If she had no power, then she would find a way to draw those with power over to her side!
Perhaps women were simply creatures like that.
When they could not bear the pressure themselves, they would hope to shift that pressure onto someone else and depend on them as an appendage.
Even if she had been born into the Kozuki family, even if she was the eldest daughter of the Kozuki bloodline.
Hiyori's identity as a woman would not change.
And right now, aside from her own status, there was only one thing she could offer.
"Then the clothes inside this are..."
Hyogoro seemed to realize something and looked toward the box placed beside him.
Inside were the oiran garments that Lady Kozuki Hiyori had entrusted to him to wash and handle.
"A necessary sacrifice, if the time comes."
Kozuki Hiyori nodded without the slightest attempt to avoid the subject. "Those are the only clothes I have that are worth presenting.
"If I want to seize this chance, then I must prepare properly in every respect."
"..."
Hyogoro fell silent. He looked at the resolute Kozuki Hiyori, opening his mouth only to stop, then stopping only to open it again.
In the end, he merely lowered his head in a bow and said, "You have endured much."
"This is my duty. Even if I must sacrifice myself, I have to do it, because I am the eldest daughter of the Kozuki family."
Kozuki Hiyori pressed her red lips together, her expression growing firm.
No matter what price she had to pay, even if she became someone's forbidden plaything, she had to obtain that power that did not belong to her.
Just as Kurozumi Orochi had obtained the aid of the Beasts Pirates and Kaido's power.
Without the Beasts Pirates and Kaido, no matter how many schemes and tricks Kurozumi Orochi used, he never could have defeated her father.
That was also the limit of what she, as nothing more than a decorative vase, could do.
As for whether she could actually succeed, whether this beauty of hers would have any use on Ren, a man she had yet to meet and whose age she did not even know, she was not certain. All she could do was try her hardest.
And there had to be a chance.
If she truly had no value at all, then why would that Mr. Zoro have taken her away from Wano?
One had to know that when the other party first made his move, he had come straight for her. During that time, he had even deliberately taken her along to kill Kurozumi Orochi.
Afterward, he had also intentionally informed her about opening the country.
Without a doubt, the Kozuki family surely possessed some value.
The difference lay in the fact that what the other side might need was a member of the Kozuki family who could clearly recognize their own situation.
But even if there was a high chance she would be used, it was still better than not trying at all.
That was the main reason Kozuki Hiyori had chosen to act.
Having received his answer, Hyogoro put down the box and left the wooden house. Mainly, it was because he truly did not know what to say.
Was he supposed to advise Lady Kozuki Hiyori not to sacrifice herself?
Then when would they ever be able to leave this sea without wind?
According to those female warriors, if one went farther out from the fishing waters, enormous sea monsters would appear in the ocean.
As the sound of the door closing rang out, Kozuki Hiyori shut the doors and windows, then began dressing herself bit by bit in front of a shard of mirror she had picked up.
In truth, because she lacked materials, she did not have many choices.
She merely put on the oiran garments one piece at a time, touched her lips with vermilion, and did everything she could to make herself look beautiful.
And once she had done everything she could...
Knock, knock.
The sound of knocking entered the room together with an indifferent voice.
"Hey, Kozuki Hiyori. You have to come with me."
"Please wait a moment, Lord Zoro."
Kozuki Hiyori answered. Her beautiful eyes carefully studied her reflection in the mirror shard for a moment, then she took a deep breath and prepared herself.
Next, she was going to meet the person who could decide her fate—no, the fate of Wano's entire future.
She stood, pushed open the door, and saw that incomparably cold green-haired swordsman.
The powerful man named Zoro had three sheathed swords at his waist. He calmly looked at the peerless beauty who had stepped out, yet there was not the slightest ripple in his eyes that a man ought to have shown.
"To be able to do something like this, you should have some awareness of your own situation now, right?"
"Naturally, I do."
Kozuki Hiyori gave an apologetic bow. At the same time, her gaze could not help falling on one of the three swords at his waist.
It was not that she coveted this swordsman's blade. Rather, that sword was simply too special.
Wano's national treasure—Shusui!
Zoro instantly noticed her gaze and curled his lip. "Stop looking. I'm not giving it to you.
"By reason, this is a trophy I obtained myself. By sentiment, this is the sword of an ancestor of mine from who knows how many years ago."
"I will not ask for it."
Kozuki Hiyori revealed an embarrassed smile. "I simply did not expect Lord Zoro to actually be that Ryuma's descendant."
After learning of this fact, she had also been very surprised. But after confirming certain details, it truly could be confirmed that this powerful swordsman's ancestor had been a member of the Shimotsuki clan who left Wano.
It was also because of this that she did not try to take back Shusui.
Of course, an even greater reason was that she had no qualifications to negotiate.
"It's only a blood relation. Who knows how many generations apart it is."
Zoro replied coldly, then said, "Let's go. The captain wants to see you."
Compared to Kozuki Hiyori, who had so many little thoughts, the always-straightforward Zoro only wanted to quickly finish the mission, then adjust his condition and prepare to welcome his second round of improvement.
After that time on Skypiea, his strength had already progressed to a very powerful level.
But it was not enough. It was still far, far from enough.
According to Ren, he would need to make contact with Hawk-Eye later.
If he did not have sufficient strength, then the "bargaining chip" entrusted to his side would not be acknowledged by Mihawk, or it would not have much value at all.
In other words, the stronger he was, the easier it would be to complete the plan to make contact with Mihawk.
And the best channel for that was that miraculous place where the flow of time was different.
Yes, Ren's group on Kuja Island would soon welcome another round of collective training.
After this collective training, there would also be an extremely suitable target waiting for him to test his blade on.
That made Zoro full of anticipation for the days to come.
Thus, he completed the task Ren had given him as quickly as possible.
He brought Kozuki Hiyori into Ren's palace.
In truth, this place had originally been Hancock's secondary sleeping palace. The main one had been destroyed in the previous battle.
Afterward, it became Hancock's new main sleeping palace, only to later be taken over by Ren.
Or rather, shared.
"Lord Ren is inside. Go in yourself."
Under the guidance of a Kuja warrior, Kozuki Hiyori arrived before the room deep within the sleeping palace.
The Kuja warrior who led the way showed no intention of entering, because she would often see things she should not see.
For example, Lady Snake Princess with a face full of frustration, Lady Snake Princess massaging Lord Ren's legs, or Lady Snake Princess pointing and muttering at Lord Ren while his back was turned to her.
Occasionally, there would even be the strange sight of the two of them leaning against each other as they slept.
However, none of these were things they ought to look at.
At the very least, Lady Snake Princess would force them to forget anything that harmed the emperor's image.
Although, in everyone's eyes, Lady Snake Princess was already a "part" of Lord Ren.
"Very well."
Kozuki Hiyori entered the room anxiously. First, she swept her gaze over the gorgeously decorated chamber.
Then, before a large bed—or rather, on something like a set of steps before it—she saw two people.
She froze for a moment.
Because one of them was an extraordinarily beautiful woman, a peerless beauty whose appearance even startled her.
In the arms of that peerless beauty leaned a man who looked relatively ordinary.
Black hair, crimson eyes, purple calabash earrings. His expression was languid and calm, forming a contrast with the expressionless peerless beauty behind him.
He seemed like... a rather easygoing person?
That was her first impression.
Her stray thoughts flashed past, and Kozuki Hiyori made the move that could never be wrong. She came before the steps, knelt on the floor in seiza, bowed respectfully, and displayed a gentle posture. At the same time, her red lips parted slightly, releasing a pleasant voice.
"Lord Ren, what are your orders?"
"Let's talk, eldest daughter of the Kozuki family."
Ren rose from Hancock's embrace—or more precisely, from her lap.
After stretching lazily, he propped his chin on his hand and looked at Kozuki Hiyori below the steps. "This is somewhat beyond my expectations. I thought you were not especially clever.
"But now, it seems perhaps it was only because your environment did not allow you to do much?"
Before Kozuki Hiyori could answer, his tone shifted as he said, "But none of that matters. Since you have taken action, you should understand the current situation, right?"
"...What do you want the Kozuki family to do?"
Kozuki Hiyori was silent for a moment, then chose a direct approach.
"As you and Hyogoro said—a pawn."
Ren did not hide anything. "A pawn that can allow me to intervene in Wano. Your identity can make the resistance forces within Wano choose to pledge loyalty and follow.
"Thus forming an organized force. Under those circumstances, controlling you is equivalent to controlling Wano."
"And then fighting the Beasts Pirates?"
Kozuki Hiyori revealed an expression that said, So it was as expected. Yet the answer she received in the next moment was completely different.
"Why?"
Ren tilted his head, his expression somewhat puzzled. "As the weak, even if all of you joined together, how could you possibly have any real effect on Kaido?
"At most, you would make the inside of his territory unstable for a few years. You might not even be able to cause any actual harm."
"..."
Kozuki Hiyori's expression stiffened. She seemed not to have expected that.
"What I want is simply a territory that can stabilize."
Ren shrugged. Perhaps he had once had such an idea, but as the plan improved, this decision had already changed direction.
Supporting internal forces to create trouble for Kaido...
In a world where the strong reigned supreme, such a thing had no meaning. One Blast Breath, and there would be nothing left.
The time it consumed would also be enormous. With that effort, it would be better to just kill Kaido directly.
What he wanted now was merely a basic base that could serve as the headquarters of his power.
The Calm Belt's Kuja Island was indeed not bad, but those Sea Kings were all obstacles to navigation.
Ren's definition of a great power was certainly not a sealed-off headquarters.
Thus, the need for a territory emerged.
Whitebeard's territory temporarily had to be left to those people from the Whitebeard Pirates. Before any additional circumstances arose, he would not make any moves there.
Big Mom's Totto Land had far too much of a fairy-tale style. As for Red-Hair... Red-Hair did not really have any main base.
After thinking it over, Kaido's Wano seemed quite suitable.
As for why he would choose the headquarters of one of the Four Emperors...
A current ruler established atop the corpse of the previous one would have far greater deterrent force.
Thinking this, he quietly looked at Kozuki Hiyori, who was biting her red lip tightly.
"You should understand now, right? What exactly is it that you will be facing?"
(End of Chapter)