The simple Kuja robes slipped from her shoulders, pooling gracefully around her perfectly sculpted ankles.
Robin observed the woman before her, raven-black hair cascading like silk, beauty refined in every sense, her presence, her elegance, her form. With a sincere voice, Robin spoke, "You are flawless in every way, Hancock."
Hancock arched a delicate brow, stretching her arms with effortless grace. The maids, their cheeks flushed, approached hesitantly, reluctant to clothe her once more.
The crimson top fit snugly, the fabric straining against her form. When she lifted her hands, the floral-patterned cuffs shimmered under the light, her delicate fingers sweeping back a strand of jet-black hair.
Robin fastened golden, serpent-shaped earrings to Hancock's ears, then traced her fingertips across her lips, applying a touch of rouge. But as she gazed into Hancock's mesmerizing eyes, Robin hesitated.
There was no need for embellishment, Hancock's beauty was already beyond mortal limits. Even her lips bore the perfect shade of red, untouched yet captivating. Any excess would only lessen her natural allure.
With that thought, Robin wiped away the rouge.
In that instant, Hancock's teeth gently clamped onto her fingertip.
Robin's eyes darted around; the maids stood in a daze, utterly bewitched by the sight of their Empress.
The sensation was strange, Hancock's bite was neither forceful nor aggressive. Her pearly teeth pressed softly, like a serpent's coils wrapping around its prey in a slow, teasing embrace.
Robin caught the faintest smirk playing at the corners of Hancock's lips. At that moment, it was difficult to tell whether this goddess-like beauty was playfully toying with her, or if her overwhelming pride simply made her seem foolish.
The flowing skirt cinched at Hancock's waist, its high slit revealing long, elegant legs. A white royal cloak was brought forward and draped over her shoulders.
Huā lā!
With a casual flick of her wrist, Hancock sent the cloak billowing dramatically behind her.
The newly crowned Empress of Amazon Lily, Boa Hancock, strode forth, accompanied by Kuja Princess Jolyne.
In the palace hall, the female ministers, warrior guardians, and pirate crew members all dropped to one knee in perfect unison. Their voices rang through the chamber:
"Snake Princess of Kuja!"
"Empress of Amazon Lily!"
"Strongest warrior of the tribe!"
"Captain of the Kuja Pirates!"
"Ruler of the Calm Belt!"
"Master of the Serpents!"
"The most beautiful woman upon the seas, Boa Hancock!"
"Big Sister is so beautiful…" Sandersonia and Marigold murmured in awe.
Like stars orbiting the moon, Hancock stood at the heart of it all.
As the blazing sun shone overhead, she led the gathering out of the palace, gripping Princess Jolyne's hand. They ascended to the highest platform, gazing down at the square, where thousands had gathered in anticipation.
"Ahhh, !"
"Snake Princess!"
"She's breathtaking!"
"Empress!"
"I'm going to faint…!"
The women of Amazon Lily erupted into cheers, their voices echoing like waves crashing upon the shore.
Among them, Jewelry Bonney stood in the crowd, arms crossed. Her gaze flickered upward, locking onto Hancock's figure.
She was like the sun itself, too radiant, too dazzling.
Everything else paled in comparison, lost in the wake of her brilliance.
Bonney scoffed at the hysteria around her. But before she could roll her eyes, she realized something unsettling.
Her lips… were moving.
Unconsciously, her voice had joined the endless chant rising through the air, merging into the storm of adoration.
"Lady Hancock!"
"Lady Hancock!"
"Lady Hancock!"
Robin stood above, swept up in the fervor. She understood this madness well, after all, who could possibly resist Hancock's allure?
Hancock, however, remained unmoved. To her, these voices were nothing more than noise.
But this moment marked the beginning of her reign.
Even if the former Empress, Elder Nyon, were to one day recover, the title of Snake Princess would remain hers alone. The people of Amazon Lily would have no choice but to follow her as their sovereign.
, , , , ,
"So… what do you plan to do with the statue of the former Snake Princess?"
The excitement had settled.
Within the shaded paths of the back mountain, three figures walked side by side, their footsteps quiet upon the stone.
Hearing Liam's question, Robin turned her gaze toward Hancock.
She had helped Hancock orchestrate the illusion of Snake Princess Tulip's death, allowing her to exploit a loophole and ascend as Empress. However, she had never asked how Hancock planned to deal with Tulip's statue.
For those turned to stone by the power of Medusa's Gaze, time remained frozen at the exact moment of petrification. That meant if Tulip were ever freed, her lovesickness would remain unchanged, locked in place as if not a single second had passed.
Hancock spoke suddenly. "Giorno, do you know where that man… Dragon is?"
Liam let out a short laugh. "That'd probably be the best way to cure lovesickness," he admitted. "But unfortunately, I have no idea where Dragon is. There aren't many in this world who can track that man's movements."
He shook his head. "And I doubt Tulip does either."
Robin's voice was soft but thoughtful. "She may not have even considered the possibility of seeing him again…"
Hancock walked in silence for a moment before speaking again. "Regardless, she cannot remain on Kuja Island." Her tone was final. "Jolyne, when you studied the history of past Empresses, didn't you mention that the cause of lovesickness might be linked to Kuja Island's unique environment? Perhaps even to the strange climate of the Calm Belt itself?"
Robin nodded. The records she had found suggested that a previous Empress, Galan Lily, had also succumbed to lovesickness. However, there was no mention of her death, only that she had fled Kuja and vanished somewhere across the seas, her fate unknown.
"Now I am the Snake Princess. I am the Empress." Hancock's voice carried a quiet authority. "She has no right to refuse. She will leave Kuja."
Then, with cold certainty, she added, "If not… she will remain petrified forever."
A heavy silence settled over them.
Liam let out a low chuckle, breaking the tension. "Wow, Lady Hancock, such absolute power! You decide who stays, who goes… how charming."
Robin sighed and rubbed her temples.
Hancock smirked and cast him a sidelong glance. Seeing Giorno's amused expression, she countered, "We plan to leave Kuja as well. Do you intend to stop us?"
Their steps slowed, Hancock eventually coming to a halt.
Liam and Robin turned back to look at her.
"You're… leaving?" Her voice was unreadable, her expression hidden in the shadows.
"Of course! I haven't even explored half of the Grand Line yet," Liam said, grinning. "It'd be a waste not to have some fun." He shrugged. "Besides, we're not from Kuja. Sooner or later, we were bound to leave, right?"
From within the shade, Hancock murmured, "Oh… right."
The days spent together had almost made her forget.
Giorno and Jolyne had come from the outside world, from beyond the sea.
From their first encounter through that fateful Den Den Mushi call… to their playful misadventures in Ghost City… to the book that had altered her life's course… and then Tulip's absurd mistake in declaring Jolyne the Princess of Kuja.
They had always been there, through battles, through laughter, through quiet moments.
For so long, she had unknowingly come to think of Jolyne as another sister, alongside Sandersonia and Marigold. And Giorno… as an elder brother, or perhaps a younger one. Or…
Hancock stepped out of the shadows, her face as composed and stunning as ever.
Liam smirked. "Why that same old look? I thought you were gonna cry."
He raised a large hand and effortlessly covered half of Hancock's face.
This face, this goddess-like visage that most men would not even dare to touch, was now being casually kneaded between his palms.
Hancock rolled her eyes with an exaggerated sigh, allowing him his antics for a moment before slapping his hands away. Her fair cheeks were marked with the faint red imprint of his touch.
"Before you leave," she said, locking eyes with him, "we will have one last match."
Liam blinked. "What do you mean by 'one last match'? You're only sixteen!"
He reached out again, lightly pinching her cheek.
To be honest, he had to admit, the Empress's skin felt exceptionally nice.
(End Of This Chapter)
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