"Were they... good friends?"
That answer truly surprised Sengoku, but at the same time, delighted him.
He had never expected it.
There was actually someone in the Marines whom Austin could call a friend!
Doll, unaware of Sengoku's little schemes, continued speaking enthusiastically.
She talked about how powerful Austin was, about the way he looked when teaching them Haki; about the time they had spent eating and getting along these past few days; about how especially generous he was; and about his casual attitude toward the forces of the sea when chatting with her.
That last point in particular—that one sentence...
"The winner is justice, and I am justice!"
...gave her much to think about.
After she finished recounting everything, Sengoku interlocked his fingers beneath his chin and looked at Doll with an extremely serious gaze.
"Commodore Doll! In the name of an Admiral of Marine Headquarters, I am issuing you an order!!!"
Sengoku's words left Doll momentarily stunned.
But after recovering, she swept back her Marine cloak and immediately gave a textbook-perfect military salute.
"Commodore Doll awaits your orders!!!"
"You should understand that, in this turbulent era, the Marines are under immense pressure in terms of both combat strength and finances!"
"And the forces and personal strength represented by [Black Spear] Dotol Austin—that is, Saint Austin—his attitude and actions will undoubtedly have a decisive impact on the Marines' path forward!!!"
"So..."
Sengoku rose to his feet, walked to the astonished Doll, and patted the epaulet on her justice cloak.
"Whether for public or private reasons, I hope you can maintain a good relationship with Austin, build a certain bond and connection with him, and do your utmost to let the ideals of justice influence him!!!"
"Can you do that?"
Rather than answering rashly, Doll pondered it. Frowning, she looked