"A glass of vodka!"
Nia tossed a few banknotes onto the bar, then propped her chin on one hand, half-lying languidly against the counter.
"How about we have a couple of drinks together, beautiful lady!"
Drawn by Nia's allure, a man settled onto the stool next to her, striking a pose he likely considered debonair, and spoke in a deliberately deepened voice. Then, after catching Nia's gaze, he casually produced several large-denomination bills from his wallet and handed them to the owner behind the bar.
"Please open a bottle of Stein's red wine for , but it must be from the Migio Winery. Their red wine has a light sweetness with a hint of robust spiciness, much like the beautiful lady before ."
"I'm sorry, sir. We don't carry that particular wine here."
"What about Stefan's white wine? Although it has a slightly green taste, it could still be considered a decent pairing."
"Sorry, no."
"Just vodka is fine. When drinking, the most important thing is never the alcohol, but the company."
Nia regarded the man before her with interest.
There were noticeable calluses on his palms and the base of his hands, indicating substantial training in spearmanship and swordsmanship. Judging by his gait, he had likely also undergone systematic physical conditioning.
Navy? Or a governnt intelligence officer? Probably not. A governnt agent should be more refined than this.
But it wasn't important.
"It sounds like you've sampled quite a few wines. I haven't heard of any of the ones you ntioned."
"No, no, it's just that I'm a lieutenant commander at the Navy Headquarters, so I have a bit more experience."
The man feigned nonchalance as he spoke, subtly emphasizing the words "Navy Headquarters."
"Lieutenant Commander of the Navy Headquarters, that's truly impressive. I've heard that the Navy Headquarters is located on the Grand Line. You must have experienced many wondrous journeys."
"Of course. The tales I've lived through are beyond the imagination of a girl like you. Especially on the Grand Line, there are countless things you wouldn't even dare to dream of."
Seeing the woman opposite him taking the bait, a barely perceptible flicker of satisfaction crossed the lieutenant commander's eyes.
Sure enough, as long as he revealed his rank as a lieutenant commander at the Navy Headquarters, few won could resist him, especially those from the backwaters of the North Sea. If he simply recounted so common knowledge about the Grand Line, they would exclaim in amazent, and then they would deeply admire him for having traveled those perilous seas. As for what ca next...
Coming to the North Sea with the team this ti was a wise decision.
Thinking this, the lieutenant commander raised his glass and clinked it against the woman's, launching into a vivid retelling of a story he had recounted countless tis before.
"Doesn't sound like anything special."
Watching Nia chat and laugh with the unknown naval lieutenant, Rhodes felt a touch of disappointnt. He had anticipated her being a more intriguing individual.
But if she rely used her looks to gather intelligence, it was far too commonplace.
"Then you might be mistaken, Rod."
Nelu calmly observed the unfolding farce at the bar, his expression remaining placid.
Because she was rely a figure from the North Sea who might warrant so attention, Nelu hadn't described her in detail in his notes. However, based on his prior knowledge, Catwoman Nia was no simple character.
The reason this woman was called Catwoman was primarily due to her unpredictable temper, much like a feline. "Really? You keep repeating the sa few phrases over and over. My ears are practically calloused from hearing them. Tell , is your head filled with seawater, or is it brimming with all the so-called fine wines you ntioned?"
As they spoke, the situation at the bar seed to shift. Nia downed the wine in her glass in one gulp, waved her hand dismissively, and cut off the lieutenant's words.
"I thought I'd hear sothing interesting from you, but all you've said is nonsense. It's true I've never been to the Grand Line, but could a guy like you slay a Sea King that can swallow a warship whole with a single sword?"
"How boring! I have no interest in n who spout empty words. Get lost and don't ruin my mood for drinking. If you stay beside any longer, I'm afraid I'll vomit up what I've already drunk."
"You!"
The lieutenant commander's face flushed crimson instantly. Although he had embellished his story sowhat and attributed many of the sights and sounds he'd encountered to his exploits, this woman was truly going too far with such rciless words.
"Forget it, I'll just leave."
Seeing the lieutenant commander standing there in a daze, Nia took another glass of wine offered by the boss, slapped a few bills on the table, stood up, and walked towards the corner.
Compared to the navy idiot in front of him, the two red-haired guys over there seed far more interesting.
"Bastard!"
The enraged naval lieutenant grabbed Nia's wrist, his eyes blazing with anger.
"I say, if sweet-talking doesn't work, just resort to direct action. A man like you is truly pathetic. Can soone like you even be called a Navy carrying the banner of 'Justice'?"
"Hateful!"
The lieutenant commander was livid. The gazes from everyone in the tavern seed to mock him. He seized Nia's hand and yanked it forcefully, attempting to pull her closer. Simultaneously, he raised his other hand high, aiming a slap at the face that had monts before captivated him.
Bang—!
Nia swiftly countered, grabbing the navy lieutenant's arm with a backhand and executing a beautiful shoulder throw. The navy lieutenant felt a wave of dizziness before his back slamd heavily onto the ground.
"What a dreadful man."
Looking down at the Marine lieutenant sprawled on the floor, a hint of derision played on Nia's lips. Then, she dismissed him from her attention and continued walking towards Rhode's table.
And just as she turned away, the naval lieutenant, who had been knocked down by her, sprang back to his feet. A fierce look flashed in his eyes as he swung a punch with all his might towards Nia's head.
Since she attacked , a lieutenant commander at the Navy Headquarters, there's no need for caution, and I can completely regard this woman as a pirate!
The lieutenant commander seed to already envision Nia being felled by his punch, begging for rcy.
The next mont, all he saw was a pair of straight, long legs.
Boom!!
Nia spun around suddenly, raising her long legs high before slamming them down with brutal force, striking the lieutenant commander's head squarely. The imnse impact knocked him down instantly, his head making violent contact with the ground.
"Tsk, I already told you I'm not interested in you anymore. n who keep pestering are so annoying!"
Glancing at the unconscious navy officer, Nia nudged him with her shoe, then bent down to pick up the fallen wallet. She extracted a few bills and stuffed them into her own pockets before tossing the wallet back to the boss.
"Take the repair costs from here, and get a few drinks."
(End of this Chapter)
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