One piece: I,Akaino will not die easily

"Come in!" Sengoku responded loudly, fearing the person outside might not hear him clearly.

Click, click—the crisp sound of high heels striking the ground echoed through the room. Following a short and light snap, the sound stopped. The owner of the heels came to a halt, standing in a military posture not far from the three.

"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, Vice Admiral Tsuru, pardon my intrusion. This is the report on the maintenance status of the naval ship docked this afternoon. Please have a look."

Only now did Sakazuki slightly turn his head to look at the newcomer. Her hairstyle was neatly arranged, with jet-black, lustrous hair simply tied up, leaving just two strands of hair cascading down each side of her face. The high and delicate bridge of her nose added a touch of three-dimensionality to her classic Eastern beauty.

Her high, well-endowed chest was prominently displayed as her uniform's zipper was pulled open just enough to reveal a significant portion of fair, smooth skin. The white lace-trimmed, peach-colored uniform seemed barely able to contain the weighty fruits of her figure. In stark contrast to her generous bust was her slender waist, which could be held with one hand.

Her tall stature accentuated the curvaceous outline of her rounded hips, while her short uniform failed to hide her fair, long legs. On the outer side of her left thigh, there was a menacing spider tattoo.

The woman seemed fond of peach tones, as even the cuffs of her officer's coat were filled with pink accents.

However, Sakazuki's attention was not on her stunning appearance. His gaze shifted downward to the katana hanging diagonally at her waist, with its white hilt—Konpira, a famed blade.

"Momousagi, thank you for your hard work," Tsuru said with a faint smile, motioning for the young rear admiral under her to direct her attention to the tallest person in the room. "Let me introduce you. This is Vice Admiral Sakazuki from Naval Headquarters."

"I know of you," Momousagi's cold voice carried a hint of respect. "'A soldier among soldiers.' It is an honor to meet you for the first time."

Sakazuki nodded slightly in response. His mind raced as he considered the situation. This woman must be the candidate Tsuru had recommended. However, he had never met her before. Was Tsuru, along with Sengoku, acting a little too hastily?

For now, it was best to feign ignorance and let the situation unfold naturally. Tsuru would likely take this opportunity to suggest that there was a talented female officer present, giving Sengoku the perfect reason to play matchmaker. With this thought, Sakazuki decided to let them perform their little play before addressing the woman before him and discussing more serious matters.

Momousagi parted her rosy lips and said, "Vice Admiral Sakazuki, I specifically asked Tsuru to arrange for me to meet you."

While Sakazuki was imagining how the 'accidental meeting' scene would play out, her unexpected statement hit him like a curveball, leaving him slightly surprised.

The three of them exchanged glances, equally astonished. What happened to sticking to the script? Why was this young woman not playing along?

Understanding Momousagi's personality well, Tsuru let out a soft sigh. The two shared a close bond, with Tsuru treating her like a younger sister. It was at Momousagi's heartfelt request that Tsuru had gone to great lengths to ask Sengoku to cooperate in arranging this meeting. Who could have guessed that the girl would be interested in someone as stiff and headstrong as Sakazuki?

Thinking of this, Tsuru couldn't help but feel a pang of frustration, akin to the sensation of having carefully nurtured cabbage suddenly fed to pigs.

Sakazuki, observing this female officer, couldn't help but feel puzzled. "Why did you want to meet me?"

"Because I wanted to see for myself what kind of person could say those words," Momousagi responded, her gaze unwavering as she met Sakazuki's eyes. Her admiration was evident.

"Oh? And now that you've met me?" Sakazuki asked, slightly resigned. His speech on what it meant to be a soldier, given aboard a naval vessel, was indeed intended to promote a certain ideology. However, he hadn't expected it to spread so quickly.

Momousagi smiled faintly. "You're even better than I imagined. May I ask if you would consider dating me, Vice Admiral Sakazuki?"

The curveball turned into a supersonic pitch. Though accustomed to sudden developments, Sakazuki was momentarily caught off guard.

He glanced at Sengoku, who was signaling him incessantly, then at Tsuru, who remained silent. Turning his gaze back to the composed Momousagi, he asked, "This is our first meeting, isn't it, Momousagi?"

"It is."

"Under such circumstances, when we don't truly know each other, wouldn't a relationship be premature? I might not be the person you imagine me to be."

"Exactly because of that, I need to spend time with you to determine for myself," Momousagi stated firmly. "This isn't merely about love. I also hope to learn from you and validate whether a true soldier is as upright and incorruptible as the officers claim."

…How was he supposed to respond to that level of righteousness?

Every attempt Sakazuki made to tactfully refuse was countered with unwavering determination. Glancing again at Sengoku, who continued to signal him, and at Tsuru, who maintained her silence, he turned back to Momousagi.

Finally, he said, "Then, I look forward to working with you in the future."