[H2][CENTRE][color=fff200][b]KUROZUMI HAKU[/b][/color][/CENTRE][/H2]

The afternoon sun came as men moved, moving crates inside a mansion quickly as they wore hats. Both to protect themselves from the harsh sun and prevent others from seeing their faces with work continuing in near silence.

A brief gust of wind came across them. No one considered it unusual and even welcome it.

Hence no one noticed another new presence that had just walked in brazenly like he owned the place.

Haku strolled in quietly, looking around before ducking into an empty hallway and aimed to quickly find evidence. Even if there are no papers to keep track of, there are always bound to be some documents or ledgers.

This was familiar territory for him and in such a mansion, there’s always bound to be a clue there.

Faint footsteps approached from the second just as he reached the modest but strong oak staircase. Prompting Haku to duck into a blindspot to keep himself hidden, breath nearly stilled and mind blank.

Quiet, soft, and favoring one side. He idly analysed as the footstep got louder, and descended the stairs as it came closer and closer.

From the corner of his eyes, Haku saw the shadow as an elderly man with white hair moved past him, with a monocle in one side of his face and was dressed rather casually despite the rings that he wore.

[i][color=fff200]The Mayor.[/color][/i] Haku recognized from the briefing and photo shown to him on board the Kirin. He was on the right track then as he waited for a while longer before he resumed moving upwards.

It didn’t take long for him to find the office as he checked for traps first before pressing his ears against it, then slowly but firmly, he twisted the door handle to  avoid making any sound.

Once opened, he smoothly moved inside the room and closed the door behind him.

Taking a look around him, the place with filled with books, a wide carpet, and wooden oak desk that served as the centrepiece, piled with numerous papers and an abandoned cup with a small amount of leftover liquid alongside traces of camomile scent lingering in the air.

Haku glanced through the papers before he placed them back in the exact position as he ran through all of them systematically. Most of It was reports of the island's current supplies stock, requests for help, trade deals, and numerous messages for urgent deliveries to neighbouring villages.

He now has an idea of just how desperate the situation was, that yesterday's complaints seemed subdued compared to the reality of it all.

Haku shook his head, a crime’s a crime. The Mayor turned to crime for understandable reasons, but all it’ll do is let other problems flourish.

Still, this isn’t enough.

Checking the drawers swiftly revealed a few small books, stamps and postcards. The books had nothing beyond torn pages, used perhaps as scribbling rather than anything concrete.

Haku stopped as he reached a certain section, it contained numbers and alphabets. Random perhaps, but he knew better.

It looked like Marine’s code, one that is reserved for commissioned officers but had a few modifications done to it.

[i][color=fff200]Did someone teach it to a civilian?[/color][/i] Haku thought as he quickly memorised it, checked for any more codes, and put it back.

He can only decipher parts of it, the rest has to be sent to Cadog. Acting on partial information was dangerous, and the one who knows this best was Captain Cadog.

Though it didn’t escape his attention that these are explicit instructions on how to move things and the amount expected. 

—

From the open seas, fast breeze filled the sails of a marine battleship to its fullest and moved at top speed. Marines moved around the deck as they kept it at top condition and eyes open for any threats.

Cadog tapped his smoking pipe, looking at the horizon and the weather carefully. While his navigator was doing the same, it didn’t hurt for multiple eyes keeping a lookout for it.

He moved the tobacco pipe to the corner of his mouth before letting out a puff of smoke, as they passed through Gosa’s Village sea route.

“Report.” Cadog said without turning his back as a thump of a foot and salute came. That earned a few looks from the crew before returning to their work.

[color=fff200]“I uncovered a set of messages Marine coded, in the Mayor's office,”[/color] Haku replied back, almost like he had always been there the whole time before the latter handed him a notebook.

Cadog frowned and ignored the damp state of his clothing, focusing on the report instead as he flicked through the pages quickly. Prompting Haku to continue his report.

[color=fff200]“Marines from the 77th base were also spotted, offloading supplies and outside of uniform.”[/color]

“Hmm.” Cadog hummed as he closed the notebook with a snap of his wrist and slipped it in his pocket, then reached for his flask and took a brief swig of its alcoholic content. “How many are involved in this?”

[color=fff200]“Four to five, perhaps more.”[/color] Haku continued reporting on the number of possible collaborators. [color=fff200]“But they could also be paid and not told of what they’re doing.”[/color]

[color=fff200]“Still involved,”[/color] Cadog said with finality as he turned to issue a new order. [color=fff200]“Navigator, full speed back to base.”[/color]

“You heard the captain! Full speed to the 77th Marine Base!”

“Aye, captain!”

Haku quietly took his place and headed to join the crew but a cough from Cadog stopped that as he went back to attention.

“And the people?”

[color=fff200]“Shortage of food, prices went up, and there’s rationing. But there weren’t any overt crimes, nor did the Mayor look to be embezzling or profiting from these.”[/color]

“Never assume,” Cadog chided as he adjusted the steering slightly, turning an oncoming wave crash into a gentle slide against the hull of the ship instead. “Remember, a crime’s still a crime.”

“And that captain of the 77th Marine Base?” A hard tone came as the strong scent of rum intensified. “If this is true, then that’s multiple levels of breaches. That blistering barnacle will be lucky to be alive at the end.”

Haku kept silent about that as he glanced away momentarily before he looked back to Cadog. [color=fff200]“And his subordinates?”[/color]

“All of them will be investigated.” A moment of pause from Cadog before the latter added. “But those found innocent will be reassigned, kept under strict probation but that’s about it. We’re only aiming for the ones responsible.”

Haku let out a sigh he didn’t realize he was holding and quickly nodded at that decision, that was as fair as it’ll get.

“In the meantime, get out of that getup. You stick out like an albatross in a bowl of soup.” Cadog grumbled as he turned away.

Haku will never understand why as he filled out the dress quite nicely. He had thought Cadog would be proud that he managed it all the time and with so little resources as well.

Perhaps it was too obvious to tell from Cadog's perspective?

[i][color=fff200]Oh well. Guess I’ll have to do better.[/color][/i] Haku quickly went inside below the deck to dress back in uniform and cleaned himself up in the process.

—

[i][b]77th Marine Base[/b][/i]

Currently mostly devoid beyond the skeleton crew left behind, as everyone was expected to take three days off due to the presence of Captain Cadog and the Kirin’s crew. 

This was why when the Kirin moored in the afternoon, no one suspected anything out of the ordinary. 

Cadog, the Kirin’s first-mate, and Haku, all of three went towards the 77th captain's office. They kept to a leisurely pace as Haku moved behind the first-mate as per protocol and carried most of the incriminating documents. 

With a quick rap on the door by Cadog, the latter entered without waiting to be invited as the first mate and Haku filed in together.

“Ah, Captain! Back from your patrols?” The 77th Captain rose from his seat and quickly gestured to Cadog for a seat even as he went to the cabinet to get the latter a drink.

“Aye.” Cadog shrugged and took a seat across the table, letting the 77th captain finished pouring as he too returned to his seat. “So, is there anything? I doubt you brought those two for pleasantries.”

Hands waved towards the First-mate and Haku.

“Nothing much.” Cadog commented as he took the glass, swirled the contents, and downed it in one gulp. “It’s about your activity of sending your supplies to the mayor without permission.”

The air couldn’t get colder than some of the winter Island in the Devil Seas as the accused paled so fast that Haku wondered if the man had a devil fruit that allowed him to turn that white.

—-