Monera turned around and looked toward him before dismissively waving a hand while still holding the weights with the other. "Stop calling me that. I am no noble or royalty. Even if…"
She sighed while lowering the weights before adjusting her training clothes. "Any progress on what I asked?"
Dr Tsukimi shook his head, showing disappointment. "None of the slaves or new inhabitants match the description you gave me."
Disappointment was visible in her features as she sat on a nearby couch. "I see… no luck again. Will I ever…"
Monera had been stuck in a constant loop of hope and despair for as long as she lived, with complicated thoughts and feelings after her parents went missing.
After so long without any news, any news was good news, as it would be able to set aside the kind of ideas that she could come up with in her mind.
Even confirming their death would put her mind at ease, as it would give her some closure, especially when she thought that they could still be suffering unimaginable torment.
Another part of her went to just as dark places that could upset her, like the thought that her parents had chosen to abandon her.
She had tried to put it behind her, but she couldn't do that until she found out any little thing.
Unfortunately, there was nobody to confirm, so she kept looking even if it was among the new arrivals, as some of the slaves could have been her parents.
Alyssia had been using her contacts with Stussy to find out for her, but it was not so easy to find them.
Either they had died, and their bodies had disappeared with no way to be found, or they were still alive but were being kept somewhere that even Stussy could not get information on.
Dr Tsukimi sighed before walking over to pat her shoulder. "Child… what you have been doing would surely make them proud. Even if you cannot accept the way I or others address you, you are worthy of it."
Monera scratched her cheek awkwardly. "But I have not done much… all I have is my strength. I do not have what is needed to rule or anything like that."
Dr Tsukimi shook his head. "It was you who was here from the start and stuck around. It was you who helped the people build their homes and helped ease their worries. It was you who stepped in to protect others and prevent conflicts.
It was you who brought the Fishmen and Merfolk here, and it was you who helped to integrate them onto the island, allowing the current peaceful relations. It was you who formed new alliances and recruited the sea creatures that protect us from outside.
You have much more to offer than you think. You talk about your parents and the late Queen Otohime like they are great people, but I think that you should take a good look at yourself and what you have accomplished."
A look of embarrassment was shown on her face before turning serious as if she put on a serious mask to hide her emotions.
Her tone changed as her next words were designed to change the subject. "Alyssia just appointed me to take care of things for her. That is all I have done. Now onto the other matter. Is there anything else you have to report?"
Dr Tsukimi looked thoughtful as he thought back to the meeting. "It went well, like usual. Some of your people contributed to the discussion on sea technology and other topics.
Oh… if there was something that I found troubling was one of the scientists who has more of a keen interest in cyborg modification and implants."
Dr Tsukimi hesitated before answering. "Dr Anders… I am not sure. He has always been one to look up to Dr Vegapunk and takes inspiration from him. Some may think that is admirable in a way, but not all of Dr Vegapunk's creations align with Creation's vision.
The Pacifista that emerged has had some keen interest from others, but I have tried to steer topics away from them at times. Dr Anders had proposed an idea based on the targeting and combat system that the Pacifista uses, but repurposed for Cyborgs."
Monera listened quietly before responding. "I do not understand the complicated stuff, but I do understand that this is something that you think needs to be looked into."
Dr Tsukimi nodded. "Yes… It could all just be an idea… just a theory, but I cannot just let something like this go. I would like it if you could arrange an inspection of his lab sometime in the future to determine if he has been developing anything like that."
Monera became serious as she responded. "Got it. There are some issues with invading privacy and trespassing without a valid reason. The new laws… can be quite troublesome in times like this, but I will try to look into it."
Just as laws were put in place to protect people, others prevented certain things from being enforced so easily, as various rules and codes had to be followed even for those who were enforcing them.
Some of them were like leashes around their necks, as they restricted a lot of their activities.
A lot of those rules were in place to ensure that they followed proper protocols and did not abuse the safety and freedom of the citizens with the power they had, but sometimes such procedures made things more complicated.
In some ways, following the protocols could help achieve proper efficiency with more success toward how things would be handled without repercussions, but it could slow things down for things like getting permission to investigate a suspected threat.
On Ness Kingdom, the days when law or justice enforcers could use brutality against others and do other things like force or coerce confessions without being held accountable were over.
The days of breaking into the property of others without justifiable cause and approval were over.
The laws and many other things had been developed as a result of the scholars putting their heads together for the sake of the Ness Kingdom in many different areas, as a result of Alyssia pushing for the White Storm to look more into the laws of the world.