After saying that, Garp rose to his feet. "Get some proper rest. Since you genuinely want to become a Marine of justice, this old man can't just turn a blind eye. It's also the duty of a senior Marine!"
Ortolan said nothing, but a faint smile appeared on his face.
Garp turned and walked to the door with Bogard. Just as he placed his hand on the doorknob, he suddenly paused and asked without looking back, "Come to think of it, what is justice to you?"
Ortolan fell silent for a moment before answering, "I don't know."
"Is that so?" The kind smile from before returned to Garp's face. He still did not turn around, but continued on his own, "That makes sense. A kid like you probably hasn't found the answer yet. But that's fine. You can take your time finding it later."
With that, he opened the door and left.
Ortolan still felt groggy. At this point, he had done everything he could. Garp seemed willing to lend him a hand, so all he could do now was wait quietly for the outcome.
Even if things did not work out, with Garp's personality, he probably would not throw him straight into prison, right?
Pushing those thoughts aside, Ortolan lay back down on the hospital bed and soon fell asleep.
Elsewhere, Garp and Bogard walked through the corridor of the ship's cabin when Garp suddenly asked, "What do you think of that kid?"
"I don't know him, so there's nothing to evaluate," Bogard replied calmly.
"Don't know him..." Garp smiled, then said, "But precisely because we don't know him, we can't dismiss him so easily, can we?"
"So you intend to give him a chance?" Bogard asked after thinking for a moment.
"As a Marine, why should this old man refuse an outstanding prospect who wants to join us?" Garp countered.
"But his identity is troublesome. If he were merely some mediocre hothead, it would be one thing. But his talent and potential are exceptional. If he truly joins the Marines, and if he truly... harbors ill intentions, what consequences might that bring in the future? Mr. Garp, have you really thought this through?" Bogard's tone remained calm and steady, but his words carried unquestionable force.
"Yes. With his talent and potential, if he joins the Marines, he'll make a name for himself within a few years. He may even rise to a very high position. If he harbors ill intentions, he could bring enormous losses and trouble upon the Marines. You're right." Garp nodded in agreement.
But soon, he continued, "Still, if he isn't that bad and we reject him because of these concerns, wouldn't we be missing out on a great deal? Compared to the potential he has shown, I think taking some risks is worthwhile. Besides..."
"Besides what?" Bogard asked casually.
"Besides, we need to believe in the Marines. We need to believe in the convictions we uphold, don't we? If even we Marines don't believe in the power of our convictions, don't believe in the power of justice, then that's the real problem, Bogard!" Garp laughed heartily and patted Bogard on the shoulder.
Bogard did not respond immediately. Only after taking a few more steps did he say, "What you said makes a great deal of sense, Mr. Garp."
After returning to his office, Garp took out a Den Den Mushi and quickly made a call.
Before long, the call connected, and Chief Staff Officer Tsuru's somewhat helpless voice came through. "Do you have any idea how busy I am? Or do you think too highly of me, believing I can find the information you want in such a short time?"
"Ahahaha, I'm calling to ease your workload, Little Tsuru." Garp laughed before saying, "There's no need to continue investigating what I asked you about earlier. I already know the answer I needed."
"Is that so? Then the kid you mentioned has woken up? You got the intelligence you wanted from him? And that intelligence put your mind at ease?" Chief Staff Officer Tsuru asked.
If you can't find it by searching the book title, try searching for the author instead. It may have simply been renamed!
"I did learn the so-called 'intelligence,' but on the contrary, it has made me very worried. That kid is Charlotte Linlin's son. He probably... don't you think that's interesting?" Garp quickly told Chief Staff Officer Tsuru about Ortolan's situation, smiling as he spoke.
Chief Staff Officer Tsuru paused in surprise. After a moment, she asked, "So you don't intend to let him join the Marines after all, which is why there is no need to continue investigating? Is that the answer?"
"No, quite the opposite. I'm bringing that kid into the Marines. Come to think of it, isn't Zephyr setting up some kind of Officer Training Camp? Or something like that? In any case, an institution responsible for cultivating outstanding new blood for the Marines... I plan to have the kid study there for a while," Garp said bluntly.
"Do you know what you're saying?" Chief Staff Officer Tsuru asked softly.
Garp fell silent briefly before answering in a firm voice, "Of course."
"If that is your decision, then do as you please." Chief Staff Officer Tsuru smiled.
"I thought you'd come up with a whole bunch of reasons to talk me out of it, ahahaha," Garp said with a laugh.
"Though you're usually incredibly unreliable, you aren't an idiot." Chief Staff Officer Tsuru teased him, then could not even be bothered to say another word before hanging up the Den Den Mushi.
Garp looked at the disconnected Den Den Mushi in his hand and shook his head helplessly. "She really isn't considerate at all."
"I think the Chief Staff Officer has already been very considerate," Bogard said seriously from beside him.
Elsewhere, at Marine Headquarters, Marineford, inside the Intelligence Staff Department of the Fortress of Justice, the busy Chief Staff Officer Tsuru put down the Den Den Mushi in her hand and said, "Gion, move quickly on that matter I mentioned before. Investigate it in detail."
Gion, who sat opposite Chief Staff Officer Tsuru, raised her head in confusion and asked, "Sister Tsuru, didn't you just tell Little Garp to do as he pleased?"
"That is because I could already tell that he has made up his mind to bring that kid back. And I know very well that once Garp makes up his mind, he won't listen to anyone else," Chief Staff Officer Tsuru said calmly.
"You are old comrades-in-arms. He should listen to you at least a little, shouldn't he?" Gion said with a smile.
"Precisely because we are old comrades-in-arms, I am even more certain he won't listen. But it doesn't matter. As I said, he isn't an idiot. Investigate that kid first. If he truly has some problem, Garp will make the right judgment," Chief Staff Officer Tsuru said casually.
"So Sister Tsuru, you're actually against the person Little Garp favors joining the Marines?" Gion could not help asking curiously.
"No. Why would I oppose it? Whether he is Whitebeard's son or Charlotte Linlin's son, as long as he truly wants to join the Marines and become a like-minded companion, those things are irrelevant. On the contrary, I welcome it. Garp praised that kid to the heavens. If even half of it is true, he would be a rare talent. Strengthening the Marines is naturally something I support and welcome," Chief Staff Officer Tsuru said in the same calm tone.
"Then why investigate him?" Gion shrugged.
"Precisely because I welcome and support this, we need to investigate him—thoroughly and seriously. It is a responsibility to the Marines, to the Intelligence Staff Department, to me, to Garp, and to that kid. Only when everything has been investigated clearly can everyone be at ease. Otherwise, there will certainly be resentment and conflict in the future," Chief Staff Officer Tsuru explained to Gion with a smile.
After thinking for a while, Gion said, "As expected, compared to Little Garp, Sister Tsuru, you are more meticulous and think further ahead."
Gion had already understood Chief Staff Officer Tsuru's meaning. If they simply listened to Garp now and stopped investigating, then if something truly happened in the future, all responsibility would fall upon Garp alone, because he had insisted on doing it his way.
But now, if the Intelligence Staff Department conducted a detailed and careful investigation, then if there was a problem, this matter naturally could not proceed. If there was no problem, things would go as Garp wished, but the nature of it would be different. Should trouble arise in the future, the Intelligence Staff Department would also bear responsibility. It might not look like anything had changed, but in reality, it would lessen the pressure and accountability Garp would face then.
Perhaps this was the bond between old comrades-in-arms? Filling in each other's gaps, quietly handling all the aftermath—was this the reserve and consideration of a mature woman? Sister Tsuru really was overflowing with charm~ Gion silently gave Chief Staff Officer Tsuru a thumbs-up.
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