This Reverie was a golden opportunity for the Nefertari Royal Family to announce their return to sovereignty after reclaiming Alabasta's government. Cobra naturally wouldn't let the chance slip by, but in the end, unable to withstand his daughter's pleading, he brought her along.
"Was it really a Marine Captain who defeated Crocodile?" Loli A suddenly spoke, startling Vivi, who had been admiring the scenery of Mariejois.
Crocodile had been taken down by Luffy's crew, but to claim the credit for themselves, the Government had pinned it on Smoker, the Marine Captain who had joined the battle while pursuing the Straw Hats.
Vivi turned her head, expecting to see an adult man, only to find a young girl even younger than herself. Dressed in a trench coat similar to a suit and wearing a high-topped hat, the girl exuded a commanding pressure that demanded respect.
Seeing that Loli A's eyes were fixed forward rather than on her, Vivi figured the girl wasn't speaking to her. She turned her head back, not particularly wanting to answer that question.
"The new bounties for Straw Hat and the Pirate Hunter just happened to be released right at that time. Don't you think that's a bit too convenient?"
Another sentence from Loli A made Vivi stumble, nearly falling to the ground. She looked back in shock, thinking, Did this girl witness everything?
"Heh."
Loli A let out a smirk and strode out of the harbor, entering the first level of the interior of Mariejois.
Vivi carefully observed the insignia of the girl's country: the Harald Kingdom.
One of the four kingdoms of the North Blue? I heard one of them was wiped out recently due to internal strife, but information is scarce. No one knows the exact reason for its fall.
"What's wrong, Vivi?"
Cobra walked over, noticing his daughter's dazed expression.
"It's... it's nothing, Father. Let's head inside."
Vivi forced a smile, praying silently: Please let everyone be safe, Luffy... everyone...
As Vivi's party arrived at the main gates of the palace, they encountered the North Blue delegation again. The Government guards were currently arguing with King Cnut of the Harald Kingdom.
The guard held a list, pointing at Loli A as he questioned Cnut, "Who is she?"
"This... well..." Cnut stuttered, at a loss for words.
What was he supposed to say? Revealing her true identity was out of the question. He could have brought her in as a family member or a maid, but Cnut didn't have the guts to claim a Yonko as his servant.
Just as Cnut's group was panicking, Loli A suddenly spoke: "Assassin?"
"Assassin?" The guard blinked. To make sure he hadn't misheard, he repeated it back.
A spark of inspiration hit Cnut's brain. He quickly interjected, "Guard! Guard! She's my personal guard! You misheard."
"A guard?"
The Government soldier looked at Loli A, who looked fourteen at most, and couldn't help but sneer. "Stop joking around, King Cnut. What could a brat like this possibly—"
Clack!
Before the soldier could finish his sentence, something was shoved into his mouth, cutting him off. He could only let out muffled moans of pain.
The surrounding crowd—Cnut, Vivi, Cobra, and the rest—stood frozen in shock. The young girl in white had produced a massive white handgun from nowhere and jammed the muzzle into the guard's mouth.
Loli A didn't stop there. She continued to shove the barrel of the Casull deeper. Before the gun was even halfway in, the muzzle was already pressing against the man's throat.
"Mmph! Mmmph!!"
The soldier cried out in agony. He reached for the weapon at his waist but was paralyzed by the fear that she might actually pull the trigger.
"What's going on?!"
"What happened over there!"
More and more Government soldiers began to swarm toward the commotion. Seeing the unwanted attention, Cnut whispered frantically to Alucard, "That's enough, isn't it? We're drawing too much notice."
Loli A scanned the surroundings and suddenly yanked the white gun out. The force was so great that it knocked out two of the guard's front teeth.
"You little...!"
The toothless soldier drew his sword in a rage. At that moment, Cnut discreetly pulled out a gold bar and shoved it into the soldier's uniform. He whispered, "Sir Guard, if you make a scene out of this, it won't benefit anyone, will it?"
The soldier froze, weighing the heavy gold bar in his jacket. It was easily worth millions of Berries. Besides, Cnut was right, he was just a foot soldier, not an Admiral, while the other party represented an allied nation.
Swallowing his pride for the sake of the gold, he let them pass, even feeling a secret sense of joy. Losing two teeth for this kind of payout? He actually came out ahead.
"Disgusting."
Seeing the soldier's toothless, happy grin, a look of revulsion flashed across Vivi's face.
"Let's go, Vivi," Cobra said.
Walking inside the palace, Cnut's aged face was a mess of worried wrinkles. He whispered hoarsely, "I beg of you, please don't cause any more trouble."
"It's been a long time since I've been back. It would be far too boring if things stayed peaceful," Loli A replied with a chuckle.
"A long time?"
Cnut was stunned. Did that mean Alucard had been here before? The thought sent a fresh wave of cold sweat down his back. Just how many world-shaking events has this person been involved in?
About two hours later, all the kingdom representatives gathered in the main conference hall. Their retainers, such as Kyros from Dressrosa, Vivi and Igaram from Alabasta, and Dagama from Prodence, were directed to wait in a dedicated lounge. The area was massive, essentially a grand ballroom, designed to accommodate the entourages of over 170 nations. Loli A was among them.
When Loli A eventually attempted to walk out the door, the two guards at the entrance crossed their halberds, blocking her path.
"Apologies. No one is permitted to wander the Holy Land freely. Please remain here and rest."
"Heh."
Loli A's lip curled into a twitching smile. She didn't force her way through, turning around to walk back into the room.