Meanwhile, in the Power Hall of the Holy Land, Mary Geoise.
The Five Elders were not reassured by the smooth progress of their plan.
Instead, Gern's overly calm reaction struck them as somewhat unusual.
"Heavenquake... has made no public response to date, nor has he made any unusual deployments," Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro said gravely. "He's been far too quiet."
This did not fit Gern's usual forceful, proactive style. After all, this was a man who had stormed the Holy Land.
"Nusjuro is right. It is indeed abnormal," Saint Topman Warcury added.
"Given his personality, even if he accepted, he should have made some sort of statement.
With him staying so silent, could he... really be plotting something behind our backs?
After all, that is the New World. His territory."
A brief silence fell over the hall. Gern's inaction hung like a dark cloud over all five of them.
"Perhaps we are overthinking this." After a moment's consideration, Saint Marcus Mars slowly shook his head and offered a different opinion.
"As far as Gern Reginald Sigma is concerned, the cards everyone can currently see on the table
are nothing more than his desire to control the entire Navy and rise to the position of Fleet Admiral."
"Besides, we have the successful example of Garp from all those years ago.
We likewise elevated him with honors and status. Though he had his grievances,
didn't he ultimately accept those restraints for the Navy's 'greater good' and its symbolic role as 'Justice,' without ever truly escaping our control?"
"However powerful or defiant Gern may be, he still came from the Navy.
As long as he still wants the Navy's strength and still values the banner of 'Justice,' he should understand just how costly an open break with the World Government would be right