Chapter 6
"If…"
Mansherry lowered her head, stammering shyly.
Her tiny toes fidgeted on the ground as if she were about to say something extremely embarrassing: "If we don't know each other yet… we can get to know each other now."
"Of course we can!"
Seeing Mansherry's demeanor, Kam's heart leaped with joy.
He put on a gentle, kind smile and continued:
"Three years ago, I heard rumors in the Shrimp Kingdom.
There was a beautiful, kind, and wise fairy princess living on an island called Green Bit. Filled with admiration for this fairy princess, I asked my father to send someone to propose marriage on my behalf. But upon further investigation, I learned that the fairy princess had been imprisoned for years by the king of Dressrosa!
And that king was none other than the immensely powerful Warlord of the Sea—Doflamingo!
At that time, my strength was too weak; I couldn't go rescue her.
I tried to borrow the family's power, but they just thought I was crazy!
From that day on, I trained desperately, setting a three-year deadline for myself…"
"…"
Kam spun this nonsense effortlessly. Anyone who didn't know the truth would be completely taken in.
And Mansherry was exactly that person who didn't know the truth.
Combined with the just-performed hero-rescue scene.
Plus the fact that the Tontatta Tribe is notoriously easy to deceive!!!
"Waaah—"
Mansherry was so moved that tears streamed down her face!
"Tsk tsk…"
Meanwhile, nearby—Kizaru, Hina, Gion, and the others who knew the full truth were covered in goosebumps.
They had never seen a Celestial Dragon with such thick skin!
This guy had come in roaring that he would marry no one but Sugar.
And now…
Scamming and swindling yet another woman!
Gion facepalmed, unable to hold back: "We're Marines, after all. Even on a Celestial Dragon's orders, this kind of con-artist deception…"
She could write off Sugar and Monet as pirates who didn't deserve sympathy, but this Tontatta princess was clearly innocent.
Becoming a Celestial Dragon's woman was not a good fate!
"Shh!"
Tsuru made a silencing gesture: "Celestial Dragons do what they do—why should we interfere? Besides, Kam Saint isn't purely scamming. At least he really did defeat Doflamingo."
"Defeat?" Gion looked confused.
"Yeah."
Tsuru nodded, then shot Kizaru a dirty look: "With money power, sure."
"I actually admire Kam Saint quite a bit."
Hina gazed at Kam with envy. With her Observation Haki, she could clearly see how thoroughly Mansherry had been fooled.
Thinking of how he'd confessed to Gion over a hundred times with zero success.
While Kam had won a beauty in just one encounter!
This…
This was just too damn impressive!
If not for the massive status gap, Hina would've gone to him for lessons!
He wondered: If he had that kind of skill, could he finally win over the Gion he'd always longed for?
…
Back to Kam and Mansherry.
Kam kept bullshitting; Mansherry's eyes sparkled as she listened intently. The tall tale was nearing its end.
At this moment—
Kam tilted his head 45 degrees to gaze at the sky, looking deeply gratified: "Though it was hard, everything was worth it."
Then, feigning reluctance, he sighed: "Alright, since Princess Mansherry is safe, I'll escort you back to Green Bit and then take my leave."
"Huh? Leave!?"
Mansherry blinked in confusion, completely stunned!
She had clearly heard that Kam came to rescue her because he admired her—even proposing marriage three years ago! And now he was just going to walk away without doing anything?!
Was Kam not planning to marry her after all?!
Was Kam just another blockhead like Leo?!
"Hero, please wait!"
Mansherry blocked Kam's path and said: "I have no way to repay the great kindness you've shown me. The only thing I can offer… is myself."
"Ah, this…"
Kam's eyes widened like dumbbells. Then he pretended to be troubled: "Princess, you are truly lovely, but…"
"Does the hero have some difficulty?"
The Tontatta may be gullible, but they're not stupid. Mansherry instantly saw that Kam was holding something back!
She asked: "May I know what it is?"
"Sigh~"
Kam let out a long sigh, his eyes flickering with avoidance.
He "honestly" confessed: "I originally thought 'fairy princess' meant the kind from storybooks—the enchanting, magical kind. I never imagined that the fairy was actually from the Tontatta Tribe."
As he spoke, Kam gently lifted Mansherry into his palm and compared their sizes, shaking his head:
"I am human, and you are a delicate 'fairy.'
I did propose to you back then, but now I realize… we are not compatible."
Mansherry glared at him playfully, her voice cool and clear: "Human or fairy—what does it matter? I only know you are the hero who saved me."
"I've been imprisoned here for nearly ten years. I swore long ago: whoever rescues me will become my husband!
Moreover…"
"Do you take me for a fool, hero?!"
"In this world, any race can marry. At the core, we're all human!"
Mansherry might be easy to fool, but she wasn't dumb.
Kam's eyes had flickered with avoidance earlier—that wasn't a real difficulty!
"Or… are you disgusted because I'm a fairy?"
"Or perhaps… disgusted by me as a person?"
Tears burst from Mansherry's eyes like water from a fire hose. She started crying!
"I…"
"I…"
"Sigh!"
(Author note: This chapter is not finished—click next page to continue reading!)
Kam stammered, then sighed: "Fine, I'll be honest. I was born into an imperial family. Even if I fell for you at first sight, it's normal for an emperor to have a harem of three thousand beauties."
He said with difficulty: "A beauty like you, Princess—I could never bear to hold you back."
"I don't care!"
Mansherry's eyes were firm as she shouted.
"Hmm!?"
Seeing her determination, Kam's heart soared!
This was exactly what he had been waiting for!
Although the system allowed him to "bestow blessings" by force, Kam still preferred a proper marriage. And during a proper marriage, he wanted Mansherry to know certain things: like the fact that he would never marry just one woman.
"Oh?!"
Kam's eyes lit up: "Princess, you truly don't mind?"
Mansherry nodded firmly: "I am the princess of the Tontatta Kingdom—born into royalty just like you. How could I not understand that an emperor must spread his lineage for the family!"
She added: "Even my father, at his age, is constantly nagged by the elders to make more children. If not for his… issues in that department, I'd already have plenty of younger siblings."
"This…"
Kam furrowed his brows, pretending to struggle.
Then his expression cleared, as if he'd made a firm decision!
With utmost seriousness, Kam declared: "Since Princess Mansherry has said so much, it would be unmanly of me to keep hesitating."
With that, he pulled a watermelon-sized diamond from his robes!
Who knows how many carats.
But it weighed over 20 pounds!
And it was bigger than Mansherry's entire body!
Kam thought to himself: Up until now, not a single word he's said was true. Now that he's got her, maybe it's time to be a little sincere?
Recalling TV drama proposals, he dropped the previous pretense.
"Will you marry me?"
The setting sun shone on Kam's resolute eyes. The palace gates reflected the golden afterglow, illuminating Mansherry's slightly stunned, pretty face.
Time seemed to freeze.
Sunset bathed the grand palace.
Their shadows stretched long in the warm light.
A tiny figure climbed onto the massive diamond.
Then, stumbling, she climbed onto his shoulder.
"I will."