The Alabasta Kingdom's Atla Mountains hummed with quiet luxury. In the sunlit study of a timber-framed villa, Sephiroth lounged in his leather chair, boots propped on the desk as he skimmed the latest World Economic News. The headline screamed: "Vegapunk's Chemical Weapon Experiment Ends in Disaster – Punk Hazard Island in Ruins!" He flipped the page.
"Shocking Revelation: Alabasta's Civil Unrest Exposed as Warlord Crocodile's Conspiracy!" The subheading continued: "Former Rear Admiral Sephiroth, now Umbrella Corporation Security Advisor, Crushes Rebellion in Daring Intervention." The newspaper crinkled in his grip as the study door clicked open.
Princess Vivi glided inside, her white gown whispering against the hardwood. Sunlight caught the waterfall of her blue hair as she shut the door with deliberate quiet. Three days since their wager—three days without so much as a note from the man who'd flirted shamelessly with her. Now she stood before his desk, watching him ignore her presence.
"The rebels?" Sephiroth didn't look up from his paper, the question tossed out like casual small talk.
"Father granted them full amnesty." Vivi's voice stayed steady. "He revealed Crocodile and Baroque Works as the true culprits. The rebels were just... misled." She folded her hands. "No more bloodshed. The slate's wiped clean."
Sephiroth's eyebrow twitched. "Not how I'd handle it." He tossed the newspaper aside and rose, circling the desk like a shark. "But the rebellion's over? Truly?"
"Yes."
His shadow fell across her. "And who saved your kingdom, Princess?"
His fingers traced her cheekbone, slow as a blade being drawn. Heat flooded Vivi's face, but she didn't pull away.
"Y-you did," she murmured. "We'd have drowned in that rebellion without you."
Sephiroth's smirk deepened. He tilted her chin up, close enough to share breath. "Then by our bet... you're mine now. Agreed?"
Vivi's pulse hammered in her throat. "Y-yes."
"Good." His thumb brushed her lower lip. "Let's cancel the wager."
"What?" Her eyes flew wide.
"Kidding." His laugh was dark velvet. "As if I'd ever let you go." He yanked her against him, crushing his mouth to hers.
Vivi gasped into the kiss, then smacked his chest. "You—you absolute villain!" But the blow held no force, and the blush creeping down her neck betrayed her.
Sephiroth felt it too—the way her heartbeat stuttered under his palm, the hitch in her breath. He'd played this game too long to misread the signs.
Immediately, Sephiroth kissed Vivi again, and his hands began tracing the lace along her spine, mapping territory he intended to claim properly. Not that she'd have let him walk away regardless—if he'd truly tried to end things, Vivi would've chained him to the palace gates herself.
After all, after the rebellion, Vivi had clearly realized how strong Sephiroth was and how much her country needed a top-tier powerhouse to rely on. Furthermore, Sephiroth was a high-ranking member of the Umbrella Corporation. The power and status that came with this identity would bring great help to the Alabasta Kingdom.
Vivi admitted that she had indeed developed some affection for Sephiroth without realizing it, but she felt it wasn't quite enough to directly enter a romantic relationship... However, she cared more about her country than herself.
Anyway, even if she didn't choose now, in a few years, she would still have to marry into a powerful noble family as the Alabasta Princess to consolidate and develop the Nefeltari family's rule over the Alabasta Kingdom. Instead of ending up with someone she didn't know, it was better to choose a suitable person herself now... ...Omitted... Three hours later.
Vivi lay weakly in Sephiroth's arms, looking at him with resentful eyes. "Cough! Sorry..." Sephiroth said, feeling a bit guilty. "Hmph!" Hearing this, Vivi immediately rolled her eyes, turned away, indicating she didn't want to talk to him. "Uh?! Alright! Alright!" "I apologize, okay!" "I'll give you a gift, please don't be angry, okay?"
Sephiroth also knew he had been a bit rough just now, so he had to back down and coax her. He got out of bed, casually pulled the butcher knife leaning against the bedside table out of its sheath, and lightly swung it forward. The blade cut through space, opening his spatial pocket. Immediately, he took out a small wooden box from inside, handed it to the girl, and opened it.
Vivi looked at the fruit in the wooden box, which had grey skin covered in spiral patterns and resembled a cactus. She couldn't help but say in surprise:
"Is this... a Devil Fruit?" "Right! This is the sand-sand fruit, a Logia type. Once you eat this Devil Fruit, you'll be a true Desert Princess from now on!" "Ah?! This... this is too valuable... I can't accept it!"
Vivi quickly shook her head and waved her hands. However, Sephiroth completely ignored her. He directly peeled the skin of the sand-sand fruit and handed it over. The sand-sand fruit is not overwhelmingly strong, nor is it weak; it's considered mid-tier among Logia types.
However, in a desert environment, its overall power will rise another level, making it comparable to powerful Logia types and capable of creating disaster-level destruction. "Woman, you don't have the right to refuse." "Take what I give you, understand?" "After all, everything about you belongs to me. Whatever I give you, I won't feel it's a waste or a pity."
Listening to Sephiroth's utterly domineering words, Vivi felt an inexplicable joy in her heart. This feeling of being strongly protected didn't seem bad either... Finally, she took the fruit, took a bite of the flesh, and sincerely said:
"It tastes so bad!"