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Beast Pirates' Fortress, construction site.
Inside the canopy.
Daichi drank his tea, his gaze quite displeased as he looked at the woman sitting opposite him. Even while resting, the woman unhurriedly ate his tea snacks.
So beautiful—and so irritating!
It was only her first day of work, and the woman was already slacking off.
Daichi forcefully knocked on the table. "Ms. Hancock, you are now a prisoner. Can you please cooperate and finish your work before resting?"
"What a rude man, to make me do rough work."
Hancock huffed in displeasure.
"Don't worry, my part of the work is already done."
"Done?"
Daichi was a bit confused.
The whole day, the woman had just been sitting across from him, drinking tea and eating breakfast, and she had even taken his fresh newspaper.
Although it was quite pleasing to the eye, when did she do any work?
"Hancock-sama!"
Gazelleman and the others ran over, their faces full of adoration and flattery. "We've finished all your work for you!"
"Go on."
Hancock didn't even lift her head.
"Wah-yah-yah-yah, the cool Hancock-sama is so beautiful too!"
Gazelleman and the others took three steps back for every one forward, reluctantly returning to their posts, but their eyes remained fixed on Hancock.
It wasn't just Gazelleman; the other workers were the same.
Daichi's face darkened.
These good-for-nothing scoundrels!
He realized he had made a mistake. This woman was a complete menace on the construction site. Not only did she not work, but she also severely affected the efficiency of the other workers.
"Kikara, send her to the ship and have her clean!"
"Yes, Daichi-sama."
Kikara couldn't help but snicker.
She rarely saw Daichi looking so troubled.
So cute!
Kikara faced Hancock, curtsied gracefully, and invited with a smile. "Sister Hancock, please follow me."
"Mmm."
Hancock proudly stood up, forcefully raising her chin, even looking up at the sky, only short of pointing her finger at the ground.
Clearly, she was expressing that she had won.
Though she didn't know what she had won.
Daichi's forehead was covered in black lines.
He should have made this woman scrub toilets to humble her.
Shaking his head, Daichi flipped through the newspaper.
"No movement from the Marines side."
The Marines monitored him, and he had also been paying attention to the Marines' movements. Several days had passed, and there had been no reaction from the Marines.
His ability had been exposed, which was bound to happen sooner or later. It was impossible to hide it, and the World Government couldn't remain indifferent.
Given the Marines' power, if they wanted to fight them in the New World, they would either have to deploy Paramount War-level forces or have the Celestial Dragons personally intervene.
But currently, it seemed the World Government had no intention of starting a war.
Something abnormal must be afoot.
Daichi pondered for a long time, still uneasy.
"No, I need to get a divination!"
Port, Groudon.
The pirates were all on the island; there was no one on the ship.
Kikara took out mops, towels, and other cleaning tools, placed them in Hancock's arms, and earnestly instructed her.
"Sister Hancock, cleaning is very important. You must take it seriously; I won't help you!"
"But I don't like—"
"No 'buts'!"
Kikara remained unmoved, interrupting Hancock's pouting and endearing acts. She had a deep obsession with cleaning.
This was the only reason she could stay by Daichi-sama's side!
"No dinner until the work is done!"
A vein popped on Hancock's forehead!
She was a Queen!
However, looking at Kikara diligently cleaning the room, she couldn't help but recall past events, and the scolding words ultimately remained unsaid.
Perhaps having had similar experiences, although very unwilling, the woman still picked up the mop and cleaned with Kikara.
Half an hour later.
"Crack!"
Hancock was so tired her back ached, and she angrily broke the mop in two.
Why do I have to do housework!
Hancock poured herself a glass of wine and sat on the sofa, her legs wide open in an unrefined manner. "Kikara, how did you leave the Holy Land?"
"Me? I was expelled."
Kikara's expression dimmed.
"Expelled?"
Hancock was a little surprised.
In her memory, the only fate for slaves was death; she had never heard of any slave being expelled to the lower world.
Although she knew Kikara didn't want to recall it, she couldn't help but press further.
"Why?"
"Because, I... I am the child born of my mother and a Celestial Dragon."
Kikara's mood was low. She had an innate trust in Hancock, and these innermost thoughts could only be shared with Hancock, who was also a slave.
Although she was an illegitimate child, her experiences since she was old enough to understand were no different from those of a slave. From a young age, her mother taught her cleaning and aristocratic etiquette to please that 'father.'
Facing her 'father's' increasing disgust and violent beatings, she could only silently endure, not even daring to cry.
In fact, Celestial Dragons would not allow illegitimate children to exist, viewing them as defiling the bloodline of gods. Once discovered, they had to be dealt with.
If not for her 'father' developing some inappropriate pity for her mother, she would have been dealt with long ago.
Ultimately, she and her mother were secretly sent out of the Holy Land, but without reliance, they once again fell into the hands of human traffickers.
After several transfers, her mother died of illness, and she was sent to the slave gladiator arena on Champion Island, becoming a gladiator.
Hancock clutched her wine glass tightly.
Born in the Holy Land and enslaved since she was old enough to understand, she knew how tragic that past was.
The Celestial Dragons didn't treat them as humans at all.
Every night, she would remember being locked in blood-stained iron cages, being played with like pets with her sisters.
"I'm sorry."
"Sister Hancock, it's nothing."
Kikara smiled brightly.
"I'm very happy with my life now!"
Hancock felt a little pained.
For slaves, even a shred of kindness was incredibly precious; it was their only motivation to live.
She was the same back then.
Hancock showed a sisterly smile, picked up a rag. "Kikara, you teach me how to clean, and I'll teach you how to fight, okay?"
"Huh? Can I really?"
Kikara was pleasantly surprised.
She was too weak; she couldn't do anything well except housework. Even in combat, it always ended in a blur, and she couldn't remember what happened afterward.
She wanted to become stronger to help Daichi-sama.
"Of course, Sister likes you very much!"
Hancock smiled and wiped the corner of her eye.
Ten minutes later.
"Crack!"
The woman violently broke the mop again!
"Why do I have to do housework!"
"It's all that rude man's fault!"
"I will never forgive him!"
At this moment, Calm Belt.
The Marine warship sailed within the Calm Belt.
On the deck, the Marine soldiers nervously watched their surroundings, fearing the sudden appearance of Sea Kings, as the warship's cannons were utterly ineffective against them.
Along the way, if not for Vice Admiral Dalmatian and the Warlord escorting them, the warship would have long become a meal for the Sea Kings.
The Marine soldiers looked at the burly giant sitting under the mast, swallowing hard.
One of the Warlords!
"Tyrant" Bartholomew Kuma!
"We've arrived!"
Vice Admiral Dalmatian looked at the fortress vaguely visible at the end of his sight, turned to Kuma, and said in a deep voice. "Next, you just need to deliver those two nobles to the island ahead, and your mission will be complete, Kuma."
"Easily done."
Kuma closed his Bible.