Two days later.
After confessing her feelings to Kairo, Hancock seemed like a completely different person.
Gone was the aloof, untouchable Empress who looked down on everyone.
Instead, she radiated the youthful vitality and charm appropriate for a girl her age.
Aboard the Kuja Pirates' ship, which was slowly being pulled through the Calm Belt by two giant serpents, the radiant and breathtakingly beautiful Hancock stood gracefully beside Kairo.
Every now and then, she secretly stole a glance at him.
She looked exactly like a young woman hopelessly in love.
The moment she learned the previous night that Kairo would soon leave Amazon Lily and continue his journey, her lovesickness had flared up again uncontrollably.
Fortunately, Kairo had appeared in time.
Otherwise, she might truly have become bedridden from longing alone.
"Kairo..."
After staring at him dreamily for a while, Hancock stepped closer and gently rested her head on his shoulder.
"I want to travel with you too."
"But Amazon Lily still needs me."
"If I simply abandon everything..."
Kairo blinked as he looked at the Hancock leaning against him and speaking softly.
Then he turned around and gently lifted her chin.
To say he didn't like the world's most beautiful woman would have been dishonest.
Although what happened the previous night had been sudden, he didn't think there was anything wrong with it.
During these past two days, he had come to understand Hancock even better.
Though she had suffered through painful and unforgettable experiences, her heart remained remarkably pure.
When it came to relationships between men and women, she was practically a blank sheet of paper.
And yet this blank sheet of paper had gathered all her courage and entrusted her whole self to him.
Naturally, Kairo intended to take responsibility.
He could also tell how desperately Hancock wanted to sail with him.
But unlike Robin and Perona, who could follow him freely without worries, Hancock carried the burden of an entire nation.
She had only ruled Amazon Lily for a few years.
She had only recently become one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
If she simply abandoned her responsibilities now, both the Kuja Pirates and Amazon Lily might suffer as a result.
And Hancock would never forgive herself for that.
"Does Kairo not want to part with me either?"
Seeing him silently gazing at her with tenderness, Hancock suddenly smiled brightly.
"Give me a few years."
"When I've properly arranged everything in the kingdom..."
"When Sonia and Mary are capable of standing on their own..."
"No matter where you are, I'll come find you."
"Alright?"
Kairo didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he gently pulled her into his embrace.
Only then did he nod.
"Alright."
At last, the Traveler left the Calm Belt under the escort of the Kuja ship and entered the waters of the Grand Line.
Standing on the deck of the Kuja ship, Hancock watched as the Traveler gradually sailed farther and farther away.
Even after it disappeared into the horizon, she remained standing there.
Motionless.
Her beautiful eyes were filled entirely with reluctance and longing.
"Big Sister."
Standing beside her, Sandersonia looked toward the distant sea where the Traveler had vanished.
Then she gently said,
"If you really can't bear to leave Mr. Kairo, Mary and I can help manage the country."
"That's right, Big Sister."
Marigold stepped forward as well.
"If you leave now and chase after him, you can still catch up."
As Hancock's sisters, they naturally understood her feelings.
And they liked Kairo very much too.
In their eyes, there was only one man in the world worthy of becoming their brother-in-law.
Kairo.
Of course, they also understood why Hancock hadn't abandoned everything to follow him.
She couldn't stop worrying about the country.
Although Hancock had always appeared cold and indifferent ever since becoming Empress, deep down she loved Amazon Lily dearly.
She had always resented the previous Empresses who abandoned the nation and left on their own.
Most importantly, if she truly didn't care about the country, she never would have accepted the World Government's invitation to become a Warlord.
It wasn't that Hancock lacked the courage to pursue love.
Despite her innocence regarding romance, she understood one thing:
As long as two people truly loved one another, a temporary separation meant nothing.
Hearing her sisters' words, Hancock suddenly laughed softly.
Her stunning face blossomed like a field of flowers.
Beautiful beyond words.
Then she raised her head and looked toward the direction where the Traveler had disappeared.
Silently, she made a promise in her heart.
Kairo...
Wait for me.
"Yay! We're finally in the Grand Line!"
Looking at the turbulent ocean ahead, where gigantic waves rose and crashed endlessly, Perona excitedly ran over to Kairo, who was steering the ship.
"Kairo! Kairo!"
"Is there anything I can help with?"
"You should just go play somewhere."
Kairo laughed as he steered the ship and waved the Eternal Pose in his hand.
"In these waters, all your navigation skills and experience are useless."
"This is the only thing worth trusting."
"An Eternal Pose?"
Perona blinked.
Then she snatched the Eternal Pose from his hand.
Tilting her head curiously, she asked,
"Is this pointing toward our next destination?"
"Alabasta?"
Before Kairo could answer, Perona's eyes lit up.
"That place should be even more fun, right?"
"What?"
Kairo froze for a moment.
"Alabasta?"
"Yeah, yeah!"
Perona nodded repeatedly.
Then she turned toward Robin, who had just emerged from the cabin.
"Robin, do you know this place?"
"Alabasta?"
Robin blinked.
Then she nodded.
"It's a superpower located on Sandy Island in the Grand Line."
"The current king is Nefertari Cobra."
"The Nefertari family is one of the twenty royal families that founded the World Government eight hundred years ago."
"One of the founding royal families of the World Government?"
Perona's eyes sparkled.
"That sounds so amazing!"
Clearly, her thoughts had already wandered toward new toys, snacks, and beautiful Gothic Lolita dresses waiting to be discovered.
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