"Don't worry."
Sandersonia smiled as she explained to the utterly bewildered, ahoge-bearing knight, "Miss Hutao's message bullets can't kill anyone. They only convey information to the person who gets shot."
"Not only is this method highly discreet, but it can also transmit a massive amount of information in a short time. All confidential intel within the Silver-Haired faction is passed along this way."
"Of course..."
A strange expression crossed Marigold's plump face. "If you accidentally mix up the bullets, though, then it would be... Huh? Sister, your face..."
For some reason, the Snake Princess's body began to tremble slightly. Her pearl-white cheeks turned bright red, and the intense heat from her rushing blood completely dried her hair—which hadn't been fully dried after her bath—causing a wisp of faint smoke to curl upward, presenting a rather peculiar sight.
Hancock's bizarre behavior deeply astonished the other three in the room. The Pirate Empress's two younger sisters exchanged glances, both seeing a glint of realization in each other's eyes.
(Could it be about that wager?) x2
"You've got to be kidding me!!!" Hancock's tightly shut eyes snapped open.
Voom—
The exact moment the Snake Princess opened her eyes, an invisible, overwhelming aura erupted from her body like a roaring sea, sweeping out in all directions. The surrounding air instantly grew incredibly thick, and the entire room seemed to tremble uneasily.
"It's sister's Conqueror's Haki!"
"No way, what could possibly make her this furious?!"
Sandersonia and Marigold turned pale, taking half a step back. Salome, their pet snake who bore the brunt of the pressure, fared even worse; its eyes rolled back into its head, and it passed out on the spot with its long tongue hanging out.
(Just what on earth is written in that message?)
The petite knight's expression shifted slightly, yet under the influence of this terrifying pressure, she didn't show the slightest discomfort. She stood as firm as a rock, completely unyielding amidst the raging storm.
"Lisanna, you bastard! I do not need your charity! Nor do I need your pity!"
"I will never be controlled by anyone again! No one!"
With her hair disheveled, Hancock's mesmerizing eyes gradually lost focus. She muttered nonsensical words as if possessed. Hearing their older sister's venting, the two younger sisters felt their hearts sink with heavy emotions.
"Do not insult my Master!"
Following an indignant cry, another terrifying aura suddenly erupted within the room, filled with supreme majesty like a monarch ruling over the four seas!
"Is this... Conqueror's Haki?!"
Sandersonia stared blankly at Lily's exquisite face. She truly hadn't expected that this "little girl," as she had called her, was actually one of the chosen few who possessed the qualities of a king!
Hancock, currently caught in a wave of intense emotion, seemed to have found an outlet for her fury. And while the White Knight strictly adhered to her chivalric creed of "humility," a knight's humility was never synonymous with blind submission!
And so, the two surging auras locked horns inside the royal bedchamber. For a moment, neither side could gain the upper hand. Under the clash of these two Conqueror's Hakis, the surrounding pressure skyrocketed, to the point where even space itself seemed to ripple slightly!
Just as these two female monarchs were locked in fierce competition, an elderly female voice echoed from the doorway.
"Snake Princess, and you, little girl... what exactly are you two doing?"
"Elder Nyon!" x2
Sandersonia and Marigold looked delighted. Although the Pirate Empress usually treated Elder Nyon terribly, at critical moments like this, the former ruler from three generations ago could still exert some authority.
"Elder Nyon? Who gave you permission to enter?"
Glancing at the short old woman standing by the door, who was visibly suppressed by the Conqueror's Haki, Hancock snapped back to her senses. She gradually reined in her Haki, her phoenix-like eyes flashing with annoyance.
(What a powerful, beautiful, and utterly willful king,) Lily thought, withdrawing her own Haki while secretly groaning inside.
Though their brief clash had seemed evenly matched, Lily was entirely certain that her opponent hadn't gone all out. After all, compared to these long-renowned powerhouses, the White Knight was still a bit too green.
"I heard that your former captain sent someone to visit you, so I hurried over to see for myself."
Leaning on her snake coiled into a walking cane, Elder Nyon slowly walked over to the White Knight. Her gaze inadvertently brushed past the sword at Lily's waist, and her eyes instantly widened.
"This crest... Is it the [Order of the Nightingale]?"
Staring intently at the nightingale-shaped crest on the sword's guard for a long while, Elder Nyon raised her head to look the White Knight up and down. Finally, her gaze locked onto the golden ahoge atop the girl's head.
"Could you... perhaps be a descendant of the [King of Knights]?"
"Yes, I am. How did you recognize it?" Lily asked politely.
"Because of that ahoge on your head."
Pointing at the top of the White Knight's head, the short old woman took on a reminiscent look. "When I was young, I traveled far from home. During my journey, I once met..."
Before Elder Nyon could finish her sentence, she felt a delicate, slender hand grab her by the head and hoist her into the air.
"Aaaaargh! Snake Princess! What... what are you doing?!"
"It's Lady Hancock!" Hancock corrected with a darkened face. "And furthermore, get the hell out of my room!"
Whoosh—Crash! The sound of shattering glass was crisp and clear.
"..." Lily tilted her small head up, staring at the Snake Princess who had just hurled Elder Nyon out the window. Her emerald eyes were filled with pure shock.
In all her life, the White Knight had never seen anyone treat an elder so brutally. For a moment, she was completely at a loss for words to reprimand her.
"Phew... I feel much better now." Hancock dusted off her hands, then lowered her gaze, staring down at the White Knight with an unfriendly look.
The Pirate Empress stood at a towering 191 cm, while the White Knight, despite being a monarch of extraordinary stature in spirit, was undeniably petite in physical build, standing at only 154 cm.
Standing side by side, their massive height difference was comically adorable.
"I didn't expect Lisanna to have such a powerful contracted knight."
The Pirate Empress cast aside the contempt and arrogance in her eyes. The Kuja tribe had always revered the strong, and as the ruler of these fierce warrior women, Hancock was no exception.
"According to what they discussed, you're being sent to secretly protect Xia... protect Lisanna's precious younger brother?"
"Yes," Lily nodded slightly.
Whether it was just her imagination or not, the White Knight could actually sense a hint of "envy" and "jealousy" in the Kuja ruler's eyes.
"Well then, in that case..."
Hancock casually tossed her hair. Her cascading, ink-black locks fell like a waterfall around her slender waist, exceptionally silky and breathtakingly captivating.
"I will contact the Marines and have them provide his latest whereabouts. Until then, you will stay here with the Kuja." As a Warlord of the Sea—a "pawn" of the World Government—it was incredibly easy for her to obtain non-classified intelligence from the Marines.
"Furthermore, the only reason I am helping you this time is because you dared to defend your Master's dignity. You had better remember that."
After making her point clear, the Empress turned and walked toward her canopy bed. With every step of her slender legs, her voluptuous, prideful curves swayed elegantly, making her already mesmerizing figure look stunningly beautiful.
(No way, sister, how did you agree so quickly? Then why were you so worked up just now?)
(That last remark was totally unnecessary, sister. If it's for the White Knight's sake this time, why did you attend the Roundtable Conference last time? Whose sake was that for?)
Faced with their incredibly tsundere older sister, the two younger sisters could only complain silently, lacking the strength to even speak up.
"Thank you very much!"
Lily performed a knight's salute toward Hancock's retreating figure. Though she didn't understand why the Empress, who had just been throwing a tantrum, suddenly became so cooperative, the White Knight chose not to dwell on the details.
"Right, Lady Hancock," Lily suddenly remembered something. "Regarding the curse on the backs of you three sisters..."
"!"
Hancock's footsteps halted abruptly, while Sandersonia and Marigold's expressions instantly turned tense.
"The curse? Is there a problem with it?" The Empress turned back, fixing the White Knight with an exceptionally calm gaze.
"On the way here, I heard about your heroic deeds from the Kuja Warriors, and I deeply admire you all."
Lily hesitated for a moment before continuing, "Coincidentally, my teacher is a highly knowledgeable mage. If it truly is a curse from a sea monster, perhaps she might be able to help you find a solution..."
Silence—
For a moment, the atmosphere in the Empress's bedchamber became incredibly bizarre.
"You..." x2 The two younger sisters froze, a sudden wave of warmth washing over their hearts. They truly hadn't expected this kind-hearted, ahoge-bearing knight to want to help them break their curse.
Hancock blinked, her long eyelashes fluttering to conceal the brief flash of emotion in her eyes. After staring intently into Lily's clear, honest eyes for a long while, she let out a soft sigh.
"It's useless..."
"No one can get rid of this 'curse.'"
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