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Night fell, and the fortress's tavern.
To facilitate the laborers' leisure, a living area was established within the fortress, complete with facilities like taverns.
In the corner of the tavern.
"Shakky-sama is here too!"
Watching Rayleigh and Shakky, the two sisters were almost moved to tears. This was the territory of the Beast Pirates, heavily garrisoned.
"Mr. Rayleigh, Shakky-sama, thank you for coming to rescue us."
"I didn't expect it to go so smoothly."
Rayleigh drank his small wine and shook his head with a smile.
This trip had indeed gone very smoothly.
And unlike his expectations, the Kuja Pirates had not been imprisoned or tortured. They were no different from ordinary laborers.
In the evening, they could even come to the tavern for a drink.
Next, as long as he found an opportunity to rescue Hancock and the crew, they could return to Amazon Lily via the Calm Belt.
This was not difficult for him.
Rayleigh lowered his voice and asked, "Sandersonia, is Hancock imprisoned on Daichi's ship?"
"It's not really imprisonment."
Sandersonia looked rather embarrassed. "Daichi disliked Hancock causing trouble, so he made Hancock to live on his ship."
Rayleigh was dumbfounded.
"Pfft!"
Shakky laughed. "That's truly Hancock-chan's personality."
Rayleigh rubbed his forehead, a headache coming on. "I remember Daichi's ship is called Groudon, right? I didn't see that ship at the port."
"Daichi returned this afternoon."
Marigold responded from the side. She had just seen the Groudon return, bringing a bunch of Minks.
"I see, that makes things easier."
Rayleigh looked at the sky.
"I'll go find her later when it's darker."
"Mr. Rayleigh, there's no need for such trouble."
Sandersonia whispered. "If you want to see Hancock, I can go call her. Daichi won't mind."
Rayleigh's face darkened.
Are you really prisoners or not?!
Do you know how hard he worked to come all this way? He disguised himself as a carpenter and worked a lot along the way!
Why did he feel like he was the prisoner!
Sandersonia was also embarrassed. Rayleigh had specially come to rescue them, but they hadn't suffered much, just doing some work. This was too easy for a Kuja warrior.
"Mr. Rayleigh, why don't we go find Hancock together?"
"Okay."
A moment later, the four arrived at the Groudon.
Gazelleman, who was in charge of guarding the ship, glanced at the two sisters and didn't even bother to ask, allowing the two sisters to lead Rayleigh and Shakky into the cabin.
Daichi-sama didn't care, so why should he meddle? As long as it didn't delay work, everything was fine.
"That old man looks a bit familiar."
Gazelleman couldn't recall, so he pulled out a photo of a cool Hancock from his pocket.
Hehehe?!
He took it secretly.
To guard the ship, he had paid a hefty sum to bribe his colleagues, all so he could be closer to Hancock-sama.
Ship's bar.
It wasn't bedtime yet, and Hancock was bored, drinking alone. She seemed to have had a lot, her face flushed.
"Kikara, does Daichi really not look down on you?"
"No, Daichi-sama is very gentle."
Kikara stayed behind the bar, serving Hancock while wiping the barware and tables and chairs, never idle for a moment.
The girl explained happily.
"Even slaves and prisoners, as long as they are willing to work hard, Daichi-sama will not discriminate. Status is not a measure of superiority or inferiority in Daichi-sama's eyes."
"What a strange man."
Hancock leaned on the bar, her mood growing more depressed.
Although he was strange, she felt that her current life was quite good, except for a certain man who made her scrub toilets.
The bar door was pushed open.
Hancock looked back, tilting her head in confusion.
"Rayleigh?"
"Hancock, you seem to have had a lot to drink."
Rayleigh sat next to Hancock.
Seeing this, Kikara proactively leaned over and asked with a smile. "Are you Sister Hancock's friend? What would you like to drink?"
"Oh, a cute little girl. Give me a vodka, please."
Rayleigh smiled, sighing inwardly.
After coming to the Beast Pirates' territory, he was truly eye-opening. In the Labor Country, the people were enthusiastic, completely unlike the enslaved state rumored about the Beast Pirates. It was completely different from what he'd heard.
Coming to the fortress, the laborers and giants were equally energetic, and even the Kuja warriors were doing very well.
He couldn't imagine that this would be a territory ruled by the Beast Pirates.
All of this was Daichi's doing.
It made him want to meet Daichi the Destroyer.
He was really curious about what kind of man that guy was.
Kikara handed the drink to Rayleigh.
"Here's your vodka."
"Thank you."
Rayleigh took a swig, his eyes lighting up.
"Oh, this wine is good."
"Of course! Daichi-sama has very high standards for the quality of wine. Not just wine, everything on this ship is the best!"
Kikara answered happily.
Rayleigh chuckled, speechless.
"Little girl, you really admire him, don't you?"
"Yes!"
Kikara blushed and nodded vigorously.
Rayleigh laughed heartily, no longer teasing Kikara, and turned to Hancock. "Hancock, I'm here to take you back to Amazon Lily."
"Back to Amazon Lily?"
Hancock's drunkenness surged. After thinking for a full three seconds, she took another swig of wine, then slumped down, her beautiful face resting on the bar.
Like a decadent drunkard.
"I am not going back."
"Huh?"
Rayleigh frowned slightly.
She must be drunk!
"Why don't you want to go back?"
"I am no longer a Warlord, so I can't return to Amazon Lily. This place is very good. I get food and drink, and I don't have to think about anything."
Hancock dejectedly swirled her wine glass.
Being stripped of her Warlord title meant the Marines would capture her. Although she wasn't afraid, she didn't want to bring disaster to Amazon Lily.
She didn't know where she should go.
Her current life was not bad. Although no one served her, there were no annoying worries, a rare tranquility.
Except for a certain scoundrel who kept ordering her to mop floors and scrub toilets.
Rayleigh's face was covered in black lines.
He knew Hancock's concerns. Daichi had deliberately released the news of Hancock's capture to prevent her from returning.
But how long had it been? Less than two months, and this girl had been raised to be like a decadent person who just lived off others.
Her will was too dejected!
Rayleigh drank his wine helplessly, his gaze turning to Shakky beside him.
"Isn't this quite good?"
Shakky's thoughts were different from Rayleigh's.
Back then, as the Empress of Amazon Lily, she suffered from lovesickness and had no choice but to leave Amazon Lily, which was how she survived.
Since little Hancock wasn't suffering, what was wrong with staying here? This might even save her.
All previous Empresses of Amazon Lily could not escape the fate of lovesickness.
There were no exceptions.
The next Empress after she left died because of lovesickness.
"I don't think that Daichi has much ill will. It might not be a bad thing for Hancock to stay with him."
"Sigh, whatever you want."
Rayleigh drained his wine.
What exactly was he here for?
To work for Daichi the Destroyer?
"Little girl, another glass!"