Kuja Island.
At the entrance to the Amazon Lily Kingdom's palace, Boa Marigold watched the tightly shut palace doors and leaned closer to Boa Sandersonia, lowering her voice as if afraid of being overheard by the person inside. "What's really going on with our sister? She finally managed to return from that man named Ryan, yet she doesn't seem the least bit happy."
"Exactly," Sandersonia tilted her head, her tone full of confusion. "When our sister was held captive by that guy before, we were going crazy with worry, constantly thinking about how to rescue her and make that bastard pay in blood. But look at her now..."
Sandersonia gestured toward the palace doors with her chin, her voice dropping even lower. "The moment she returned, she locked herself in her bedchamber, barely touching the meals the servants brought. When I asked earlier if we should seek revenge against that guy, our sister actually said 'no need.'"
"No need?!" Marigold's voice rose slightly before she quickly covered her mouth. After checking that no guards were nearby, she gritted her teeth and whispered, "That man detained our sister like a prisoner and dared to speak so disrespectfully to her. According to our Kuja rules, he should have been tied to the execution platform and devoured by the Poison Pythons until not even his bones remained. How can our sister just let this go?"
On Kuja Island, no one had ever dared to disrespect the Empress, let alone have the Empress show "special treatment" toward a man. In the past, anyone who dared speak even half a bad word about the Empress would have been turned to stone long ago.
"I can't understand it either," Sandersonia sighed softly, her voice filled with resentment. "Our sister is the Empress of Amazon Lily. How can she let some unknown man take advantage of her and get away with it?"
Marigold frowned, flames dancing in her eyes. "What if... we secretly send people to Sabaody Archipelago to capture that guy?"
"Don't act recklessly," Sandersonia quickly grabbed Marigold's arm. "Our sister said it's not necessary. If we take action without permission and anger our elder sister, what then? Moreover, that guy is quite powerful. If we act rashly, we might suffer losses and bring trouble to Kuja Island."
Marigold bit her lip, crossing her arms unwillingly. "But seeing our elder sister so dejected breaks my heart. No matter what happened before, our sister always faced everything with complete confidence. When has she ever been this dispirited?"
Sandersonia didn't respond, instead turning her gaze back toward the palace doors. She had a vague feeling that something about their sister had changed since her return from Ryan's custody, though she couldn't quite pinpoint what exactly was different.
"Let's wait a bit longer," Sandersonia said softly. "Perhaps our sister just needs some time. If she's still like this after a couple of days, we'll figure something out then."
Marigold nodded, but couldn't help glancing in the direction of Sabaody Archipelago, her eyes filled with resentment. "No matter what, that guy dared to make our sister unhappy. We'll settle this score sooner or later..."
Inside the bedchamber.
Boa Hancock curled up on the large soft bed covered with crimson velvet. Her signature red cheongsam clung to her curves, the fabric across her back slightly taut, faintly revealing the gentle contours of her shoulder blades that contrasted sharply with the fullness of her chest, showcasing the beautiful curves of her feminine figure.
To the extreme.
She possessed both the voluptuous fullness of a mature woman and the taut, well-proportioned physique of a warrior. It was this unique figure that captivated countless people.
Yet this stunning beauty carried a hint of fragility. The Empress, who always held her chin high with an imposing aura, now sat with her knees tightly hugged to her chest, face buried in her arms. Even her meticulously maintained black hair lay scattered across the bed like an helpless girl.
Hancock had long heard her sisters' conversation from the moment they stood outside the palace doors—not missing a single word—yet she lacked the strength to respond.
Ever since returning from Sabaody Archipelago, Hancock had been curled up in her chambers like this, letting her thoughts drift back to that day.
The image of Ryan gripping her hand, forcing the sword deep into the Celestial Dragon, was seared into her mind like an indelible brand. The warmth of his palm, the steady Strength with which he held the sword, even the Celestial Dragon's screams—every detail remained vivid as if it happened yesterday.
Quick.
Even though it was the "touch" she despised most, even though the action carried an irresistible roughness, every time she recalled it, her heartbeat would uncontrollably accelerate.
"Bastard..." Hancock gently bit her fingernail.
Why was that man so crazy about her body, yet could turn so heartless? After sending her back to Kuja Island, he didn't even spare an extra word, as if their previous entanglement was just some insignificant game.
This sense of defeat twisted in her heart, making Hancock restless.
She was the emperor of Amazon Lily, the Empress revered by countless people. How many men would willingly give their lives just to catch a glimpse of her? Yet Ryan was different—obsessed with her beauty yet unafraid of her authority, even going so far as to humiliate her repeatedly.
And yet, it was this very person who gave her the first "indescribable" feeling she'd ever experienced.
After a while, Hancock slowly raised her head, released her knees, and pushed herself up from the soft bed's edge. Her red cheongsam swayed slightly with the movement, and when her long legs emerged from the slit, their captivating lines remained breathtaking.
Even having just emerged from a vulnerable state, the Empress's inherent grace remained undiminished.
Barefoot, Hancock walked step by step to the dressing table. Her gaze lingered on her exquisitely beautiful reflection in the mirror before she raised a hand to touch her cheek. Her fingers traced the soft skin as she murmured, "I'm so beautiful... How could he be so heartless?"
As the words left her lips, memories of those days as Ryan's captive suddenly flashed through her mind. Those crazy scenes surfaced uncontrollably, instantly flushing her face crimson. She quickly averted her eyes, yet her heartbeat only grew faster.
"No..." Hancock turned back to the mirror, her eyes gaining a self-reassuring certainty. "He was clearly so obsessed back then, holding me tight... Perhaps he's just being stubborn. Maybe he still cares for me deep down."
Her fingers lightly brushed her neck, as if still feeling the traces Ryan had left there. Hancock's ears flushed pink, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously lifted slightly.
Even knowing this might be self-deception, the thought that Ryan might not be completely indifferent to her quietly eased the sting of his heartlessness.
Just as Hancock was lost in her own world, a faint rustling sound suddenly came from above the bedchamber, followed by a dull thud the next second—something heavy crashed onto the carpet, sending up a flurry of fine fibers.
"Who's there?!" Hancock spun around sharply, her gaze instantly shifting from its earlier softness to sharp alertness. The hem of her red cheongsam traced a clean arc with the movement.