When Kalifa stepped out in a swimsuit covered in round white polka dots, Carl—who was already lying in the pool—couldn't help but brighten up at the sight.
There was no denying it: women in the world of pirates had exceptional figures, and bikinis only served to accentuate those assets further.
Kalifa wasn't a shy woman either. Meeting Carl's appreciative gaze, she casually flipped the golden hair over her shoulder, her radiance seeming to glow even brighter.
But the other women present were no less stunning. Sugar, who had a strong competitive streak, shot Kalifa a disdainful glance as the latter tried to charm Carl. With a huff, Sugar swam over, clung to Carl's arm, and rubbed against him coyly.
"Carl-sama, who is that woman?" she asked sweetly.
Carl smiled and patted her head.
"She's Kalifa, formerly of the CP system."
Sugar nodded. "Oh, so she's a spy."
"'Spy' sounds a little unpleasant. 'Agent' is better," Carl corrected.
Sugar stuck out her tongue and flopped into Carl's lap like a spoiled child, rubbing her head against his chest. At that moment, Monet couldn't watch anymore—she walked over and picked Sugar up by the collar, pinching her nose.
"What are you messing around for? Kalifa took care of Makino. Carl-sama brought her back specially to reward her. Cool down a bit."
Sugar pouted.
"Stupid sis! I am the wind. I'm already cool enough, thank you very much!"
"Carl-sama, save me!"
Carl sighed and pulled Sugar back into his arms.
"All right, all right. Sugar's just a kid at heart. Monet, don't you already know that?"
As soon as Carl spoke, Monet returned to her usual gentle demeanor.
"I just don't want to spoil her too much. She's not a baby anymore, but she's still always messing around."
Sugar stuck out her tongue again, then snuggled back into Carl's chest, humming,
"As long as Carl-sama likes it~"
With Carl backing her up, Monet had no choice but to sigh and place her hands on her hips, defeated.
...
At that moment, Kalifa approached slowly with her hands behind her back and spoke softly:
"Carl-sama."
Carl looked up at her and smiled.
"Not bad. That swimsuit suits you. Come on in."
Kalifa gave a soft "mm," then dipped a delicate toe into the water to test the temperature before slowly easing herself in, settling beside Carl.
It was her first time in this place, and she'd seen how Sugar reacted earlier. She realized her flirtatious behavior may have provoked the girl, so she quickly toned herself down.
But truthfully, Sugar wasn't that petty. After living in the deep palace for so long, her heart remained pure. She just wanted a bit of Carl's attention. Among the attendants, she was the one who stuck to him the most.
Noticing Kalifa beside her, Sugar lifted her head and gave a sweet smile. Kalifa quickly returned it. She couldn't afford to offend anyone close to Carl—especially Sugar, who was clearly quite favored.
...
Just as the two were sharing a friendly moment, a pair of warm hands landed on Carl's shoulders.
Kalifa looked up, and her pupils shrank at the sight.
This one was serious.
Splash!
Kalifa quickly stood up in the water and bowed.
"Hakutsuru-sama!"
The woman behind Carl was Lucia. She continued to gently massage Carl's shoulders and replied calmly,
"Hakutsuru was just my Navy codename. You don't need to be so formal now that I'm here. You may call me Lucia."
Kalifa dared not speak her name so directly and quickly corrected herself.
"I understand, Lady Lucia."
Carl enjoyed the massage and asked softly,
"Lucia, have you been back to HQ lately?"
Lucia responded quietly,
"I returned once. The troops are still reeling from the news that Akainu and the others became Celestial Dragons."
"That's expected. With Akainu and the others gone, you're the only Admiral left now. Hmm... Lucia, would you like to become Fleet Admiral?"
Lucia didn't even pause.
"No. I only joined the Navy to follow you. If you're not there, there's no reason for me to stay."
Her meaning was clear—she only wanted to be by Carl's side.
Carl smiled faintly, placing his hand on hers. The two didn't need many words. Lucia leaned down, resting her chin on his shoulder, while Carl gently caressed her smooth cheek.
The scene was heartwarming and beautiful, with both of them so strikingly attractive that Sugar watched with sparkling eyes full of admiration.
Kalifa, observing their closeness, couldn't help but think to herself,
The rumors were true. Carl-sama's favorite woman really is Lucia-sama. The two of them are completely in sync...
...
After a moment of quiet affection, Carl spoke again.
"But HQ still needs someone to keep things running. If you won't take the job, how about bringing Sengoku the Buddha out of retirement? Let him hold the reins for a few more years."
Lucia tilted her head.
"Eh? Carl-sama, didn't you dislike Sengoku before?"
Carl chuckled.
"I did, because he was always too cautious—so cautious he became ineffective. That kind of passive approach didn't work in a world ruled by pirates."
"I see. But now Joy Boy is dead, the Four Emperors have collapsed... the Navy doesn't need to be as aggressive as before. Sengoku is perfect for keeping order."
Carl leaned in and kissed Lucia's soft red lips.
"Exactly. The current situation is perfect for an old general like him. And after what happened with Garp, he's not as soft as he used to be. Let's have him clean up the remaining pirate threats while he's at it."
...
Sugar poked Carl's chest with her finger and whispered,
"Carl-sama, I haven't experienced a real battle yet. Can't you let me deal with a few pirate crews~?"
Carl and Lucia both blinked, surprised. Then Carl burst into laughter.
"Sure. I'll set up some interesting toys for you to play with soon."
Monet quickly added,
"Carl-sama, I want to go too. I don't trust that little brat Sugar by herself!"
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+140 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg