Bab 29: The Rebellious Girl Who Violates Military Discipline
Kongming assigned Hailan the rank of Major. Given headquarters sent him to handle a complete mission at a branch, being just a soldier would be absurd. The branch members would think, "We're fighting pirates tooth and nail, and headquarters sends us a mere foot soldier. What is this?"
Typically, headquarters officers are considered to be about three ranks higher in skill than their branch counterparts. So, to the branch, he'd essentially be seen as a "commander."
Only officers ranked Colonel and above are entitled to their own warship in headquarters. Given the particular circumstances of this mission, Kongming could have arranged a small warship and a dozen soldiers for Hailan, but Hailan declined.
As Hailan said, "A dozen soldiers don't make much difference." It's easier to handle the mission solo.
Thus, Hailan set off alone to East Blue. He traveled on a World Government official ship, which used the same technology as Navy ships to cross the Calm Belt, the only way civilians could travel from the Grand Line to the Four Seas.
Pirates, however, unless disguising themselves well enough to fool Navy inspections, mostly rowed through the Calm Belt.
Besides the peculiar stillness without wind year-round, the Calm Belt's home to many giant Sea Kings. Navy ships and government official ships embedded with Seastone at the hulls emit a similar aura to the sea, avoiding Sea Kings' attacks. But pirates had to brave through.
Hence, residents of the Four Seas often saw defeated and haggard returnees from the Grand Line, having lost to the Grand Line's harshness and survived the Sea Kings' attacks. Actual failures or the unlucky ones never made it through the Calm Belt alive.
At the Navy's Loguetown branch base, a spirited female officer stared blankly at her desk. Her striking purple-red hair was styled in a neat, professional cut. Usually vibrant with youthful energy, she now looked troubled and contemplative.
On her desk was an almost empty ink bottle. She had sent over ten letters requesting assistance from headquarters, but all she got was endless waiting.
"Belle-mère, no reply again?" A man appeared behind her. He was an officer at the Loguetown branch, ranked one level below Belle-mère, a lieutenant.
Seeing Belle-mère's disappointed look, the lieutenant sighed, "Does headquarters not care about East Blue at all?"
"Don't say that, Wagner," Belle-mère, still hopeful, responded. "Maybe they really can't spare anyone. After Roger started the Great Pirate Era, too many pirates have rushed to the Grand Line. Even from East Blue, many officers not strong enough were called to headquarters, showing how pressured they are."
"Three years ago, Golden Lion Shiki escaped Impel Down, an unprecedented event. That was a huge blow to their morale."
Belle-mère reiterated the words she often used to console herself.
"If we hadn't insisted on staying in East Blue, Loguetown might be even more chaotic now."
"Cheer up, Wagner. Don't let the soldiers see their officers downcast!"
Belle-mère gave Wagner a robust and cheerful smile. His expression remained unchanged, but his heartbeat quickened slightly.
"Report…"
The slight awkwardness in the air was interrupted by a soldier's report. A flustered soldier burst in, "Report, Lieutenant Belle-mère…oh, Lieutenant Wagner, you're here too?"
"What's up?" Wagner, not feeling awkward, asked directly.
The soldier was excited, "Headquarters just called. They've received our request and are sending a major from headquarters."
"See? All that effort wasn't wasted," Belle-mère patted Wagner on the back, looking less like a composed officer and more like a rebellious girl.
Belle-mère, originally from Cocoyasi Village, was considered a "bad girl" due to her rebellious nature. Unexpectedly, she became a Navy officer after leaving the village. She never returned or informed the town of her Navy career.
Rebellious children tend to attract attention. After joining the Navy, Wagner secretly admired Belle-mère. Unlike Chaton, who made his admiration public, Wagner was shy, and almost no one in the base knew of his feelings.
They heard angry shouts from inside as they approached the Colonel's office.
"Who's this new guy? A kid who hasn't even graduated from the Navy Academy, already taking my command because he's Zephyr's son?"
"Calm down, sir. Zephyr was a former Admiral…"
"Of course, I know that! I just need to vent, okay?"
Colonel Hill's lousy temper was well-known at the base. But besides his temper, he was also incompetent and egotistical.
Belle-mère's request for assistance violated Hill's orders as he wanted to handle the pirates himself. But she and Wagner knew it was an impossible dream.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
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