"With what identity are you going?", Rosse looked at Otohime and asked, knowingly.
He knew Otohime was anxious, but if she became too anxious, this relationship would become hard to handle.
In this matter, he had plotted for so long, and he couldn't accept a happy ending, especially if it was someone else's happy ending.
["Otohime-nee, you mustn't come,"] Nia said anxiously.
"Why?", Otohime frowned and asked.
Fish-Man Island had already become so chaotic she couldn't understand it anymore. She didn't know what had happened there.
But given the current situation, she must return, must stop Neptune.
["We got intelligence from the Ammo Knights' interrogation. Two captains of the Whitebeard Pirates have been living in Ryugu Kingdom all along,"] Nia said urgently.
"Neptune has a good relationship with Whitebeard, that's nothing unusual," Otohime shook her head.
["But the Ammo Knights said they wanted to vent Neptune's anger, to lure Saint Rosse in, and then use Fish-Man Island's terrain to keep Saint Rosse permanently under the sea,"] Nia said anxiously.
"Hmm?", Rosse was stunned for a moment.
'Good grief. Doesn't this world understand the importance of keeping things secret?'
The Whitebeard Pirates hadn't even taken action yet, and not only did the World Government know, but even the Ammo Knights knew.
Rosse fell into deep thought.
'Something is wrong.'
The World Government knowing, he thought that was quite normal.
Even if Neptune knew, it was understandable.
But even the Ammo Knights knew and casually told Nia, that was a big problem.
Either someone behind the Ammo Knights wanted to warn him, or this was part of the plan all along.
Rosse hadn't expected that a single Fish-Man Island could stir up so much trouble.
"Saint Rosse, how about I go alone?", Otohime spoke her thoughts, but her voice grew lower and lower, until finally she lowered her head in shame.
How could she not understand what Nia meant.
Given the relationship she had shown with Rosse, once she went, the Whitebeard Pirates and Neptune would surely use her as leverage.
Ideally, even she shouldn't go.
But Fish-Man Island was already in such a mess, she really couldn't just sit by.
"Let's go together. That wager we agreed on, we'll delay it for now," Rosse shook his head, then raised it and smiled.
"I should be the one apologizing. I shouldn't have dragged Saint Rosse into this," Otohime said with guilt.
She felt that Rosse was good in every way, just too kind.
For something like this, he should've stayed out of it.
"Nia, what day is the consort selection?", Rosse asked.
["Three days later,"] Nia replied firmly.
"Good. Within three days, I'll bring Otohime to attend," Rosse nodded, then stood up and walked out.
"Saint Rosse, where are you going?", Otohime looked at Rosse's back, slightly nervous.
"We'll hitch a ride on someone's ship. Just the two of us this time," Rosse waved his hand and left decisively.
This time heading to Fish-Man Island, the situation was complicated. He didn't plan on bringing too many people.
The fewer people he brought, the more reasons he could have.
Besides, in underwater combat, even if the entire Whitebeard Pirates showed up, they wouldn't be his match.
The ocean was his home field.
"Saint Rosse...", Otohime looked at Rosse's tall back, and her eyes were filled with deep emotion.
At this time when she most needed help, it was Rosse who reached out to her.
On the contrary, the one who caused this situation, was Neptune.
Between people, couldn't there be just a little more trust?
From the very beginning, Neptune never approved of her ideas.
But from their very first meeting, Rosse had given her the greatest affirmation.
Otohime's face carried sorrow. Her stance had quietly shifted toward Rosse.
Perhaps agreeing to Rosse's request was the thing she should have done all along.
This time returning, she would end it.
The misunderstanding had already formed, and the rift might already be beyond repair.
———
One day later, at the Holy Land port, a World Government ship set sail.
"Saint Rosse, chomp chomp, you said it yourself, you'd arrange an unforgettable journey for me," Saint Rosward spoke with food in his mouth, mumbling unclearly.
His soybean-sized eyes landed on Otohime beside Rosse, filled with longing.
Everyone in the Holy Land knew, Rosse had recently claimed the mermaid queen Otohime.
Compared to Otohime's status, all the other mermaids looked dull in comparison.
Now in the Holy Land, no one showed off mermaids anymore.
After all, while you're still playing with ordinary mermaids, Rosse had already taken down the queen, they weren't even on the same level.
"Don't worry, it'll definitely be unforgettable. But once we get to Fish-Man Island, don't expose my presence," Rosse glanced at Rosward, his eyes carrying a warning.
"Don't worry, I'm just going to Fish-Man Island for fun. I don't care about your affairs."
Rosward curled his lips and, supported by slaves, headed into the cabin.
Recently, Nia had been stirring things up with CP9 in Fish-Man Island, even he had heard about it.
Of course, the main reason was that his CP0 was also stationed in Fish-Man Island.
It was also because his own CP0 was in Fish-Man Island that he didn't think there was any danger.
This trip would just be for pure fun.
Rosse had been causing quite a stir in the seas recently. Different Celestial Dragons had different opinions about it.
Celestial Dragons like Rosward, who enjoyed playing in the lower realms, had been craving this kind of action for a long time.
Rosse had no intention of chatting more with Rosward. For someone soon to die, he never had much patience.
Taking Otohime, he quickly returned to the cabin arranged for him.
———
"Saint Rosse, I'm troubling you again," Once back in the cabin, Otohime bowed and thanked Rosse.
She was deeply grateful that Rosse was willing to take her back to Fish-Man Island.
"Don't get too happy just yet. We're hiding our identities this time. If we get exposed, it'll cause a lot of trouble," Rosse smiled.
He didn't mind being exposed, it was just a warning for Otohime.
Because according to his plan, it would be impossible not to be exposed.
"I'll do my best not to cause any conflict, and ensure nothing happens to you on Fish-Man Island," Otohime's eyes were filled with determination.
She was sometimes too kind, and also too gentle.
But these past few days had taught her a lesson.
If she didn't abandon that naivety, she wouldn't just hurt herself—she'd also hurt Rosse.
Rumble!
With a crisp sound—
The World Government ship set sail.
From the Holy Land ten thousand meters high in the sky, it descended toward the sea, then sank into the deep sea with its coated hull, racing toward the ten-thousand-meter-deep seafloor.
Through the cabin window, Otohime could clearly see the ocean gradually becoming deep and dark.
This was her familiar environment, her birthplace.
This time, she returned with Rosse.
And she would definitely ensure Rosse left safely.
Even if it meant becoming the enemy of the entire Fish-Man Island.
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