"I don't care who rules Dressrosa, as long as its people can live in peace and contentment. Can the person beside you guarantee that?"
"Your Majesty! You!" Tank Lepanto and his followers were dumbfounded. They had been ready to fight to the death, so why was their king surrendering?
"King Riku, are you truly qualified to utter such words? Stop being a hypocrite!" King Riku's plea only fueled the crowd's indignation, and they looked at him with even greater contempt.
Violet thought, "Oh no! This isn't the place for such a conversation." She turned to Hikaru, her eyes pleading for help.
Hikaru nodded. He instructed Shura and the others to continue their tasks, then with a wave of his hand, he used his Float-Float power to transport Violet and King Riku back to the palace hall. As for Tank Lepanto? He had no say in the matter and was promptly taken to jail.
The divine soldiers lining the palace bowed to Hikaru as he entered, and Violet, feeling a sense of relief, began to speak with King Riku.
In truth, Violet yearned for her father to reclaim his throne. However, Hikaru's actions made it clear he wasn't just here to defeat Doflamingo; he intended to claim Dressrosa for himself. The current situation was vastly different from the Donquixote Family's seizure of power.
Hikaru was here to avenge the Riku Family, and he held no grudge against them. Recognizing this, Violet quickly made a decision. She would give up everything to please Hikaru and persuade him to clear her father's name.
If she could marry Hikaru, find happiness with him, and have a child, their offspring would then rule Dressrosa. For her and the Riku Royal Family, wouldn't that ensure the continuation of their lineage?
Faced with Violet's heartfelt confession, Hikaru certainly wouldn't refuse. There was no downside for him; he could easily gain a beautiful princess who would devote her body and soul to him. Why not accept? So, when Violet informed King Riku that her child with Hikaru would become Dressrosa's ruler, he felt relieved and assured that there would be no rebellion.
King Riku had no sons, only two daughters. His eldest, Scarlett, had vanished during the turmoil and was presumed dead. His second daughter, Violet, was dutiful and sensible, so his throne would undoubtedly pass to Violet and her children.
With times and fortunes intertwining, the future seemed to be aligning with his expectations. His only remaining concern was seeing his eldest daughter's child, Rebecca, and ensuring she lived a good life. He'd heard she was struggling due to her identity.
Seeing their conversation, Hikaru calmly interjected, "You haven't seen each other for many years. Now that father and daughter are reunited, I'm sure you have much to discuss. I still have matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave."
Violet quickly replied with a soft, "Yeah!"
"If you have something to do, please go ahead and don't worry about us," King Riku echoed.
Hikaru nodded, turned, and took two steps before winking at the divine soldiers on either side. With the divine soldiers supervising, he wasn't afraid King Riku might suddenly have any strange ideas.
He walked back to the girls. By then, Shura had nearly finished relaying the meeting's instructions. Hikaru simply exchanged a few words with the women, then departed the area in a flash of lightning.
He hadn't found Rebecca among the people Shura had just gathered. He suspected she had been taken away and hidden by Kyros. How could he not see Rebecca today? Regardless of her "special" identity, her likable, strong character, or her stunningly beautiful face, he wouldn't let her go even if only one of those qualities remained.
Speaking of which, as Scarlett's daughter, she was technically a princess of a fallen country. How many princesses did that make now? Violet, Mansherry... it should be the third. When he returned, he could gather his concubines who were princesses in the room they enjoyed and have a pleasant chat about love.
In fact, Hikaru could entirely rely on Violet to help him win over Rebecca, which would significantly reduce the difficulty. But that would be too much like bullying Violet.
She needed to take the initiative, convince herself, and overcome the hurdle in her heart. After all, her relationship with Rebecca was very special, and too much pressure could cause her to rebel.
If he took action, she would be forced to cross "that hurdle," and the degree of resistance in her heart wouldn't be as strong. Violet could still comfort herself that Hikaru didn't know about their relationship, and this "happy ending" wasn't her creation.
The Search for Rebecca
In the flower field, Hikaru's lightning continuously flickered in the air, his Observation Haki spreading out wantonly, and waves of energy radiating from his body. Hikaru was now like a human radar. Wherever his sight and hearing couldn't reach, his energy waves would sweep through all living things without leaving any room.
Finally, in a small house, Hikaru's waves detected a nervous, petite figure. Without hesitation, Hikaru appeared in front of the house in a flash of lightning.
The surrounding grass and trees were thriving, clearly indicating regular care. The fragrance of flowers enveloped the cottage, creating a warm, "home-like" feeling. It seemed that as a father, Kyros had fulfilled his responsibilities to Rebecca, who had lost her mother.
Hikaru walked in and called out to the room, "Is anyone there? Join the Kingdom of God now and you can get various benefits!"
No one replied. Hikaru curled his lips and pushed the door open from the side of the house. He saw the Toy Soldier, Kyros, who was trying to ambush him at the main entrance.
"Hello, Mr. Toy~ What are you doing with that toy gun? Trying to ambush me?"
"What?" Kyros was shocked. What in the Grand Line? Who wouldn't go through the front door if they were a good person?
Kyros looked serious, pointed his toy gun at Hikaru, and demanded, "Who are you? If you dare to break into a private home, I will not be held accountable even if I shoot you dead!"
"Ah~"
Hikaru's figure suddenly vanished. Kyros's face changed drastically, and he threw the toy gun backward without looking. But it was too late.
He felt an unstoppable force behind his head. The touch seemed to be an animal's tail. The ground grew larger in his eyes. With a "bang," he made close contact with the ground.
"That's what you said, but don't you know you can't just show hostility to the strong?"
Electric current surged, and Kyros's toy body was extremely fragile. After just a few breaths, he was electrocuted and lost consciousness.
Hikaru retracted his dragon tail and walked forward. His feet made a creaking sound on the wooden floor, which made Rebecca, who was hiding in the underground passage, extremely nervous.