"Yohohoho! Yohohoho!"
"Bink's Brew, delivered to your side!"
"As free as the sea breeze, riding the waves!"
"Where the waves reach, the afterglow shines brightly!"
"Birds sing, circling in the sky!"
"Goodbye harbor, land of silk!"
"Sing a song, a song of setting sail!"
"Golden and silver waves, surging with passion!"
"Our journey, to the ends of the earth!!"
Oden patted Nero's back and laughed, "Nero, you're completely off-key! Hahahahaha!"
"Umu, Oden, you don't understand! My singing is art, naturally vastly different from ordinary people, requiring extremely deep appreciation!"
Nero still had no idea how bad her singing was, stubbornly believing that others simply didn't understand how to appreciate it.
"Umu, I heard your wife and children are also on board. Call them over; excellent artistic talent needs to be nurtured from a young age."
"That's no problem at all, I'll go call them now." Although he thought Nero was tone-deaf, he didn't think it was a big deal.
"Umu, it seems I'll have to go all out today for the first time in a while! I'm going to get the mic!!"
Hearing that Oden was willing to bring his family to listen to her singing, Nero was deeply moved and immediately felt that today was a good day for a concert.
"Hahaha, you're really full of energy, Nero-kin!" Kozuki Oden laughed carelessly and prepared to go call his wife and children.
Just as he turned to call them, he suddenly noticed something was amiss; it seemed many eyes were watching him.
However, he didn't pay it much mind; since he had just boarded the ship, many people were surely curious about him.
As he passed, Rayleigh grabbed his wrist. He said nothing, but Rayleigh's expression was distorted.
Kozuki Oden paused, realizing something was wrong. He glanced at the others; apart from the enthusiastic Nero, everyone else had the same expression.
Realizing something was amiss, he looked at the others' eyes again. Everyone said nothing, yet everyone was saying something.
"Is something wrong?" Oden blinked, asking in confusion.
"Umu, Hathaway, bring my speaker over too." Nero's voice came from the other side.
..."It's nothing, I won't hold you up." His hanging heart finally died. Rayleigh patted Oden's arm, signaling him to hurry and call them over.
"Strange fellows!" Oden was bewildered and went to call them, a little suspicious.
He didn't pay too much attention to it. Nero was just singing; what could be the problem? Although he knew from listening to Nero's singing just now that she was tone-deaf, her voice, like a kitten's, was quite cute the first time he heard it.
He brought them to the deck, where Nero was still fiddling with the speaker: "Hathaway, can't this sound be a little louder?"
"Ah, Your Majesty, this is already the loudest it can be." Hathaway pretended to continue adjusting it.
"Umu, in that case, I can only rely on my superb skill to compensate."
"Does Your Majesty even use such a thing as skill when singing?"
"Nani? What did you say?"
"Ah... I didn't say anything."
Nero also noticed the arrival of Oden's family. She glared fiercely at Hathaway before turning to greet Oden's wife.
"Umu, I am Nero Claudius. You must be Oden's wife, right?"
"H-hello, it's a pleasure to meet you. I am Kozuki Toki, Lord Oden's wife."
Her voice was a little nervous, a woman like a small animal, and her appearance was also top-notch. If she weren't a married woman... Nero felt a little regretful: "Umu, are these two little rascals in your arms your children? They're really quite small!"
"Momonosuke and Hiyori, they can't speak yet!" Kozuki Oden said proudly.
Although he himself had an oddly shaped face, the look in his eyes when he gazed at his wife and two children was extremely gentle.
"Umu, she's a beauty quite ill-suited for you!" Nero teased with a smile.
"What did you say? Toki and I look perfectly matched, don't we?"
"Oden, your eyes and face are both strangely shaped... Umu, and... your hairstyle."
"Nero? Are you alright?"
"Nero!"
"Big Sister!"
"Your Majesty!"
The scene before her twisted, her consciousness gradually blurred, and after a dizzying spin, the last thing Nero saw were the anxious faces of Hathaway and the other crew members... [A giant blue and pink dragon.]
[A woman with orange horns wielding a spiked club.]
[A desolate land, polluted water sources.]
[A white warrior wearing Shanks' straw hat.]
[Oh, Seven Dragons! Transform into my wings and fly!]
'Was that last one me? And that guy wearing the straw hat...'
As if submerged by a tide, Nero's consciousness became vague.
"Your Majesty? Your Majesty, are you alright?"
Opening her eyes, she saw Hathaway's worried face. Nero sat up, clutching her forehead; a lingering pain seemed to still wander through her nerves.
"Umu, Hathaway? I'm fine, but I seem to have forgotten something, and it seems very important."
Nero's expression was bewildered, on the verge of remembering something, which made her feel very uncomfortable.
"It's alright, Your Majesty! As long as you are well, all other matters will eventually be resolved."
Hathaway pulled Nero into a hug. Nero's symptoms were much lighter than before, but Hathaway was even more worried; that sickly appearance should not be on her face.
"Umu, I'm sorry, I seem to have made you worry." Nero hugged Hathaway back. Her usually vibrant face now had a somewhat sickly beauty about it.
"Your Majesty, please rest well first. There's hot porridge in the kitchen; I'll bring it to you."
After a moment of tenderness, Hathaway gently pressed Nero back onto the bed, urging her to rest well.
"Umu, actually, I feel perfectly fine now." Hearing the tone, like coaxing a child, Nero was a little displeased.
"Nero!"
"Big Sister!"
A group of people crowded in, also looking at Nero with concern.
"Are you alright?"
Facing everyone's worried expressions, Nero didn't speak, but instead stared blankly at Shanks' straw hat.
Her emerald eyes were stained red, and the familiar sharp pain in her brain returned, but Nero didn't pay it any mind.
Clutching her head, her eyes fixed on Shanks' straw hat, Nero's breathing became heavy.
"Big Sister?" Shanks felt a little unnerved by Nero's intense gaze.
"Call Oden over! Something has happened to his country!" Nero remembered the scene she had just witnessed and instructed Shanks.
"Ah? Oh!" Shanks was stunned for a moment, quickly reacted, and then ran out.