[OP Marine Officer Luffy] Chapter 571 - 575

Chapter 571: Sister and Brother Talk

Ignoring the whimsical thoughts of his teammates, Sanji followed Reiju away in silence.

Zoro looked back at his retreating figure thoughtfully, then joined the larger group being led by Ichiji and the other two brothers to their designated quarters.

Walking through the corridors and stairwells of the castle, Sanji stared at the extremely familiar yet somehow foreign figure leading the way ahead of him. He kept hesitating on whether to speak up.

He waited until Reiju had brought him to her room. After inviting him to sit down on the sofa, Sanji finally stammered out his first greeting.

"Well, long time no see. How have you been these years?"

The awkward words matched the slightly embarrassed look on his face.

Reiju was so amused that she couldn't help but cover her mouth and burst out laughing.

"Are you talking to your long-lost ex? Do you want me to say, 'I'm fine, thank you for your concern'?"

His sister's teasing made Sanji's face turn red with embarrassment.

"Idiot! Who's your ex?"

After saying that, he stood up in annoyance, intending to distance himself from this woman with her terrible sense of humor.

Reiju quickly reached out and grabbed him, forcibly pulling him back onto the sofa.

"Yeah, yeah, I was just joking. Don't be so sensitive."

Smiling, she pushed him back down, and then Reiju took a closer look at the brother she hadn't seen for more than ten years.

After not seeing him for so long, Sanji had become more handsome and mature. He looked very good in his Marine uniform, with no trace of the timid, thin boy he had been in childhood.

"It seems our Sanji has grown up. Mom would be very happy to see you now."

Sanji was feeling dejected and was about to light a cigarette, but when he heard her mention their mother who had passed away long ago, he couldn't help but pause and look up.

He casually glanced at Reiju, who had also changed drastically, and said in a calm tone while preparing to light his cigarette: "You too. The short-haired tomboy has become quite the beauty."

As he said this, he pressed the lighter twice, but no matter how hard he tried, no flame appeared. It seemed to be out of fuel.

Just when he was getting a little annoyed and was about to give up and put the cigarette away, Reiju leaned over, took out a golden lighter, and lit the cigarette for him herself.

Sanji stared at her movements, and at the smile and tenderness that couldn't be concealed in her eyes. Somehow, the anxiety that had been building since he set foot on this land instantly eased considerably.

He silently accepted the cigarette lit by his sister. Taking a deep breath, the nicotine traveled down his trachea into his lungs, helping clear most of his complicated thoughts.

Looking at his practiced movements, Reiju curled the corners of her mouth and casually tossed the lighter into Sanji's hand.

"Cigarettes aren't good for you. Try to smoke less if you can."

"...I know."

Sanji had heard many words of concern in his life, but apart from his mother when he was a child, only the woman in front of him could express such genuine care from his family.

He never quit smoking, but Sanji's heart had already calmed under the comfort of familial affection.

"I wasn't... joking just now. Have you been happy following that bastard all these years?"

After a long silence, he finally asked the question that had been on his mind.

Of course, Reiju knew exactly who "that bastard" referred to, and she didn't hide anything from her brother, simply acknowledging it candidly.

"To be honest, it's boring, but I don't mind it. After all, he is our father, and we should follow his arrangements. Even though he's made many bad decisions."

Sanji sneered and said disdainfully:

"What a good kid. No wonder he likes you so much."

"Hmm~Hmm~"

Reiju shook her finger in disapproval and corrected him:

"Not anymore. He just admitted in front of everyone that you are his favorite son."

Sanji instinctively retched and retorted with a livid face:

"Ugh~Don't disgust me. He just thinks I'm worth using. For that guy, as long as the profit is enough, even his most treasured child can be sold as a bargaining chip."

As he spoke, he stared at his sister, who maintained a calm expression and seemed indifferent to it all.

"Reiju, stop following that bastard like an idiot. Do you think I don't know? On the way here, I read the Marine's files about Germa. You've been following him as a mercenary all these years, and he personally sent his underage child to the battlefield. He is not worthy of being a father! Why don't you give yourself a chance, just like you gave me back then?"

Chapter 572: Bird in a Cage

There is no doubt that Sanji had endured a dark childhood. He had no freedom and was constantly bullied and ridiculed by his father and brothers.

But if that were all, Sanji would never have returned to the place where his most painful memories were buried.

The reason he made up his mind to voluntarily return to this so-called hometown was none other than for the last ray of light in his childhood—the one who had given him freedom.

His sister had personally freed him from his prison and pushed him toward the sea, toward freedom.

The reason he came back this time was initially just to see his sister again. To let the person who cared about him know that he was living a good life now.

But on the way here, he had looked through the information about the Germa Kingdom and learned what Germa had done over the years under Judge's leadership.

That's when Sanji changed his mind.

He decided to take Reiju away from this kingdom that bound her. Just as she had done for him when he was a child, he wanted to give her the freedom that belonged to her.

Back to the present. After hearing what Sanji said, Reiju also fell silent.

After realizing that Sanji had made up his mind to return to this painful place for her sake, she felt deeply touched.

She smiled and stretched out her arms. Without waiting for Sanji's reaction, she embraced him warmly.

Just like their mother had done back then, she gently stroked Sanji's head.

At first, Sanji was embarrassed and annoyed by her unexpected hug and head pat. He wanted to break free from Reiju's arms.

But gradually, perhaps recalling the past and feeling that familiar touch, he relaxed and stopped resisting.

Although he still felt a little embarrassed that he was a grown man being hugged and having his head patted by his sister, as long as Reiju agreed to leave with him, he would accept it.

What Sanji didn't expect was that after Reiju finished enjoying rubbing her brother's head and finally let go, her next words were a resolute and unyielding refusal.

"I'm sorry, Sanji, but I have another reason to stay here. Don't forget, besides you, I have three younger brothers here."

"Reiju, they're—!"

Sanji was furious and wanted to argue, but Reiju grabbed his shoulders and turned him around, allowing no rebuttal.

She pushed him toward the door from behind.

"Okay, okay, go and reunite with your companions. Turn left when you go out and there's a staircase. Your room is the last one on the left on the fourth floor. If you don't know the way, just ask any maid and they'll take you there."

In this way, she skillfully diverted the tense conversation.

He wanted to make one last attempt, but when he turned around, he saw that Reiju's door was half-closed, revealing only her beautiful face.

"No, I'm going to take a bath and have a nap. Or do you think that Sanji, at his age, still wants to take a bath with his sister?"

Leaving these words behind, Reiju chuckled, closed the door, and locked it from the inside.

Sanji, left outside, felt embarrassed and annoyed. His face turned red with anger, but he had no way to deal with Reiju.

After all, he couldn't just force his way in—what if she really had taken off her clothes and was preparing to bathe?

He didn't want to be labeled as a pervert with a sister complex.

After knocking on the door for a long time without any response, Sanji had no choice but to leave alone.

Inside the room, Reiju was leaning against the door, listening quietly to his footsteps as he walked away.

Only after the footsteps completely disappeared did she slowly enter the bathroom.

After adjusting the water temperature and removing her clothes, her smooth, pale feet—so white and delicate that one could clearly see the blood vessels beneath the skin—were the first to step into the bath.

Then her whole body sank into the pool, and only then did she let out a soft sigh.

In the large bathtub that was big enough for seven or eight people to bathe in simultaneously, Reiju hugged her legs and huddled in the corner, her beautiful face buried deeply against her smooth thighs.

It seemed that only at times like this could she remove her mask.

Free from being the well-behaved daughter in her father's eyes, free from the identity of the Germa 66 warrior that everyone feared.

She turned back into the helpless and confused girl who longed for freedom and family affection.

"I'm sorry, Sanji. One person is enough for this paranoid and cruel family. You can explore this world for me."

Chapter 573: Judge: I Have a Daughter, Can She Be the Admiral's Consort?

Moving the timeline forward a bit.

After Judge extended his invitation, Luffy declined Ain and the others' requests to accompany him and followed Judge alone.

Led by his host, the two walked straight into the depths of the castle.

This was Judge's life's work over the years, and also one of the bargaining chips he intended to use to persuade Luffy.

The first underground floor of the castle was an entire arsenal dedicated to manufacturing cutting-edge weapons.

Luffy followed Judge as he proudly introduced the origins of these factories.

"Our Germa Kingdom has been a technological nation specializing in advanced technology for generations. The factory you see here is the result of joint efforts between myself and the ancestors of the Vinsmoke family. Back then, after our Vinsmoke family was expelled from our homeland, we lived very miserably. But despite that hardship, after generations of tireless work, it was finally my generation that witnessed the Germa Kingdom's rejuvenation."

(The following 10,000 words of boasting are omitted)

Throughout the tour, Judge repeatedly mentioned the former glory and decline of Germa. He continued to emphasize his own contribution to the revival of the kingdom. He attributed all of Germa's current achievements to his personal wisdom and courage.

Even though things were almost exactly as he described them, Luffy couldn't help but feel uncomfortable after listening to his incessant bragging.

"Your Majesty, I have certainly heard of Germa and your glorious deeds. But I suspect you brought me here not just to teach me about the past."

Judge, who was in the middle of his monologue when suddenly interrupted, felt a sudden jolt in his heart. He realized he had talked too much and made the person in front of him uncomfortable.

Thinking of his plan, he quickly stopped his chatter and changed the subject.

"I'm sorry, I said too much. You're right. I invited you here alone because I want to ask something of you, or rather, to discuss a deal with you."

As he said that, he gestured to the arsenal in front of them and asked Luffy:

"Admiral, what do you think of my arsenal?"

Luffy didn't know what Judge was driving at, but he wasn't in a hurry and patiently played along with his host's performance.

"It's impressive in scale, well-staffed, and uses cutting-edge technology. Any army would be fortunate to acquire the weapons produced by your arsenal. It's certainly enough to build a formidable fighting force."

Although Luffy's words might have been somewhat exaggerated, they sounded particularly gratifying to Judge, who felt quite validated.

"Yes, with the weapons produced by my arsenal, even civilians who have never touched a sword could overpower the regular armies of some small nations. This is the strength of our Germa."

After boasting about Germa as usual, Judge looked at Luffy seriously and said:

"Now, I plan to give this arsenal, along with all the weapon blueprints it produces, to my eldest daughter, Reiju."

Luffy was immediately stunned by Judge's words.

After hearing the first half of the sentence, he had thought this old man was going to offer the arsenal to him as a gesture of goodwill. But the sudden pivot in the second half of the sentence, giving it to his daughter instead, left Luffy confused.

What was the point of this strange announcement? It seemed as pointless as taking off one's pants to fart.

Seeing the confusion that flashed across Luffy's eyes, Judge secretly felt proud of himself, inwardly congratulating himself on his genius.

Proudly twisting his upturned beard, Judge then revealed his true purpose.

"I've heard that Admiral Luffy seems to have a special fondness for princesses of various kingdoms. I wonder what the admiral thinks of my daughter Reiju? If my daughter catches the admiral's eye, I am willing to facilitate matters and provide a dowry worth billions of Berries, including this arsenal and five snail ships."

Luffy: ...

"Who the hell has been spreading rumors about me again?! Why do people think I have a special liking for princesses? Hancock and Viola are both queens. There's only one princess named Vivi! This is complete nonsense!"

Luffy inwardly cursed the tabloids that made up stories all day long.

But the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl up slightly.

You know what, these tabloids are quite perceptive in some ways. Someone really does love a certain princess deeply.

Chapter 574: Judge: Loyalty! Sincerity!!

For someone like Luffy, he would probably be willing to marry Reiju if directly asked.

He already had a favorable impression of Reiju.

Not to mention, in the original timeline, Reiju was the woman who took Luffy's first kiss. The two of them had that connection.

Of course, Luffy would never display his thoughts openly on his face.

Luffy appropriately showed a hint of interest in response to Judge's suggestion.

"Your Majesty, I appreciate your kindness. As for your daughter's marriage, I think it's better to let Her Royal Highness decide for herself. I have always advocated for freedom in matters of love."

"Freedom, of course it means free love. Who says it's not free?" Judge quickly countered. Then, pretending to be embarrassed, he hesitated for a moment before sighing as if he had something to confess:

"To be honest, after I heard about your accomplishments, Admiral, my daughter fell for you. It's just that girls are shy and dare not express themselves. I can see it and feel her anxiety. That's why I had no choice but to make this proposal."

Pretend, keep pretending! Luffy secretly despised him in his heart, but he appeared unmoved and merely continued with his polite deflection.

"But I'm just an ordinary admiral of the Marines, concurrently serving as the administrator of Wano Country. Even if Miss Reiju has some feelings for me, I don't think I am worthy of your family. Perhaps we should just forget about it."

Judge's already determined heart became even more resolute after hearing that Luffy also had authority over Wano Country.

"No, no, no, you are really too modest. To achieve such success at such a young age is rare even counting the 800-year history of the World Government. You and my daughter are a perfect match made in heaven. No one is more suitable than you."

Luffy: "No, no, no, I'm still a little inadequate."

Judge: "No, no, you are the only one who can be my son-in-law."

Luffy: "No, no, no, Reiju deserves better."

Judge: "Don't be ridiculous. There is no young person in this world who is better than you."

Luffy: ...

The two of them went back and forth for quite some time, but Judge seemed to have made up his mind about Luffy and was determined to push Reiju toward him no matter what Luffy said.

Helpless, Luffy couldn't continue arguing and finally had to accept with great reluctance.

However, he still did not forget to emphasize that he would have a private conversation with Reiju later. If she didn't want the marriage, he would never force it.

In response, Judge patted his chest with confidence and made a promise to Luffy.

In fact, at this time, Reiju had no idea that her father had essentially sold her off.

But the reason why Judge remained so confident was that he was certain Reiju would obey his arrangements.

The reason was very simple—just like her three brothers Ichiji, Niji, and Yonji, Reiju had undergone extensive modification. They had all been implanted with instructions to absolutely obey Judge's orders.

Even though Reiju had not been completely deprived of her emotions like her brothers, she still could not disobey Judge's arrangements.

The marriage between the two was thus settled.

Judge, who thought he had paid enough with his offer, finally decided to speak out his demands.

Luffy, who understood the situation well, did not hesitate any longer and kept silent as he prepared to discover Judge's true purpose.

Both of them tacitly avoided mentioning the dowry discussed earlier.

To Judge, it was nothing more than an arsenal and a few snail ships, which he could rebuild if lost.

But for Luffy, these things were better than nothing—just a bonus.

After a few moments of silence, Judge led Luffy to a relatively secluded corner and finally revealed his real intentions.

"Luffy... you don't mind me calling you that, do you?"

Luffy waved his hand to indicate that it didn't matter and motioned for him to continue.

Judge was pleased, feeling that by offering his daughter's hand in marriage, he had brought them closer together.

So he proceeded:

"Luffy, I recently heard from my contacts in the World Government that... the Revolutionary Army has been acting more and more brazenly in recent years, and several member states have already fallen victim."

Luffy didn't say anything, just frowned with a concerned expression, then nodded slowly.

Seeing this, Judge couldn't help but grow more excited and quickly continued:

"I also heard that these member states that were captured by the Revolutionary Army are now beyond the World Government's control. Even the most basic tribute of Heavenly Gold has been discontinued, which has made the noble Celestial Dragons very unhappy. My Germa Kingdom is only a small country without vast territories. But as a member of the World Government, I now understand the government's difficulties and want to help."

Chapter 575: Luffy: King Judge of Germa, the Backbone of the Government and the World~

If Luffy hadn't known Judge's character in advance, he might have believed he was a loyal subject of the World Government and a role model for member states.

Or if these words had come from anyone else, Luffy might have taken them at face value.

But coming from the mouth of Judge—cold-blooded, power-hungry, and filled with enormous ambition—Luffy treated his words as a joke, inwardly laughing without taking them seriously.

Still, he had to play his part. He was now a high-ranking official of the government, and when faced with such a "loyal" and "good man" willing to share the government's burdens, he naturally had to respond with appropriate courtesy.

Luffy immediately nodded with a look of surprise and appreciation, asking with a pleased smile:

"Germa is truly worthy of being considered a power in the North Sea—more responsible than other countries. Along our journey, we've passed through many member states, but Your Majesty Judge was the only one who took the initiative to offer assistance with the government's concerns. Based on this loyalty alone, even if Your Majesty has some small requests, I am willing to agree on behalf of the government and advocate for you to the leadership."

"Excellent! I've been waiting for you to say this!"

Judge was overjoyed but waved his hand in a show of modesty:

"No, no, this is simply my duty as a member of the World Government. The evil Revolutionary Army has long been despised by countries worldwide for their unjust actions. Although our Germa Kingdom is small, we will never tolerate such villains and will strike hard against them."

Luffy was stunned by Judge's self-righteous words.

Who the hell do you think you are, Germa? You actually have the nerve to call the Revolutionary Army evil? To be honest, your reputation among the member nations isn't much better than theirs. I can only say you're truly worthy of being a king—your face doesn't show even a hint of shame!

Though he complained secretly in his heart, Luffy kept nodding on the surface, appearing to agree with Judge's remarks.

"The Revolutionary Army has long been condemned for its actions. Since Your Majesty is willing to stand up for all member states, I would like to express gratitude on behalf of those rulers who unfortunately lost their countries."

As he spoke, Luffy gave Judge a slight bow to express his appreciation.

Judge didn't dare accept Luffy's gesture and quickly stepped aside.

Luffy was merely performing, and after doing enough surface work, he finally got to the point.

"Since the Germa Kingdom is willing to be the vanguard in punishing evil, the government naturally cannot remain silent. Your Majesty, if you have any difficulties or needs, please speak freely. I will put in a good word for you to the government, both officially and privately. I'll make sure the higher-ups understand Germa's challenges and loyalty."

"In that case, I do have something to ask of you, Luffy."

Judge could no longer contain his joy. He coughed lightly and quickly continued:

"As you know, the Germa Kingdom has no true territory for development. Our entire nation relies on mercenary business to sustain itself. If we're to fight against a formidable organization like the Revolutionary Army, we cannot do so without a stable base. So I would like to request the government's permission to attack the non-member states in the North Sea and first secure a rear base that can provide a steady supply of manpower and resources."

As Judge spoke, he carefully observed Luffy's expression, trying to discern his thoughts.

To his disappointment, his future son-in-law was not a reckless man who only knew how to fight. Throughout Judge's entire request, Luffy's face remained impassive, giving no indication whether he agreed or not.

After Judge finished speaking, Luffy did not immediately answer.

He fell silent—no one could tell what he was thinking—and walked out of the arsenal on his own.

Judge grew nervous, but seeing Luffy move away, he had no choice but to follow quietly.

After leaving the arsenal, Luffy walked aimlessly, not knowing the way.

He had only taken a few steps when he finally broke his extended silence.

"Attacking non-member states is legal for any member of the World Government. But since Your Majesty specifically mentioned this to me, it must not be as simple as conquering one or two small countries."