"Vice Admiral Monkey D. Luffy, I've been sent by top government officials to convey their dissatisfaction regarding your recent actions."
Alpha's voice wavered slightly as she spoke, her confidence faltering under Luffy's piercing gaze. She swallowed hard and cautiously moved to sit on the sofa across from him, her movements betraying her unease.
Khalifa followed, carrying three elegant wine glasses, which she set on the coffee table with practiced grace. Without a word, she went to retrieve a bottle of fine red wine from the cabinet, one that Luffy had pointed out as the best in his collection.
Luffy took a seat across from Alpha, leaning back casually. He handed the wine bottle to Khalifa, letting her pour while his sharp eyes studied the woman sitting before him. A faint smirk played on his lips as he chuckled.
"I expected the government to send someone from the CP0," he remarked, his tone dripping with mockery. "But it seems they've only sent a minor CP8 agent. I suppose the higher-ups have more confidence in me than I thought."
The comment stung. Alpha felt the sting of insult settle deep in her chest. She crossed her arms over her chest, tilting her head up defiantly as she crossed her legs. The striped stockings she wore stretched taut, emphasizing her poise as she stared him down.
"Vice Admiral," she began coldly, "as a representative of the World Government, I demand a reasonable explanation. Why is the Marine requesting the government to pay for the seastone products from Wano Country?"
Luffy's smirk widened as his eyes flicked briefly to her crossed legs before meeting her gaze. He chuckled, shaking his head.
"Are you serious?" he asked, leaning forward slightly. "What are you, a clueless child? No, even a three-year-old would understand this basic concept—things cost money. Or do you honestly believe seastone handcuffs and bullets just grow on trees? Do you think no labor or resources go into producing them?"
As Khalifa poured the wine, she made no move to pour any for Alpha. Instead, she leaned into Luffy's side, holding her glass delicately. The sight of her sister so comfortably nestled in Luffy's arms made Alpha's expression shift rapidly from anger to shock, then to a confused mix of emotions she couldn't quite process.
Luffy, unconcerned with Alpha's reactions, took his glass and raised it in her direction before downing its contents in one gulp. Smacking his lips, he remarked casually, "Not bad. Certainly better than the sake in Wano Country. If it weren't for the wine I brought along, it'd be embarrassing to serve anything to guests here."
Alpha sat frozen, her mind racing. She glanced at the wine bottle Khalifa had placed before her, then at her sister's smug expression. Her thoughts spiraled as she struggled to comprehend the dynamics in the room.
Luffy didn't let her linger in her daze for long. With a flick of his hand, the wine bottle floated into the air, pouring equal amounts into the three glasses. He picked up his refilled glass and met Alpha's stunned gaze.
"I'll make this simple," he said, his voice firm. "If the government wants seastone products for free, that's fine. But here's the deal: you'll need to send 50 billion berries in military funds to Marine Headquarters every year. In exchange, I'll authorize the delivery of a certain amount of seastone goods each month. Of course, the exact amount will depend on production efficiency."
Alpha's eyes widened in disbelief. "Fifty billion berries?" she hissed, her voice shaking with outrage. "The Marine is a subordinate department of the World Government! How dare you—"
"Subordinate or not," Luffy interrupted, his tone icy, "does that give the government the right to take whatever it wants without paying? Should I tell my soldiers to hand over their personal belongings to the government for free as well?"
As he spoke, Luffy glanced down at Khalifa and smirked. "Honey, I think I need some extra pocket money. How about you give me ten million berries?"
Khalifa rolled her eyes and snorted, "Get lost."
Luffy shrugged and turned back to Alpha. "See? Even she knows better than to hand things over for nothing."
Alpha was trembling with frustration, her fists clenched tightly. "Monkey D. Luffy! Don't act so arrogantly. After all, the Marine is just—"
Before she could finish, Luffy's eyes darkened. A fountain pen floated into the air beside him, its gold-plated tip aimed directly at her heart. The sudden shift in the atmosphere made her freeze, cold sweat forming on her forehead.
"What is the Marine to the government?" Luffy asked, his voice dangerously low.
Alpha stammered, her bravado completely shattered. "O-One of the three… important departments."
Satisfied with her answer, Luffy let the pen drop back onto the table. Alpha slumped into the sofa, her breathing ragged as though she'd just run a marathon. Her earlier confidence was nowhere to be seen.
Khalifa, still nestled comfortably against Luffy, chuckled softly. The sight of her sister's disheveled state was clearly amusing to her. In the past, Alpha would have flown into a rage at such mockery, but now…
She glanced at Luffy, his arm draped protectively around Khalifa, and thought better of it. Instead, she settled for glaring at her sister, her frustration simmering beneath the surface.
Noticing the silent exchange between the two women, Luffy smirked. "You two are quite the pair," he remarked, leaning back. "But let's keep things civil, shall we? I've got better things to do than play referee."
Alpha's glare intensified, but she bit her tongue, unwilling to provoke Luffy further. For now, she could only grit her teeth and endure.
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