"Imu wants to meet Aqua?"
Orion blinked in surprise, "I'm afraid it's not as simple as just wanting to meet her. She probably wants Aqua to stay in the Holy Land!"
"Huh?"
A big question mark popped up over Gunko's head.
Indeed, Fleet Admiral Orion was just as rumored—completely lacking in romantic sensibility.
Imu simply wanted to meet Aqua and, through her, get closer to Orion.
But from Orion's perspective, he actually suspected Imu of having ulterior motives.
'Well, Imu-sama did have ulterior motives, but not the malicious kind!'
Though she thought this to herself, Gunko didn't dare voice it.
"Who dares take Aqua away? This empress does not permit it!"
Suddenly, a familiar voice came from outside the office.
Immediately after, Hancock, clad in a qipao that accentuated her nearly perfect figure, rushed into the office in a frantic hurry, her beautiful eyes wide as she glared at Gunko.
"As long as i'm lives, no one will take Aqua to the Holy Land."
Not expecting Hancock to burst in at this moment, Gunko's brow furrowed instantly.
She said sternly, "Hancock, don't be so insolent. If not for Orion-sama, you'd be no different from an ant in my eyes."
"Orion, you can't let Aqua go to the Holy Land!"
Ignoring Gunko, Hancock's demeanor instantly shifted to that of a delicate young girl the moment her eyes met Orion's.
"They definitely have ill intentions. They want to keep Aqua in the Holy Land as a hostage to control your every move!"
"Hancock!!!"
Unable to hold back any longer upon hearing Hancock share the same suspicion, Gunko coldly snapped.
"If you keep spouting nonsense here, don't blame me for executing you on the spot!"
"You?" Hancock turned her head sideways, retorting sharply, "You're only arrogant because of your status as a Celestial Dragon. Without that identity and without the support of the one in the Flower Chamber, i could turn you to stone for eight hundred years right now!"
"Hey, hey—"
Seeing Hancock and Gunko arguing right in front of Orion in the Fleet Admiral's office, Hina also frowned in displeasure.
"If you want to argue, take it somewhere else. This is the Fleet Admiral's office!"
Almost simultaneously, Gunko and Hancock both turned their heads to glare at Hina, speaking in unison.
"Shut up, you have no right to speak."
Well, that was it—Hina's temper flared up too.
She abruptly turned and strode toward the two women while removing the purple gloves from her hands, saying coldly.
"Hina is currently the Fleet Admiral's secretary. In this office, aside from the Fleet Admiral, Hina has the highest authority. No matter who you are, both of you calm down. Otherwise, it's the Marine regulations for you!"
Before her words faded, Hina suddenly struck, releasing the unique power of her Ori Ori no Mi ability.
Naturally, Gunko and Hancock wouldn't just stand there and take it.
Knowing Hina's Devil Fruit ability, the moment she moved, both of them simultaneously dodged and leaped away.
Immediately after, an arrowhead shot through the air straight toward Hina.
Hancock also decisively unleashed her unique Love-Love Fruit ability.
Lightly touching her lips with her fingers, she conjured a pink heart-shaped substance out of thin air, ready to teach Hina a lesson.
Before the two women's counterattacks could land on Hina, Orion—who was utterly bewildered by the three women suddenly turning on each other—swiftly appeared between Hancock and Gunko.
Grabbing one with each hand, he unceremoniously tossed them both toward the window.
With a loud crash, the floor-to-ceiling window shattered into pieces.
Immediately after, both Gunko and Hancock let out startled cries as they plummeted straight down toward the ground below.
"Women are so troublesome!"
After unceremoniously tossing Hancock and Gunko out the window, Orion rubbed his temples and addressed Hina, who was standing frozen nearby.
"Go, inform Luna to bring Aqua and accompany me to the Holy Land!"
Hina clearly hadn't recovered from what just happened, her expression dazed as she stammered.
"Fleet Admmiral Orion, you... you threw them... out the window?"
"What else? Let them continue causing trouble here?"
Orion shrugged slightly.
"Hina did well just now. From now on, if any of them dare to make noise or even fight in the Fleet Admmiral's office, no matter who it is, throw them out for me."
"Understood, Hina will comply."
Being straightforward herself, Hina didn't question Orion's complete lack of chivalry, simply nodding in acknowledgment.
...
...
When Orion left his office and arrived at Marineford's port, Luna was already waiting on a warship's deck with Aqua.
Gunko stood beside them.
Though her expression remained icy cold, she appeared somewhat disheveled, likely from the undignified landing after being thrown out the window.
"Uncle Orion!"
The moment Orion boarded the warship, Aqua came running over and threw herself into his arms, excitedly asking.
"Mommy Gunko said you're taking me to a really fun place, is that true?"
"Mommy Gunko?"
Gunko's beautiful eyes widened instantly. When her gaze swept toward Orion, she immediately averted it like a startled rabbit, then quickly turned away in embarrassment.
The parts of her cheeks not covered by bandages flushed with two patches of red.
No wonder Hancock tried to stop Aqua from going to the Holy Land.
With this little treasure around, there was no need for any "cooking the rice" schemes - status and everything else would naturally fall into place!
'Hmm, must spoil Aqua twice as much from now on.'
Since Marineford wasn't far from Sabaody Archipelago, and with the warship providing transport, the four of them quickly reached the Holy Land via the bubble elevator located at Sabaody Archipelago.
Everything about the Holy Land felt completely fresh to Aqua, who was visiting for the first time.
Whether it was the energy-powered moving walkways that replaced manual labor, the artificial forests lining both sides, or the extravagantly luxurious manor villas within Pangaea Castle - all deeply captivated Aqua, who kept asking various questions.
Facing Aqua's endless questions, Gunko completely shed her usual aloof demeanor, her voice becoming as gentle as a new mother's.
Luna, who had gained some indirect status through Aqua's presence, was also full of curiosity about the Holy Land.
However, having been born into a noble family, she didn't gaze around curiously but instead carefully followed beside Orion like a maiden attending palace selection, maintaining proper reserve and decorum.
....
The news of Orion's return to the Holy Land quickly spread throughout Pangaea Castle.
Immediately, the Celestial Dragons who had been leisurely strolling in Pangaea Square scattered like rats seeing a cat, all scrambling back to their respective homes in disarray and tightly shutting their doors, clearly worried that Orion might find them neglecting their duties and hold them accountable.
Even the Celestial Dragons who had been hosting parties and entertaining guests at home decisively ceased their revelries upon learning of Orion's return to the Holy Land, immediately dismissing all visitors.