"Scarlett-sama!!"
A muscular man of about twenty-five, bare-chested and wearing only combat shorts, climbed up the side of the ship from the sea. As he got on board and yelled the princess's name, he saw her in the embrace of another man whose mouth was at her neck's sensitive spot. And judging by the princess's expression...
The man didn't know how to react. With her expression of pain and pleasure, should he intervene or pretend not to see?
But in the next second, the man thought, 'This is on a pirate ship! How can I let a pirate defile the princess?!'
Thinking this, the man brandished his medium-length gladiator sword and shouted, "Pirate, let go of Scarlett-sama!"
Alucard lifted his mouth from Scarlett's neck, leaving a few small puncture marks.
"Master!"
The three Hancock sisters, having finished "reaping" the other ship, came over just in time to see this. They were about to intervene, but Alucard was faster. He punched the shirtless man, who was sent flying backward after a one-second standoff.
But the man was clearly well-trained; he wasn't knocked into the sea. At the critical moment, he grabbed the side of the ship with his free hand and stabilized himself.
"Bring Scarlett-sama out!" the man shouted.
"He just saved your life," Alucard said, glancing at Scarlett. His words confused her.
Alucard had actually intended to drain her blood in one go. It had been a long time since he had fed, and he had gotten a little carried away.
He finished speaking and stepped off the sinking pirate ship, returning to his own smaller iron vessel. "To Dressrosa. Don't waste time here."
As Alucard and his crew left, Kyros rushed forward to help Scarlett. However, the slightly pampered princess snapped at him, "Didn't I tell you before not to touch me, Kyros?!"
Kyros froze, retracting the hand he had extended. "My apologies."
"Honestly, if I had waited for you, I'd probably be dead already." Scarlett was deeply displeased with Kyros's late arrival.
There was a moment of silence.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Kyros said, bowing repeatedly. He wasn't good at explaining himself and had nothing to say.
"Ah… the ship is sinking…"
Only then did Scarlett realize the ship beneath her feet was taking on water. It would completely sink in less than a minute.
Kyros was about to help the princess off the ship, but then he remembered the order not to touch her and froze in place.
Scarlett looked around frantically and saw that Alucard's ship hadn't completely left yet. Mustering an inexplicable burst of courage, even with her twisted ankle, she leapt over two meters and landed on Alucard's iron ship.
"Scarlett-sama… that's…"
Kyros gasped nervously. But by the time he tried to stop her, the ship had already taken off at a speed incomparable to a normal vessel.
Seeing that the distinctively shaped iron ship was heading toward Dressrosa, Kyros jumped back into the sea and chased after it.
"Who… who are you?"
After Scarlett jumped aboard, the three Hancock sisters immediately gathered around her, looking at her with curiosity.
"I… I am Riku Scarlett. Hello," she said.
Scarlett tried to stand but cried out in pain as soon as her foot touched the deck, falling back down.
"I-I'll get you some medicine?"
Marigold had barely said the words when she remembered that there was no medicine on Alucard's ship. All they had was wine and human blood. The fresh water was bought by the three sisters on the way, and the food ingredients were things they had caught. There was no medicine.
"It's… it's okay. I'll be fine once we get back to Dressrosa," Scarlett said with a forced smile.
The coast was only a few hundred meters away. Within no time, Alucard and the three Boa sisters arrived at the rocky beach of Dressrosa, where the residents of Dressrosa were already gathered.
When they saw their daughter hobbling off the strange iron ship, the residents cheered in unison. "Hurray! Princess Scarlett!"
"It's so good that Princess Scarlett is safe!"
"This is the blessing of our kind King who cares for his people!"
When King Riku saw the issue with his daughter's foot, he immediately called out to his subordinates, "A doctor, quickly!"
As two doctors in white coats prepared to take Scarlett away, she whispered in her father's ear with concern, "Father, be careful. That person seems to be a pirate too."
As she said this, Scarlett discreetly gestured toward Alucard.
"Also a pirate?"
Hearing Scarlett's words, King Riku's expression grew serious, but he feigned a calm demeanor and approached Alucard. He bowed in thanks. "Thank you for saving my daughter. Please come with me to the palace so I may properly express my gratitude."
Alucard noted the dense crowd around them. It wasn't a good place to talk, so he followed King Riku to the palace.
At that moment, Kyros quickly caught up from the sea. He walked beside King Riku and, being a man of few words, simply watched Alucard silently, his other hand gripping his sword hilt in case of trouble.
The three Boa sisters followed behind Alucard, observing the so-called royalty. Even without comparing them to the noble Celestial Dragons, the leaders of the Kuja in Amazon Lily's palace were dressed more extravagantly than these people.
Could you even call this royalty?
Inside the palace, members of the Riku Royal Family, King Riku Doldo III, the Queen, and their two daughters, the eldest Scarlett and the younger Viola, stood surrounded by unarmed guards.
"Let us prepare a feast…"
"No need."
King Riku was cut off by Alucard after only two words. "I'm here for a purpose."
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