East Blue, Syrup Village.
The massive warship proudly flying the Marine seagull flag drifted slowly into the harbor of the tranquil little island.
The moment the heavy anchor splashed into the water and the chain rattled to a halt, Reginald stood tall on the deck and let out a long, heavy sigh of relief.
"Finally... I'm safe. I'm finally free."
He glanced back nervously at the horizon, as if that terrifying figure—Ririka—holding a pink bento box was still chasing him across the waves like a vengeful sea spirit.
Even with the entire sea between them, Reginald still felt a cold chill run down his spine.
"Sir!"
His adjutant, Lucas, walked up behind him and pushed up his glasses with a professional air.
"We have arrived at Syrup Village. What is our plan of action?"
Reginald straightened his collar, cleared his throat and revealed what he considered his most sinister, punchable, and arrogant smile!
"Lucas, remember this. From this moment on, we are not righteous Marines. We must be arrogant! We must be domineering! We must make every single person on this island hate our guts!"
Lucas was stunned for a moment, his brain processing the order.
Then, his pen began to fly across his notebook with furious speed.
[In order to draw out the cunning enemy lurking in the shadows, the Sir has decided to employ a high-risk 'sting operation,' disguising himself as a corrupt Marine to lower the enemy's guard. Brilliant! Truly brilliant tactic!]
...
A short while later, at the entrance of the Syrup Village Shipyard.
A kind-faced butler with a hairstyle strangely shaped like a sheep's head was sweating profusely as he dealt with the Marine Lieutenant Commander standing before him.
"Um... Mr. Lieutenant Commander," Merry stammered, rubbing his hands together with an obsequious, nervous smile, "you said your warship needs repairs? But from what I can see... it looks completely undamaged?"
Reginald placed his hands on his hips and pointed aggressively at a tiny scratch on the warship's deck, no bigger than a fingernail (which he had just carved himself with a pocket knife five minutes ago), his eyes bulging with fake fury!
"You call this undamaged?! Are you blind?! This is a warship! The face of Absolute Justice! This single scratch severely compromises the ship's aerodynamics! If we fail to catch a pirate because of wind resistance caused by this scratch, can you bear the responsibility?!"
Merry, who got a face full of spittle, trembled in fear. "Yes... Yes! We'll repair it right away! Right away, sir!"
"And another thing!"
Reginald looked down his nose at him, pushing his luck to the absolute limit.
"While the ship is being repaired, my adjutant and I have nowhere to stay. It's stuffy and hot on the warship, no place for a person of my status to be. I hear there's a wealthy family here named Kaya, with a pretty big house?"
Merry's expression changed to one of worry. "You mean Miss Kaya's mansion? But Miss Kaya is in poor health and prefers peace and quiet..."
"I don't give a damn if she prefers quiet or a party!"
To make himself look more like "cannon fodder" about to be killed by a villain, Reginald slapped Merry's shoulder menacingly.
"In short, I want to stay in the best room and eat food prepared by the best chef! If you refuse... hmph, I'll shut down your entire shipyard for 'obstructing official Marine duties'!"
After speaking, Reginald gave himself a mental thumbs-up.
'Perfect! Absolutely perfect!'
'This thuggish behavior of forcing his way into a private residence and bullying the innocent—the butler Klahadore hiding in Kaya's house would definitely not stand for it!'
'To maintain his persona as the "perfect butler," or simply because he finds me an annoying eyesore, he'll surely try to kill me in the middle of the night!'
Terrified, Merry could only nod repeatedly like a bobblehead.
"Please... Please wait a moment, I'll go ask the Young Miss."
...
At the hilltop mansion, in Kaya's bedroom.
Miss Kaya, her face pale and as delicate as a lily in the wind, was leaning against the headboard, coughing softly.
"Merry, you're saying... a Marine wants to stay here?"
"Yes, Miss," Merry said, wiping away the cold sweat from his forehead, looking deeply troubled.
"That Lieutenant Commander Reginald is extremely overbearing. He said if we don't let him stay, he'll shut down the shipyard. What... what should we do?"
Although Kaya had only just come of age and was physically weak, she was exceptionally kind-hearted.
She sighed softly. "It's alright, Merry. Since they are Marines, they exist to protect the seas. Perhaps they've had a very hard time chasing pirates. We have plenty of rooms in the house, so let them stay. As long as... as long as they aren't too noisy."
"Miss, you are too kind." Merry was moved to tears by her generosity. "I'll go make the arrangements right away."
...
Half an hour later.
Reginald, with Lucas trailing in tow, swaggered through the iron gates of the grand mansion like he owned the place.
As he walked through the meticulously trimmed garden, Reginald's gaze scanned the area like a high-tech radar.
He was looking for someone.
He was looking for the "great benefactor" who could send him home—Kuro of a Hundred Plans!
"Welcome, Lieutenant Commander Reginald."
A cold, deep voice with a metallic edge drifted from the shadows to the side.
Reginald whipped his head around.
A tall, slender man in a black suit emerged from the shade.
He wore a pair of round-framed glasses and had his hair slicked back, looking the very picture of a refined scoundrel.
Most noticeably, he used the heel of his palm to gently push up the glasses on the bridge of his nose.
That signature move!
That cold, murderous aura hidden beneath a civilized exterior!
Kuro of a Hundred Plans!
Reginald's heart began to pound violently against his ribs.
Not from fear, but from sheer excitement!
'Found him! The walking "one hundred million dollars"!'
'Those are the hands, the famous "Cat Claws"!'
'Just one gentle swipe across the jugular, and my throat will be cut!'
Reginald fought back the urge to rush forward, shake his hand, and call him "My Savior," struggling to maintain his "arrogant thug" persona.
He strode up to Kuro until less than ten centimeters separated their faces.
Reginald could even smell the faint scent of suppressed killing intent radiating off Kuro.
"You're the butler named Klahadore?"
Reginald deliberately sized Kuro up and down with a critical, arrogant gaze, even reaching out to rudely pat the lapel of Kuro's impeccably neat suit, smoothing out imaginary dust.
"I hear you keep this house in perfect order? I don't believe it. You look like... a bad guy to me."
As soon as he said this, the air instantly froze solid.
Merry, standing behind them, was scared out of his wits.
Adjutant Lucas gripped his pen tightly, ready for action.
And Kuro... his eyes behind the glasses narrowed slightly as a cold, dangerous glint flashed through them.
'This Marine... he saw through me?'
'Impossible.'
'I've maintained this disguise perfectly for three years; not even my former crewmates can recognize me. How could this bumpkin Lieutenant Commander who appeared out of nowhere see through me at a glance?'
'Is he testing me? Or is he just looking for trouble?'
Kuro suppressed the murderous intent surging within him and put on a standard, professional fake smile.
"The Lieutenant Commander must be joking. I am merely a diligent butler. Your room has been prepared. Please, follow me."
With that, Kuro turned to lead the way.
Watching Kuro's back, Reginald was ecstatic.
'He held back? He actually held back?'
'As expected of an intelligent villain, his self-control is truly deep!'
'No matter, the more you endure, the more I'll provoke you! Until you can't stop yourself from sticking a knife in my chest!'
Reginald turned and spoke loudly to Lucas behind him (intentionally loud enough for Kuro to hear).
"Lucas! I want a feast tonight! Have this butler cook it himself! If it's not to my liking, I'll tie him to a post and whip him! Hahahaha!"
Kuro, walking ahead, paused for an almost imperceptible moment.
The fingers of his hand, hanging by his side, twitched slightly, as if he were desperately restraining the urge to claw someone's face off.
...
[Reginald's Pov]
Haha! He's angry! He's definitely angry! That twitching finger means he wants to use his "Shakushi," right? Hurry! Come and assassinate me tonight! I won't lock the door!
...
[Kuro's Pov]
This man... is he really an ordinary Marine? The way he looked at me just now wasn't like looking at a butler, but more like looking at... prey.
That naked desire-filled gaze... what does he want?
And he targeted me from the very beginning.
Could it be that he already knows my background and came here specifically to play cat and mouse? Damn it... this Lieutenant Commander is not to be underestimated! I must eliminate him as soon as possible!
...
[Lucas's Pov (writing furiously):]
"Provoking the suspect with harsh words to force him to reveal a flaw! The Sir's psychological warfare tactics are simply masterful! He is even willing to sacrifice his own reputation, playing the part of a cruel officer, all to protect the peace of the seas! I'm moved to tears!"
...
That night.
In a guest room of Kaya's mansion.
Reginald took a bath, deliberately left the window wide open, and didn't even cover himself with a blanket.
He just lay on the bed in a spread-eagle position, his neck completely exposed to the moonlight.
'Come on, Kuro.'
'Don't keep me waiting too long.'I
''m ready to embrace death. Take me home!'
He called out affectionately in his heart.
...
However, what Reginald didn't know was this:
Right on the roof above his room, Kuro was squatting in the shadows, staring intently through a gap in the tiles at the "defenseless" man on the bed.
"He's full of openings..."
Kuro pushed up his glasses as a drop of cold sweat trickled down his face.
"No, that's not right. This is too fake."
"How could a Marine who saw through my disguise at a glance sleep like a dead pig? This is definitely a trap!"
"The moment I go in, snipers lying in ambush will open fire... or he has handcuffs hidden under his blanket!"
"Hmph, a crude attempt to lure an enemy. I, Kuro of a Hundred Plans, will not fall for such a simple trick!"
...
That night.
Reginald, who left the window open to make it easier for Kuro, shivered with a runny nose all night, sneezing into his pillow.
Kuro, who was analyzing the trap, was battered by the freezing cold wind on the roof all night.
Both of them end up suffering from terrible insomnia in the end.