Located near Water 7 and within relatively close sailing distance of Marineford, Spring Queen Town better known throughout the Grand Line as St. Poplar, the Kingdom of Spring was one of the most prosperous locations in Paradise.
The island was famous for its pleasant climate, thriving tourism industry, and wealthy population.
Many retired World Government officials chose to settle there after leaving office. Nobles, merchants, former bureaucrats, and influential figures from across the world gathered within its borders, creating a town whose political significance far exceeded its size.
Because of its proximity to Marineford, security throughout the kingdom was exceptionally strong.
Pirates rarely dared to approach.
Any disturbance could result in a Marine response arriving within hours.
As a result, St. Poplar enjoyed a reputation as one of the safest places in the world outside of Mary Geoise itself.
Inside the mayor's office, however, a very different kind of business was taking place.
Tuli sat behind a luxurious desk.
Officially, he was the elected mayor of Spring Queen Town.
Unofficially, he was one of the region's most influential underworld brokers.
Over the years, he had built an extensive network connecting smugglers, corrupt officials, merchants, and black-market distributors.
His public identity brought him prestige.
His hidden identity brought him wealth.
A man in a black suit suddenly rushed into the office.
"Boss Tuli!"
The panic in his voice immediately caught Tuli's attention.
"What is it?"
Tuli frowned.
"Speak properly."
The subordinate swallowed nervously.
"There is a problem with Nick's shipment."
Tuli's expression immediately darkened.
"What problem?"
"The cargo was intercepted by the Marines."
The room instantly fell silent.
For several seconds, Tuli simply stared at him.
Then he slowly rose from his chair.
"What did you just say?"
"The Marines intercepted the shipment."
The subordinate repeated himself carefully.
"Nick contacted us through a Den Den Mushi."
"He says the vessel has been detained."
Tuli's face became increasingly ugly.
That shipment was not supposed to encounter any problems.
The route had been cleared in advance.
The necessary people had been informed.
Every precaution had been taken.
"Where did it happen?"
"The Paga Sea."
Tuli nearly exploded.
"The Paga Sea?!"
"That's practically at our doorstep!"
His fist slammed heavily onto the desk.
The furniture creaked under the impact.
"What exactly are those Marines doing?"
"Weren't they informed?"
"Has Marine Headquarters lost its mind?"
The more Tuli thought about it, the less sense it made.
This operation had existed for years.
Various powerful figures benefited from it.
Some of those people possessed influence reaching directly into the highest levels of the World Government.
Why would the Marines suddenly interfere now?
Something was clearly wrong.
"Boss…"
The subordinate hesitated.
"Should we contact our connections?"
Tuli shook his head.
"Not yet."
His eyes narrowed dangerously.
"I want to know which idiot Marine officer decided to interfere first."
He refused to believe this had been authorized by higher authorities.
Surely some overzealous officer had exceeded their authority.
Otherwise, nobody would dare touch this shipment.
A moment later, the Den Den Mushi on the desk began ringing.
"Buru Buru Buru…"
"Buru Buru Buru…"
Both men immediately looked toward it.
Tuli waved his hand.
"Answer it."
The subordinate quickly complied.
The moment the connection was established, a familiar voice exploded through the receiver.
"Fury!"
"What did Boss Tuli say?"
"Can he get me out of here?"
It was Nick.
Despite being detained by the Marines, he sounded more aggrieved than frightened.
Clearly, he possessed great confidence in his backers.
Tuli snatched the receiver.
"I am Tuli."
The mayor's voice was cold.
On the other side of the line, Nick sounded overjoyed.
"Boss!"
"Thank goodness!"
"These Marines have gone completely insane!"
Tuli's expression darkened further.
"You fool."
"Did you tell them whose goods they intercepted?"
"Did you explain that this shipment had official authorization?"
Nick immediately replied.
"I did!"
"They wouldn't listen!"
Tuli gritted his teeth.
The situation was becoming increasingly ridiculous.
Then another voice suddenly entered the conversation.
A woman's voice.
Calm.
Elegant.
And entirely unconcerned.
"So you're Tuli?"
The atmosphere changed instantly.
Tuli frowned.
"Who are you?"
"You seem very interested in the Seastone shipment."
The moment those words were spoken, Tuli realized the person speaking was a Marine.
A female Marine.
His expression immediately hardened.
"Marine."
"I suggest you understand the situation before making mistakes."
His tone became threatening.
"Do you have any idea what you're interfering with?"
Nearby, Saint Roselith Seraphina sat leisurely in a chair aboard the Marine warship.
The Den Den Mushi rested on a table before her.
Bruce stood silently nearby.
Riva remained at attention behind her.
Seraphina's lips curved slightly.
"Interesting."
"A criminal is threatening Marines now."
Tuli laughed coldly.
"Criminal?"
"You should be careful with your words."
"If those goods are not returned immediately, even Fleet Admiral Sengoku may not be able to protect you."
The arrogance in his voice was unmistakable.
It was the confidence of someone who had never faced consequences.
Seraphina found it amusing.
Very amusing.
"Then I suppose we'll discuss it in person."
Before Tuli could respond, the connection ended.
Click.
The Den Den Mushi fell silent.
Back in his office, Tuli stared at the receiver.
For some reason, an uncomfortable feeling appeared in his chest.
He could not explain it.
Still, he quickly dismissed the sensation.
A mere Marine officer.
What could she possibly do?
An hour later, another subordinate rushed into the office.
"Boss Tuli!"
"The passenger vessel has returned!"
Tuli smiled.
"Good."
Then the subordinate hesitated.
"There is one more thing."
"A Marine warship followed it back."
The smile on Tuli's face froze.
A few minutes later, he arrived at the harbor.
The scene before him immediately caused his expression to stiffen.
Marines occupied much of the port.
Armed soldiers stood in organized formations.
Several officers supervised the area.
At the center of the crowd stood Nick.
Bound.
Bruised.
And looking absolutely miserable.
The moment Nick saw Tuli, his eyes lit up.
"Boss Tuli!"
Before he could say anything else, Major Riva shoved him forward.
The Marine officer then walked directly toward Tuli.
"You are Tuli?"
His voice was firm.
"The Rear Admiral wishes to speak with you."
"Come with us."
Tuli frowned.
"What if I refuse?"
The surrounding atmosphere immediately became tense.
Riva's expression did not change.
Slowly, he drew his flintlock pistol.
Click.
Behind him, dozens of Marines raised their rifles simultaneously.
The sound echoed across the harbor.
Click.
Click.
Click.
Tuli felt cold sweat forming on his forehead.
For the first time, he realized the situation might be more serious than he had assumed.
These Marines were not bluffing.
They genuinely intended to arrest him if necessary.
"What exactly is wrong with you people?"
Tuli muttered.
He simply could not understand.
Why were the Marines acting this way?
Had something changed?
Reluctantly, he raised his hands.
"Fine."
"I'll go."
Escorted by armed Marines, Tuli was brought aboard the warship.
The moment he stepped onto the main deck, he finally saw the person responsible for all this trouble.
An elegant armchair had been placed at the center of the deck.
Seated upon it was a young woman dressed in a pristine white Marine coat draped across her shoulders.
Her long silver hair swayed gently in the sea breeze.
A pair of golden eyes observed him calmly.
Standing nearby was Bruce.
Behind her stood several Marine officers.
The entire scene revolved around a single person.
Saint Roselith Seraphina.
The moment Tuli arrived, one slender leg crossed elegantly over the other.
The polished black boot suspended slightly above the deck reflected the afternoon sunlight.
Her posture was relaxed.
Almost casual.
Yet the pressure she emitted was far greater than that of any official Tuli had ever encountered.
She rested her chin lightly against one hand and looked down at him as though examining an insect.
"So."
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
"You're Tuli."
"The man who believes he can threaten Marines, smuggle Seastone, and hide behind powerful connections."
Her golden eyes narrowed slightly.
"I must admit."
"You've managed to pique my curiosity."
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