Shirahoshi

Neptune huffed, tail coiled as he sat on a large sofa.

"Bright, you should be more polite when speaking with Neptune," Jinbe said, feeling a bit awkward.

He and Neptune were old friends; Jinbe had even been the top commander of the Ryugu Palace army a long time ago. Now that the person he supported was clashing with his old friend, he felt truly embarrassed.

"I'm trying to dispel King Neptune's hesitation," Bright stated earnestly.

Neptune paused.

"Change requires courage," Bright continued calmly. "Does change truly bring good results? This is the fear every reformer has when making a decision."

"Wouldn't it be better to follow tradition? Until one is truly cornered, past experiences are always seen as valid, until they hit a brick wall."

"King Neptune, what I mean is," he said with a smile, "whether you like it or not, change is about to begin!"

"..."

Neptune's eyes widened, his mustache trembling.

Jinbe rubbed his forehead helplessly. While the logic was sound, couldn't he have phrased it differently? This man before him was, after all, the king of this country.

"Bright, you rascal—"

Neptune finally sighed. "You don't look much like a Fishman, but that stubbornness in your bones is certainly something only the Fish-Man District could cultivate."

"Perhaps Jinbe is right—"

He glanced at his old friend, then nodded heavily. "If that's the case, I can't let people look down on me either. Bright, I agree to your request—"

"Wait!"

The door to the tea room was pushed open.

A slender woman drifted in as if she were made of clouds. Her face was etched with seriousness.

"Otohime—weren't you supposed to be giving a speech at Gid Colon Plaza?" Neptune asked, a headache forming.

"I was just hit with leftover food..." Princess Otohime of the Ryugu Kingdom pouted, tears welling up in her eyes as she complained, "They told me not to go anymore, it was really mean..."

"That's why I told you, the last incident hasn't passed yet, and the citizens' impression of humans has only gotten worse," Neptune said helplessly. Every time she went out full of spirit, she'd return dejected and hide in her room to cry alone.

"That's precisely why I have to go even more!" The princess, who had been very dejected, suddenly became spirited. "We can't let hatred deepen further!"

Neptune covered his face with his hand. Aren't you asking for it?

"Princess Otohime hasn't changed at all," Jinbe said with a smile.

"Oh! It's Jinbe!" The princess greeted him warmly. "Since you're here, why don't you stay for dinner? You can have a few more drinks with Neptune. Don't let his serious demeanor fool you; he actually complains privately that he has few friends and is lonely."

"Hey, Otohime—there's no need to say that," King Neptune said, embarrassed.

"Hahahaha, then I won't refuse!" Jinbe laughed heartily.

Am I visiting relatives with Brother Jinbe? What a strange atmosphere. Bright's lips twitched. The Mermaid Otohime, what a remarkable woman. She can change the moods of both Neptune and Brother Jinbe.

"And then—" Otohime turned her head and looked at Bright. A brilliant smile appeared on her face. "I can feel it. What drives you is love and courage!"

"Huh?" Bright blinked. What is she suddenly talking about?

Love?

Courage?

What kind of romance manga setting is this?

Otohime walked over briskly, her steps light, and grabbed Bright's large hands, her face filled with emotion as she said, "I can't feel hatred or anger in your heart, only love for this island and the courage to change."

"That's wonderful!" She was almost crying aloud. "There are still children like you on the island... Children like you are the future of Fish-Man Island!"

Bright awkwardly pulled his hand away. This queen was too emotional.

Just like a child.

However--

What terrifying Observation Haki!

Bright marveled inwardly.

Otohime possessed naturally powerful Observation Haki, allowing her to easily sense the emotions hidden deep within others.

She could even use her own emotions to infect others and influence their will.

Should he be thankful she was a woman, and a kind-hearted one at that?

"So, for the future of Fish-Man Island, King Neptune, you've agreed to my request, right?" Bright asked.

Neptune's eyes widened.

Amazing, completely ignoring Otohime's fuss!

"Wait a minute!"

The queen, who had been crying, suddenly perked up and said loudly, "This won't do! It will only cut off the already limited communication between us and the human world! Fish-Man Island will become even more distant from the world!"

"To shorten the distance with the world, besides us actively approaching them, we can also have the world come to us," Bright said calmly. "Once the plan to mine deep-sea ores is gradually implemented, the entire human world will go crazy. By then, you won't be able to avoid interacting with humans even if you wanted to."

"That will only make Fish-Man Island a target for more covetous eyes!" the queen retorted loudly.

You know Fish-Man Island is coveted by humans?

"So, to avoid being coveted, interacting with humans is fine. The key is that we must become strong enough!"

Bright said seriously, "Strong enough that humans can't easily harm us! After all, when we're harmed, do we still want to pin our hopes on the infighting among human higher-ups?"

"But won't that just escalate the conflict between the two sides?"

"If humans don't come to me, I'll go to them! Humans are driven by profit. As long as there's enough profit, they can overcome even the most severe conflicts! But the prerequisite is still that we are strong enough!"

"Wow! What a malicious way of putting it! This way, Fish-Man Island will never integrate into the world of the sea!"

"Let's become strong first, then we can talk about other things."

"Ah, what an annoying brat!!"

After a verbal sparring match, the queen, somewhat driven to distraction, grabbed Bright's cheeks and started to pull at them.

Bright slapped her hand away.

Such an annoying old aunt.

Jinbe and Neptune exchanged a look and could only shake their heads helplessly.

Bright didn't know why, but he had inexplicably gotten into an argument with Otohime.

Only after the argument ended did he belatedly realize, had he been swept up by Otohime's emotions?

Terrifying Observation Haki!

"Alright, Otohime,"

Neptune finally stepped forward. "I think Bright is right. Let's decide on this matter. Let him lead the establishment of an agency to screen incoming and outgoing vessels. We want to interact with humans, but before that, we must ensure our own safety."

Bright breathed a sigh of relief.

Neptune was alright, but Otohime was truly bothersome.

The queen, hearing her husband's decision, covered her face with her hands and sobbed, her shoulders shaking.

"Hey-- Otohime--" Neptune broke out in a cold sweat.

Is she crying again?

"I'm so happy!"

The queen moved her hands away, a brilliant smile on her face. "There are still children like you on the island! You don't just want to muddle along, you're not blinded by anger and only thinking of revenge, you're truly thinking of making this island, making our race better!"

"I'm truly, so happy."

Bright couldn't help but chuckle.

Call her a saint, naive, or foolish.

Undeniably, she, like Brother Fisher Tiger, until the very last moment of her life, wished for the children of Fish-Man Island to no longer live in a world filled with discrimination and persecution.

"Queen Otohime, my name is Bright," Bright introduced himself earnestly.

"Hello, Bright."

The Queen said with a smile, "Shall we talk about undersea minerals next? Can that really attract a lot of humans?"

Bright, using his limited knowledge, explained the abundance of undersea minerals and the convenience of mining them on Fish-Man Island.

"Oh! You mean, as long as we can provide high-quality and inexpensive minerals, humans will flock here?"

Queen Otohime said excitedly, "That's wonderful! If that's the case, perhaps we can get in touch with human leaders!"

Bright's lips twitched, but he didn't say anything.

"But this is very dangerous."

Neptune said with some worry, "Humans are not creatures who will abide by business rules when faced with immense profit."

"That's precisely why the Immigration Bureau was established!"

Bright said seriously, "We'll handle this matter."

"That's the idea!" Jinbe also nodded with a smile.

"You are truly, so reliable! Bright! And Jinbe!"

The Queen's eyes sparkled, and she was so moved she was crying.

Bright turned his face away, not wanting to admit it, but he had a good impression of this auntie who always gave snacks to children when he was little.

"Then we'll be counting on you!"

Neptune said solemnly, "In return, the exploration and excavation will be handled by Ryugu Palace!"

At this moment, Bright said, "Mining ore requires a large number of hands. I hope these hands can be selected from Fish-Man District first."

Fish-Man District was too poor.

There were hundreds of thousands of people, and hundreds of thousands were unemployed.

Poverty bred violence and crime.

Although being a miner wasn't exactly a good job, at least it was a means of livelihood, right?

Neptune was stunned for a moment, then he burst into laughter, "Of course, no problem!"

"Let's announce its establishment today! The Fish-Man Island Mining Company! Its ownership belongs to all citizens of Fish-Man Island!"

His Majesty the King was beaming.

Change would begin today.

Later, in the banquet hall of Ryugu Palace, a lively banquet was held.

Bright and Jinbe, who had talked in the tea room all afternoon, entered the hall, led by Neptune and Otohime.

Just then, the princes and the little princess of the kingdom also arrived, escorted by their attendants.

"Mama!"

Bright looked at the large little girl and, with a beaming smile, rushed towards Queen Otohime.

Pink hair, round eyes, a round face.

Princess Shirahoshi.

Bright's lips curved.

She was the greatest reliance of the Fish-men and Mermaids.

"Shirahoshi! Mama's good girl! Mama missed you so much!"

Otohime sobbed as she rushed towards her daughter.

They had only been apart for a day at most.

Did she need to be this excited?

Then.

Poof.

Shirahoshi fell to the ground.

She knocked her slender mother to the ground.

"Ugh!!"

Queen Otohime grunted, "My bones are broken--"

You're too fragile.

Thanks to 'Can you add another update' for the 100-point reward, thanks to 'Little Chen' for the 500-point reward, thank you, thank you!