"Rear Admiral, another passenger vessel has appeared off the starboard side. Should we intercept and inspect it?"
While Major Riva was escorting the captured Gladius back toward the warship's brig, a Marine soldier hurried over with a report.
Riva immediately turned his gaze toward the sea.
In the distance, another vessel was slowly approaching.
Compared to the luxury cruise ship they had inspected earlier, this one was noticeably smaller. It appeared to be a medium-sized passenger ship carrying a mixture of merchants, nobles, and ordinary travelers.
When the report reached Saint Roselith Seraphina, she could not help but rub her forehead.
"Why are there so many passenger ships today?"
A trace of helplessness appeared on her beautiful face.
The contrast was absurd.
Some Marines spent months patrolling without finding a single suspicious target.
Meanwhile, everything seemed to be happening on the same day around her.
First came Gladius and the Spark Rock operation connected to Donquixote Doflamingo.
Now another vessel had suddenly appeared.
At this rate, she was beginning to suspect the sea itself was deliberately sending criminals to her doorstep.
"Intercept it."
Seraphina made her decision immediately.
"Conduct a routine inspection."
"Yes, Rear Admiral!"
The Marines quickly moved into action.
Meanwhile, aboard the approaching passenger vessel, a very different atmosphere prevailed.
"Captain… are we really doing this?"
A man dressed in a black suit swallowed nervously as he looked toward his superior.
"Shouldn't we be more careful with cargo entrusted to us by such an important client?"
The speaker's voice was noticeably uneasy.
After all, the goods hidden aboard their ship were prohibited by the World Government.
If they were discovered, every person involved would face severe punishment.
The one-eyed captain standing nearby immediately smacked the man across the back of his head.
"What do you know?"
His lone eye glared fiercely.
"If we change course every time we see a Marine vessel, wouldn't that be even more suspicious?"
He crossed his arms confidently.
"The most dangerous place is often the safest place."
"As long as we remain calm and act naturally, nobody will suspect a thing."
The captain pointed toward the luxurious upper decks.
"We're operating a passenger vessel."
"There are nobles, wealthy merchants, and government-affiliated travelers on board."
"Marines rarely perform thorough inspections on ships like ours."
The more he spoke, the more convinced he became of his own logic.
His subordinates nodded repeatedly.
The explanation sounded reasonable.
Unfortunately for them, their luck had run out.
"Marine inspection!"
"Reduce speed and prepare for boarding!"
The moment the Marine warship approached, panic spread throughout the crew.
The one-eyed captain's confident expression immediately became much less convincing.
"What do we do now, Captain?"
"They're actually coming aboard!"
Several crew members nearly collapsed from fear.
The captain forced himself to remain calm.
At least outwardly.
Inside, he was already cursing his luck.
"Stay calm!"
"Everything is hidden perfectly."
"There is no way they'll find anything."
He wiped sweat from his forehead and straightened his clothes.
"The Marines won't discover a thing."
His subordinates quickly regained some confidence.
"As expected of Captain!"
"Your plan is brilliant!"
"Completely foolproof!"
The captain accepted their praise while secretly praying that they were right.
A few minutes later, the Marines boarded.
Major Riva led the inspection team personally.
The one-eyed captain immediately approached him with a friendly smile.
"Major, you've worked hard."
As he spoke, he discreetly slipped a thick stack of Berries toward Riva.
"Just a small token of appreciation."
The gesture was practiced.
Clearly, he had done this many times before.
Riva glanced at the money.
Then he glanced at the captain.
"What exactly is the meaning of this?"
The captain winked knowingly.
"Just a gesture of goodwill."
"A little understanding between professionals."
For a brief moment, silence filled the corridor.
Then Riva smiled.
The captain's expression brightened.
He thought the Marine officer had accepted.
Unfortunately for him, the next words shattered that illusion.
"You really are an interesting fellow."
Riva's smile disappeared.
"Arrest him."
The captain froze.
"What?"
"You attempted to bribe a Marine officer."
Riva pointed directly at him.
"Take him into custody."
Two Marines immediately seized the stunned captain.
"Wait!"
"You can't do this!"
The captain struggled desperately.
Everything had happened too quickly.
This was not how such situations usually unfolded.
Nearby passengers immediately began whispering among themselves.
The commotion quickly attracted Seraphina's attention.
She walked over calmly.
"What happened?"
Riva saluted.
"Rear Admiral, this man attempted to bribe Marine personnel."
He pointed toward the restrained captain.
"I believe this vessel warrants a more thorough investigation."
Seraphina's golden eyes swept across the ship.
Then she nodded.
"Proceed."
The captain's face immediately turned pale.
"You can't do this!"
"This vessel carries nobles and important guests!"
"If you offend them, you'll regret it!"
The threat only earned him an indifferent glance.
No one paid attention to him.
The inspection continued.
Soon, complaints erupted throughout the ship.
Several nobles loudly protested.
Others demanded compensation.
Some even threatened to file complaints with Marine Headquarters.
None of it mattered.
Bruce personally supervised the search.
As a CP0 operative, he had no interest in appeasing a group of spoiled aristocrats.
After nearly an hour, the search finally yielded results.
Bruce emerged carrying a rectangular stone brick.
He walked directly toward Seraphina.
"We found something."
The moment the object appeared, several crew members visibly panicked.
Bruce held up the brick.
"Seastone."
The atmosphere instantly changed.
Even ordinary Marines recognized its value.
The brick still bore signs of recent modification.
It had clearly been removed from somewhere inside the ship.
Seraphina raised an eyebrow.
"Where was it hidden?"
Bruce's expression became strange.
"Under the floor."
"Floor tiles?"
"Yes."
Even he seemed somewhat speechless.
"The smugglers replaced ordinary flooring with Seastone blocks, painted over them, and allowed passengers to walk on top of them."
For a moment, nobody knew what to say.
The method was surprisingly bold.
Unfortunately, it was also incredibly flawed.
Anyone possessing even basic Kenbunshoku Haki could sense the unique aura emitted by Seastone.
Its presence resembled the sea itself.
Hiding it beneath one's feet only made it easier to locate.
The one-eyed captain looked completely devastated.
"How did you find it?"
His voice sounded almost broken.
That hiding place had worked countless times before.
It had never failed.
Bruce merely looked at him.
"Because your plan wasn't nearly as clever as you thought."
The captain immediately lowered his head.
The evidence was overwhelming.
There was no point denying anything.
Seraphina stepped forward.
"So."
"Who are you working for?"
The captain remained silent.
His expression shifted repeatedly.
Fear.
Hesitation.
Conflict.
Whatever organization stood behind him was clearly not ordinary.
At that moment, another Marine officer hurried over carrying a newly received report.
"Rear Admiral!"
The officer saluted.
"We've identified the vessel's destination."
Seraphina accepted the document.
"And?"
"The ship is bound for St. Poplar."
"The Kingdom of Spring."
"It is their final destination."
The moment she heard the name, understanding appeared in her eyes.
St. Poplar.
One of the most prosperous nations in Paradise.
Known throughout the world as the Kingdom of Spring, it was famous for its pleasant climate, beautiful scenery, and thriving tourism industry.
Many wealthy individuals chose to spend their retirement years there.
Numerous retired government officials, nobles, and influential figures maintained residences within its borders.
As a result, the island possessed considerable political influence despite its peaceful appearance.
Seraphina folded the report.
"It seems our next destination has been decided."
The timing was too convenient to ignore.
First Spark Rock.
Then Doflamingo.
Now a passenger vessel secretly transporting Seastone to St. Poplar.
Too many incidents were converging toward the same location.
Coincidence was becoming increasingly unlikely.
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
Since the New World was beyond her immediate reach for the moment, there was little she could do regarding Doflamingo directly.
However, St. Poplar was another matter entirely.
The island was located within the first half of the Grand Line.
It was close.
Accessible.
And most importantly, it was now connected to an ongoing investigation.
Whatever secrets were waiting there, Saint Roselith Seraphina intended to uncover them personally.
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