Inside the conference room, Diarmuid took a sip of tea, using the cup to hide a weary yawn.
Then, he glanced at Sengoku sitting beside him and asked softly, "Admiral, can I leave the meeting early?"
Sengoku shot Diarmuid a glare. "What are you talking about, brat? You're a Marine Admiral, and this is your first time at the Reverie. You want to leave early?"
"It's just so boring, aren't you bored?" Diarmuid said with a helpless sigh.
Sengoku paused for a moment but shook his head. "Don't get any wild ideas. Just pay attention to the meeting."
Diarmuid now understood why these Reveries sometimes dragged on for one or two months. He had no idea what kind of "serious issues" these people were debating.
From the moment the Gorosei began their speeches, the meeting had already been going on for hours. Yet, they still hadn't gotten to any formal topics. The royalty of the various affiliated kingdoms were just busy squabbling. One king would accuse another of seizing their land, while another would complain that some king had borrowed money last year and hadn't paid it back yet.
Some hot-tempered kings would even publicly curse the ancestors of their rival nations. The scene was utterly chaotic and almost devolved into a brawl.
In short, all sorts of messy problems were laid bare for everyone to see. It was as if every nation had a hidden pile of grievances, and if this Reverie didn't solve them, a world war was bound to erupt.
Diarmuid never expected the seemingly peaceful nations he knew to be so secretly corrupt.
"Six months ago, our territory, Lensa Island, was overrun in a single day. According to our investigation, you hired the evil Germa to do this. Don't you think you owe me an explanation?"
"An explanation? Your 'investigation'? If you have an investigation, then show me the evidence! Just because Germa overran your island, you're saying I did it? Well, I could just as easily say you're the one hiring the Pirate King to raid our merchant ships!"
This kind of back-and-forth went on without end in the conference room.
However, Sengoku looked completely unfazed, as if he was used to it. Kong was even stroking his chin and nodding from time to time, as if in agreement with something, or maybe he was just putting on a show.
The only one who seemed different was Zephyr, who was hunched over the table, constantly writing and drawing on a piece of paper, seemingly documenting this "complex world."
This piqued Diarmuid's curiosity. "I never thought you'd be so interested in world affairs even after retiring, Sensei. You're even taking detailed notes on this trivial stuff?" Diarmuid praised him, leaning over to see what Zephyr was writing.
He took a closer look, and to his astonishment, he found that Zephyr was drawing a manga.
"Oh, wow..." Diarmuid was stunned.
'I didn't know you had so many hidden talents, old man. What should he say?'
'A man of dual talent?'
Zephyr hadn't expected Diarmuid to look over so suddenly. He looked a little embarrassed. "I've had some free time lately, so I've been exploring other hobbies, hehehe..."
Diarmuid nodded, signaling that if he wasn't embarrassed, then Zephyr didn't need to be either.
He took another look, and what do you know? It was a superhero comic!
The Brave Sea Warrior Z?
"When I was a kid, I always used to fantasize about these kinds of stories. I actually joined the Marines back then because I wanted to fulfill those dreams. But a story is a story, and reality is reality. After all these years, I still haven't managed to become 'the Brave Sea Warrior Z'."
After his initial awkwardness, Zephyr spoke openly about his past.
This was far more interesting than the affiliated kingdoms bickering. Diarmuid immediately asked with interest, "So, are you disappointed, Sensei? That you couldn't become 'Super Hero Z'?"
"Super Hero?" Zephyr was taken aback for a moment, then laughed. "That's an interesting way to put it. I have some regrets, but I don't regret it at all. Especially when I see excellent young people like you, Sakazuki, Kuzan... and Borsalino and Gion growing up so quickly and shouldering the future and the burden of the Marines, I feel that this is more meaningful than being a 'Super Hero'. The more people like you there are, the more civilians we can protect..."
"It's all thanks to your guidance, Sensei," Diarmuid responded with a chuckle.
After a slight pause, Diarmuid asked, "Sensei, is there a misunderstanding between you and Borsalino?"
"What misunderstanding?" Zephyr frowned.
"You don't seem to get along with him. I don't think it's necessary. You're such a magnanimous person; why bother with that guy?" Diarmuid tried to persuade him.
Zephyr looked at Diarmuid with a wry smile, then waved his hand. "You don't need to try and convince me. There's no misunderstanding between us, and I've already let it go..."
He paused for a moment, then said softly, "Before you came to headquarters, I really couldn't stand that kid. But in the end, it was only because I was angry with him for not living up to his potential..."
At this point, Zephyr hesitated for a moment but still spoke in a low voice. "Even though I had the best relationship with Kuzan at the time, out of Kuzan, Borsalino, and Sakazuki, I actually had the highest hopes for Borsalino. He wasn't as lazy as Kuzan or as hot-headed as Sakazuki. His personality and temperament were just right. He could think calmly when faced with most problems, and his talent and abilities were exceptional. I once believed that Borsalino would be the most outstanding Marine in the next twenty to thirty years."
Diarmuid nodded as he listened. He was tempted to ask where Dragon stood in his estimation at the time and who he had higher hopes for. But he felt that would be too confrontational. What if Zephyr got angry and punched him? He wouldn't dare to fight back. So, he decided against asking.
"What happened next?" Diarmuid asked.
"After that, I taught Borsalino with great care, but that guy seemed to have his own ideas. I hoped he could develop in all areas; a great talent like him had the potential. But that rascal only cared about his own abilities. My expectations for him were all for naught, so over time, the more I hoped, the more disappointed I became, and I grew very dissatisfied with him," Zephyr said with a hint of melancholy in his voice.
But soon, he smiled and said, "But that's all in the past. After meeting you, I've let all that go... In the past two years, Borsalino has often called to check on me, and I no longer ignore his calls like I used to. So, in fact, our relationship has already mended. It's just that he's stationed in the New World and doesn't come back to headquarters often, so it's normal that you didn't notice. But you worried for nothing. Everything is fine."
"Hehehe, it seems I played a big part in this, then," Diarmuid said with a laugh.
Zephyr looked at Diarmuid, then smiled as well, nodding. "I once told you that you should also develop in all areas and not leave any weaknesses. You did that in the beginning, but now, what's most prominent about you is still your ability, isn't it?"
Diarmuid fell silent for a moment, then nodded. "Yes."
"Right. So, I've been reflecting on myself. Is there truly such a thing as 'all-around development'? People will always have a focus. It's only natural for them to subconsciously choose what they're more inclined to do. It's a very reasonable thing.
"I even thought to myself, how can I demand something of my students that I couldn't even achieve myself? All-around development... I'm not even a Devil Fruit user. How can I possibly say those things? So, I've come to terms with it.
"You are all excellent individuals, no worse than me, your Sensei. As you grow, you make your own choices. As a teacher, I should be happy. How can I get angry just because a student didn't develop according to my expectations? That was my fault as a teacher," Zephyr said softly.
There was both regret and relief in his tone.
"Sensei..." Diarmuid murmured, filled with emotion. He wanted to say something, but nothing came out.
"Hahaha, enough about that. Don't worry about it. As I said, there's nothing wrong between Borsalino and me." Zephyr patted Diarmuid's shoulder.
Just then, a royal from an affiliated kingdom suddenly spoke up. "My neighboring country, Rexcas, had a coup last month. Although the coup was suppressed, we found traces of the Revolutionary Army. As far as I know, the Revolutionary Army already has a certain level of influence worldwide, and they're targeting us, the royalty of these affiliated kingdoms. They're constantly trying to overthrow our governments.
"I hope everyone takes this matter seriously, and I hope the World Government can give us an explanation. The Heavenly Tribute and taxes we pay every year should earn us the support and protection of the World Government, but now..."
"That's right! The Revolutionary Army is a constant concern for us. When I hear news about them, I can't even sleep at night!"
Following that, several other royals from affiliated kingdoms began to condemn the Revolutionary Army.
Diarmuid raised an eyebrow, took a sip of his tea, and noted that the main event had finally arrived.
After the kings had finished their uproar, a high-ranking World Government official in a black suit, with a very serious and earnest expression, began to speak. "Regarding the Revolutionary Army, we in the World Government have been fighting them. I hope everyone here understands that. Furthermore, the birth and growth of the Revolutionary Army are inseparable from the backdrop of this chaotic era. You could even say they are a festering sore produced by the tide of the times, attempting to use this chaos to start a new wave.
"Therefore, our general judgment of the Revolutionary Army is that we must first work to calm the tide on the sea and create a relatively stable environment. Only then can we free up our hands to drag all of these rats hiding in the shadows out and get rid of them!"
"What you said makes some sense, but what do you plan to do?" one king asked in a low voice, crossing his arms over his chest.
It had to be said that these affiliated kings had quite a presence and didn't seem to be intimidated by the World Government at all.
The high-ranking World Government official looked at the king and then said, "In fact, we are already taking action. To quickly restore stability to the seas, we have launched the Warlord of the Sea system. This plan can effectively divide the pirate forces and 'tame' some of the unstable elements..."
However, he didn't even get to finish his sentence before a young king spoke up sternly. "I oppose this Warlord of the Sea system. Such a thing shouldn't be implemented so suddenly. Shouldn't it have been discussed at the Reverie first? I seriously question the legality of the Warlord of the Sea system. My motion for this meeting is to abolish the Warlord of the Sea Act now, before any Warlords are appointed and cause great disaster to the world."
When he finished speaking, the entire room fell silent. Some kings' eyes flashed with a look of agreement, while others didn't want to get involved. Still others looked on with a hint of mockery.
Diarmuid, however, looked at the young king with some surprise. He thought he looked familiar. He turned to Sengoku and asked, "Who is he? He has a great point!"
"A descendant of the Twenty Kings..." Sengoku said softly.
"A descendant of the Twenty Kings?" Diarmuid was stunned for a moment, then he smiled. "I see. Is that the Nefertari family of Alabasta? The young King Cobra?"