"Fine, fine, if you don't want to talk, then forget it. I've been flying all day and I'm starving—how about we eat something first?"
Seeing that the women didn't want to speak, Karl couldn't be bothered to press further. He'd just snoop around later when they weren't paying attention—hehe~
"I'll have someone prepare food right away!" Hancock leapt to her feet the moment Karl mentioned he was hungry, ready to call the servants.
"No need, no need! I brought plenty of good stuff from Karin's Gourmet City this time. Should we eat here or go somewhere else?"
Karl quickly stopped her. Before setting off today, he had made sure to bring along a mountain of delicacies from Karin's Gourmet City.
"Let's go somewhere else! There's a spot deep in the forest that's absolutely beautiful—and quiet. It's perfect for a picnic!" Hancock suggested, wanting the family meal to feel more intimate.
"Really? Then let's go! Come on, Hancock, you lead the way~"
Daphne perked up at the idea. Since this trip was all about relaxing, the prettier the spot, the better! She waved her hand, summoning a soft white cloud beneath their feet.
The group rode the cloud toward the direction Hancock pointed, arriving soon at a meadow in the forest blanketed with blossoms of every color.
"Wow! There are so many flowers—it's gorgeous!"
Airi jumped down and began twirling amid the flowers, her movements light and graceful—like a fairy dancing in a sea of petals.
"Miss Airi dances so beautifully… it's a pity I never learned," Hancock said enviously.
"Hehe, I actually learned from Sister Rujyu back on Tiger Roar Island. It took a lot of practice to get it right," Airi said with a smile.
When Karl had gone off for his training, Airi spent her time studying, training, and—of course—learning to dance from Rujyu.
"No wonder your body's so flexible… that guy Karl sure got lucky," Daphne muttered, her cheeks turning red as she remembered the… acrobatics Karl and Airi had been up to these past few days.
"D-Daphne! Don't bring that up!"
Airi blushed furiously too—just thinking about those things made her want to hide her face.
"Ahem! Enough of that. Let's eat."
Karl quickly changed the subject—if this talk went on, he might lose those "benefits" in the future!
He pulled out a thick, soft blanket and spread it on the ground, then set up a folding table. One by one, he laid out the dishes and drinks he had brought.
Since Karin had carefully packed them in heat-preserving containers, the food was still warm, and the rich aroma soon filled the clearing.
"Wow! Sister Karin's cooking smells as amazing as ever. I can't resist—just one bite!"
Hancock picked up a piece of delicate sky fish and tasted it. It had been so long since she last ate Karin's food that she couldn't help herself.
Karl and the others exchanged smiles. This feeling—peaceful, content, surrounded by laughter—was truly nice.
Everyone sat down together and began to eat.
"This is incredible! It tastes even better than before—did Karin change her recipe?" Hancock said, happily helping herself to another serving.
"She did! Her Gourmet City is insanely popular now. The nobles are willing to pay over a million Berries for one meal! The VIP rooms are booked out for two months straight," Daphne said proudly. She had designed the restaurant's layout herself, including the idea of the VIP rooms—and the profits were rolling in.
"VIP rooms? What's that?" Hancock asked curiously.
"It's a fancy dining area for rich people. Basically, you charge them more just to make them feel special—it's a polite way of calling them suckers," Karl said bluntly.
"Hahaha! If Karin heard you say that, she'd definitely clobber you," Airi laughed.
"Yeah, be careful—she might ban you from mooching meals next time," Daphne teased.
"Then I'd better shut up! I don't want to start cooking breakfast every day again," Karl said quickly.
"Actually, I really like the food you make, Lord Karl~" Hancock said softly, eyes shining. In her heart, Karl's cooking was the best in the world.
"Hehe~ Try this, everyone. It's a rare kind of fish I caught near the Wano seas—its meat is excellent," Karl said, serving each of them a piece.
"Mmm, delicious! We should have the folks in Wano catch more of these next time. Karin will be thrilled," Daphne said.
…
After lunch, the group lounged on the blanket, basking in the sun and watching the flowers sway in the breeze. They chatted idly, shared thoughts and laughter, and spent a blissful afternoon together.
"Ah, there you are! I've been looking everywhere for you!"
An old voice called out—Elder Nyon came rushing toward them, looking slightly flustered.
"Elder Nyon! You should've come earlier—we just finished lunch. You could've joined us!" Hancock said regretfully.
"Hancock, today's the day you officially step down as captain of the Kuja Pirates! Did you forget? Everyone's waiting for you!" the old woman scolded. She'd been searching all over, only to find the group having a picnic out here!
"Ah! I completely forgot! Lord Karl, everyone, please wait for me—I'll be right back!" Hancock exclaimed, realizing she had gotten too excited after seeing Karl and forgotten all about the ceremony to hand leadership over to Afromandra.
"It's fine, go ahead," Karl said with an awkward smile. He had forgotten too.
Elder Nyon didn't dare scold Karl and hurriedly led Hancock away.
"It's your fault, Karl! How could you forget something so important?" Daphne said, half embarrassed, pushing the blame onto him—he was the head of the household, after all.
"Yeah, how careless can you be?" Airi added, laughing.
"Hahaha, alright, alright, my fault!" Karl raised his hands in surrender.
The succession ceremony went off without a hitch. Hancock formally passed down the Kuja Pirates' ancestral token to Afromandra, who solemnly swore to protect Amazon Lily.
Elder Nyon was deeply moved. Finally, there was a worthy successor—and though Hancock was stepping down, she had gained something precious in return: Karl's companionship.
"Afromandra, from this day on, the Kuja Pirates are yours," Hancock said solemnly. Despite her playful speech, her heart was deeply attached to her homeland.
"Don't worry, Sister Hancock! I'll protect the Kuja Pirates and Amazon Lily with my life!" Afromandra vowed proudly.
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