Shiki stood in the center of Shirahoshi's palm, so close that her enormous eyes filled nearly his entire field of vision. Her clear, ocean-blue pupils possessed such an innocent gentleness that it would have been easy to lose oneself in their depths.
"So... you really are Lord Shiki?" Shirahoshi asked curiously. "The pirate who placed Fish-Man Island under his protection?"
"Yeah."
Shiki nodded.
Megalo leaned closer, cautiously sniffing him before rubbing his head against the edge of Shirahoshi's hand. Shiki reached out and casually patted the giant shark.
"Lord Shiki is a pirate..." Shirahoshi studied him uncertainly. "Does that mean you're a bad person?"
No matter how carefully she examined him, the man standing in her palm did not seem like the kind of pirate who would capture mermaids and sell them into slavery.
Unable to settle the matter on her own, she had decided to ask him directly.
Shiki paused.
A bad person?
Perhaps he was.
To some people, he was probably as cruel and unforgivable as anyone could possibly be.
Instead of answering directly, he merely shrugged.
"I don't know. Decide for yourself."
"I see..."
Shirahoshi nodded with a slightly dazed expression, as though she had expected a much simpler answer.
Then she suddenly remembered something.
"I heard your companions were injured during the fighting. Are they all right?"
Shiki showed no concern.
"They're fine. Nami and Robin were cut up a little, but nothing serious. Vivi... wasn't hurt."
All three of them were more than capable of taking care of themselves.
Even without Shiki beside them, the ordinary fisherman posed no threat. More importantly, the conflict had already ended.
Hody Jones and the surviving officers of the New Fish-Man Pirates were in custody, while the Big Mom Pirates had fled the island.
"Thank goodness."
Shirahoshi released a small breath of relief.
She was naturally gentle and had apparently been worried about them despite never having met them herself.
Shiki waved the subject aside and glanced around the enormous room.
"Forget about them for now. What was that axe earlier?"
He already knew the answer from Neptune, but he wanted to hear Shirahoshi's side of the story.
The light in her eyes dimmed.
"I know who threw it..."
"It was Vander Decken IX."
Just as expected.
A cold look briefly entered Shiki's eyes.
"I rejected his marriage proposal," Shirahoshi continued. "Ever since then, he has refused to leave me alone. He ate the Mato Mato no Mi—the Mark-Mark Fruit."
Her eyes gradually reddened as she spoke.
"No matter where I hide or how much time passes, anything he throws will always find me."
She lowered her gaze, sadness spreading across her beautiful face.
"The outside is too dangerous. That's why I have to remain inside the Hard-Shell Tower. I'm not allowed to take even one step outside."
"How long have you been living in here?"
Shiki jumped down from Shirahoshi's palm and landed on the nearby dining table.
As expected of a meal prepared for a giant mermaid, every dish was several times larger than his entire body. More importantly, all of it smelled delicious.
"It has already been eight years."
"Eight years?"
Shiki picked up a piece of food and took a bite.
"Don't you get bored?"
Shirahoshi gave him a faint, bitter smile.
"My father and brothers visit whenever they can, but they have many responsibilities. Father also made a rule that the soldiers are only allowed to remain inside for five minutes."
Her gaze shifted toward Megalo.
"That's why Megalo is the only one who can stay here and keep me company."
Megalo moved closer to her.
Shirahoshi gently stroked the giant shark's head.
"He is my most precious friend."
"So he's been the one keeping you from losing your mind in here."
Shiki picked up one of the enormous oysters and bit into it.
It was surprisingly good.
Where else could anyone find oysters this large?
Before leaving Fish-Man Island, he would have to bring a few aboard the ship. Perhaps they could even keep some of them alive.
Shirahoshi watched him eat in silence for a moment.
"I heard there was confusion when your companions first arrived," she said worriedly. "Some of the palace soldiers were suspicious of them even after they helped Megalo and fought against Hody Jones."
"The island was in the middle of a rebellion," Shiki replied. "People tend to panic when they don't know who their enemies are."
"Some of them were also frightened because of Madam Shyarly's prophecy."
"Her prophecy?"
Shirahoshi hesitated before nodding.
"Madam Shyarly's predictions have always been extremely accurate. When she foresees something terrible, everyone becomes frightened. Even if they don't fully understand what it means, they can't simply ignore it."
By the time she finished speaking, Shirahoshi happened to glance down at the table.
Her eyes widened.
At some point during their conversation, Shiki had completely emptied one of the enormous plates.
Compared with the rough meals he had eaten while travelling alone, the food prepared in Ryugu Palace was far more satisfying.
"Even though your body is so small, humans certainly have enormous appetites," Shirahoshi murmured.
As she watched Shiki reach for another piece, a soft laugh escaped her.
"I knew it. You don't seem like a bad person after all."
She rested her chin against one hand and gazed at him with unconcealed longing.
"Since you're a pirate, does that mean you travel across the seas in search of adventure?"
"Something like that."
Shiki nodded.
"Then... have you seen the real sun?"
Shirahoshi leaned closer.
"Do stars truly fill the sky at night?"
Her questions began coming one after another.
"What about flowers?"
Her eyes grew brighter.
"And animals covered in soft fur?"
She clasped her hands together excitedly.
"Have you ever visited one of those places covered entirely in green? A forest?"
Shiki continued eating as he listened to her.
However, the more questions she asked, the harder it became to ignore the hope in her voice.
The young princess had been imprisoned inside this room for eight entire years.
She had spent almost half her life behind the same locked door, unable to experience things that most people took for granted.
Even Shiki felt unexpectedly uncomfortable.
While he was distracted, Shirahoshi quietly studied his profile.
Her gaze then moved toward one of her fingers.
After hesitating for a moment, she finally gave in to her curiosity and gently poked his cheek.
Shiki had been too absorbed in his thoughts to imagine that she would suddenly touch him.
Her fingertip pressed against the side of his face.
"Hey."
Shiki immediately stepped back.
His brows drew together, and his voice rose slightly.
"What are you doing?"
Shirahoshi froze.
An instant later, enormous tears gathered in her eyes.
"H-How could you...?"
Shiki stared at her in confusion.
What had he done?
Why had she suddenly started crying again?
"Please don't speak to me so loudly!"
Shirahoshi cupped her cheeks as tears streamed down her face.
"I knew it... Lord Shiki really is frightening!"
Megalo began circling around her anxiously, desperately attempting to calm her down.
It did not work.
Shirahoshi's sobs only grew louder as enormous teardrops began raining across the room.
Shiki was once again forced to dodge them.
Why was she crying this time?
"I barely raised my voice," Shiki said helplessly. "Stop crying."
"No one has ever spoken to me like that before!"
The moment Shirahoshi said it aloud, all the loneliness and frustration she had accumulated over the years seemed to break free at once.
Her crying became even louder.
Despite her enormous size, Shirahoshi possessed almost no courage whatsoever.
"If you keep crying, I'm leaving."
Shiki sighed and leaped onto her shoulder.
"What?"
Shirahoshi's cries immediately grew louder.
Fortunately, they only lasted for a few moments.
Shiki's threat had clearly worked.
It was rare for anyone to enter the room and speak with her. She did not want him to leave so soon.
"No one has ever said anything so cruel to me before..." Shirahoshi pouted miserably. "What a terrible person."
The more she thought about it, the more aggrieved she became.
Just when Shiki believed she had finally stopped, Shirahoshi slipped beneath the quilt covering her enormous bed.
She pulled it over her head, curled up underneath it, and began crying again.
At least no more giant tears were flying toward him.
Still...
Shiki dug a finger in his ear, thinking
He truly had no idea how to handle crying girls.
Robin would probably have known exactly what to say.
"Tsk."
Shiki thought for a moment.
Then an idea occurred to him.
"You've been locked in here for eight years," he said. "At this rate, you're going to forget what the outside world even looks like."
Shirahoshi continued sniffling beneath the quilt.
"Lord Shiki... you should go back."
The noise almost made Shiki take her advice.
Instead, he asked, "Is there anywhere you want to go?"
The section of Shirahoshi's pink tail still protruding from beneath the quilt suddenly shot upright.
Her sobbing stopped.
"There are many places I want to visit, but..."
Her voice was filled with hesitation.
Shiki jumped down in front of her and grinned.
"Then let's go."
Shirahoshi slowly lowered the quilt.
She stared at his smile in disbelief, forgetting what she had been about to say.
"Let's go outside for a walk," Shiki repeated.
"Wait!"
Shirahoshi hurriedly sat upright, throwing the quilt aside and waving both hands frantically in front of her chest.
"I can't do that!"
"Why not?"
Shiki raised an eyebrow.
"If anything comes flying toward you, I'll knock it away."
The simple declaration struck Shirahoshi with unexpected force.
Her enormous body trembled slightly.
"Hurry up and get ready," Shiki said, crossing his arms. "I'll take you outside."
"A-Are we leaving right now?"
Shirahoshi nervously glanced around.
"But I... I still haven't..."
"Haven't what?"
Seeing the conflict on her face, Shiki forcibly suppressed the urge to knock her unconscious and carry her out himself.
Instead, he waited.
"It's all happening too suddenly," Shirahoshi admitted. "I haven't prepared myself. I haven't made up my mind yet."
She lowered her head and nervously bit the tip of one finger.
"Please give me a little more time."
"It's only a walk."
Shiki sighed.
Even so, he did not intend to force her.
After being confined for eight years, stepping through that door was probably far more frightening to Shirahoshi than it appeared.
If she truly did not want to leave, he would respect her decision.
Shiki suddenly turned toward the entrance.
"Lord Shiki, where are you going?"
When Shirahoshi saw him approaching the door, she hurriedly called after him, afraid that he intended to leave her alone again.
Shiki glanced back over his shoulder.
"Make up your mind before I return. Otherwise, the offer's gone."
"What...?"
Shirahoshi's eyes immediately began filling with tears again.
"I'm only going outside to check something," Shiki added. "I'll be back soon."
"Lord Shiki, please be careful..."
Shirahoshi stopped herself from saying anything more.
"Don't worry. Just decide whether you're coming."
With his back still turned toward her, Shiki raised one hand in farewell and pushed open the heavy iron door.
A deep thud echoed through the tower as it closed behind him.
Once again, only Shirahoshi and Megalo remained inside.
As Shirahoshi looked around the quiet room, the brightness in her eyes immediately faded.
Of course, Shiki had not stepped outside because he intended to abandon her.
More uninvited guests had arrived.
He stood before the sealed entrance to the Hard-Shell Tower and stared down the corridor with an indifferent expression.
A moment earlier, he had sensed the same unnatural movement that had accompanied Vander Decken's axe.
This time, however, it was not a weapon.
Several human presences were rapidly approaching through the air.
One after another, armed men flew into view and crashed violently against the reinforced wall surrounding the tower.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
The force of the impacts left them dazed and barely able to remain conscious.
Even so, the men staggered back to their feet.
Each bore the markings of the Flying Pirates.
They tightened their grips around their weapons and aimed them directly at Shiki.
Shiki looked over them without the slightest concern.
"So he throws his own men now?"
His hand slowly moved toward the hilt of his sword.
Although Neptune's soldiers had captured several members of the Flying Pirates over the years, much of Vander Decken's crew had remained hidden alongside him.
The armed men before Shiki were among those who had escaped.
Shiki did not even draw his sword.
A wave of Conqueror's Haki swept through the corridor.
Black and red lightning crackled through the air as the pirates' eyes rolled back. One after another, they collapsed without Shiki taking a single step.
Then another figure appeared at the far end of the passage.
Vander Decken IX stood there clutching an enormous axe, his chest heaving as he struggled for breath. His eyes were bloodshot, and fury twisted his face.
He had never intended to reveal himself.
However, after learning that another man had entered Shirahoshi's room, his jealousy overwhelmed all caution. In his deranged mind, Shirahoshi had betrayed him simply by allowing someone else near her.
"I—"
Before Vander Decken could finish the first word, Shiki increased the gravity around him.
SPLAT!
His body was crushed instantly, exploding into a cloud of blood that splattered across the corridor.
Vander Decken IX died without ever completing his sentence.
Shiki stared at the bloodstained wall without emotion.
The problem that had tormented Shirahoshi for eight years had ended just like that.
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