"Gold City on the sea, also the largest and most luxurious entertainment venue in the world. This is a formal occasion, so be mindful of your attire, demeanor, and speech."
On the sunny, Robin was giving everyone a brief lesson on etiquette.
Even Luffy, after a few days of training, understood some basic manners.
Robin also noticed that Zoro, for some reason, was surprisingly skilled at these things.
Artoria was a bit nervous. She hadn't seen her Emperor for so long, and she wondered if her growth had met Nero's expectations.
Standing at the stern of the ship, Artoria took a deep breath to adjust her mindset, also feeling the pressure of soon becoming Crown Prince.
"Lia, are you still nervous?" Katakuri walked over, carrying pastries.
He had been sent by Big Mom to act as Artoria's bodyguard, and as a doting older brother, he had no objections.
He was called a bodyguard, but it was essentially no different from looking after his younger sister, especially since this sister was humble, polite, and of noble character.
One could only say she was worthy of being Nero's daughter, possessing an innate regal aura that drew people to follow her.
"Ah, with my current abilities, I am still too far from becoming a great monarch like my Emperor."
Artoria took a bite of a small cake, saying with a worried expression.
"Lia, you will definitely be fine!"
Artoria looked up. Luffy, she didn't know when, had climbed onto Nami's tangerine garden, grinning foolishly.
She turned her head to see that everyone else had also quietly gathered nearby, their faces showing expressions of approval.
"Everyone..."
Her nervousness suddenly vanished. With so many people supporting her from behind, how could she show weakness?
"Sorry for making you all worry." Artoria regained her usual expression... "Tesoro? The only man who became a Nicuss noble through his own abilities. I hear he alone controls twenty percent of the world's Berries."
King and Mordred also arrived at Gold City. Although it wasn't their first time, the luxuriousness of the place amazed them every time.
"Huh? Don't you Beasts Pirates have a collaboration with him? Why are you asking me such a question?"
Mordred replied impatiently. She was actually just as nervous now, but it was her nature not to show it in front of outsiders.
'That hateful Yamato, she suddenly changed her mind. What do you mean Nero would never act as a mount in front of outsiders?'
'I finally managed to get her to agree privately, but if I can't ride her in front of my Emperor, what's the point of all this?'
Mordred was very annoyed. The matching armor had long been prepared, but without Yamato as a mount, the effect would be significantly diminished.
This was the day she was to become the Nicuss Crown Prince, a day that would leave a prominent mark in history.
As things stood... Suddenly, Mordred paused, realizing something, and turned to look at King, who was still chattering away.
"The Beasts Pirates' transactions with Tesoro are not direct; most are indirect, facilitated by the middleman Doflamingo."
Ignoring what King said, Mordred fell into thought. If she remembered correctly, almost all of the Beasts Pirates' executives were Zoan Devil Fruit users, right?
King looked at Mordred in confusion, then suddenly shivered, wondering if there was something wrong with what he had just said.
Why had Mordred's expression suddenly softened?
...Inside the casino, Carina was holding Nero's arm, happily telling her about the recent developments in Gold City.
"Big Sister, you haven't been here for so long. Let's go to the casino and play a few rounds. Also, Tesoro has installed a new elevator on Gold City's stage..."
All the topics were of interest to Nero. Feeling the softness on her arm, the little brat from back then had matured quite a bit.
"Who is that blind man over there?"
The two of them took some chips. Suddenly, Nero saw a blind man gambling at a nearby table, with many chips in front of him.
"Big, big!" xN
"Small, small!" xN
A group of excited people surrounded the gambling table, shouting as if it would increase their chances of winning.
The Dice slowly stopped, and the chips in front of the blind man instantly doubled.
"Hmm, the casino here seems quite good. No one is trying to cheat even a blind man."
Nero felt that the blind man should have some strength. Vice Admiral or Admiral?
Nero wasn't sure. To her, the difference between the two wasn't significant. If she instantly killed them, she couldn't possibly calculate how much damage overflowed, could she?
"This is Nicuss territory. Anyone who dares to cause trouble here will be put on the blacklist of the living world!" Carina said, puffing out her chest with a sense of pride.
"Is that so?" Nero mused, "Send everyone else away. I want to play a few rounds with that blind man."
"Eh?" Carina was puzzled. What was so fun about playing with that scruffy blind old man? Shouldn't Nero pick a few beautiful women to accompany her?
But after a moment of surprise, Carina still obediently complied.
"Hmm, I'm going to teach him a good lesson today. A casino isn't something a blind man can handle!"
After everyone left, Nero walked over: "Observation Haki, today I'll show you what Observation Haki is!"
"Big Sister, are you saying..."
"I heard this blind man has never lost a single round. Besides Observation Haki, what else could it be?"
Picking up two chips and tossing them in her hand, Nero smiled confidently: "Today, I'll let this blind man know the harshness of the world!"
Sitting opposite the gambling table, Nero playfully spoke: "Good luck, huh? Now it's my turn to play a few rounds with you."
"It is this old man's honor to play at the same gambling table as the golden empress." The blind man, named Issho, chuckled when he heard Nero say this.
"Your clothes, are they from Wano Country?" Nero wasn't surprised that the other party recognized her, and casually made small talk.
"I am a wanderer, having left my homeland long ago. My memories of Wano Country are now blurred." Issho maintained his chuckling demeanor, slowly reaching for the cards Carina dealt.
"It doesn't matter, I don't care. Wano Country is a remote place with nothing much to say. But the casino is so cruel, can a blind man like you handle it?"
Nero picked up her cards, seemingly hinting at something, and showed a meaningful smile.
Issho paused, understanding the deeper meaning in Nero's words: "Although I cannot see, I am willing to do my utmost and stake everything for the aspirations in my heart. Only then will my lifelong learning not be in vain."
Issho opened his eyes. There were no pupils, only a expanse of white, yet it seemed to be staring directly at Nero.
"Ha, then let me see if you have the qualifications to be at this table!"
Nero chuckled softly, pushing all the chips in front of her forward: "All in!"
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