King Neptune's roar spread through the entire Ryugu Kingdom like an imperial decree.
"Highest priority mission!"
"A matter of life and death!"
"The prettiest, gentlest, best-singing mermaids!"
These keywords threw all of Fish-Man Island into a strange full-scale mobilization.
Neptune himself personally supervised. His massive body paced frantically before the palace, sweat, or rather seawater, pouring down as if he were a moving fountain.
His three equally towering sons, Fukaboshi, Ryuboshi, and Manboshi, were terrified.
Leading squads personally, they rushed toward the island's most famous locations, Mermaid Cove and the Mermaid Café, almost like conducting a house raid.
This was no longer simple reception.
This was a life-or-death question.
If the moody Admiral Haiiroyo, the man who made a Yonko surrender, was dissatisfied…
Neptune didn't dare imagine the outcome.
He genuinely felt that if the chosen mermaids displeased that lord, Fish-Man Island might be sunk on the spot.
"Quick! Quick! Quick!"
"That one won't do! Her tail color is too bright! What if it hurts the Admiral's eyes!"
"And that one! Yes, the pink-haired one! Stop her crying! If the Admiral thinks she's troublesome-"
"Jamon!!"
Neptune roared anxiously.
"What we need are works of art! Treasures pleasing to the eye! Not trouble!"
Under such high-pressure screening, in less than twenty minutes, an emergency selection, comparable to choosing a royal consort, was completed beneath the deck of the Nap-One.
"Y-Your Majesty!"
Prince Fukaboshi returned, wiping cold sweat.
"A-According to the highest standards… we selected five…"
"Bring them up quickly!" Neptune shouted nervously.
Soon, under escort by countless guards and the princes, five carefully selected mermaids, the peak beauty of Fish-Man Island, were brought beneath the deck.
They were pale with fear, shoulders trembling, none daring to raise their heads. They didn't even know what was happening, only that disobedience might doom their families.
"A-Admiral Renzo…"
Neptune forced a smile uglier than crying and looked up at the reclining figure.
"Y-Your tour guides… we have brought them…"
"Mm."
Renzo did not remove his eye mask, merely humming acknowledgment.
That single sound made Neptune's heart leap into his throat.
'Was he dissatisfied?'
"Come up."
Renzo's voice remained calm, emotionless.
The five mermaids trembled and, under the guards' urging, slowly swam up the gangway, lining up before his lounge chair.
Only then did Renzo slowly lower his eye mask.
The air froze.
Neptune and his sons held their breath.
Kizaru paused his tea drinking with interest.
At the cabin entrance, Sanji, carrying a plate of desserts, froze like he'd been struck by lightning.
The five mermaids truly were rare beauties.
The first had seaweed-like dark green hair, sapphire-blue eyes, and a noble silver-white tail, elegant and dignified.
Beside her stood a blonde with translucent pale skin and a lively yellow tail, the most timid of the five.
The third had short pink hair and clear eyes, her coral-pink tail giving her an adorable charm.
The fourth was the tallest, with long purple hair and mature allure, her tail a deep violet.
The last bore ponytails, brown hair, and an orange-and-white tail, peeking nervously.
Five mermaids. Five completely different charms.
They were Fish-Man Island's treasures.
Renzo's gray eyes calmly scanned their faces one by one.
Time passed.
Only Neptune's heavy breathing could be heard.
The mermaids were so frightened they nearly stopped breathing, afraid he would rage over the slightest flaw.
But Renzo did something no one expected.
He didn't get angry.
He simply snapped his fingers.
"Rehn."
"Yes, Lord Renzo."
Rehn immediately understood. He waddled to the storage room and returned carrying a heavy wooden chest.
Thud!
He opened it.
Inside, he took out five, no, five bricks.
Five enormous, heavy, dazzlingly bright… gold bars.
Each was the size of a dictionary.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
Rehn placed one before each mermaid.
The impact felt like it struck Neptune's heart.
"T-This is?!"
The mermaids stared between Renzo and the gold, completely lost.
"Deposit," Renzo said calmly, as if tossing stones.
"D-Deposit?!" Neptune's eyes bulged.
Any single bar could buy a manor in the human world.
"Rehn."
"Yes!" Rehn cleared his throat and formally announced:
"This is the advance payment for the ladies' tour guide services. One bar each."
"Lord Renzo's vacation is sacred and precious. Your duty is to make it visually pleasing, quiet, and comfortable."
"If you perform well… compensation afterward will be negotiated separately."
Owning nearly half of the Golden City's wealth, Renzo was extravagantly casual with money.
He could destroy an island over annoyance, yet scatter fortunes for a good mood.
Silence fell again.
The five mermaids nearly fainted from excitement; they had never seen such wealth.
Neptune and his sons were completely stunned by this display.
This Admiral wasn't just unreasonable in strength; even his wealth was unreasonable?!
Renzo finally showed a faint satisfied smile and leaned back.
"Neptune."
"Y-Yes! I'm here!"
"Good taste," Renzo said lightly.
"The ones you brought… I'm satisfied."
Neptune erupted into ecstatic laughter.
"Thank you! Our honor! The honor of Ryugu Kingdom!"
Praise from Haiiroyo was more precious than gold.
Renzo glanced at Neptune's face again.
"Much easier to look at… than you."
Neptune's smile froze, yet he teared up in gratitude anyway.
At that moment, an awkward cracking noise came from the cabin.
Everyone looked.
Sanji stood there holding desserts in a bizarre rigid posture, trembling violently.
His eyes had turned into enormous glowing pink hearts.
His mouth hung open, drool nearly escaping but forcibly sucked back.
His curly eyebrow twitched rapidly.
"M-M-M…"
"Miss mermaid… Miss mermaid… Miss mermaid…"
Five beautiful mermaids right in front of him.
This was heaven.
Normally, Sanji would have rocketed skyward in a nosebleed.
But not this time.
Hot blood surged toward his nose…
Then another image appeared in his mind:
Renzo's cold, irritated face.
"N-No…"
His teeth clenched.
"I cannot bleed!"
"If I spray blood here…"
"Lord Renzo will think I'm troublesome!"
"He'll think I'm unpleasant like Neptune and throw me off the ship."
Sanji forced the nosebleed back.
Pffff-
Steam burst from his head.
He didn't bleed, he boiled.
"Sanji."
Renzo glanced at him.
"YES!!! HERE!!! LORD RENZO!!!"
Sanji snapped straight.
"Put down the desserts."
"YES!"
He marched forward stiffly, slammed the plate down, then retreated without daring another glance at the mermaids.
Kizaru clicked his tongue in amazement.
"What remarkable willpower~."
Renzo seemed satisfied with Sanji's self-control.
He stood, his first time leaving the chair since arrival, adjusted his gray admiral coat, and beckoned the mermaids.
"You five."
"Y-Yes, my lord!"
They no longer dared say Admiral.
"You accepted the deposit. You're mine now."
His tone was unquestionable.
"I like quiet. I dislike trouble."
"First: Do not speak unless I ask."
"Second: Follow silently. No screaming."
"Third: If you see something interesting, point it out."
"Fourth… those who sing well will sing for me later."
"Understood?"
"Yes! Yes! Understood, my lord!"
They nodded frantically.
"Good."
Renzo began walking.
"Let's go, Kizaru. The inspection begins."
"What an exciting vacation~," Kizaru followed.
Thus, under the reverent, and relieved, gaze of Neptune and his sons, and Sanji's burning heart-eyes…
Admiral Renzo descended from the Nap-One with five top mermaid guides and a sightseeing Kizaru.
An unprecedented Admiral sightseeing tour had officially begun.
.....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
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