, "Three to six months, depending on how long the audit takes."
"Captain Daren, for the sake of confidentiality, the identities of Lieutenant Commander Tokikake and myself—as well as our inspection team—will remain classified during this assignment. Officially, we're your adjutants."
Daren nodded with a smile.
"No problem, Gion. I'll be counting on you."
In this era, the Marine Academy didn't yet have the scale it would one day reach. Instead, elite candidates were selected from the Grand Line and Four Seas and placed into a "training camp" model, not recruited straight from the bottom.
As a result, the officer selection process was strict, and the audit system was essential.
Passing the audit would qualify him to enter the Officer Training Camp at headquarters, where he'd train under former Admiral "Black Arm" Zephyr, learning the Rokushiki of the Marines—and possibly even Haki—to become a true powerhouse.
With that kind of background, he could build the political capital needed to skyrocket through the ranks of the Marines.
Daren then turned to Tokikake and offered him a cigar.
"Well then, Tokikake, I look forward to working with you too."
Tokikake glanced at the gold-embossed special cigar. Even back at headquarters, he'd never had the chance to smoke something this high-end. Suddenly, the cigarette in his mouth felt like tasteless garbage.
"Uh… Gion…"
He gave her a hopeful look.
Gion rolled her eyes and sighed.
"Fine, go ahead."
"Nice!"
Tokikake lit the cigar without hesitation, happily puffing away with a satisfied grin.
Just then, Gion's voice cut through the air, cold and sharp.
"So, Captain Daren, you still owe us an explanation for what happened earlier."
"Even if Lady Margery was willing, your actions reflect poorly on the reputation and discipline of the Marines…"
"Not to mention, as the Governor's wife of the Yadis Kingdom, her status makes this a potential diplomatic crisis."
Tokikake's ears perked up. He leaned forward, clearly enjoying the show, his eyes locked on Daren.
Heh. Let's see how you get out of this one.
He'd known Gion for years and knew exactly what she was like.
With Staff Officer Tsuru's "Cleansing Justice" doctrine drilled into her, Gion didn't tolerate a single speck of dirt.
You cocky bastard. Thinking you're all that...
Smoking the finest cigars...
Well, to be fair, this cigar was really damn good...
Daren gave her a look of innocent surprise.
"Gion, do I really need to explain? Isn't it obvious?"
"This is public service… military-civilian cooperation."
"Cough—cough!!"
Tokikake nearly choked mid-puff, his face turning red.
He looked up, stunned.
Public service?
Military-civilian cooperation?
This...
This...
This... actually sounded kind of reasonable!?
Why didn't I think of an excuse—I mean, reason—that perfect before?!