Xiang En approached the two dripping girls, his heart sinking with every step. Kagura's usual mischievous grin was replaced by a strange mix of excitement and indignation, while Klee looked positively thrilled, vibrating with barely contained energy.
"Xia-chan!" Kagura shouted, pointing at the shivering Klee. "It's not my fault! She said she could make the fish cook themselves! She made little burning puppies that exploded!"
"Jumpy Dumpties!" Klee corrected instantly, holding up her small, wet hands. "They were Jumpy Dumpties! And they were amazing, Big Brother Xiang En! Klee tried to find the biggest fish, and then a really fast wooden fish came, and all the Jumpy Dumpties went to play with it, and it went BOOM!"
She clapped her hands, sending droplets of water flying.
Xiang En closed his eyes, rubbing the bridge of his nose. Wooden fish... slave ship. Burning puppies... the bombs Klee had enchanted with her Pyro Element.
"And the water?" he asked slowly, opening his eyes. "Why are you both soaked? Did you fall in?"
Kagura huffed, crossing her arms. "No! The wooden fish went so high when it exploded that the sea got angry! It made a wave taller than Rayleigh! It hit the land, and it was scary, but also really cool."
"And then," Klee chimed in, leaning forward eagerly, "there were tiny little human fish everywhere! They were tied up like meat at a market, but the big water broke their strings, and they swam away! But the angry wooden fish people started shouting, so we ran!"
Xiang En sighed. The sequence of events was now clear: Klee's grand experiment had sunk a ship, freed a shipload of slaves, and caused a tidal surge that soaked the port—all while attracting the attention of Celestial Dragons.
It's worse than a simple sunken ship. It's an act of war against a Celestial Dragon's property.
The Unintended Alliance
Xiang En led the girls inside, instructing them to strip off their wet clothes and get into the bath immediately. While they were busy upstairs, he grabbed his communication Den Den Mushi.
He dialed a familiar number. It rang twice before Old Niel answered, his voice rough with lingering excitement.
"Little brother Xiang En? Did you hear about the harbor? A blast! It shook the whole island! What terrible villains we have here!"
"Old Niel," Xiang En interrupted gently, "I think my roommates were responsible for that unfortunate 'incident.' It seems they sank a slave ship bound for a Celestial Dragon."
There was a profound silence on the other end of the line.
"...A slave ship?" Old Niel whispered. "Those monsters... they were using Island 53 to dock? Well, then, bless those terrible villains!" His voice suddenly roared with heartfelt joy. "If those children are looking for shelter from the Navy, my door is always open! And I'll ensure your ship gets priority—top-tier materials!"
Xiang En smiled faintly. He hadn't realized how deeply the presence of the Celestial Dragons' industry in the area affected the local, decent folk like Old Niel. Klee's mischief had inadvertently forged a silent, powerful alliance.
He hung up, feeling a momentary boost in morale, only to have it crash instantly as he returned to his financial ledgers.
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