Chapter 83: The Infiltrating Agent

Debon Headquarters.

Although the planned shipping business had not yet fully unfolded, the island was already brimming with a vibrant liveliness that far surpassed the days under Creek’s rule. This place had always been a key node on several popular East Sea routes, but the Creek Pirate Crew’s blockade and exorbitant passage fees had forced most weaker merchants and travelers to take long detours, leaving the region stagnant and moribund.

However, when word spread that the righteous knight Garen had taken command of Creek’s territory, this newly reborn land of justice was soon teeming with life.

This boom, however, brought enormous pressure to Debon’s fledgling administrative apparatus:

For instance, Miss Nami, the finance officer, found herself dizzy and nauseous after days of dealing with the territory’s endless and overwhelming funds. She was already planning to recruit more professional accountants to take over, hoping to escape her ordeal as soon as possible. In a few more days, the once money-obsessed Nami would likely be able to declare with complete composure, “Making over a billion Berries a month is truly a painful thing,” and thus coin a new famous saying.

As for Governor Garen…

Garen was quite at ease. The ones truly exhausted were his administrator, Dex, and his secretary, Miss Vivi.

Garen had little interest in governing the territory. He delegated as much of the administrative work as possible, which left the so-called secretary—who was, in reality, the acting governor—Princess Vivi, to shoulder the burden. Since taking up this secretarial post, Vivi had scarcely left the grand office of the governor.

Despite the heavy workload, Vivi discovered a new passion in this temporary role. She had witnessed, firsthand, the profound transformation of this sea: from a pirate stronghold to a bustling city. For this princess, born with a deep sense of duty to her homeland, the sense of accomplishment in changing the world filled her with elation.

Vivi was engrossed in paperwork when, suddenly, a sharp series of knocks rang through the office.

“Come in,” she called habitually, her eyes still fixed on the documents before her.

Unconsciously, she had begun to exude a certain poise befitting an administrator.

As the door’s crisp lock clicked, a playful female voice drifted to Vivi’s ears:

“Intern!”

“You seem to be doing quite well under your new boss.”

“But a third-rate organization is a third-rate organization—their security is truly abysmal!”

Vivi’s body tensed instantly. She looked up in disbelief at the blue-haired woman standing at the door.

Her lips twitched, and after a long hesitation, she managed to say in a strained voice, “Miss Double-Finger…”

Before Vivi could finish, Miss Double-Finger cut her off harshly, her tone cold and severe:

“You know the rules of Baroque Works.”

“What fate awaits a traitor?”

No sooner had she finished than sharp thorny vines sprouted from Miss Double-Finger’s right hand, pressing menacingly against Vivi’s slender neck.

This was the power of her Thorn Fruit: she could produce tough, razor-sharp thorns from any part of her body as weapons.

One step closer, and blood would flow.

“Wait!” Vivi hurriedly put on a pitiful, ingratiating expression and pleaded softly,

“Senior, I haven’t betrayed Baroque Works!”

“Working for that man—I was forced into it.”

Having once infiltrated an intelligence organization alone as an undercover agent, Vivi was, naturally, a master of her craft. With her pitiful, doe-eyed look, she seemed as innocent and harmless as a frightened rabbit.

“Forced?” Miss Double-Finger was unmoved and replied icily,

“If you hadn’t traded Baroque Works’ intel as your offering, why would that knight trust you so much?”

“Secretary, is it? That’s a position of immense power!”

As she spoke, the vicious thorns drew even closer to Vivi’s delicate throat.

“I…I…” Vivi could find no words to defend herself and resorted to the sincerest plea she knew: tears.

“I really had no choice…”

Crystalline tears welled in her eyes, making them shine like two luminous, dewy gems. Her sorrow, helplessness, and grief were all laid bare with those tears.

“Could it be…” Miss Double-Finger scrutinized the drastically changed Vivi before her:

Simple yet finely made white dress, smooth blue hair cascading freely around her delicate collarbones, no trace of gaudy makeup—only the proud display of her natural, fair skin.

With this new appearance, Vivi had shed all traces of her former rebelliousness, now resembling a gentle, lovable girl-next-door—a living porcelain doll, the perfect image to captivate a man’s heart.

This was worlds apart from her previous look in Baroque Works, so much so that it surprised Miss Double-Finger.

The deliberate sorrow and vulnerability on Vivi’s face, performed for survival, further fueled Miss Double-Finger’s imagination.

“Could it be…?”

“Did that man…?”

Her gaze at Vivi turned strange: startled, with an undercurrent of pity.

“Huh?” Vivi was momentarily stunned.

She quickly caught on and stammered, “He…he…”

“So that’s it…” Miss Double-Finger muttered as understanding dawned.

“No wonder he dares entrust all the territory’s affairs to you—you’re that kind of secretary.”

Vivi lowered her head in embarrassment, the blend of pain and shame perfectly portrayed.

Miss Double-Finger cast her another odd glance.

“Did he make you dress like this?”

Faced with such an awkward topic, Vivi’s cheeks flushed a soft red, and she could only murmur a quiet, “Mmm.”

“I knew he was a shameless scoundrel!” Miss Double-Finger spat disdainfully.

“No wonder I heard that knight also keeps a beautiful finance officer, a beautiful chief instructor…”

“So he’s that sort of lecher!”

Slandering Garen behind his back, Vivi felt a twinge of guilt.

She blushed, quickly changed the subject, and feigned excitement:

“Miss Double-Finger, I’ve been enduring humiliation, waiting for support from Baroque Works!”

“You’ve finally come to rescue me!”

“Don’t flatter yourself.” Miss Double-Finger eyed Vivi coldly.

“An intern isn’t worth my trouble.”

“I’m here to recover the losses of Baroque Works.”

“Where’s the money?”

She fixed Vivi with a sharp gaze.

“You’re his plaything now—don’t tell me you don’t even know where this organization’s treasury is!”

“Well…” Vivi hesitated, testing the waters:

“Senior, that knight ruined our business. Shouldn’t you settle the score with him?”

“Settle the score?” Miss Double-Finger’s tone grew wary.

“I didn’t have enough intel before I came and underestimated that hypocrite.”

“Only now do I realize the knight has close ties with the Logia Colonel at HQ.”

Her voice became even more dangerous:

“You want me to confront someone like that alone? Are you trying to get me in trouble—or make Baroque Works more enemies?”

“Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten who you are just because you’ve slept with that man a few times!”

“Of course not!” Vivi declared with righteous indignation.

“How could I help that…that…”

With guilt and embarrassment, she forced out the word through clenched teeth:

“Scoundrel!”