Below the Holy Land of Mary Geoise, the domain of the Celestial Dragons lies an island under strict Marine protection, yet full of life, Pilgrim Island.
The island remains in perpetual summer, warm and pleasant throughout the year. Due to its proximity to Mary Geoise, countless visitors who admire the Celestial Dragons travel here to pay their respects, turning it into a major tourist hub.
At the same time, nearly half of the food supplies, servants, and rare treasures gathered from across the world pass through this island before being sent to Mary Geoise. Because of that, a large Marine force is stationed here year-round to guard against pirate attacks and interference from the Revolutionary Army.
This has shaped Pilgrim Island into a highly regulated environment.
With Vice Admirals frequently stationed here, sightings of Admirals are not unusual either.
As a result, pirates rarely dare to approach.
Without pirate interference, the island's trade flourishes. People from all seas gather here, making it lively and prosperous.
However, the level of inspection is just as strict.
Any suspicious ship, no matter how minor the concern, is denied entry.
Every vessel attempting to dock undergoes intense inspection and constant surveillance.
...
"Ah, s-sorry, sorry for the trouble, ladies..."
Dozens of Marines, their faces flushed and bodies tense, stepped off the pink kitten-themed ship they had just inspected.
"I... I don't want to leave..."
They moved slowly, constantly looking back, clearly reluctant as they returned to their warship.
"Move it! All of you, get back here! Don't embarrass the Marines!"
Vice Admiral Momonga glared at them with irritation, arms crossed.
"Hurry up and move! Stop acting like you've lost something!"
"We did! We really did lose something!"
The Marines turned toward him with tearful expressions.
"Our hearts are still on that ship..."
"You idiots! If you lost your hearts, go find them and bring them back!"
Momonga snapped, though even he had been momentarily stunned by what he saw earlier. Still, as a seasoned warrior, he quickly suppressed his reaction and spoke in a firm tone.
"You all know the current situation. Control yourselves and focus on your duties. The Marines cannot afford mistakes right now."
"Yes, sir..."
The soldiers responded weakly.
"I'm heading back to report. Continue inspecting all ships carefully. If anything unusual appears, report immediately."
After Momonga returned to his cabin, the Marines quickly regained their energy, their eyes drifting back toward the departing pink ship heading for Pilgrim Island.
Their voices dropped into eager whispers.
"Those women were unbelievable... We see beautiful women all the time here, but that many gathered together? Just looking at them felt like a reward."
A rugged Marine swallowed hard.
"That tall woman with the smoky makeup, dressed like some kind of machine... she's incredible. She didn't even care about how revealing her outfit was."
"When she leaned forward, I almost lost control..."
"You're hopeless. All you think about is looks."
Another Marine shook his head, though his own expression wasn't much better.
"That shy girl wearing the pink deer hat is the best. She's unbelievably cute. Is she from the Mink Tribe?"
"If I had a little sister like that, I'd protect her with everything I've got."
"Tch."
The others immediately showed their disdain.
"That's even worse. Keep your weird fantasies to yourself."
An older Marine exhaled a puff of smoke and spoke with confidence.
"You youngsters don't understand. The most attractive one was that blue-skinned woman in the yukata."
His expression softened slightly.
"She had a strong, healthy figure. That's the kind of woman you'd want to spend your life with."
"Hah, that's your taste, not ours."
The younger Marines dismissed him, continuing their own discussion.
"The green-haired swordswoman was impressive. She was training the entire time. Four-sword style too, that's not something you see every day."
"The blonde with the curled eyebrows was stunning, but something felt off. She kept staring at herself, then suddenly got flustered and acted strangely..."
"The one wearing the Straw Hat had a great smile. Honestly, just seeing her smile made everything feel lighter."
"And that blindfolded woman, she gave off a mysterious vibe. That little pink squirrel with her made it even better."
"But those two..."
A Marine scratched his head.
"They didn't stop eating the entire time we were there. I have no idea how they fit that much food into those bodies."