Claudius chatted a little longer with the visibly frustrated Sengoku. Soon after, the arrival of one of the Five Elders was announced.
As usual, not all five appeared. Presiding over this meeting was Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro, commonly referred to as the Bald Elder. From the moment he entered the room, his foul mood was palpable. His expression was grim, and his heavy footsteps filled the air with tension as he approached the table.
With a sharp motion, Nusjuro threw a folder onto the table, the slap of paper echoing in the room. He sat down heavily and snorted coldly, "The 'Pirate Emperor,' huh? How very impressive. Why haven't I heard that there's another 'great noble' in this world holding court over us?"
Claudius suppressed a laugh, carefully glancing at Sengoku, who looked as though he had been hit by a bus. The Admiral's expression was filled with aggrieved resignation, as if mentally preparing himself for the verbal lashing to come.
"Thank goodness I'm not Marine," Claudius thought with amusement. "Kong probably saw this coming and sent Sengoku in his place to take the heat. What a clever move. Hahaha!"
As expected, Nusjuro's attention quickly focused on Sengoku. His sharp gaze bore down on the Admiral as he said, "Well, Sengoku, what's with that look? Feeling wronged, are we? Is it not Marine's responsibility that the pirates have grown so out of hand?"
Sengoku, clearly holding back a sigh, bowed his head slightly and replied, "It's Marine's unshirkable responsibility."
"Then why do you look so aggrieved?!" Nusjuro barked, leaning forward.
What do you want from me? Sengoku thought bitterly. But outwardly, he quickly adjusted his posture, straightened his back, and said, "I don't feel wronged at all."
"Now you're sitting up like nothing matters! Do you think this isn't a big deal?!" Nusjuro snapped again, his tone growing even harsher.
Sengoku nearly choked. Seriously, what am I supposed to do here?
Meanwhile, members of the CP agency sitting across from Sengoku were barely containing their smirks. Seeing the Marines and especially Sengoku being dressed down was a rare treat. The rivalry between Marine and CP was no secret, and watching Marine get scolded was a small victory in their long-standing feud.
Even Gis, the leader of the CP delegation, couldn't help but show his amusement. Though he tried to suppress his laughter, his shoulders trembled slightly, betraying his glee.
Sengoku shot him a glare that could have melted steel, but Claudius was thoroughly enjoying the scene. Watching Sengoku get chewed out while the CP agents gloated made for an entertaining show.
But Nusjuro wasn't blind to Gis's amusement. His sharp gaze turned toward the CP leader, and his tone grew icy. "Gis, don't think you're in the clear."
"You've had every resource you could possibly ask for—funding, manpower, intelligence and yet, what do we have to show for it? You promised to dismantle the Revolutionary Army within three years, yet they've only grown stronger. Care to explain that?"
Gis's smirk vanished instantly. His shoulders straightened, and he looked like he'd rather be anywhere else. Wasn't this meeting supposed to be about the pirates? How did we end up talking about the Revolutionary Army?!
Meanwhile, Sengoku felt a wave of relief wash over him. Thank you, Gis. I owe you for taking the spotlight off me. Truly.
But Nusjuro wasn't done with Marine just yet. "And don't think this Revolutionary Army issue doesn't concern you, Sengoku. One of your people, Monkey D. Garp, is directly tied to this mess. Or have you forgotten that the leader of the Revolutionary Army is his son?!"
Sengoku froze, a shiver running down his spine. He remained silent, knowing there was nothing he could say to deflect this particular accusation.
Having vented his frustrations on Marine and CP, Nusjuro finally turned his attention to Claudius. His sharp eyes bore into him, and Claudius instinctively straightened in his seat. Why is he looking at me? Surely, I'm not in trouble… am I?
"Claudius," Nusjuro began, his tone pointed. "I've heard you've been quite 'busy' recently. Is CP-X running out of things to do?"
Claudius felt a pang of dread but maintained a calm facade. He replied in a steady voice, "Sir, you've misunderstood. CP-X has been operating at full capacity. In fact, I just returned from Alabasta after handling the task assigned to me."
Nusjuro raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "Alabasta? That doesn't seem like a high-priority matter. Sounds more like you took a little vacation."
Claudius inwardly cursed his luck. Why did he have to call me out on that? But outwardly, he shook his head and replied firmly, "On the contrary, Sir. While in Alabasta, I also gathered intelligence on the Revolutionary Army."
This seemed to catch Nusjuro off guard. "Oh? The Revolutionary Army, you say? And what did you find?"
Claudius silently praised his good fortune. Thank you, Dragon, for providing me with an excuse. Without that little gift, I'd have been cornered here.
"Yes, Sir," Claudius said with a confident nod. "We identified the location of a Revolutionary Army cell. Spandine is currently leading an operation to apprehend them. Initial reports suggest there are high-ranking cadres among their ranks. Once they're captured, I'll hand them over to CP for interrogation. I believe this could lead to a significant breakthrough."
Just as Claudius finished speaking, his Den Den Mushi began ringing. The sudden sound drew everyone's attention, and the room fell silent.
Claudius glanced at the device, his eyes lighting up when he saw the caller. Spandine, you really are my lucky star today.
"Seems like Spandine has an update," Claudius said aloud.
Nusjuro nodded, his curiosity piqued. "Let's hear it."
Claudius answered the call, and Spandine's voice came through, brimming with excitement. "Your Highness! I have excellent news!"
"Spandine," Claudius replied smoothly. "I'm currently in a meeting with the elders. Go ahead and report."
"Yes, of course!" Spandine's tone turned more formal as he continued, "I'm pleased to report that the operation was a success. We captured a group of Revolutionary Army operatives, including two high-ranking cadres. Even better, all were taken alive!"
Claudius couldn't help but grin. "Well done, Spandine. You've exceeded expectations. Bring them back to Mariejois immediately. Rewards will be waiting for you."
Spandine, practically giddy with gratitude, thanked Claudius profusely before ending the call.
When Claudius turned back to the room, he noticed that Nusjuro's expression had softened considerably.
"Excellent work, Claudius," Nusjuro said, his tone genuinely approving. "Once again, you've proven yourself reliable."
Claudius offered a modest smile, though inwardly he sighed in relief. Crisis averted. For now, at least.
***
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