Sherwin had more or less finished exploring Fish-Man Island, so he didn't really mind. It was a good chance to return to Ryugu Palace and collect the "thank-you gift."
The little Felynes still hadn't played enough, but under Huamei gentle gaze—soft yet full of authority—they all nodded obediently and chose to cooperate.
Following Shark Star and the others back to Ryugu Palace, Sherwin realized the situation wasn't quite what he had imagined…
"Huh? It that café lady who kicked us out, meow!"
(=`н=)
Klee Meow glared angrily at Madam Shyarly, who was standing beside King Neptune.
"What are you planning now, meow? Trying to avenge that jerk Arlong, meow?!"
"Are we gonna fight, meow?!"
Jinx eyes lit up, and she reached for her boom-boom gun.
Sherwin quickly scooped both little troublemakers into his arms.
"Easy. Let hear what they have to say." He soothed the two small Felynes while looking at King Neptune in confusion.
"Since you know Shyarly, then you should also know she has the power of divination, correct?"
King Neptune scratched his cheek awkwardly and explained, "She just performed a divination for you, and she saw a vision of you abducting Shirahoshi."
"Huh?!"
Sherwin froze for a moment, then turned to look at Princess Shirahoshi, who was shrinking back, too afraid to meet his eyes.
No wonder Shark Star and the others had looked so strange earlier. If Sherwin actually wanted to kidnap Shirahoshi, he could have done it easily when they went after Hody Jones.
And that was exactly how he defended himself.
"If I wanted to abduct Shirahoshi, I had plenty of chances before…" He pointed directly at the three princes, bluntly adding, "Don't tell me you think your three sons could stop me."
"…We also feel that unlikely…"
King Neptune rubbed the back of his head with an awkward smile. It was clear he also felt he had wronged Sherwin.
"But… but Shyarly predictions have never been wrong…"
There was another reason he didn't say, though Sherwin understood it perfectly well—the hidden truth that Shirahoshi was an Ancient Weapon.
But even on that point, Neptune and the others felt the likelihood was low. If Sherwin really coveted Shirahoshi power, he would never have openly revealed that he knew about it.
"Are you sure the one who takes Shirahoshi away is me, and not one of my cats?"
Sherwin suddenly thought of how Shirahoshi was oddly drawn to the Felynes.
After letting his gaze sweep across all of them, his eyes finally landed on the little blue cat in his arms.
"Awuu!"
(=`皿=)
Jinx first sank her teeth into Sherwin arm with full force before righteously declaring,
"If I wanted to take Shirahoshi away, I wouldn't sneak around and kidnap her! I'd just snatch her outright, meow!"
…That reasoning was bold and powerful enough that Sherwin was immediately convinced.
Madam Shyarly snapped back, "I can at least tell the difference between a human and a Felyne!"
"How dare you accuse me, meow!"
(=◣皿◢=)
The little blue cat bit down on Sherwin arm again.
Sherwin looked helplessly at the Klee Meow he was holding with his other arm. "And why are you biting me?"
Caught in the act, the little ragdoll stuck out her tiny tongue and, trying to sound justified despite lacking confidence,
said, "Klee saw Jinx-sis biting and having so much fun, so Klee wanted to try it too~ And Klee didn't even use much strength, meow!"
And then…
Sherwin suddenly felt both shoulders sink as the remaining two members of the Four Little Felyne Kings lunged in from left and right to gnaw on his ears.
Beside them, the unofficial fifth member of the Four Kings, Sanji Meow, was watching hungrily for his turn.
"…"
Huamei, the most reliable among the Investigation Corps, looked at her admiral once again entangled in chaos with the other cats and let out a helpless sigh.
"I have a question, meow." Huamei Meow stepped forward and asked on Sherwin behalf, "How detailed is Madam Shyarly prophecy? Did she see the entire process of the admiral abducting Shirahoshi, or did she only see Shirahoshi leaving with him? And is there a specific time frame, meow?"
"This… I didn't see the entire process," Madam Shyarly replied honestly.
Though she disliked Sherwin, she didn't twist the truth. "I only saw the Hunter leaving with Princess Shirahoshi.
As for the timing, I couldn't determine it precisely, but the Shirahoshi in the vision didn't look much different from how she is now, so it shouldn't be too far in the future."
Shirahoshi was only eleven or twelve at the moment. Even if her size was already enormous, she was still a child in appearance, far from the voluptuous figure shown in the manga.
At this age, children grow quickly—changes are noticeable within a month or two.
So if Madam Shyarly was correct, the moment Sherwin "takes" Shirahoshi is probably around the time they leave Fish-Man Island…
Unless they return shortly afterward for some unknown reason. That wasn't impossible—after all, they had already gone to Water 7 three times.
But the problem was… he had absolutely no intention of taking Shirahoshi away…
Having finally managed to calm the little Felynes down, Sherwin now felt genuinely confused.
He had considered the possibility that, since he didn't originally belong to this world, the prophecies of the pirate world might not affect him normally—or might end up blocked or distorted.
Being able to conjure an impossible future out of thin air was far too strange.
Or… was it something that would really happen?
Just as Sherwin was puzzled, Huamei Meow continued, "Then what was Shirahoshi state in that vision? Was she being forced by the Admiral to leave, or did she choose to follow him, meow?"
Madam Shyarly froze for a moment before answering hesitantly, "It… it seemed like she left willingly…"
Because of the matter with the evil dragon, Madam Shyarly naturally had no good impression of Sherwin.
So when she saw the scene inside the crystal ball, the first thing she thought of was that Sherwin was abducting a mermaid.
She never considered the possibility that Princess Shirahoshi might leave of her own accord.
Huamei Meow nodded knowingly and analyzed, "So it possible that something might happen later that forces Shirahoshi to leave with us, meow? Or maybe she would simply be politely seeing us off, meow?"
"Th-that also possible…" Under Huamei Meow questioning, Madam Shyarly grew increasingly unsure of herself.
She then turned to King Neptune with an embarrassed expression. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty… perhaps I misunderstood…"
Madam Shyarly wasn't stupid. Although she didn't know the exact reason, from Neptune and the other reactions, it was clear they didn't believe Sherwin would abduct Princess Shirahoshi.
So it was entirely possible that her own prejudice toward Sherwin had caused her to misinterpret her prophecy.
"A-actually… Madam Shyarly prophecy isn't exactly wrong…"
At that moment, Shirahoshi—who had been quietly shrinking into herself—suddenly spoke in a small voice.
"Because I did… I did think about hiding it from Father and secretly following Boss Sherwin out to sea earlier…"
"Great! Great! Welcome to the Investigation Team, Sister Shirahoshi, meow!"
(=`=)
While everyone was still stunned by Shirahoshi words, Klee Meow was the first to welcome her.
Then Jinx followed with an excited cheer. "Doesn't that mean we'll always have a mermaid tail to munch on from now on, meow?!"
The loud chatter of the two little Felynes snapped everyone else back to their senses.
King Neptune grabbed Shirahoshi shoulders with a worried expression and asked anxiously,
"How could you think of something like that?! Don't you know how dangerous it is for a mermaid to leave Fish-Man Island?!"
"Should I not do something just because it dangerous? Just like how you kept me locked away in the Hard-Shell Tower for protection?"
After she began speaking, it was as if Shirahoshi had found her courage. She lifted the head she had been keeping lowered and met King Neptune gaze head-on, her voice growing increasingly firm.
"I want to truly interact with humans and learn about the world above the sea! I want to know what I must do to truly fulfill Mother wish! I don't want to hide away in Ryugu Castle, being a mermaid princess who knows nothing about the world!"