Monet

"You... you're Vergo!"

"Don't make me correct you. That would only make you look stupid."

"...Yes, Mr. Vergo."

[Monet, Favorability: 6]

That turned a negative into a positive?!

Kane silently marveled at how useful Vergo's identity was. Keeping a stern face, he coldly questioned her:

"Monet, your appearance has put me in a difficult position. Because of you, my mission may now face unpredictable variables.

"And I want to know, does Doffy know you're here?"

A flash of panic crossed Monet's face, and she shook her head repeatedly.

"Young Master doesn't know I'm here, because... I can't contact him anymore!"

Kane frowned, dissatisfied. "You still haven't told me why you came here."

"Please, let me explain!"

[Monet, Favorability: 7]

Kane fought to keep the corners of his mouth from rising, while Monet grew anxious.

She had only just joined the Donquixote Family. Aside from some basic information, she knew very few secrets.

And she was not yet twenty. The pressure Kane gave off was simply too overwhelming, even making it difficult for her to breathe.

Seeing Kane's expression grow increasingly displeased, Monet hurriedly said:

"Half a month ago, Young Master, Lord Pica, and the others suddenly disappeared. I tried contacting them, but I could never get through.

"Then I suddenly heard that Lord Rosinante had been captured by the Marines. Young Master then posted a rescue bounty in the underworld, so I..."

"So you planned to rescue Rosinante, then have him take you to Doffy?"

Kane cut off Monet's explanation in displeasure and angrily rebuked her:

"What an utterly idiotic act of self-will!"

Monet hurriedly dropped to her knees, her silhouette forming a graceful hourglass shape.

"I'm sorry! I just wanted so badly to find Young Master..."

[Monet, Favorability: 9]

Hm?

Her favorability increased after being scolded?

Did she have some kind of special constitution?

Kane's handsome face seemed covered in frost. Looking utterly furious yet barely restraining himself from exploding, he coldly reprimanded her:

"Get it through your head what your status is. Whatever Doffy intends to do, is it your place to meddle?

"Do you know how much trouble this behavior of yours could bring to the Family's plans?

"If I hadn't been the first person to encounter you, but some other Marine officer had, would you have taken hostages and hijacked a warship to force me to release you and Rosinante?"

"Y-Yes, I'm sorry! I was wrong!"

Monet was utterly panicked, because Kane had guessed her plan perfectly!

"My deepest apologies, Mr. Vergo! Please forgive my recklessness. I'm willing to do anything to make up for my mistake!"

In her panic, Monet pressed her kneeling body even lower, her slender waist curving into a beautiful arc.

[Monet, Favorability: 10]

Kane continued playing the enraged Vergo. He felt himself getting deeper into the role, as though Vergo had truly possessed him.

"As a member of the Donquixote Family, you acted rashly without Young Master's permission and interfered with a confidential mission of a Family executive.

"Tell me, what punishment should you receive?"

"I..."

Terror showed on Monet's face as she bit her lip.

"I'm deeply sorry for interfering with your mission. Please punish me with whipping!"

[Monet, Favorability: 11]

The corner of Kane's eye twitched. So she really does have a special constitution. Pretending to be angry, he said:

"Do you expect me to whip a pitiful woman who has just been rescued from pirates, right in front of the Marines?"

"N-No, that isn't what I meant! I mean..."

Monet hurriedly raised her head to explain, only to meet Kane's icy gaze. She froze, then lowered her head again uneasily.

[Monet, Favorability: 12]

"Stand up. Turn around and look at the warship," Kane ordered coldly.

Monet obediently stood and faced the distant warship, where the Marines could vaguely be seen aboard.

Because of his position behind her, Kane was partially concealed by her body, yet he could clearly see every detail of Monet's back.

"When I begin, you'd better stay quiet."

Kane's scorching breath carried his whisper into Monet's ear. Just as she was about to nod, a burning hand landed heavily on her peach.

Smack!

"This is punishment for your presumptuousness!"

Monet's face instantly flushed crimson. The pain made her tremble, but after it passed, a strange sensation swept through her entire body and left her stiff.

[Monet, Favorability: 13]

Smack!

"This is punishment for acting without permission."

The strange sensation became even clearer. Monet felt herself becoming a little strange, but she did not dare make the slightest sound and could only grit her teeth and endure it.

[Monet, Favorability: 14]

Smack!

"This is punishment for nearly ruining my important mission with your stupidity!"

This time, Monet nearly let out a moan. But she remembered Kane's command and tightly bit her lip, struggling against the increasingly intense strange sensation within her body.

[Monet, Favorability: 15]

Smack!

"One last time, so you remember your status."

Monet raised a hand to cover her mouth. Hearing Kane say it was the last time, her whole body immediately relaxed.

Yet as she sighed in relief, a faint emotion mixed with disappointment and anticipation flashed through her heart, so fleeting that even she failed to notice it.

[Monet, Favorability: 16]

Kane reluctantly withdrew his hand, though the lingering sensation still coiled around his palm.

Monet was unlike Robin's youthful liveliness, nor did she possess Cuckoo's astonishing elasticity honed through long training. Hers was a round, full softness with a rich texture.

But this was not the time to savor it. Time was tight, and before boarding the warship, Kane needed to prepare her in advance.

"Turn around, look me in the eyes, and tell me your identity."

"I am Monet, a member of the Donquixote Family..."

"Correct, but also completely wrong."

Kane looked into Monet's pale golden eyes, staring directly at the confusion and incomprehension within them.

Being much taller than Monet allowed him to easily exert pressure from above. He said in a deep voice:

"You are Monet, a pitiful woman whose home was destroyed by pirates, whose parents were murdered, and who has nowhere left to go.

"After boarding the warship, you will be sorrowful and miserable. You will close off your heart, and I will be the only person you trust.

"With my guidance, you will emerge from your grief and decide to join the Marines, becoming a Marine officer under my command..."

As Kane spoke, the confusion and incomprehension in Monet's eyes rapidly vanished, replaced by an ever-brighter gaze and intense anticipation within it.

[Monet, Favorability: 17]

Kane nodded in satisfaction. "If you remember it, repeat it back to me."

Monet swiftly repeated everything. She possessed an exceptional talent for espionage, and after clearly reciting it all, an aura of sorrow and pain had already begun radiating from her.

"Not bad. You clearly have talent."

Kane was momentarily astonished, then continued reinforcing the story.

"Monet, your actions nearly caused my operation to go wrong, so don't arrogantly assume that I already trust you.

"Doffy and the others did not tell you where they were going, and they still haven't contacted you. That means you have not yet fully earned his trust.

"Therefore, you had better prove that you appeared here because of your own stupidity, rather than some ulterior conspiracy.

"Otherwise, while I may be glad that you did not cause greater damage to the Family, I will personally send you to hell, carrying Doffy's disappointment and anger toward you. Do you understand?"

Kane's sinister words stirred Monet's instinctive fear, and she could not stop herself from shuddering.

Her biological fear response even made her instinctively clamp her legs together tightly, sparing her from something far too embarrassing.

At last, under Kane's gaze, Monet obediently lowered her head and softly said:

"I understand, Mr. Vergo."

[Monet, Favorability: 19]

"You'd better."

After warning her, Kane spoke in a somewhat lighter tone.

"The punishment is over. Now it's time for your reward."

Monet abruptly lifted her head, so surprised that she even forgot to breathe. There was a reward too?

As though he had not noticed, Kane continued:

"Given your concern for Doffy and the Family, I can tell you something you want to know.

"Doffy and Pica's disappearance is because he is fulfilling the promise he made with us in our childhood.

"If he succeeds, he will awaken the qualities of a king. When he reappears, he will challenge the peak of the world."

Monet's eyes immediately lit up, but she keenly noticed the condition in Kane's words: if he succeeded.

What if he failed?

A thread of uneasy curiosity rose within Monet. She looked at Mr. Vergo before her, hoping for an answer.

But Mr. Vergo seemed never to have considered the possibility of failure. He gave no further explanation and simply continued:

"Until then, stay by my side. I'll explain your situation to Doffy.

"And baby-5 is aboard my warship as well. Thanks to your unauthorized actions, I still need to speak with her.

"So until she is ready to see you, stay out of her way."

Monet lowered her head shamefully and softly said:

"I understand, Mr. Vergo—"

"You should start calling me Mr. Kane."

Kane cut her off, then forcefully rowed the lifeboat toward the warship.