"Zunesha? Why is it so early this time?"
Hitsugisukan frowned. Ever since Zunesha had started moving freely, it had a general route it followed. By all reasoning, it should still be some distance away from Wano Country right now.
"Senior Hitsugisukan, tomorrow's rest and bath day. Zunesha was already close to Wano Country, and I think it must have been after the Duchess received the news that she immediately ordered Zunesha to hurry back.
You know Zunesha's pace. If it goes all out, its speed is far from slow."
Pedro didn't think there was anything unusual with it. Even when Zunesha was strolling, its speed still surpassed most ships.
Its stride frequency might not be high, but the length of Zunesha's legs makes up for it.
At a height of over twenty thousand meters, with more than two-thirds of that in its legs, each step covered an immense distance, and when it was deliberately hurrying, it moved even faster.
"Pedro, you're still young, you don't understand. No matter how fast Zunesha walks, could it possibly be faster than those two flying?"
"Senior Hitsugisukan, you mean—"
"You'll know soon enough."
Having lived so many years, and serving as duke for so long, Hitsugisukan saw much further than Pedro. If it were only a matter of urgency, then having Zeraora fly Setsuna back would have been the fastest.
But they didn't do that; instead, they returned together with Zunesha.
Because of the Minks' autonomy, even if someone violated rules in Wano Country, they would still be brought back to Zou Island for judgment. Their choice to return with Zunesha clearly showed an intention to handle things by the book.
Yet Hitsugisukan didn't think there was anything wrong with that. He had no children of his own, so to him, the young people of Zou Island were all his children. If outsiders harmed a child of Zou Island, he too would be furious, wanting the offenders to pay the price.
Setsuna was already fiercely protective. The fact that these two had harmed her biological children, and that she hadn't stormed straight to them, was the part Hitsugisukan found strange.
"Senior Hitsugisukan! Zunesha is back, and also, this. They told me to bring this to you."
Before Hitsugisukan could take any further action, Bepo came tumbling in from outside, clutching a notebook.
Literally tumbling in.
Bepo had been in such a rush the whole way that when opening the door, he tripped on the threshold, bouncing forward like a furball until he landed in front of Hitsugisukan. Yet somehow, Bepo seemed to have trained a rather peculiar ability.
Even while rolling, he didn't cry out in surprise. Instead, he clearly conveyed his message and even managed to present the file on the Momonosuke incident right before Hitsugisukan.
"Be more careful next time."
"I'm sorry."
"Why are you apologizing?!"
Hitsugisukan never quite understood why, as a bear Mink, Bepo's personality leaned so much toward apologizing. But he had grown used to it, so he took the file to examine its contents.
The parts concerning Inuarashi and Nekomamushi had already been sorted. Though the details weren't written, the key events were clearly outlined.
"Became retainers of Kozuki Oden and disappeared for twenty years together with Kozuki Momonosuke. Fought with Meowna and Wolff, leading to conflict.
So the motive behind what you two did was simply because that human brat is Kozuki Oden's son?"
"Meow, what's wrong with that, Duke Hitsugisukan? Mokomo Dukedom is an ally of Wano Country. Centuries ago, we and the Kozuki family swore an oath like brothers.
The Beasts Pirates stole the Kozuki family's rule over Wano Country, shouldn't we help them reclaim it?"
"Nekomamushi, you've misunderstood something. We are allies, not subordinates."
It's not that allies can be abandoned at will, but no one had ever heard of an ally sacrificing themselves for another. The relationship between nations is based on entangled interests. When an alliance no longer brings benefits and instead harms a country's own interests, the alliance naturally ceases to exist.
Even with vassal countries, few ever risk their lives for their suzerain when the suzerain is in trouble.
A nation becomes a suzerain because it is stronger. If even the stronger nation cannot defeat an enemy, then the weaker vassal certainly stands no chance.
If the Beasts Pirates' goal was terror-based rule, and if Zou Island fell under that scope, then the Minks would certainly fight to their deaths. Most people understand the principle that when the lips are gone, the teeth feel the cold. [TN: The well-being of one directly affects the other, meaning they are bound to sink or swim together. ]
But reality told Hitsugisukan something different. The Beasts Pirates' rule over Wano Country actually brought more benefit to Zou Island.
In the past twenty years, Zou Island's rate of development could be said to rank just behind Wano Country. And since Wano still had Kozuki Hiyori as the legitimate shogun, Hitsugisukan saw no problem at all.
Hitsugisukan approached the matter as Duke of Zou Island, while Inuarashi and Nekomamushi approached it as retainers of Oden. What they saw was entirely different.
He was not the man from eight hundred years ago who swore a brotherly oath with the Kozuki family. He only saw, within the limits of his understanding, the path that most benefited Zou Island.
Zou Island was growing stronger and prosperous, the Minks' monotonous lives had improved, and even if Minks encountered problems in other sea regions, Zou Island now had the ability to support them.
Kozuki Momonosuke was Oden's child, but Hiyori was as well.
Although Kozuki Hiyori as Shogun held no real power, Hitsugisukan could see that the common people of Wano Country were happy with this kind of life.
Back then, Kurozumi Orochi had shouldered the greatest blame, allowing the Beasts Pirates to use an excuse akin to "getting rid of the evil ministers around the emperor."
For Zou Island now to accept a successor who had vanished for twenty years, abandon everything they had, and try to help Momonosuke reclaim Wano Country. It was absolutely impossible.
Even in the original timeline, the behavior of the Mokomo Dukedom had been strange. Jack destroyed their country, and the Minks' hostility toward him was natural. It was a national enmity.
The problem was that after Nekomamushi and Inuarashi inherited the position of Mokomo Dukedom's rulers, they still placed their identities as retainers above the throne. To them, Momonosuke > the entire Mink tribe. That was the unreasonable part.
And after Kaido's defeat, they threw Zou Island into the hands of the still-young Carrot, and happily went off to be retainers.
One could only say Oden's halo was too terrifying, even able to affect an entire race.
"Looks like reasoning with you is impossible. Pedro, Bepo, take them back to Zou Island. I'm just a retired old man, I can't handle so much anymore."
Hitsugisukan didn't know about the mess that happened 20 years ago. In his view, although the nature of this matter is serious, there is still room for negotiation.
It was true they had taken attacked, but since Meowna and Wolff hadn't actually been hurt, if Inuarashi and Nekomamushi would just honestly admit their fault, then with Hitsugisukan putting his reputation on the line to mediate, perhaps a few years of imprisonment would settle it.
But judging by the stubbornness of Nekomamushi and Inuarashi, this was definitely not going to be resolved so easily.
"Wait… retired?"
Inuarashi had noticed that keyword and, thinking back, realized the other Minks also called Hitsugisukan "senior" rather than "duke."
"I'm an old man, of course I'm already retired. The new duke of Mokomo Dukedom is Setsuna."
After leaving that line, Hitsugisukan walked straight out of the room. Nekomamushi and Inuarashi, not showing any fear, followed directly behind.
It was foolish, but they still had some sense as retainers; at least they weren't scared.
"Why is Zunesha here?"
The moment they stepped outside, Inuarashi saw an unimaginable sight. Zunesha, bearing the Mokomo Dukedom on its back, was standing just outside the walls of Wano Country; its colossal trunk, tens of thousands of meters long, already hung over them.
"Of course it's here to pick us up. You probably don't know, but Duchess can communicate with Zunesha, and Zou Island now looks totally different compared to twenty years ago."
Pedro said coldly, matching their pace with Hitsugisukan.
The moment they set foot on the tip of Zunesha's trunk, Zunesha, as if ordered, curled its trunk and delivered them onto its back. When Inuarashi and Nekomamushi's heads reached the level of Zunesha's eyes, they even sensed danger from them.
Meanwhile, inside Mokomo Dukedom, the atmosphere had become a little stifling.
Many Minks had gathered in the Minks' council hall. Both the members of the Musketeer Squad and the duchess's aides were gathered together. They were among the higher-status individuals among the Minks.
The duchess's children had been attacked. It was something unheard-of on Zou Island, but nobody spoke.
Setsuna, seated in the main seat, was the same; only the electric sparks flickering across her body made it clear her heart was not as calm as her face suggested.
"That b*stard Nekomamushi again. I shouldn't have shown mercy back then, I should've just killed him."
Crack.
A crisp sound echoed in the spacious hall as the stone armrest of a chair turned into a pile of fragments. At that moment, a commotion came from outside.
"Let go of me! I'm going to kill those two b*stards. How dare they touch my grandchildren? I won't let them get away with this!"
"Captain Hachi, calm down!"
"Yeah! Zou Island has laws; you can't just act recklessly!"
Setsuna was still holding back her anger for now, but Hachi outside could not contain himself anymore. Sometimes the bond between grandparents and grandchildren is much stronger; he had only just gone with Rin to stay on Zou Island for a few days, but his grandchildren had been harmed while playing.
Minks are affected by their species. As a dog-Mink of pure husky lineage, he only wanted to give them a good beating, but people nearby restrained him.
"Yeah, Brother Hachi, the duchess certainly wouldn't want you to behave like this."
Just as a bull-Mink moved to try to calm Hachi, a blue arrow shot out and embedded itself in front of Nekomamushi's feet.
Upon realizing they had already arrived, Setsuna finally couldn't hold back her anger.
"Nekomamushi, you ba*tard. I didn't hold you accountable for stealing twenty years ago, and it was me who stopped you from recklessly using Sulong. If it weren't for me, you would've died in Wano Country twenty years ago."
"I ignored you, and yet you messed with my children. You're pushing it too far!"
"Don't pretend here, I never asked you for help. If you hadn't barged into Wano Country, none of this trouble would have happened."
"Indeed, it's my fault. I forgot that a b*stard like you never knew gratitude."
"Ugh. I never owed you anything to begin with, why should I be grateful? Lord Oden saved us; that is the debt I owe! You're the one who invaded Wano, and deceived the whole of Zou Island. You don't deserve to be the duke!"
At those words, Nekomamushi completely drew the attention of all the Minks.
Setsuna was headstrong and more concerned about her family, not some selfless ruler, yet no one on Zou Island questioned her position as duke.
The changes she brought to Zou Island solidified that position.
One reason was her ability to communicate with Zunesha. Not only did that mark her as special among the Minks, it added a halo around her.
Since Zunesha is a living creature, its back does not have an advanced electrical network like Wano Country, so they only had some private appliances powered by batteries.
Those appliances, plus supplies and seasonings from Wano Country, greatly improved the primitive and monotonous living conditions on Zunesha's back.
As Zunesha's routes became controllable, ordinary Minks could leave its back and go see the colorful world outside.
The Beasts Pirates' deterrence meant most forces at sea wouldn't provoke them, and these changes were the real foundation of her stable status… the source of her prestige.
"Go on, what are you standing around for?"
The Minks who had previously held back Hachi had now let go, clearly wanting him to go so that they could join him in beating him.
But before they could act, a stone flew and struck Nekomamushi's head.
"Don't talk nonsense!"
A young Mink picked up a pebble from the ground and threw it, followed by a flurry of miscellaneous objects, though nothing like fruit or eggs; food other than fish is very precious on Zou Island, and wasting it is extremely shameful.
That single stone ignited the whole powder keg. Nekomamushi's words directly provoked public anger; torrents of denunciations and a shower of miscellaneous items converged on Nekomamushi, and even Inuarashi wasn't spared.
"Everyone stop!"
Before the situation could spiral out of control, Setsuna stopped the other Minks and finally stepped up in front of Inuarashi and Nekomamushi.
"I'll give you two one last chance: apologize, and then accept punishment according to Mink rules."
"When did the Minks ever have rules about fighting? Who's going to follow your rules? Even if everyone recognizes your position as duke, I won't!"
"So, do you also agree with what Nekomamushi said?"
Setsuna then looked to Inuarashi, waiting for his answer.
"I—"
Inuarashi neither agreed nor contradicted; he wasn't as extreme as Nekomamushi, but he was equally loyal to Kozuki Oden.
Acknowledging Setsuna as the new duke of the Minks would mean recognizing Kozuki Hiyori as the legitimate heir, which would truly make Momonosuke the rebel.
"Huh, that's better. If you don't recognize my position as duke, fine; I never intended to use this identity to target you."
"What follows has nothing to do with the Kozukis and the Minks, nothing to do with the Beasts Pirates or Wano Country. It's purely our personal feud."
"I put up with these things in the past, but this time won't be the same.
You refuse the new laws? Then we'll go by tradition, let's see if you two have the guts for a Moonlight Deathmatch!"
The Minks as a people were relatively harmonious internally, but that didn't mean they never had conflicts.
With the changes on Mokomo Dukedom, some rules had indeed changed — reworked around the framework of the Beasts Pirates' internal rules and adapted to Mink circumstances.
Moonlight Deathmatch was a tradition that had been abolished: when parties had irreconcilable disputes, they'd fight on a full-moon night, and the victor would be right.
Such things hadn't occurred on Zou Island for decades, but Nekomamushi and Inuarashi had harmed her children. Seeing how resolute the two of them were, even if they were let go nothing would change.
Since that was the case, Setsuna intended to completely eliminate any potential risk.
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