The Empress was absolutely furious!
If it weren't for the title of "Guardian Deity," she would've killed that damned sea dragon a hundred times over by now.
Thinking it was only fair that no one should eat for free, she gave him a small task, yet he had the audacity to accept it cheerfully, only to carry it out half-heartedly.
That was supposed to be combat training?
More like taking advantage of the girls' innocence!
To the Empress, that wasn't training at all.
It was aerobics.
"That damned dragon, he's teaching future national defense warriors a fitness routine?!"
No longer in the mood to observe any further, the Empress returned to her palace, fuming.
"Calm down, calm down! Please don't take it to heart, Lady Empress. Don't stoop to Lord Yato's level," said Marigold helplessly, trying to soothe her.
"Lord Yato?" Boa Hancock's eyebrows twitched slightly, her gaze sharp.
"Ah, no, no! I meant that damned sea dragon! That beast dares anger the Empress! He deserves death!" Marigold quickly corrected herself, then jumped in on the scolding.
"…Killing him isn't an option either," Hancock bit her lip, frustration churning in her heart as she began considering alternative punishments.
But before she could decide, a small figure stepped into the room.
Her brows furrowed instantly. She held back her anger and said coldly,
"You're barging into my chambers again? Don't forget, you're no longer Empress. You're just the former, former, former ruler, Gloriosa!"
Gloriosa, also known as Elder Nyon, wasn't fazed at all.
She stood firm with a serious face, looking directly at Hancock.
"Snake Princess, now isn't the time to be entertaining that sea dragon. A few days ago, you refused the Navy's offer to become a Warlord of the Sea.
They'll be back, next time with battleships, not invitations!
And when that time comes, they won't be negotiating…
They'll be bombarding Amazon Lily."
Gloriosa took a deep breath.
"There's still time. Accept the title. The Calm Belt no longer protects us.
Only a Warlord title can safeguard the country now."
"I refuse!"
Hancock's voice turned cold with agitation, her tone growing increasingly distant.
"What I do is none of your concern. You don't get to order me around.
Get out!"
She shook her head repeatedly, anxiety written across her brows.
"I'm a pirate. They're the Navy. We're natural enemies. There's no such thing as cooperation! To accept their title? To become a dog of the World Government?
I would rather die!"
Seeing her emotions slip out of control, Gloriosa's expression shifted slightly.
She sighed and said,
"…I'm sorry for bringing up painful memories. But please think carefully, Snake Princess.
The future of this nation is not something you can gamble with…"
With that, Gloriosa turned and left, shaking her head in helpless frustration.
Once alone, Hancock curled up on her velvet bed.
A haunted look crossed her face.
She seemed to recall something horrifying.
Terror, panic, and fear flickered across her tear-stained expression.
In that moment, she was no longer the proud, cold ruler of Amazon Lily.
She was just a 19-year-old girl, fragile and helpless.
"Lady Empress…"
"I'm fine," Hancock said after a long silence, slowly regaining her composure.
"Notify the city. I will be bathing and changing clothes."
Yato had spent the entire afternoon teaching aerobics.
The little girls had actually picked it up quickly, by the third or fourth hour, most of them had it down.
"Alright, that's enough for today. Dismissed!"
He waved goodbye to the girls with a smile and strolled back toward the palace.
However, when he tried to reenter the city, he found himself blocked at the gate.
Not just him, everyone had been temporarily cleared out.
Only necessary defensive personnel remained within the city walls.
"We're terribly sorry, Lord Guardian Deity," the gate guard said respectfully.
"Her Majesty is bathing and changing. Due to the Gorgon curse, it's extremely dangerous to approach."
Gorgon curse?
According to legend, the Empress bore a Gorgon's Eye on her back, left behind when she slew the creature a year ago.
Anyone who caught its gaze would be instantly turned to stone.
What a load of crap.
Yato cursed silently.
He knew the truth very well.
The curse was fake.
What Hancock truly wanted to hide… was the mark on her back.
She just didn't want anyone getting close while she was bathing.
In this, she and Yato were birds of a feather.
One faked being a Guardian Deity.
The other faked slaying a Gorgon.
"…This could be a problem. Night's coming, and my forced transformation is about to activate."
After a bit of thought, Yato spoke:
"In that case, I won't return to the city tonight. Pass this message to Her Majesty,
the sea dragon shall return to the sea to recuperate."
"Eh? Lord Guardian Deity?"
The female guard blinked, utterly confused as she watched him walk away.
Time passed.
The sun dipped below the sea's horizon.
Nightfall arrived.
Yato's form shifted once again, back into the Shadow Wraith.
He hadn't gone far.
Instead, he quietly doubled back, sneaking into the sealed-off city.
The gates were still shut.
Even Yato found it ridiculous, how long could someone take to bathe?
She'd been in there for over an hour and a half.
"And I have to sleep outside because of this?"
Annoyed, Yato slipped in as a stream of black mist, hugging the ground as he darted toward the palace.
After spending several days here, he was familiar with the layout.
It was easy to avoid the guards and sneak into the inner court.
Naturally, the Empress was still in the bath.
Yato moved silently, slithering through the crack of the massive bathhouse door.
The moment he entered, a thick mist engulfed him.
The massive bath resembled a small pool, with steam rising from its surface.
And amidst that steam, a graceful figure was faintly visible.
Steam might block human vision,
but it couldn't block the Shadow Wraith's senses.
Yato saw clearly.
The Empress sat in the far corner, completely bare, curled up with her knees hugged to her chest, tear stains still visible on her face.
"Tch. What a body. Should I be getting hard right now, out of respect?"
Yato admired the view for a few seconds and joked inwardly:
"Too bad Shadow Wraiths don't have junk. Can't even get hard."
He paused, then reminded himself:
"Right, focus."
He floated forward in a stream of black mist… and stopped right in front of her.
"Who's there?!"
Despite her fragile state, the Empress was a first-rate warrior.
She immediately sensed the presence right before her.
A wisp of black smoke floated in front of her… and began to thicken, slowly forming a humanoid figure.
And from within the black smoke, a voice spoke:
"Good evening, Empress of Amazon Lily.
I am Shadow Wraith, an assassin from Dream Phantom."
As the words fell, the figure fully materialized.
Even in the face of such an eerie scene, Hancock remained composed.
She didn't panic.
She didn't lash out.
Instead, she calmly sank lower into the water, keeping herself covered.
"Dignified, indeed. Not bad for an Empress," Yato praised.
"Since you're the Sea Dragon's friend, I'll give you a fifty percent discount."
"Sea Dragon? Fifty percent?" Her brows lifted slightly.
"…What are you talking about?"
"A deal."
Yato smiled faintly.
"I'm an assassin. I take contracts. Even Celestial Dragons… if you pay the price, I'll kill them for you."
"…Kill Celestial Dragons?" Hancock's entire body trembled.
She looked shocked.
"You heard me right." Yato's tone turned cold.
"If you want them dead… rest assured. To me, killing those pigs is no harder than slaughtering cattle."