Chapter 28: Are You The Only One Who Came For My Head?
Half a month later.
Alabasta. The Royal Palace, South Hall.
This was a relatively secluded part of the palace, usually uninhabited. But for the past two weeks, it had been heavily guarded.
Tap! Tap! Tap!
The sound of crisp footsteps approached.
The guards straightened up, looking toward the visitor.
"Princess Vivi!?"
Seeing the blue-haired princess, they immediately saluted.
"Following Father's orders, I have come to see the honored guest and thank him for the rain in Katorea," Vivi said simply. "Please let me through."
The guards hesitated. But not for long. They stepped aside.
Initially, they had been extremely wary of guarding the 'honored guest' in the South Hall—especially those who had been present during the first meeting and knew his identity and terrifying power.
But as time passed, that wariness faded.
So far, the guest had used his miraculous ability to bring rain to Yuba, Katorea, and Elumalu, stabilizing the situation in Alabasta significantly.
King Cobra had already met with him privately. And since the King was currently busy traveling the country to comfort the citizens, Princess Vivi was the highest authority in the palace.
They dared not disobey.
Vivi entered the South Hall.
From a distance, she saw a deck chair.
Sunlight streamed through the skylight, illuminating Ryuji, who was lounging on the chair. He held a glass of cola, a straw snaking under his mask.
"Oh? Princess Vivi. Here to interrupt my sunbathing again?"
Seeing her, Ryuji turned his head to greet her, but Vivi clearly saw him quickly hide the glass behind his back.
'Who would want to steal that stuff?' Vivi thought, exasperated.
Over the past month, she had gotten somewhat familiar with Ryuji. She knew that this self-proclaimed executive of 'The Zodiac,' despite his terrifying power, had a very... unique personality.
She performed a standard royal curtsy. "Good day, Sir Ryuji."
"I am here on my father's orders to thank you for the recent rain in Katorea..."
It was a perfectly reasonable excuse.
But...
"Ah, about that. I'm sorry to inform you, Princess, but your cover is blown."
Ryuji said mercilessly.
Once he was sure Vivi wasn't going to snatch his drink, he brought the cola back out and took a sip. "Your Guard Captain, Igaram, came to see me recently. From what he said, I gathered that King Cobra never gave you any such order."
His voice under the mask turned teasing.
"Besides, my guess is that the people plotting against your country are about to make their move on me soon. So, I advise you not to come here unless it's important."
Vivi's expression changed.
"Igaram..." she gritted her teeth, annoyed at her captain's loose lips.
Then, she looked at Ryuji stubbornly. "That won't work. You have to tell me who the mastermind is! Why won't Father tell me?"
"I am the Princess of Alabasta! I have a responsibility to the people too!"
This was why she had been visiting him so frequently, even resorting to lies.
Recently, her father had met with Ryuji again—without her.
According to Igaram, Ryuji had revealed the identity of the mastermind during that meeting. But when she asked her father, Cobra simply shook his head and refused to tell her.
"That is not something you need to know, Vivi."
That was all he said.
But Vivi couldn't accept it. She believed that as a princess, she had the right to know who was trying to destroy her country.
"He has to pay for what he's done to Alabasta!" Vivi said angrily.
Ryuji remained noncommittal.
"Princess, if I may ask a rude question..." he said softly. "Have you ever left Alabasta?"
"I..." Vivi paused, confused. "Of course, I..."
As the only princess, she rarely left the country. The only exception was three years ago.
"I accompanied Father to the last 'Levely'..."
She bit her lip, recalling that trip. Her father had reprimanded King Wapol of the Drum Kingdom, and Wapol had retaliated against her.
Although she had calmly chosen to compromise and apologize, she had cried in her father's arms afterward. It wasn't a fond memory.
Ryuji shrugged. "That's the reason, Princess."
"You haven't truly seen the 'world' yet. And your father clearly thinks you're not ready."
He chuckled. "So, please go back."
"..."
Vivi bit her lip, staring at Ryuji. After a long moment, she huffed.
She stood up and turned to leave.
But halfway to the door, she spun around, marched back, and—to Ryuji's cry of "Ah!"—snatched the refill bottle of cola from the ice bucket next to him. She chugged the rest of it in one go.
Then, she gave Ryuji a triumphant look and marched out of the South Hall.
"..."
Looking at the empty bottle, Roy wanted to cry.
I have to say... as expected of someone who almost became a Straw Hat. That thought process and behavior are already showing signs of eccentricity.
But just as he was about to ask the guards for another cola...
"Princess, why are you back?"
The guards' voices came from outside.
"I forgot to tell the honored guest something important. Um... it's highly classified. You should all leave."
"Huh? But Captain Igaram said..."
"Hm? Are you disobeying a direct order from your Princess?"
"Of course not! We wouldn't dare! We'll leave immediately!"
As the voices faded, Ryuji saw Vivi walk back into the South Hall.
Seeing him, she smiled warmly. "Sir Ryuji, I have something to tell you."
She walked quickly to his side.
"What a coincidence. I have something to ask you too," Ryuji said, still reclining on his chair.
"Are you the only one who came?"
Vivi's expression faltered for a split second.
But she recovered instantly, smiling. "What do you mean? I just came back alone, didn't I?"
"That's not what I meant," Ryuji said, still smiling.
"I meant... are you the only one who came for my head?"
Swish!
The moment the words left his mouth, 'Vivi's' smiling face turned cold and sinister.
Her leg snapped out like a whip, aiming a kick straight at Ryuji's head.
At the same time, her face changed instantly—from Vivi's beautiful features to the face of a man with heavy makeup and straight bangs.
Ryuji finished his sentence, revealing the assassin's identity.
"Baroque Works... Mr. 2."