As Darren clapped, the doors to the lavishly decorated reception room suddenly swung open.
One by one, soldiers from the Yadis Kingdom, dressed in standard-issue uniforms, carried in large wooden chests.
In less than a minute, dozens of chests had been piled across the marble floor, forming what looked like a small mountain.
" Darr en... surely these aren't..."
Gion stared at the obviously heavy chests, and a bad premonition abruptly welled up inside her.
Just then, a man dressed as a butler entered. His face was wreathed in a fawning smile as he bowed and scraped.
"Commodore Darren, I am the finance minister of the Yadis Kingdom..."
He pointed at the chests on the floor.
"This is a small token of our Yadis Kingdom's appreciation. Please, do not refuse the North Blue naval fleet, who bear the mantle of 'Justice.'"
As he spoke, he had his men open the chests.
In an instant, Gion and Gion's partner widened their eyes, their mouths forming perfect O's.
Dazzling, brilliant light poured from the open chests, bathing the entire reception room in a kaleidoscope of color.
Clatter...
Gold and silver treasures, thick stacks of colorful banknotes, all manner of rare curios, fine cigars, premium liquor... They spilled from the overflowing chests like rivers of quicksilver, filling the reception room with the stench of money and corruption.
"Th-this... th-this..."
Gion's partner stared, dumbfounded, at the mountain of gold and silver treasures before him. He stammered, his swollen pig-faced expression utterly comical.
How much wealth was this!?
He couldn't even count it!
He had grown up in Marineford, and in all his life, he'd never seen such an enormous fortune!
Darren smiled with satisfaction.
"His Majesty the King of Yadis is far too generous. Protecting our Affiliated Kingdoms from harm is simply our Navy's duty."
The finance minister beamed.
"Of course. Everyone in the North Blue knows that Commodore Darren is selfless and incorruptible, devoting himself to safeguarding the lives and property of the people of the North Blue without asking for anything in return."
"Having Lord Darren's protection is truly a blessing for the entire North Blue."
"Still, we can't let the many North Blue naval officers make this trip for nothing. Warm hospitality is a tradition of the Yadis Kingdom, so please don't refuse, Lord Darren."
He certainly knew how to flatter... No wonder he was the finance minister.
Darren smiled and was just about to nod.
But Gion suddenly stepped forward, her pretty face full of anger. She gritted her teeth and said:
"No! We can't accept this money!"
She spun around and glared at Darren, fury in her voice.
"We in the Navy must never accept money from outside sources!! Darren, this is a bribe!"
"If you dare take this money, I'll report you to Headquarters myself!"
Gion's partner chimed in from beside her.
"That's right! I'll report you to Headquarters too!!"
Apparently, his agitated expression had tugged at his injured face. He grimaced in pain, seething with resentment.
If it weren't for that bastard Darren, he wouldn't have been "instantly defeated" by Vinsmoke Judge and humiliated in front of Gion.
At their words, the finance minister's smile froze.
He cautiously glanced at Darren and asked respectfully:
"Lord Darren, these two are..."
Darren took a drag on his cigar and smiled with an easygoing air.
"Oh, these two are Major Gion and Major Gion's partner from Marine Headquarters in Marineford... Well, they're my adjutants now."
Direct subordinates from Marine Headquarters?!
The finance minister immediately sensed the implication in Darren's words.
He'd climbed to the high position of managing an entire kingdom's finances, so naturally, he was a shrewd old hand.
He promptly turned with a genial smile and bowed to Gion and Gion's partner.
"Ah, so you are naval officers who have come all the way from Headquarters. I was terribly shortsighted and discourteous. Please accept my sincere apologies."
Gion addressed the finance minister with a solemn expression.
"Hello, sir. I must clarify something."
"We in the Navy bear the mantle of justice and the duty to defend peace. Protecting civilians is our responsibility and obligation. We don't need any reward."
She gestured toward the gold and silver treasures sparkling across the floor, her tone unwavering.
"We cannot accept this money. To do so would be the greatest insult to 'Justice.'"
"Of course, of course... Major Gion is absolutely right."
The finance minister expressed his "deep agreement."
"Still, you two have come from far away and worked hard. The Yadis Kingdom has also prepared a small gift for each of you."
"Major Gion looks like a formidable swordswoman. As it happens, our royal treasury has a piece of fine steel that could be made into an excellent scabbard for your beloved sword."
"And for Major Gion's partner, we happen to have plenty of fine cigars."
Gion: ...
Gion's partner: (★ ω ★)
"I said we can't accept anything!!"
Gion snapped.
The finance minister blinked, then smiled again.
"Of course. In addition to those gifts, we will also provide extra compensation for your hard-fought battle."
"The royal treasury also has many fine swords for Major Gion to choose from."
"And as for Major Gion's partner, our royal troupe has prepared a marvelous performance for you."
Gion's partner: (☆▽☆)^o^
"Really?"
His eyes lit up, and the words slipped out before he could stop them.
Bam!
Before he could finish, Gion kicked him flying. His head sank into the wall, and his legs swung helplessly in the air.
"Minister... I am sincerely refusing. I'm not asking you to offer more money."
Gion was so angry that her face had gone pale. She took a deep breath and gritted her teeth.
The finance minister was stunned, looking troubled.
You kept refusing. Didn't that mean you wanted more money?
Could it be... still not enough?
Darren couldn't bear to watch any longer. He sighed helplessly and intervened.
"Sorry for the trouble, Minister."
"We like all these gifts very much. Please convey our deep gratitude to His Majesty the King of Yadis on behalf of the North Blue Navy."
Only then did the finance minister let out a long breath of relief and smile.
"Actually, the people were simply so enthusiastic that they made these donations of their own accord, to thank the North Blue Navy for all its efforts."
"In addition, the royal family has prepared a banquet for everyone tonight. We hope you'll attend."
After saying this, he bowed slightly to Darren and the others, then hurried out.
Once the doors had closed, Gion could no longer contain her anger. Darren had sat back down and crossed one leg over the other, and she rounded on him.
"Darren—"
Before she could finish, Darren waved a hand and cut her off.
"Gion, you saw how difficult that finance minister's position was. If you refuse the money, he'll have no way to explain himself when he goes back."
"That's just how things are in the North Blue."
"From their point of view, they can't feel at ease if you refuse the money."
"That kind of talk about justice doesn't work in these waters."
To some extent, it was like slipping a doctor a red envelope before surgery on Earth.
If the doctor refused the envelope, the patient's family would only grow more anxious.
It had nothing to do with the profession.
It was human nature.
Seeing that Gion still wanted to argue, Darren shook his head.
"All right, leave it at that. Go get ready. We still have a banquet to attend later."
Before you continue