Monet's Anxiety

Gion came readily, and she left just as decisively.

The warship had only just left the Calm Belt at night when she firmly bid Tsuru farewell and departed at dawn.

When everyone saw Gion off, Kane had just raised his fist to celebrate when Tsuru's warning glare stopped him. Left with no choice, he awkwardly scratched his head, looked elsewhere, and started whistling.

However, after hearing Gion hum that short melody so many times at night, he had gotten a little hooked on it and unconsciously hummed it himself.

"Where did you hear that melody?!"

Tsuru stared at Kane in astonishment, disbelief written all over her face.

Kane had not expected such a strong reaction from Tsuru and asked in surprise,

"I only heard Commander Gion humming it. Is there something wrong with that melody?"

"...Gion? But she... How could that be?"

Tsuru did not answer. She looked at Kane suspiciously, as though she were getting to know him all over again.

Suddenly, Tsuru noticed that Kane's lips were slightly red and swollen, and a guess so startling that it shocked even her rose in her heart.

Could it be...

Impossible!

Absolutely impossible!!

But... was it really impossible?

Gion's attitude toward Kane was obviously different from how she treated everyone else...

Tsuru instantly felt an overwhelming headache. She looked at Cuckoo beside her, then at Kane.

And from Kane, Tsuru could vaguely smell a strange floral fragrance that definitely did not belong to either Cuckoo or Gion.

What kind of mess was this...

Sigh, do whatever makes you happy...

Tsuru composed herself and instructed him seriously,

"The New World is different from the Four Seas. It is full of hidden tigers and crouching dragons, with countless powerful madmen and lunatics.

"Kujaku will soon bring the Log Poses for Red Port and Impel Down. Once you receive them, immediately lead the fleet to Red Port.

"We will take the Bubble Cable Car across the Red Line at Red Port, then head to Impel Down. If all goes smoothly, we should arrive within a month."

"What if it doesn't go smoothly?" Kane asked curiously.

Tsuru did not answer Kane's obvious question and continued,

"You should know which dangerous people Doflamingo is connected to. They will not show mercy just because you are a Marine.

"Whether it is to conceal and protect their ties to Doflamingo, or because they covet the ten-billion-Beli bounty, those who come will not be the small fry from the Four Seas.

"Gion assured me that, with your current strength, you can handle pirates with bounties under five hundred million. I hope you can live up to her assessment."

Kane's eyes immediately lit up. "So if I run into a pirate worth five hundred million and one Beli, you'll step in!"

"Figure it out yourself!"

Tsuru shot Kane an annoyed look. When Gion had been around, this guy had clearly been suppressed too badly.

That was why, the moment Gion left, he became a little too lively.

No longer paying attention to the clearly overexcited Kane, Tsuru led Cuckoo and the others into the command room.

Walking at the back, Cuckoo winked at Kane and lightly tilted her head toward her warship. The desire to fight in her eyes was especially intense.

Little Kane~~

Fight me!!

Make up for all the fights we haven't had lately~~

Kane understood Cuckoo's gaze and was momentarily speechless.

As they drew closer and closer to Impel Down, Cuckoo became increasingly clingy. Kane knew exactly what she wanted and could not bear to refuse her.

After returning to the warship, baby-5 cheered and leaped onto Kane's neck, directing him to walk back and forth across the deck. It was her favorite game now.

Kane had only played with baby-5 for a while when Hina suddenly came to find him, her curved brows lightly furrowed.

"Monet told Hina that she wants to see you."

"Got it. I'll go see her."

Hina nodded and said,

"Through surveillance, Hina discovered that Monet has been hiding in her cabin and never coming out. She cries every day, and her eyes are already swollen.

"The Marines in North Blue have also provided the investigation results. They found no issues with her identity."

"Looks like I worried too much back then."

"No, Hina approves of your caution at the time."

Hina patted Kane's back. Her palm clearly felt the outline of the muscles beneath his clothes, and their resilient fullness even gave her the urge to trace them downward along their contours.

That strange thought that had suddenly surfaced startled Hina. She pretended nothing had happened and withdrew her hand, but clenched it behind her back as the watermelon-flavored lollipop in her mouth moved rapidly from side to side.

Kane sneered inwardly. Monet had finally run out of patience.

He had deliberately left Monet hanging all this time, waiting for her patience to wear thin so she would take the initiative to contact him.

After all, he was the superior, Mr. Vergo. Taking the initiative to seek out a subordinate would only diminish his authority and status.

Besides, Monet and baby-5 were alike in some ways. Both wanted to prove their worth through their actions.

The more Kane ignored her and acted as though her presence was optional, the more anxious she would become, and the more actively she would come after him.

Now that the time was ripe, it was time to harvest some favorability.

A moment later, Kane arrived alone outside Monet's cabin and lightly knocked on the door three times.

A burst of hurried rustling came from inside, creating just the right impression of nervous unease.

Then, a timid voice sounded from behind the door.

"W-who is it?"

Damn, she's professional!

Kane cleared his throat and replied in a deep voice,

"It's me, Marine Lieutenant Commander Kane, the one who rescued you. Hina said you wanted to see me."

"Oh, p-please come in!"

The sound of fumbling with the lock came with her reply. The door opened, revealing Monet's pretty face, her eyes red and tears hanging at their corners.

She wiped away the tears at the corners of her eyes in a fluster, lowered her head and stepped aside. The sorrowful, grief-stricken expression on her face looked unbelievably real.

"Well done."

Kane praised her once, then entered the cabin and closed the door.

"Your disguise was perfect. The Marines have completely believed you.

"No one is using Observation Haki to probe this place now, so you can temporarily drop the act. Tell me, why did you want to see me?"

"Only through Mr. Vergo's guidance was I able to accomplish all this."

Monet respectfully bowed, then continued with hesitation on her face,

"I... I want to know when you will come guide me, sir?"

Kane frowned without speaking. Looking down at the obedient Monet, he opened the light screen.

[Monet, Favorability: 22]

Her favorability had risen by five points since she boarded the ship. Clearly, Monet had done plenty of overthinking during this time, and Kane was quite satisfied.

Yet his silence filled Monet with panic, and Kane's warnings and punishments resurfaced in her mind.

With a thud, she dropped to her knees and bowed to the floor, pressing her forehead tightly against her folded hands. Her alluring hourglass figure appeared once more.

"I-I did not mean to urge you, sir. I was only worried that when you need me, I will not be prepared enough to perfectly meet your expectations!"

Monet's explanation was met with the same oppressive silence. Just as panic grew greater and greater in her heart, Kane's emotionless voice fell from above her head.

"Your patience is worse than I expected."

Kane sat in the chair and watched Monet tense up at his words as he continued,

"But that also explains why you acted on your own initiative back then."

"Y-yes, I'm sorry, Mr. Vergo. I-I only..."

Monet explained more and more anxiously, but when she raised her head, she saw Kane's dissatisfied gaze. Her voice grew softer and softer, and the head she had raised lowered once again.

Only after Monet had fallen completely silent did Kane continue.

"I am very dissatisfied with your lack of patience, but I can feel your desire to prove your worth to me.

"I will create an opportunity for you to join the Marines. Of course, if you can behave a little more intelligently in the days ahead, I will be even happier."

Monet froze for a moment. Once she confirmed she had not misheard, a wave of wild joy surged through her heart. She swallowed excitedly and waited for Kane's orders.

[Monet, Favorability: 24]

"Stand up."

At once, Monet rose to her feet and looked at Kane with eager eyes.

However, Kane asked sternly,

"Tell me, what are you good at?"

"Infiltration, assassination, and stealing intelligence!"

Monet answered quickly, then looked at Kane expectantly, like a child waiting to be praised.

"You... want to join the Marines with those skills?"

Kane looked at Monet as though she were an idiot, and her face immediately reddened.

"I-I am also a Devil Fruit user, and I have the Logia-type Snow-Snow Fruit. I am also skilled in combat..."

"Then how do you explain getting captured by pirates?"

Monet's face grew even redder. She did not know what was wrong with her. Whenever she was before Mr. Vergo, it felt as though her brain was never working well enough.

She nervously twisted her hands together, lowered her head, bit her lip, and fell silent for a moment before mumbling,

"I... I can cook, clean, and take care of children..."

"So the department you want to join is the Marines' housekeeping division?"

"I..."

Kane's words filled Monet with shame. She lowered her head, her originally snow-white skin flushing a shy pink. Her face looked like a ripe apple trembling on a branch.

An indescribable atmosphere rose amid Monet's embarrassed silence. She did not dare look directly into Kane's eyes, yet could not resist stealing glances at him from the corner of her eye.

When she noticed that Kane's gaze had never moved away from her, her heartbeat suddenly sped up. She wanted to say something, but her mind was completely blank.

[Monet, Favorability: 26]

The steadily rising favorability pleased Kane. It felt like it would not be long before it reached thirty.

With that thought, he stopped pretending to remain silent and took the initiative to speak.

"I told Doffy about you. He was very dissatisfied with your acting on your own, but I told him that I had already punished you, so the matter is over."

"Mr. Vergo, I... I am deeply grateful!"

Kane stood up as though preparing to leave. He knew that after the slap came the sweet reward.

As his thoughts turned, Kane's stern expression softened considerably, and his tone became earnest.

"Monet, I can see that you have already worked very hard, but it is not enough. Far from enough.

"Compared to gratitude, I prefer seeing actual action from you. For example, think of a suitable reason to approach me, then naturally remain by my side.

"That way, I can entrust more things to you. So I hope you will properly respond to my expectations. Do you understand?"

After speaking, Kane reached out and patted Monet on the shoulder, taking the chance to give her an encouraging look.

Monet's heartbeat abruptly quickened. Something swelled within her chest, and an unprecedented seriousness appeared on her face.

"Mr. Vergo, please rest assured. I will not disappoint you."

[Monet, Favorability: 29]

Kane nodded in satisfaction and strode out of the room.

Yet the moment the door closed, Monet seemed to regain the intelligence she had lost, and an idea immediately came to her!

Her eyes shining, she murmured,

"If I appear as an admirer...

"I'm sure Mr. Vergo will be very pleased!"