Chapter 331: The Roar of the Lioness
"Welcome, honored guest from afar, to the Flower Country!"
In the palace's grand hall, a dignified middle-aged man seated high on the golden throne finally spoke.
Charlotte looked up, carefully studying the Emperor seated before him.
Their eyes met.
They both evaluated each other.
Charlotte was curious to see what kind of man ruled the Flower Country.
The Emperor, meanwhile, was trying to understand what kind of person this globally feared pirate truly was.
The two stared at each other silently.
Tension filled the air.
Around them, nobles and ministers fidgeted nervously.
No one was more anxious than Chinjao.
But then—
"Hahahaha! Greetings, Your Majesty the Emperor!"
Charlotte broke the awkward tension with a hearty laugh and a respectful bow.
"Hohoho! Thank you for your kind words!"
The Emperor laughed in return.
"This invitation may have been sudden. I hope you don't take offense, Mr. Charlotte."
He apologized sincerely. The banquet had indeed been arranged at the last minute, and the guests were just a handful of nobles gathered in haste.
"Your Majesty jests. You were gracious enough to invite a pirate like me—I'm honored!"
Charlotte said with casual grace.
"Please, Mr. Charlotte. The label 'pirate' is nothing more than what the Marines slap on people they dislike. From what I've learned, your deeds are far more deserving of the title 'hero.' I love making friends with heroes."
The Emperor grinned as he complimented him.
His flattery caught Charlotte off guard.
He'd attended royal banquets before, but never had a king or emperor flattered him this shamelessly.
He felt… oddly flattered.
"Please, sit. The banquet will begin shortly."
The Emperor gestured.
Charlotte was led to a seat just below the Emperor's by a group of palace maids.
As the banquet began, music and dancing filled the hall.
Veiled dancers took the stage, swaying gracefully to the rhythm.
Charlotte soon eased into the atmosphere, toasting and chatting merrily with the Emperor.
He still wasn't sure why he had been invited—but hey, free food and drinks were always welcome.
His children also immersed themselves in the festivities.
Only Esdeath and Barrett remained composed and distant.
Both of them were uninterested in flattery and showmanship.
In contrast, Robert and Deidara were having the time of their lives.
"You're the crown prince? So that means this whole country will be yours someday?"
Deidara blinked his big, curious eyes at the crown prince, whose face turned increasingly uncomfortable.
"Bro, you can't just say that out loud!"
Robert quickly slapped a hand over Deidara's mouth.
The poor prince sat awkwardly, not knowing what to say.
Despite the awkward moments, the banquet remained harmonious and festive.
It lasted until the early hours of the morning.
Eventually, Charlotte led his drunken, staggering children out of the palace.
"More wine! I want more!"
Robert, face flushed, flailed his arms as Charlotte carried him under one arm.
Deidara drooled on Charlotte's shoulder, fast asleep.
"Why didn't you keep an eye on them?! They're kids! How can you let them drink?!"
Charlotte snapped at Esdeath and Barrett.
Caesar was curled up in Barrett's arms, muttering in his sleep—
"Dad… I'm sorry… I won't do it again…"
Charlotte's face twitched at his son's sleep-talk.
He turned and stormed ahead.
Not only those three, but even Tesla, Logan, and the others were staggering behind, clearly drunk.
"Great. Now I'm going to get yelled at by your mothers…"
Charlotte muttered bitterly.
Upon hearing that, the half-drunk kids sobered up instantly.
They turned to Esdeath, silently begging for help.
She looked at them and sighed.
Even she didn't expect these little brats to dare drink.
After some digging, it turned out Robert and Deidara had led the charge—and even dragged Caesar into it.
"You're on your own. I'm not helping you."
She waved them off, hugging a sleepy Julie as she walked ahead.
It was already past 1 a.m.
The five- and six-year-olds were practically sleepwalking.
When Charlotte heard the soft snoring of the little ones behind him, he sighed.
This was going to be a long night.
Truthfully, he felt a little guilty.
He was supposed to be the adult here, but once the wine started flowing and the Emperor got all chummy, he completely lost track of what his kids were doing.
He knew exactly what was coming—
a long stretch of lonely, quiet nights.
Charlotte groaned internally.
Looking at the kids in his arms, he made a mental note:
Time to teach them about consequences.
The group walked through the dark, empty streets.
Charlotte silently cursed the Emperor.
You call yourself a host? You invite us for a banquet, get us drunk, and then don't even offer a place to stay? Rude.
Of course, he also understood.
With Charlotte's infamous reputation, no sane ruler would let him sleep in the palace.
They were probably afraid he'd run off with the emperor's wives.
Arriving back at their temporary residence, they were relieved to find Illyana and the others already asleep.
Charlotte sighed in relief.
Maybe they'd be spared tonight.
He helped tuck the kids into bed and yawned himself.
Before long, he slipped into a random room and collapsed.
—
The next morning—
BANG!
"Waaaah!"
Crying and shouting echoed throughout the halls.
Charlotte groggily opened his eyes, stumbling out of bed.
"What's going on?"
He yawned, stepping out into the corridor.
"CHARLOTTE! How could you?!"
A furious roar—the classic lioness's roar—boomed through the house.
Charlotte immediately sobered up, memories of the previous night flashing through his mind.
"…Oh no."
He turned to flee—but too late.
A giant soap bubble appeared and enveloped him in an instant.
He had no way out.
"Bastard! How could you let them drink?!"
Illyana's voice roared again like thunder.
Trapped inside the bubble, Charlotte could only flinch as the scolding began.
The combined sounds of crying children and Illyana's rage made for a very painful morning.
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