The Reverie in Mariejois proceeded in an orderly fashion. Diarmuid had little interest in the meeting, but due to his duties, he had to grit his teeth and attend the ridiculous gatherings of kings every day.
But, as it turned out, some things actually made progress. For example, regarding the countermeasures against the Revolutionary Army, the World Government came up with a new plan that further enhanced the authority of the CP agency.
Starting after the conclusion of this year's meeting, affiliated kingdoms could directly seek help from the CP agency for certain matters, and the agency would establish new bases in those countries.
This wasn't good news for the Marines, but they had no reason to stop it. On some level, it was the World Government putting the Marines in their place.
Over the past two months, Diarmuid's life had fallen into a repeating pattern. Even though his work wasn't particularly busy as a Marine Admiral, he still had to sign documents and manage some of the Marines' daily operations. These documents were faxed to the Mariejois base at regular intervals. One of them concerned Gion's military expansion plan for the G-7 base.
So, generally, Diarmuid would spend two days a week at the base handling his duties. He would attend the meetings during the day and occasionally meet with Queen Stussy for 'dinner' at her place in the evening. All in all, he was living a comfortable life, enjoying a long-awaited taste of a woman's company.
Early in the morning, Diarmuid slowly opened his eyes. He looked at the Queen lying next to him, her thighs resting on his stomach, and he couldn't help but smile with a touch of helplessness as he rubbed his eyes.
As a top-tier intelligence agent, the Queen's senses were also very sharp. The moment Diarmuid opened his eyes, she woke up as well. "Your internal clock is so precise," Stussy said with a laugh, looking at the clock on the wall.
"I'm used to it," Diarmuid sat up, stretched, and answered casually.
The bedsheets slipped off, revealing Stussy's pale shoulders. Diarmuid, ever considerate, pulled the blanket up to cover the alluring sight. He sat on the edge of the bed, put on his pants, and then stood up, walking shirtless into the bathroom.
After a moment, he came out with a towel, wiping the water from his head. He stood at the bathroom door and looked at Stussy, who was still lounging in bed. "Are you still resting today?"
"It's my last day. I'm leaving for the New World this afternoon. I've been here for over two months, and there's a lot of work waiting for me at the Pleasure District," Stussy said, taking three sips from the glass of water on the nightstand.
"Is that so? I'll come see you when I'm in the New World," Diarmuid said with a smile.
Stussy rolled her eyes. "You said that last time, but you've been to the New World several times since and never visited..."
"Hahahaha, I was just so busy," Diarmuid laughed.
"Right, what can I say? You're a Marine Admiral..." Stussy said with a hint of dissatisfaction.
However, as she looked at his muscular abs, she couldn't help but lick her lips. This woman's power lay in her charm, which seemed to be an innate ability. She could effortlessly flirt with people without even trying.
Stussy had already been mentally prepared for Diarmuid's promotion, but she was still deeply moved. Diarmuid was so young. At this rate, he might become the youngest Fleet Admiral in Marine history. A Fleet Admiral under fifty... it was a possibility worth looking forward to. "What about you? The Reverie ended yesterday. What are your plans?" Stussy pulled her gaze away from his body and looked at his face.
Diarmuid was wiping his face with the towel. After he was done, he casually tossed the towel onto Stussy's vanity, took a white short-sleeved shirt from a nearby hanger, and put it on. His muscular physique was now completely hidden. The Queen's gaze showed a flicker of regret, but she didn't say anything.
"Me?" Diarmuid finally answered. "I'm going to G-7. There are some things I need to handle there."
"G-7? That's Vice Admiral Gion's base," Stussy said, raising an eyebrow.
"That's right," Diarmuid nodded openly.
"Do you really think I won't get jealous?" Stussy asked with a hint of irritation, seeing how Diarmuid took it for granted.
Diarmuid paused, then asked, "Wait... you're not going to tell me you've developed feelings for me, are you? My Queen, you're one of the top CP agents; you wouldn't make a mistake like that, would you?"
Stussy looked at Diarmuid, annoyed. 'So you're just going to use me?' she thought.
But Diarmuid's words hit on her biggest weakness. As a top CP agent, developing feelings was an absolute taboo. And just as Diarmuid said, she wouldn't easily make such a mistake.
Even after their two months of 'battling' in Mariejois, she felt admiration, respect, and a lot of complicated emotions for him, but to say she was in love was just ridiculous.
It was the same for Diarmuid. He wasn't someone who cared much about emotions. If he had to describe his feelings for Stussy, it would be simple. He admired her cleverness and competence, her effortless charm, and he admitted that she was incredibly beautiful and seductive.
As a man, it was hard for him to resist her 'seduction.' So, it just naturally progressed this way.
But that was all it was. This kind of 'combat' exchange was just a way for the two to strengthen their connection. The foundation of their relationship was never based on feelings like 'liking' or 'love.' Ultimately, what truly made their bond unshakable was mutual benefit.
Their relationship was mutually beneficial.
Diarmuid had used his power and forces to assist Stussy several times in the New World. In return, Stussy had leaked crucial intelligence to him on multiple occasions, making their collaboration very pleasant.
Now, they had another common interest in Dragon's Revolutionary Army, which made their relationship even tighter.
Stussy rolled her eyes at Diarmuid, wrapped in a thin bedsheet, and stood up against the wall. The natural charm she exuded made Diarmuid stir. If only he had more time... they might have 'fought' another round.
"Even if it's not about feelings, I'm still a woman, okay? So I have some possessiveness. Can you be a little more considerate next time and not be so heartless..." Stussy said with frustration.
Diarmuid wanted to say, Didn't you bring up Gion first? but he kept the words to himself. He simply nodded and said, "Got it. I'll be more gentle next time."
"Hmph, men. Once they get something, they don't treasure it anymore, do they?" Stussy said, pretending to be angry.
"If I recall correctly, I already 'got' you four years ago, you beautiful woman," Diarmuid retorted.
It seemed the words "beautiful woman" put Stussy in a better mood. She walked past Diarmuid and into the bathroom. "Come to think of it, I'm not the one getting the short end of the stick."
"Of course not! Do you know how many gorgeous, heroic young women in the Marines want me? If I said the word, they would form a line from Mariejois all the way to Marineford. You're getting a great deal from me; you should be happy about it..." Diarmuid said as he draped his coat of justice over his shoulders.
Then he walked to the bedroom door, opened it, and said to the Queen, who was in the bathroom, "See you in the New World, then?"
"I don't believe you'll come," Stussy said with a mouthful of toothpaste, her voice muffled.
But after she rinsed her mouth, she poked her head out of the bathroom and gave him a wink. "I'll contact you when I'm lonely, Marine Admiral..."
Diarmuid shot Stussy a glare, then smiled. "You can contact me even when you're not lonely, Queen Stussy..."
After that, Stussy pulled her head back inside, and Diarmuid opened the door and left her home.
He didn't go to the Marine base in Mariejois. Instead, he walked straight through Mariejois and took a bubble elevator down to the port. Sure enough, Sengoku and the others were already there. The Marine battleship had just docked, ready to take them away.
When Sengoku saw Diarmuid, he said with a meaningful expression, "You should be more discreet, kid. I don't want to pry into your personal life, but that woman is very dangerous. Don't do anything you shouldn't."
Diarmuid smirked. "Don't worry, Admiral. We've never been about emotions."
"As long as you know what you're doing," Sengoku said, nodding.
He trusted Diarmuid in this regard. He had his suspicions about the relationship between Diarmuid and Stussy, but there was no need for him to say anything more. He trusted Diarmuid and his judgment and ability. Therefore, he never interfered and was confident that Diarmuid would never betray the Marines for CP.
Not wanting to dwell on the issue, Sengoku took a small box from an aide behind him and handed it to Diarmuid. "Here, that Paramecia-type Love-Love Fruit you asked for."
Diarmuid accepted it with a smile and nodded. "Thank you."
"Don't mention it. It wasn't a hassle. You could have used your authority to get it yourself. I just figured you were too lazy," Sengoku said, waving his hand.
This was true. Even though Sengoku was busy with some of the Fleet Admiral's duties, in terms of authority, he and Diarmuid were both Admirals, and their power in Mariejois was the same.
"Hehehe. I've only been an Admiral for a short time. My connections in Mariejois aren't as good as yours. Isn't it more convenient this way?" Diarmuid said with a laugh.
"Ah, speaking of that, King Cobra of Alabasta was waiting for you at the port just a while ago, but you didn't show up, so he had to leave. It seems he gets along well with you and wanted to invite you to Alabasta as a guest," Sengoku said, first informing Diarmuid, then adding, "That's a good thing. As a Marine Admiral, maintaining a friendly relationship with various kings is beneficial to the Marines."
"Yeah, we've just chatted a few times. As for Alabasta, I'll pass for now. I don't have time to go there. I won't be returning to headquarters right away; I'm heading straight to G-7..." Diarmuid said with a smile.
Sengoku nodded, then added a final piece of advice. "Then take a good shower once you're on the ship. You smell too fragrant..."
"Is it that obvious?" Diarmuid raised his arm and sniffed.
'You're good, Admiral Sengoku. You can tell a woman's scent from a mile away? I guess that's why you and the Chief of Staff never got together when you were young—because of your shady behavior. Maybe beneath that righteous facade, you're a man of lust?'
"Are you thinking something rude?" Sengoku frowned, looking at Diarmuid's strange expression.
Diarmuid's face immediately straightened. "How could I be!?"