Standing before all the people, the judgment felt quite intoxicating.
Justice had always projected an image of strictness, and Nero, after thoroughly reading the regulations, cast them aside; they didn't align with her aesthetic.
But sitting on the high platform, meeting the expectant gazes of the crowd, and hearing the cheers after judging the guilty, Nero found a new enjoyment… a hobby.
"Nero, hey! Nero… did you hear me?" Kureha called Nero again and again.
"Mmm, what is it? I'm listening!" Nero snapped back to reality, looking at Kureha with a puzzled expression.
"What about Wapol… never mind."
Kureha saw Nero's distracted look and didn't press further. Everything was already over; there was no point in delving deeper.
"What are your plans next? Do you want to play here for a while longer?"
"I'm already tired of it. It's all snow; there's nothing fun to do."
Nero shook her head. She now had many new ideas for Nicuss's judicial system. After seeing Robin, she would go straight to the Kingdom of Women, and then return to Nicuss to begin a drastic transformation.
"I'm leaving soon. Hathaway, prepare the supplies!" Thinking of it, Nero swiftly ordered Hathaway.
"Aye." Hathaway vanished from her spot. Leaving today meant time was tight, so she had to hurry with the preparations.
"What a heartless fellow. Well, there really isn't much fun in this place, so it's normal for you not to be able to sit still."
Kureha took a swig of sake, completely unsurprised by Nero's decision. While Wapol was alive, he had messed up this country, and with its desolate appearance, there was nowhere fun to go.
"Um… if there's nothing else, may I leave?" Kuzan lifted his eye mask, opening one eye halfway as he spoke helplessly.
"Mmm, no!" Nero quickly grabbed his sleeve, as if afraid he would run away: "Next, I'm going to Alabasta, the desert kingdom. Your presence is essential!"
"…I'm an Admiral, and I'm very busy." Kuzan felt a bit annoyed. There had been no trouble throughout the entire process, and he had thought this matter was finally over.
In the end, Nero still caught him. Her intention to use him as a laborer was completely undisguised!
"I know! A Celestial Dragons' lackey, right? I'm also a Celestial Dragons." Nero didn't feel there was anything wrong with her words: "What could a half-hearted person like you be busy with? You just need to follow my orders!"
Wilful and unreasonable. It seemed he really couldn't escape this time. Kuzan exhaled a cold breath: "I understand, I understand. At least let me talk to Fleet Admiral Sengoku."
Kuzan turned and walked to the side, pulling out a den den mushi: "moshi moshi, is this Fleet Admiral Sengoku?"
"Kuzan? Did something unexpected happen with Nero?" Fleet Admiral Sengoku's steady voice came from the frog-eyed den den mushi.
"Ah… how should I put it? I guess something unexpected happened to me. Wapol, the King of Drum Kingdom, has been successfully executed. Now Nero plans to go to Alabasta and specifically requested me to accompany her."
In the Fleet Admiral's office on the other end of the line, Sengoku frowned. Alabasta was a sensitive place, and getting involved with Nero seemed like a big problem no matter how he looked at it.
Especially since Nero had had a lot of contact with the Fishman Tom, and now she was even requesting Kuzan to accompany her. Sengoku couldn't quite grasp Nero's intentions.
After pondering for a while, Sengoku carefully spoke: "Do you know Nero's purpose in taking you to Alabasta?"
"She probably has her eye on my Ice-Ice Fruit, right? You know Alabasta is a desert kingdom."
"…" Sengoku was silent, Sengoku was speechless. This matter was a bit too outrageous. To have an Admiral accompany her just for this reason? Not even the Celestial Dragons had done that.
But when it came to Nero, Sengoku felt this reason was completely plausible. The extravagance of that Little Emperor in terms of enjoyment made even him, the Fleet Admiral, feel a pang of heartache.
"Then… then hurry up. Once the Alabasta trip is over, return to your post as soon as possible." After a moment of silence, Sengoku still agreed.
"Hmm, I'll try…" Kuzan wasn't surprised either. When Nero was involved, there was nothing he could do. Even if it went to the Gorosei, the final result would only be a World Government-assigned mission.
It was just pitiful that Sengoku, the dignified Fleet Admiral, resembled an incompetent husband outside the door, letting Nero easily take and use his Admiral.
Kuzan shook his head and walked back, lamenting the Fleet Admiral's difficulties.
Meanwhile, Kureha was teaching Nero: "I don't know how strong you are right now, but identity and power aren't meant for oppression."
"It's fine, it's just a mere Kuzan."
"He's the Marine's top combat force. If you're about as strong as him, you should give him the respect he deserves. If you're much stronger than him, then you should give him even more tolerance. That way, when you use him next time, he'll be motivated to work."
"Mmm, it's fine. Kuzan will always be full of drive when he works for me." Nero confidently retorted.
'I'm not, I didn't! She's slandering me!' Kuzan inwardly complained: 'Nero is like this because… I think I understand a bit now. Are all these Nicuss nobles like this?'
Kureha shook her sake bottle; there was only a little left: "Hey, Ice Cube boy, go buy me a new bottle."
"I want a glass of Black Gold Sand Flower, half sugar."
"…"
Didn't you just teach Nero to respect me? And now you're treating me like an errand boy again?
Kuzan stared with dead fish eyes, but he didn't refuse. He turned to a Marine soldier nearby and instructed: "Young man, could you please run an errand for me!"
Marine soldier: "…Sorry, Admiral, I don't have enough money on me."
"Ah, it's fine. It's understandable when on a mission. I'll pay." Kuzan pulled out his bulging wallet.
"Um, Admiral Aokiji, this money isn't enough either. A bottle of Black Gold Sand Flower costs around seven million on the market." Fearing Kuzan's embarrassment, the young Marine soldier whispered quietly.
"??? How much?" Kuzan's voice distorted: "I'll go myself."
If they don't have it, then you can't blame me for buying something else. But it seems I'll have to bleed money either way.
By the way, can this be reimbursed?
In the end, Kuzan still didn't mention it to Nero. He just felt that if he did, things would become even more troublesome… "Hello, one bottle of Sherry and one bottle of Black Gold Sand Flower." In the tavern, Kuzan tapped the bar: "If you don't have it…"
"Hi! Thank you for your patronage. That'll be eight million in total! The Sherry is a complimentary gift." The owner enthusiastically served two bottles of alcohol.
Kuzan touched the wallet in his pocket, somewhat silent. Why did a country that was almost unable to survive still have such high-end alcohol in a common tavern?
And it was a million more expensive… The tavern owner, also a Nicuss intelligence agent (ಡ ω ಡ)
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