Holy Land, Flower Chamber.
Inside the tranquil pavilion, the air was thick with the rich fragrance of flowers and the subtle scent of tea.
Imu sat in the main seat, her dark red eyes fixed on Sharlias's flat abdomen, lingering for a long time.
Her gaze held no warmth, yet it felt colder and sharper than the biting winds atop the Red Line.
Sharlias's posture stiffened involuntarily, her hands on her knees clutching her skirt tightly, her breathing almost imperceptible.
A month had passed.
It had been a full month since that night.
Yet, her body showed no reaction.
She didn't dare speak, nor even lift her head to look at the supreme ruler.
She knew well—Orion had taken her only once that night.
Unless he was a marksman who never missed…
Imu did not press Sharlia.
Withdrawing her gaze, she turned to Gunko, who stood nearby in attendance.
"What has Orion been doing this past month?"
Her voice was ethereal, betraying no emotion.
Gunko immediately bowed and reported respectfully.
"Imu-sama, since leaving the Holy Land a month ago, Orion-sama has been residing at Marineford. For the most part, he has been personally overseeing the training of the new recruits."
She paused before adding, "Now that the training has concluded, Orion-sama intends to personally lead these recruits on a sea voyage for practical experience."
Imu's hand, holding the teacup, froze mid-air.
A sea voyage for practical experience?
Hah.
Clearly, he was avoiding her.
Beneath her veil, Imu's lips twitched almost imperceptibly.
A thought flashed through her mind, but not a trace of it showed on her face.
She set down her teacup, her voice still flat and devoid of emotion.
"Go to Marine Headquarters now. Before Orion sets sail, have him spend a night in the Flower Chamber."
Gunko's heart skipped a beat, immediately understanding Imu's intention.
She stepped forward, the words almost escaping her lips involuntarily.
"Imu-sama, if possible... when meeting with Orion-sama, could you possess my body instead?."
Imu's gaze swept over her, cold as ice.
"Gunko, attend to your duties."
"Right now, the only woman Orion can favor is Sharlia."
Imu's eyes turned toward Sharlia, who had nearly curled into a ball.
"Unless... she fails to conceive."
In the calmest tone, she uttered words that sent Sharlia plunging into an icy abyss.
"If, after receiving Orion's favor, you still cannot bear his bloodline..."
"Then, there is no need for you to live."
Sharlia's face instantly drained of color, her entire body trembling uncontrollably.
The fear of death gripped her heart like an icy hand.
"I... I'll go right away!" She slid from her chair to the floor, her voice choked with tears. "I'll go to Marine Headquarters with Lady Gunko immediately!"
"Go."
Imu waved a hand, not sparing her another glance.
Gunko didn't dare delay, immediately helping the weakened Sharlia to her feet and quickly leaving the Flower Chamber.
The moment they stepped out of that sea of flowers, Gunko activated her ability without hesitation.
Countless bandages surged from within her, rapidly wrapping and shaping beneath her feet, forming a massive arrow several meters long in an instant.
"Hold steady!"
Gunko commanded sharply, pulling Sharlia onto the arrow.
Whoosh—!
The giant arrow shot up from the ground, trailing a white streak as it sliced through the sky at astonishing speed, heading straight for Marineford.
...
Marineford, Plaza.
When Gunko and Sharlia descended from the sky and landed in the center of the plaza, only Gion was there to greet them.
"Gunko, Sharlia." Gion approached, a formal smile on her face. "Here to see the Fleet Admiral?"
Gunko nodded. "Where is Orion-sama?"
"Unfortunately, you're too late." Gion spread her hands. "The Fleet Admiral set sail early this morning with those new recruits, said they're going to travel around the world."
Too late?
Gunko and Sharlia exchanged glances, both seeing the trouble in each other's eyes.
"In that case, we won't stay long." Gunko decided promptly, preparing to take Sharlia back to Holy Land to report.
Just as they turned to leave, Gion suddenly stepped forward, closing in on Sharlia.
Her nostrils flared slightly, then her beautiful eyes narrowed.
"Sharlia, your perfume... it's quite unique."
"I think... I've smelled it somewhere before."
Sharlia's heart skipped a beat, panic surging within her.
"Is that really so surprising?"
Gunko interjected promptly. "Sharlia is a Celestial Dragon. She can have any high-end perfume she wants!"
With that, she grabbed Sharlia's arm, bandages surging forth once more, carrying them skyward.
Gion stood in place, watching the direction they disappeared, a slow smile curling at the corners of her mouth.
She raised her hand and sniffed the faint, delicate fragrance lingering on her sleeve—identical to the scent that clung to Orion.
...
On the boundless sea, a specially designed Marine training ship was cutting through the waves.
At the bow of the deck, Orion stood facing the sea breeze, hands clasped behind his back, savoring this rare moment of tranquility.
Finally free from those predatory women at the Holy Land.
A stolen half-day of leisure.
However, his peace didn't last long.
A wave of rich, fragrant perfume swept over him as a graceful figure silently appeared by his side.
Well, so much for even half a day of leisure!
Orion glanced sideways at the woman who had joined him, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly.
He hadn't intended to bring Hancock along, but after learning that he was taking new recruits out to sea for training, she had secretly stowed away on the training ship, hiding in the wardrobe of his room.
By the time he discovered her, the ship was already far from Marineford.
Since things had come to this, he couldn't be bothered to argue.
"Orion~"
Hancock stood shoulder-to-shoulder with him, her peach-blossom eyes gazing obsessively at his profile as her mind began weaving an elaborate fantasy.
To Hancock, this was no ordinary training voyage!
It was a private world for just her and Orion!
A romantic honeymoon wedding!
They would pass countless beautiful islands on their journey, harmonizing like lute and zither on moonlit beaches.
Then, she would bear Orion a pair of adorable twins.
One resembling him, the other resembling her.
The more she fantasized, the more intoxicated she became, her fair cheeks flushing with an enchanting rosy hue.
Just as she was about to lose herself completely in her daydreams, an untimely voice shattered the beautiful moment.
"Orion! Where are we heading next?"
Luffy had somehow sidled up to them, his straw hat perched on his head, face brimming with excitement for the unknown journey ahead.
Orion tilted his head and asked with a smile, "If it were a journey, where would you most want to go?"
"Laugh Tale!" Luffy answered without hesitation, then raised his fist high, eyes blazing with determination.
"I'm going to be the King of the Pirates!"
Before Luffy's words had fully faded—
Hancock suddenly turned her head, her beautiful eyes burning with fury as she glared at the culprit who had ruined her private moment with Orion.
In the next instant, she lifted her long, slender leg and delivered a precise, elegant "Perfume Femur" kick.
"Bam!"
"Aaaah—!"
Transformed into a shooting star, Luffy flew through the air with a pained scream before crashing heavily onto the deck, thoroughly disoriented.
"This... is the price for interrupting my alone time with Orion!" Hancock retracted her leg and snorted coldly, her queenly aura radiating in full force.
Before Luffy could even pick himself up from the deck, an orange blur shot out from the cabin.
"Luffy!" Nami stood with hands on her hips, exuding fierce authority.
"King of the Pirates, huh? I'll beat you into the King of Pig Heads!"
No sooner had she spoken than Nami's fists began raining down on him.
"Wham! Wham! Wham!"
The deck immediately echoed with Luffy's heart-wrenching screams and Nami's merciless scolding.
"Waaah... Why...?" Luffy, now covered in bumps, crouched in a corner drawing circles, tears welling in his eyes as he whimpered in grievance.
"I just want to be the Pirate King, what's wrong with that...?"
"Super—!"
Striking an outrageously flamboyant pose, Franky sidled over and gave Luffy a thumbs-up.
"Daring to say you'll be the King of the Pirates right in front of the Fleet Admiral! Luffy, you're Super brave!"
"How about changing your dream? I think... becoming the King of Adventurers sounds pretty good!"