"Lia, did His Majesty Nero say when she would arrive?"
Katakuri asked with a frown. They had already been playing in Gold City for three days, but Nero was nowhere to be seen.
"I'm not too sure about that either. My Imperial Father always acts on a whim." Artoria's expression wasn't very good either.
It wasn't because Nero hadn't appeared yet, but because during her days in Gold City, she had encountered that annoying sister, Mordred.
At first, Artoria felt a little guilty. After all, her Imperial Father's actions were not proper. It was one thing to secretly pass the throne to herself.
But to publicly make Mordred a stepping stone for her, Artoria had originally planned to persuade her Imperial Father.
She didn't expect it! With her good intentions, Mordred actually rebelled, believing that her Imperial Father wanted to pass the throne to her?
Like she had lost her mind, if her Imperial Father wanted to pass the throne to her, why would she throw her into that den of scoundrels?
That annoying sister really had no brains. In the end, the two successfully arranged a duel in Wano Country. Between the Nicuss Princesses, it was still strength that spoke in a 1v1.
Suppressing her puffed-up cheeks, Artoria continued, "But after all this time, Imperial Father is indeed a bit too slow. I'll call Nickname on the den den mushi and ask."
After arriving in Gold City, her quality of life visibly improved. Correspondingly, her bank account balance rapidly dwindled.
Having been with the Straw Hat Pirates for so long, Artoria also realized how extravagant her previous life had been.
Two billion in pocket money was enough to support a small country outside. Although her habit of spending lavishly had improved quite a bit.
But after coming to Gold City, the familiar environment still made Artoria unconsciously revert to some of her old ways.
The den den mushi connected, and Hathaway's clear, cold voice came through, giving Artoria, who had originally only intended to inquire about her Imperial Father's situation, a sudden strong urge to confide.
This was her first time contacting her Imperial Mother since going out to sea. To show her independence, she and Mordred had agreed when they set sail to try not to contact home, and to tell tales of their legendary journey when they returned.
Katakuri saw Artoria's happy smile and discreetly, like a gentleman, stepped out, giving the mother and daughter their space... On the other side, inside the casino.
Nero had originally wanted to surprise her two daughters, so she asked the people here to keep her whereabouts a secret.
Even if they knew she was coming, if she timed it right, her sudden appearance could still give them a fright.
Nero had originally planned it that way... But now, Nero was already fighting to a frenzy in the casino. The pocket money Artoria felt guilty about was casually thrown onto the table with a single push.
"I'm going all in again!!!"
Nero, with red eyes, stared intently at the cards in Issho's hand across from her.
The floor around her was covered in dense pits smashed by her dragon tail.
"I refuse to believe it, I will lose to a blind man! Come on again! Look at me, you brat!!!"
At this moment, Nero was incredibly agitated, her words even a bit incoherent.
Over three days, she lost more than she won. It wasn't that Nero had no way to win; there were countless ways to bully a blind man.
It was just that the opponent really didn't use Observation Haki, so victory was purely a matter of luck.
Competing with the most noble person in the world in terms of luck, even if she lost a lot on the first day, Nero still didn't care.
Just small change, Nero had plenty. Under her enormous capital, this was just a game of probability.
The result was another day of losing... She was completely hooked, utterly hooked!
Losing money was nothing, but looking at Issho sitting amidst the chips, as the golden empress, how could she tolerate his attitude?
And so, it became like this now.
Issho wasn't feeling well either; for the first time in his life, he felt fear towards gambling.
The chips around him were more than enough for ten years of Marine military expenses.
He had long heard that Nero lived a life of extreme luxury and was the world's richest person, but such a vast amount of money still made Issho gasp.
Initially, when he won a year's worth of military expenses, Issho grinned, showing his teeth.
When it was two years' worth, Issho laughed so hard he couldn't open his eyes.
By the third year, he slowly began to calm down.
By the fourth and fifth years, he wanted to leave, but Nero wouldn't let him.
By the seventh and eighth years, he wanted to lose to Nero, even if he only took one year's military expenses, it would still be a huge profit... But his damned luck.
Now, after ten years, he felt he couldn't leave. He probably couldn't go back to the Marine.
The dense chips beside him were like devouring demons, and as he sat there, half his body was already swallowed by the demon's mouth.
Every time Nero's tail tapped the ground, Issho's heart would pound. By now, he felt it wouldn't be strange if Nero just killed him.
Cold sweat soaked his clothes, Issho gasped for breath, and sweat pooled under the table.
At this moment, he wasn't truly without a way to leave. If he took nothing, a joke could allow him to exit gracefully.
But Issho found he couldn't do it... If he could just take one-tenth of the money in the end, his ambitions, justice, and the people could all be accommodated.
Currently, the Marine's combat power was scarce, and the Admiral's authority had reached its peak. With this money, he could... pick up, put down.
Two words, four characters. He originally thought he had long transcended, played in the human world for many years, and seen through good and evil. Now, only his ambitions remained.
But when Nero placed such an enormous sum in front of him, he found he couldn't let it go.
He knew it was poison, a fantasy, and in the end, it would only waste his life in vain.
But what if? What if Nero didn't care about this money? What if he succeeded through some coincidence?
Then... Issho's inner demon was so easily lured out. Only then did he realize his rashness.
An empress standing above the era, her power, authority, and charisma... were beyond what an ordinary person like him could imagine.
"I'm all in!!! Are you scared to follow?" Red-eyed Nero was still shouting.
Issho finally saw through the illusion. He knew that if he followed, he would surely win again, but his own outcome was also very clear.
He chuckled softly, removed his hand from the chips, and spoke the words he should have said three days ago.
"I surrender, His Majesty Nero!"
He stood up, cool air pouring into his collar, the damp sweat uncomfortable. Picking up his staff-sword, he bowed to Nero.
"As you said, with such vast capital, if I keep playing like this, I will eventually lose everything, and Your Majesty will surely achieve ultimate victory."
"Wealth moves hearts. What I thought was insight was merely like a frog in a well. Now, thanks to Your Majesty, I have gained clarity and realized my own shortcomings."
After speaking, Issho slung his staff-sword at his waist, no longer lingering, and left the casino with a loud laugh directed at the sky.
Nero: "???"
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