Chapter 47 - Suspicions
This guy… actually came to the town to work as a bartender?!
Binz finally snapped out of his shock, his face darkening as he slammed a hand on the counter.
"You bastard—!"
But before he could finish, Eiger smoothly cut him off.
Cradling a bottle in one hand and wearing a perfectly polite smile, he said:
"What would you like to drink, sir? If nothing on the menu suits your taste, I recommend our newest arrival—green grape wine imported from the West Blue~"
"..."
This bastard!!!
Binz's mouth twitched violently.
But sensing the eyes around them, he swallowed his temper and hissed through gritted teeth:
"I want something strong. What the hell are you doing offering me cheap wine from some remote backwater?!"
"Of course. Please wait a moment."
Eiger nodded calmly.
"But just to clarify—this isn't 'cheap wine.' It's a premium brew from the West Blue. Rumor has it the Navy's Chief Instructor and the Hero of the Navy are both very fond of it."
"..."
Binz rolled his eyes so hard they nearly fell out.
Does he think I don't know who drinks what?!
Only after the surrounding lights of curiosity faded did he lower his voice:
"What the hell are you doing? Playing bartender? Don't forget your mission!"
He leaned forward, whispering fiercely:
"And what was that line earlier?
Why did you tell us to watch out for Vice Admiral Vergo?!"
"What did you find?"
Eiger did not answer directly. Instead, he poured two glasses of wine and slid them forward with a smile.
"Please enjoy."
"We found nothing!"
Binz grabbed his glass, downed it in one gulp, and grimaced.
"…This isn't Xibia River Islands wine."
"You saw me leave—I didn't bring any with me."
Eiger shrugged.
"This is just ordinary wine. Though, within a few days, you might be able to drink green grape wine here too."
He had only arrived today and had already secured a temporary job and negotiated an order for Xibia River Islands.
Binz felt dizzy.
"What are you even doing?! Did you forget we're on a mission?!"
"Fine—then tell us." Binz pressed again. "Why did you tell us to watch out for Vergo?!"
Eiger raised an eyebrow, but didn't pursue the topic further.
"If you didn't find anything, then forget it."
He wiped a glass lazily.
"When will you finish your mission? I heard the pirates have already left these waters. All that's left is for you to inspect G-5 internally."
"You—!"
"So you're saying Vergo does have a problem?"
Ain suddenly cut in. She stared at Eiger, brows furrowed.
"Do you have evidence?"
"Nope."
"No evidence, and you dare accuse a Marine Vice Admiral?"
Binz's face turned pitch-black.
"That's grounds for a military trial!"
"That's why I said I don't know. I only told you to be cautious."
Eiger shrugged.
"And besides, I'm not a Marine anymore. I can't be court-martialed."
"..." ×2
Binz and Ain exchanged looks of pure exasperation.
Ain turned back to Eiger.
"Then what kind of problem? Embezzlement? Bribery?"
"Seriously, Ain?"
Binz stared at her in disbelief.
"You actually believe this guy? He's just spouting nonsense!"
"Whether it's nonsense or not doesn't matter."
Ain said flatly, giving him a meaningful look.
"If there's even a suspicion, we must investigate. Teacher Zephyr would never want G-5 in the hands of someone lacking justice."
"You're insane!"
Binz threw up his hands.
"That's a Vice Admiral! You're doubting a beloved officer—just because some retired ensign told you to?!"
Ain had just opened her mouth to speak when Eiger—still calmly polishing a glass—cut in:
"Do you need anything else?"
"I'll have another—"
"No."
Ain abruptly stood up and tugged Binz by the arm.
"We're leaving."
"Hey, hey—hold on! I haven't had enough yet!"
"We're still on duty!"
"You say we—does that mean the two of us… or three of us?"
"..."
Ain ignored his whining and kept dragging him toward the door.
Seeing she wouldn't relent, Binz finally threw up his hands.
"Alright, alright! Stop pulling, I'll walk on my own!"
He grumbled as he straightened himself.
"I seriously don't get it. Why do you and Teacher Zephyr trust him so much?"
Ain didn't answer.
She simply turned back to Eiger and said quietly:
"I'll get to the bottom of this.
I hope you're not lying to me."
Then she turned, ready to leave.
But just as she pivoted away—
A flat, almost casual voice brushed past her ear:
"Spy."
Ain froze mid-step.
Her eyes widened—
shock first, then understanding.
She slowly nodded.
"…I understand."
Then she left, dragging a bewildered, frustrated Binz with her.
Only after the two were gone did Eiger's eyes sharpen for a brief moment.
He resumed wiping the glass and murmured to himself:
"I wonder if they'll manage to uncover anything."
According to the original storyline, after this investigation Vergo should be appointed as G-5's base commander.
But because of how things had shifted—
Garp's mission was thrown to Zephyr, Zephyr threw it to him…
What ripple would that cause next?
Honestly, he did plan to visit this sea eventually.
Just… not this early.
After all—
Punk Hazard hadn't blown up yet.
---
Meanwhile…
"Vice Admiral Vergo, the two Headquarters Marines have left the tavern,"
a soldier reported in a low voice.
"But it seems they know the new bartender there. And they look like they're secretly investigating you!"
"Investigating me?"
Vergo raised an eyebrow, a shadow flickering in his eyes.
He glanced at the documents the soldier handed over.
"Did they find anything?"
"No, sir. Our men didn't say a word. And no one else here knows the truth."
The soldier shook his head.
"But we still haven't figured out the bartender's identity."
"I see."
Vergo thought for a moment.
"Continue investigating him. And watch those two closely."
Then, after a brief pause:
"Send in a pirate crew."
"A pirate crew? Vice Admiral Vergo, are you planning to—"
"Help them finish their mission quickly.
The sooner they leave, the better."
"Understood, sir!"
After the soldier left, Vergo looked down at the intel again.
"Three operatives…? Two open, one hidden."
He crushed the papers in his hand, eyes turning cold.
"Did they uncover something…
or are they merely suspicious?"
"I hope you three leave quietly."