The first rays of morning sunlight streamed through the window, spilling across the luxurious double bed.
The room was a mess of tangled sheets and scattered clothing.
The Duchess, it turned out, possessed a very distinctive charm — one that had even taken Brian by surprise.
"Someone come in," Brian called lazily, pulling a cigar from the bedside table and lighting it.
A blue-haired maid in a black-and-white uniform, white thigh-high stockings accentuating her slender legs, entered with a bow.
Her voice was soft, almost musical:
"Good morning, Master. What are your orders?"
"Prepare a bath. And breakfast for two."
"Yes, Master. Rem will make the arrangements immediately."
The maid bowed again and exited quietly.
Her name, Rem, was one of many that Brian had given his maids out of a peculiar sort of amusement.
In his private estate, he kept more than twenty of them — all young girls, barely twelve or thirteen.
Each had been bought out of poverty or worse, rescued from the streets or the brothels.
Brian had given them new names — Rem, Kasugano Sora, Misaka Mikoto, Tokisaki Kurumi, Asuka, Ayanami Rei, Tohsaka Rin — names that entertained only him.
To outsiders, it might have looked like depravity. But for Brian, it was a twisted kind of "education project."
He provided them fine clothes, rich meals, tutors to teach them art and manners — and personally instructed them in combat and discipline.
Every few months, he returned to the estate to "inspect their progress."
"Good morning, Master."
"Good morning, Master."
"Good morning, Master."
As Brian, still unclothed and carrying the equally bare Duchess in his arms, walked through the corridor, the maids knelt one by one, greeting him in unison.
Among them stood a striking woman with flowing golden curls — once the royal court's chief discipline trainer, responsible for training palace maids.
Half a year ago, Brian had "stolen" her from the palace. Her name was Diana.
"Diana," Brian said smoothly, "Lady Lorine will be staying here from now on. You'll attend to her personally."
"Well, congratulations, Lady Lorine," Diana said with a teasing smile. "It seems the Master is very fond of you."
Lorine — the Duchess's real name — froze. She knew Diana, and at once covered her face, trembling.
"Diana… please… don't humiliate me…"
"Oh, my lady," Diana said sweetly, "to be favored by Lord Brian is a blessing for any woman!"
"That's enough, Diana," Brian interrupted, chuckling. "No need to scare her. We've got plenty of time to get… acquainted."
Just then—
Buru buru... buru buru...
The Den Den Mushi in Rem's hands began to ring.
"Master," she said, bringing it over reverently.
Brian sighed, irritation flashing in his eyes. "Damn it, another call from Headquarters? Can't a man get any peace?"
Still holding Lorine with one arm, he snatched up the snail.
"Brian," came Sengoku's voice, his expression mirrored by the snail's face. "Where's Spandine?"
"Who's Spandine? Never heard of him." Brian's tone was pure innocence.
Sengoku's gaze darkened. He wasn't fooled.
The last time Spandine had contacted him was a week ago — right before leaving for Ganaba Port.
And Sengoku knew Spandine well enough: a scheming, greedy bureaucrat who loved extorting nobles and officers alike.
Brian, on the other hand, was volatile — a man who bowed to kindness but snapped at coercion.
If Spandine had tried to strong-arm him, then yes… he had likely gotten himself into trouble.
Now Spandine and his men were all missing — gone without a trace.
Sengoku's voice hardened.
"I've already sent Kizaru to assist you. I expect you to find Spandine before he arrives.
This isn't my order, Brian — this comes directly from the Five Elders."
The line went dead.
Brian dropped the Den Den Mushi back into Rem's hands and smirked.
"Using the Five Elders to threaten me? And sending Kizaru to fetch him?
Heh… Sengoku really does know me too well."
He turned to Diana.
"Lorine is yours to look after. Make sure she's… comfortable."
Diana gave him a knowing look. "Of course, Master. I'll see that Lady Lorine receives the proper training."
"No need," Brian said with a lazy grin. "I prefer her… unrefined."
He set Lorine down and motioned to the maids.
"Help me dress."
The girls bustled around him, slipping his shirt and coat into place, buckling his belt, straightening his cape — practiced, wordless, efficient.
A sea breeze whispered across the waves, the morning sun painting the horizon gold.
A massive warship cut through the water like a blade, heading straight for Ganaba Port.
Its sleek design and polished cannons marked it as a Headquarters Vice Admiral's personal vessel — and the man lounging aboard was none other than Kizaru.
The Admiral reclined in a beach chair on deck, basking lazily in the sunlight.
His adjutant, clearly uneasy, finally spoke up.
"Sir, what kind of man is this Major General Brian?
They say he even dared to lay hands on CP9 agents — and now you've been sent to demand their return."
Kizaru didn't open his eyes.
"Brian? He's just a fearless, reckless bastard."
"Reckless bastard?" The adjutant chuckled. "That's quite an introduction."
Kizaru gave a low hum, flipping to lie on his side.
"If he weren't so strong — strong enough to make the old men hesitate to expel him — he'd have been kicked out of the Navy long ago."
"Is he really that bad?" the adjutant asked skeptically.
Kizaru smiled faintly, his voice dripping with lazy amusement.
"You'll understand when you meet him… and maybe then, you'll see how virtuous I look by comparison."
The adjutant fell silent, sweat beading at his temple.
Did he really need that kind of comparison?
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