The following afternoon, high above Mary Geoise, Lloyd relaxed in the private pool behind his palace.
Monet rested against his left side, while Lucia leaned comfortably against his right.
Monet wore a green and white striped swimsuit, while Lucia wore a dark purple swimsuit adorned with elegant patterns.
The entire afternoon had been spent enjoying a leisurely gathering with his maids in the palace courtyard. There wasn't the slightest trace of tension despite the decisive war looming just beyond the horizon.
In fact, the closer the final battle drew, the more relaxed Lloyd became.
Slowly raising one hand from beneath Monet's embrace, he lifted the sunglasses resting over his eyes.
The golden glow of the setting sun stretched across the horizon.
Although the sun had yet to disappear completely, the full moon had already begun revealing itself in the evening sky.
Watching the moon gradually become clearer, Lloyd smiled faintly.
"So, another full moon has arrived."
He narrowed his eyes.
"Is Joy Boy still refusing to make his move?"
Lucia rested against Lloyd's chest and spoke softly.
"Young Master, what if Joy Boy never appears?"
Lloyd answered without the slightest hesitation.
"Then he'll spend the rest of his life hiding."
"The world today is nothing like it was eight hundred years ago. The longer he delays, the worse his situation becomes. He understands that better than anyone."
"If I were in his position, I'd already be running out of patience."
Lucia slowly lifted herself from the water and brushed a few damp strands of hair away from her forehead.
Her cheeks carried a natural flush.
Despite soaking in the cool water, tiny droplets of sweat still clung to her skin.
At that moment, Sugar approached carrying a silver tray filled with glasses of red wine.
She knelt beside the pool, placed the tray down, and handed a glass to Lloyd before offering one to Monet and Lucia.
Lloyd gently swirled the crimson wine before emptying the glass in a single drink.
As his Adam's apple rose and fell, Sugar subconsciously swallowed.
Unable to resist, she immediately slipped into the pool, wrapped both arms around Lloyd's waist, and smiled sweetly.
"Young Master, spend some time with Sugar."
Seeing her younger sister's familiar behavior, Monet could only shake her head with a helpless smile.
Throughout the palace, Sugar was well known for being inseparable from Lloyd.
Whenever he appeared, she would cling to him without the slightest intention of letting go.
Naturally, Lloyd never found it bothersome.
He gently lifted Sugar's chin with one finger and smiled faintly.
"Little Sugar, what do you have in mind?"
Sugar's bright eyes immediately became misty as she softly replied,
"Whatever Young Master enjoys most."
Lucia smiled knowingly at Sugar's boldness.
Meanwhile, Monet's cheeks turned slightly red as she quietly looked away.
Before the peaceful atmosphere could continue any further, hurried footsteps suddenly echoed through the courtyard.
Ginny rushed over while holding a Den Den Mushi, shouting loudly,
"Lloyd Bro, Admiral Sakazuki's fleet has come under attack!"
The moment those words were spoken, the relaxed mood vanished instantly.
Sugar froze where she stood.
However, she recovered almost immediately, suppressing her emotions before rising from the pool alongside Lloyd and the others.
Not far away, Hancock stepped forward carrying a luxurious black robe embroidered with golden patterns and respectfully draped it over Lloyd's shoulders.
Ginny quickly handed him the Den Den Mushi.
The caller was one of the communications officers aboard Admiral Akainu's flagship.
Lloyd calmly spoke into the receiver.
"I am Admiral Black Dragon."
"Report the enemy's identity and the current situation."
The Den Den Mushi's expression became extremely animated as the communications officer responded with unwavering composure.
"Reporting, Celestial Dragon Marshal!"
"Our fleet is currently under attack by a Giant Tribe armada identified as the long vanished Giant Warrior Pirates."
"Admiral Akainu is presently engaged in battle against their two captains, Blue Ogre Dorry and Red Ogre Brogy."
Lloyd's expression remained unchanged.
"Dorry and Brogy..."
"So the Giant Tribe has finally chosen its side."
The strength of the Giant Warrior Pirates had always been difficult to judge.
In the original timeline, Dorry and Brogy had suffered from being introduced far too early, even falling victim to Mr. 3's Wax Wax Fruit schemes.
Judging solely from that encounter, they would have seemed little more than insignificant opponents.
Yet later events proved otherwise.
When they returned to the battlefield, the two giant captains were capable of exchanging blows even against the Five Elders.
Their combined attack, Hakoku Sovereignty, possessed overwhelming destructive power worthy of Elbaf's greatest warriors.
Together with the entire Giant Warrior Pirates, they represented an exceptionally formidable military force.
Even Admiral Akainu would likely require time to defeat them completely.
Even so, Lloyd had no intention of leaving Mary Geoise.
Akainu and the fleet under his command were more than capable of handling the Giants.
More importantly, Admiral Aokiji commanded the nearest fleet.
By now, he had almost certainly received the emergency report.
Once Aokiji arrived with reinforcements, the Giant Warrior Pirates would find themselves trapped between two Admirals.
Against Aokiji's overwhelming ice abilities, escape across the sea would become virtually impossible.
As for the countless Giant warriors accompanying them, Lloyd wasn't concerned in the slightest.
Both Akainu's Mag Mag Fruit and Aokiji's Ice Ice Fruit were among the strongest Logia powers in existence.
Against large armies, their destructive potential was overwhelming.
The military strength gathered beneath Lloyd's command had long surpassed that of any single force on the seas.
He could comfortably remain in Mary Geoise and wait for Joy Boy to reveal himself.
This battle had not yet reached the stage where kings confronted kings.
For now, it was merely the clash between generals.
Lloyd calmly instructed the communications officer,
"Remain on standby."
"Report immediately if anything significant changes."
"Understood!"
The call ended.
Without another thought, Lloyd casually pulled Sugar back into his embrace before stepping into the pool once more.
Sugar blinked in surprise.
"Young Master... you're not going?"
Even as she asked the question, her arms instinctively wrapped themselves around his neck, showing no real desire for him to leave.
Lucia stepped closer and asked quietly,
"Young Master, would you like me to go instead?"
Lloyd simply shook his head.
"There is no need."
He looked toward the darkening horizon beyond the palace walls.
"It isn't time yet."
"When Joy Boy exhausts every card he has left and finally shows himself, that's when I'll make my move."
"Until then..."
A faint smile crossed his face.
"I'll wait."
The evening sky steadily darkened as the full moon rose higher above Mary Geoise.
Watching it in silence, Lloyd spoke in an even, unwavering voice.
"As long as I stand here, the sky above Mary Geoise will never fall."
=≠=
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