"Still, this shaking is awful… the sea is really rough today," Hina observed, feeling the strong movement of the ship.
Even though we have already passed what would be the coldest day of winter in my old world, we are still right in the middle of deep winter.
Hina and I are waiting inside the cabin, so we are still better off, but the sailors working on the deck must be having a very hard time.
In this room that rises and falls a lot because of the waves, I sit back while Hina pours tea for me, treating me like a guest.
...I need to prepare winter gear too. The officers must be thinking about training the soldiers to survive in this kind of weather, but it is also my job as the Captain—well, also as the Governor of all the land we currently rule—to make sure the environment is ready.
This is my first winter after becoming a pirate… or rather, after starting a life centered around the sea.
Even though the ship I'm on is not a pirate ship but a navy ship.
Of course, there are things I notice and things I want to fix.
"Well, this is normal. The sea isn't rough enough to make us sick, so it's fine."
"That may be true… but Kuro, what are you reading?" Hina asked, leaning in.
"These are books and documents I got from Fleet Admiral Sengoku. The books are mostly about farming, the environment, economics, and journals or papers written by scholars of law. The documents are summaries of laws and policy trends of each allied country, and the related national statistics…"
"Read something more pirate-like," Hina insisted.
"What kind of pirate-like reading do you mean?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"…A treasure map or a sea chart?" she guessed
"To me, these ARE treasure maps and sea charts."
"What kind of pirate says that!?" Hina exclaimed.
"Right here. One person," I replied, gesturing to myself.
Honestly…
I was actually planning to do this work myself during the winter, especially the law-related tasks.
…And stop putting your hand on my shoulder and leaning in every time, seriously.
When I left, Bege said some non-allied countries were already showing signs that they wanted to join the Silent Step's territory. I ordered Gild Tesoro to study and analyze the cultures of nearby countries, and after hearing his reports, I wanted to finish arranging Mopuchi Country's political system by spring… at least by early summer. But at this rate, Silent Step Pirates will still need to rule by force…
I am reporting everything about Mopuchi's situation to the princess without hiding anything. I even make sure she sees it all.
Because of that, she gives a soft, general direction of how she wants her country to be, and then I shape those ideas with Tesoro. But we are reaching our limit.
To build Mopuchi's future retainers, we need a proper foundation for the country.
But depending on what the navy, the Government, and all the people moving in the shadows do next…
Depending on how much Robin and Mihawk have developed the Kanan Kingdom, we might enter the Grand Line in a year…
After everything that happened in the West Blue, that place has become something I can never lose.
If Mopuchi falls now, it will seriously damage Silent Step's reputation.
"Even though we used goods stolen from the Pirate Union, we still managed to produce enough food to survive winter, and we also set up a working transport system for daily life. If we expand this within the year and succeed in developing emergency crops for famine and improving the basic infrastructure, Silent Step's short-term problems will be mostly solved," I murmured, talking to myself.
If we lose such an important base, our reputation would suffer a direct blow, so we must strengthen our defenses too.
Looking at our budget, I want to invest money and people as far as we can push it…
"Kuro," Hina said quietly.
"Hmm?"
"That's why you should all stop being pirates," she repeated her familiar argument.
"I told you many times—that's impossible…" I sighed.
How many times have you said that!?
If taking land and ruling it as I want isn't what a pirate does, then what is!?
If I said "We're not pirates," the Five Elders would snap and die on the spot!!
...
Actually… if that really happens, that might not be so bad.
"To be honest, from the side that places a bounty on you, we have very mixed feelings about you. Like the Holy Land battle—" Hina began.
"Stand tall. I'm still an enemy of the Government," I reminded her.
"…When we return to the West Blue, will I have to fight you?" she asked directly.
"Well…" I trailed off.
Aokiji seems to have returned to Marineford, and according to Daz's regular reports, most of the officers like Commodore Taki have been reassigned.
So they're starting to fill those empty spots with Government loyalists. Sengoku-san will have an even harder time.
We probably won't fight right away.
Probably… yeah… let's say it's unlikely, just in case.
Fighting now would benefit neither the navy nor the Government.
They would struggle to reorganize their forces.
Unless they make some huge, flashy change in the officers… but that would make chaos even worse…
Even if they had a reason, thinking about how worn-out the allied countries are and how important the navy is for protecting them, I don't think they will do something too crazy… I hope. But honestly, I'm not even sure how seriously they think about the allied nations.
I helped organize the second transport fleet, and now housing shouldn't be a problem anymore.
But everything else… including food… I don't know how much they'll demand.
That is one big reason why I decided staying with the Government side any longer was dangerous.
If Admiral Zephyr and the others move well, Jenetta and the others will be able to keep a safe distance from the Government.
I've already given Spandine their weaknesses—weak points that are completely clear to us—so at least they should be held in check. If it goes well, they may even fall from power.
Kimrick Pinsher also promised to help, so the new department and their reassignment shouldn't be a problem.
In the slave-related documents, there were clearly some numbers and origins that had been altered. Maybe they aren't marines, but I'm sure there are many slaves they can't reveal to the public.
It wouldn't even be shocking if they had touched the royal families of allied countries. It's disgusting. Truly.
…Yeah. Bringing Hina onto the ship and getting her away from the Holy Land quickly was the right decision.
They probably stopped any attempt to turn Marines into slaves, but if they try it in the form of "marriage," then… who knows.
In fact, during the rebuilding work, some idiot actually said something like that… stopping him was incredibly hard.
"Hina, what orders did you receive?"
"My orders are to protect you all the way to the West Blue, and then stay as close as possible to Silent Step and gather information," Hina stated plainly.
"I'm asking but—are you even allowed to say that!?"
I'm shocked! Kuro is shocked!!
I thought she might have that kind of mission, but I didn't think she would say it with zero filter!!
"It's fine. You already guessed it anyway, right?" Hina said nonchalantly.
"…Well, yes, but still…"
Honestly, she already feels like one of the old members—except Silent Step hasn't even existed for a year yet.
Because she used to be a marine, she also gets along with Amisu and the guard, and even with the officers like Daz.
Is this really okay for a marine?
"…Huh?" I mumbled, looking down at the papers.
"What? What's wrong?" Hina asked, noticing my pause.
"I felt something strange on my fingertip…" I said, touching the document.
I was about to read some documents on Sandy Island—the laws currently used in Alabasta.
It's not a book but a bundle of papers tied with string. When I opened the first page, I felt a rough bump, like braille.
…Someone poked it very finely with a needle.
I remember the face of the person who prepared this.
The young strategist with glasses, younger than he appears in the comics.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku.
The holes don't go through. It's not a watermark, so they must be arranged.
For a moment, I thought it might be poison, but there's no sign of that.
My finger isn't numb, and it didn't pierce my skin.
When I hold the page up to the light, I see that every bump is poked from under the printed letters.
At first it looks random, but…
…So it's not a watermark. If I read the letters starting from the top left, it matches the code Fleet Admiral Sengoku used in his letters… No, some parts sound strange. If I read it the old way, it leads me toward fake information. It's a changed pattern. I can read it 12 different ways, and the only one that makes proper sense is… ugh, this is such a pain… fine. Yes, this reading works without anything feeling wrong.
Sengoku secretly sent me a message.
The moment I realized that, alarms started screaming inside my head.
Even though I finished all those huge jobs—so many of them—and I did them perfectly within the deadline, why is this happening…!?
Please, someone give me a reward for my life's suffering already!
Okay, now… the message says…
"Ah!? What are you doing!? Why are you pulling my arm all of a sudden—" Hina cried out as I grabbed her.
"Sorry! I didn't think it was this bad!!!"
I grab Hina and pull her behind me.
It's coming!
— Bang!! —
"Cat Bite Rankyaku!!"
The thin cabin door is ripped apart by a slashing attack.
That slash comes right toward us—Hina included—but I cut it down with a slash of my own.
That was so close I almost died!!!
Damn it, Sengoku-san, please make your warnings easier to understand—!
No, if he did that, things would get dangerous for him. Aahhh, damn it! You don't even gain much from this!!!
"…Fine. I have confirmed the will of the World Government."
The one who jumps into the room is a young man, a little older than me.
…I don't recognize him from the Battle HQ incident.
A hidden trump card? He is clearly more trained than the men behind him.
Cipher Pol. I only feel the marines' presence in one spot. They're not helping—so they were captured.
Then I can already guess the whole plan.
I haven't finished reading the entire code message yet, but… this is a big problem.
"War begins."
"Come."
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