"I saw him initiate the violence."
Saint Roselith Seraphina spoke calmly, her voice carrying a quiet authority that cut through the tension.
Her gaze shifted slightly
Landing on the blond noble still sprawled on the ground.
Unlike the others, his attire was modest. Though refined, it lacked the excessive ornamentation typical of the more arrogant aristocrats present.
And on his chest
A very clear footprint remained.
"I can confirm that statement."
A slow, almost lazy voice followed.
Kizaru adjusted his glasses slightly as he spoke, his tone relaxed yet unmistakably firm.
"This gentleman… was indeed the one attacked first."
The surrounding guards visibly relaxed.
A Marine Admiral had spoken.
That alone
Carried weight far beyond ordinary testimony.
In the world of the Marines
Admirals represented the highest tier of combat power.
Individuals who stood above countless others.
Figures no one dared to provoke lightly.
"You Marines will obviously cover for your own!"
The gold-toothed noble shouted, his face twisted with humiliation and rage.
His pride had been shattered
Publicly.
"You think wearing that uniform makes you superior?!"
He pointed aggressively, his voice rising louder with each word.
"I am a noble recognized by the World Government!"
To him
Marines were nothing more than tools.
Commoners dressed in authority.
In his kingdom
Such people could be bought.
Controlled.
Discarded.
The Marine officer stationed in his homeland had long since proven that.
Justice?
In his eyes
It was nothing but a convenient excuse for profit.
"Oh my… how troublesome."
Kizaru tilted his head slightly, a faint smile forming.
"Then what would you like me to do… to convince you otherwise?"
For the first time
There was interest in his tone.
The noble sneered.
Then suddenly
He turned and grabbed the blond man by the collar.
"Say it."
His voice dropped, threatening.
"You tripped and fell on your own… didn't you?"
The blond noble trembled.
"I… it was "
A flash.
A burst of golden light.
"Oh~ young man…"
The voice came from directly in front of him.
"You should be careful with your words."
The space seemed to dim
Not from darkness
But from overwhelming presence.
Standing before them now
Was Kizaru.
No movement had been seen.
No step had been taken.
Only light.
"I-it's…!"
The blond man's pupils shrank violently.
"Admiral…!"
A Devil Fruit user.
An Admiral.
The realization struck like lightning.
The gold-toothed noble froze.
His arrogance
Shattered instantly.
He had never imagined
That this seemingly unremarkable man
Was one of the strongest forces of the sea.
In his mind
Admirals belonged on battlefields.
In the New World.
Fighting legendary pirates.
Not here.
Not standing quietly beside a Rear Admiral.
His legs began to weaken.
"Admiral Kizaru!"
The blond noble shouted suddenly, his fear overriding all restraint.
"It was him! He pushed me! He attacked me first!"
Gone was his hesitation.
Gone was his previous restraint.
Survival
Came first.
His earlier intentions alliances, funding, diplomacy
All became irrelevant.
Their nations were far apart.
Separated by entire seas.
There would be no consequences.
But this
This situation
Was immediate.
"Do you have anything else to say?"
Kizaru's tone remained unchanged.
The gold-toothed noble opened his mouth
Trying to speak.
Trying to argue.
Trying to reclaim control.
Then
Their eyes met.
For a brief moment
He saw light.
Blinding.
Endless.
And then
His body gave out.
He collapsed.
Without resistance.
Without dignity.
Moments later, the guards rushed forward and dragged him away, clearing the path and restoring order.
The tension dissipated.
After a brief investigation
The conclusion was obvious.
The noble from Nortis had initiated the conflict.
Saint Roselith Seraphina
Had merely intervened.
A standard act of enforcement.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
But
The whispers had already begun.
Too many nobles had witnessed the scene.
Too many eyes had been drawn
Not to the conflict
But to her.
"A Marine Rear Admiral…"
"…and that beautiful?"
Speculation spread quickly.
Some began to wonder
Why someone like her had been assigned here.
Others
Thought they already knew.
"An offering to the Celestial Dragons…"
A dangerous assumption.
A foolish one.
But one that spread nonetheless.
The incident faded.
Replaced by the far greater focus
The Reverie.
Later Guard Headquarters, Mary Geoise"Expel the Nortis representative."
The captain of the guard spoke calmly as he reviewed the report.
A thin cigar rested between his fingers, smoke curling lazily into the air.
"This is not a kingdom with a seat among the fifty."
Which meant
They were expendable.
"Handle it quietly."
"Yes, sir."
He paused briefly.
Then added
"As for the Marines…"
A faint frown appeared.
"Send a warning."
"Nothing excessive."
"Admiral Kizaru knows his limits."
"But that Rear Admiral…"
His gaze shifted toward the report.
"…advise restraint."
He exhaled slowly.
"This year's deployment is… unusual."
Sending someone like her
To a place like this
"It's almost as if they're inviting trouble."
He leaned back slightly.
"Or…"
A thought crossed his mind.
"…perhaps Sengoku is planning ahead."
For the future.
For power.
For influence.
The line between Marines and the World Government
Was never truly stable.
The captain tapped the document lightly.
"Forward this to the officials."
He had authority to enforce.
But not to judge.
That
Belonged to the World Government.
Still
His recommendations would almost certainly be accepted.
After all
They served directly under the Celestial Dragons.
Even above most branches of authority.
"…Hm."
As if remembering something
He flipped the report back open.
The cause of the incident
"…beauty?"
He frowned slightly.
Then
Turned to the attached photograph.
White hair.
Cold expression.
Unmistakable presence.
"…Why does this feel familiar?"
His eyes narrowed.
He checked the name again.
Saint Roselith Seraphina.
"…Roselith…"
A pause.
Then
Realization.
His expression stiffened instantly.
"…A Celestial lineage?"