"Why is the Vice Admiral so proactive?"
"There must be something here that we don't know about."
"Could it be that Master Celestial Dragon has made an offer that cannot be refused?"
"It's possible that the Vice Admiral prefers a job with more money and less work, which Celestial Dragons can provide."
"Is it possible that the Vice Admiral was simply conquered by Saint Lakeman?"
Everyone was speculating wildly, their chatter filled with curiosity and hidden concern. Vice Admiral's proactive attitude today made them feel uneasy.
On Lakeman's boat, the atmosphere was electric.
"Hey, here you go, Mr. Borsalino" Lakeman greeted with a smile, a little surprised at Kizaru's enthusiasm.
"I already like the high-end ingredients here," Kizaru smiled back.
Lunch was served, and the two men took their positions as always. But today, the atmosphere was different.
"Saint Lakeman, going to Sabaody Archipelago, what are your plans?"
"What does the Holy Land Mariejois look like?"
"Oh, I envy your life."
Kizaru's attitude had shifted from his usual indifference to one of overt flattery. The butlers and servants nearby were astounded.
"Is this the same Vice Admiral Kizaru? Why did he completely change his demeanor today?"
"Haha, the life of Celestial Dragons is just like that, simple and unpretentious," Lakeman replied, pretending to be modest, though the grin on his lips was uncontainable. It felt good to be praised, even if he knew it was insincere. Lakeman was delighted, especially as his system's binding progress improved.
'Damn, I never flattered Teacher Zephyr this much when I was young!' Kizaru cursed inwardly. If it weren't for his mission to uncover the people behind Lakeman, he wouldn't be here, degrading himself to please a ten-year-old child.
'This Celestial Dragon is smiling so happily; he should have lowered his guard against me.'
Meanwhile, the three Boa sisters finished washing and eating lunch, then went to the deck. They saw Kizaru flattering Lakeman from a distance and got goosebumps.
"So greasy!"
"So shameless!"
"How could he say that without conscience?"
Kizaru's words stunned the sisters.
Lakeman exuded the aura of an ancient king, his handsome, burly figure radiating grace. Any glance from him made people shudder. Yet, Kizaru's flattery and Lakeman's delighted reaction seemed almost comical.
The butler couldn't help but look away, feeling secondhand embarrassment.
'The time has come,' Kizaru thought, narrowing his eyes. 'A ten-year-old child, no matter how scheming, can't hide much.'
Just as he was about to probe further, Lakeman turned his eyes towards the Boa sisters on the deck and waved, "Come here."
The three Boa sisters exchanged confused glances but walked up to Lakeman.
Kizaru paused, swallowing back his words.
"I'd like to introduce you to Vice Admiral Kizaru. This is an Admiral candidate with the powerful Logia Sparkling fruit, ranking among the top ten in the entire Marine!" Lakeman praised enthusiastically.
Kizaru waved his hands modestly. The three Boa sisters wore strange expressions. This was the first time they heard Lakeman speak so highly of someone.
"It just so happens that we were discussing training," Lakeman continued. "You often have questions. Why not take this opportunity to ask Vice Admiral Kizaru for advice?"
Kizaru was taken aback. 'When did we talk about training? I was just flattering you and listening to you brag about the boring daily life of Celestial Dragons.' But then, a thought struck him, and his expression changed. 'This Celestial Dragon wasn't fooled?'
He suddenly realized something terrible. Although Lakeman seemed happy to be praised, what if he hadn't let his guard down at all?
"Can I ask for advice?" Boa Hancock asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Sure," Lakeman replied calmly. "Vice Admiral Kizaru and I hit it off immediately. We've had lunch and dinner together these days. The Vice Admiral won't refuse this small favor. What do you think, Vice Admiral?"
Kizaru felt as if a thunderbolt had struck him. Lakeman was indeed not deceived by his flattery! On the contrary, he acted as if he was, while remaining completely aware.
'What a deep mind!' Kizaru thought, horrified.
The butler, too, looked at Lakeman in disbelief, moved by the Master's willpower. Even as an adult, it was difficult to resist flattery, yet Lakeman remained calm, smoothly changing the subject to avoid giving Kizaru any opportunity to probe further.
'Master, have you seen it? Master Lakeman is a genius!' The butler couldn't help but look up at the sky, tears in his eyes, feeling immensely proud.
But Lakeman thought none of this.
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