Chapter 234 - 92

Chapter 92"Can you please be considerate of an old man's feelings?""Hey, Old Man! I have something to tell you. Why didn't you..."Luffy's voice, which started out loud and accusatory, unconsciously faded a little toward the end.Because he noticed the way Cobra was looking at him—that look, how to put it, made him inexplicably nervous.It was like being caught red-handed doing something wrong.Come to think of it... Luffy remembered something else.Back in the underground royal tomb, when he had pinned Robin against the poneglyph to save her, it seemed like Cobra had witnessed the whole thing."Although he could only see my back, what was happening on the other side of my back..."A scene suddenly flashed through Luffy's mind, and he immediately broke into a cold sweat.This really was a bit awkward, huh.Cobra watched as Luffy's eyes suddenly darted around and his momentum weakened, and he understood even more clearly.He cleared his throat, trying to make his tone sound calm and dignified:"Luffy, I didn't forbid Vivi from going to sea with you all."Cobra stood up."Huh?"Luffy was stunned. He turned to look at Vivi. That's not quite what you told me."Father..."Vivi was a bit embarrassed. "You did say that, though.""...Fine, I said it before, but I've changed my mind now, okay?"Cobra's voice was filled with helplessness.Never mind whether he had said it or not; since his little cabbage said he had, then he had to stick to it."Luffy, please step out for a moment. I have some things I want to discuss with Vivi alone.I promise you, I will let you take Vivi away in one piece afterwards."Take her away in one piece?Luffy was even more confused. He scratched his head, looking at Cobra, then at Vivi, who was bowing her head with her neck flushed red. He couldn't understand what kind of riddle this father and daughter were playing.However, in his Observation Haki perception, Cobra was indeed not lying, and that hostility had dissipated.It was replaced by a complex emotion.A mix of relief and sadness.Chapter 125: Nefertari D. LilySuch a complex emotion.Luffy was full of question marks, but since the other party had given his word, Luffy temporarily set aside his doubts.He decided to go out first.Because even though Cobra was smiling now, Luffy felt like he was holding a butcher's knife, ready to slaughter the wild boar that was rooting around his cabbage.His Observation Haki was warning him frantically, especially with the way Cobra's eyes kept landing on the hand he was holding Vivi's with—three times every second.No matter how good your kung fu is, you are still afraid of a kitchen knife.Who told him to be Vivi's father!If it were Crocodile, I'd just beat him up.Speaking of Crocodile, that half-dead look of his seemed to have been collected by the Marine. I wonder if there's a chance to hear him say, "Long time no see.""Then I'll head out first." Luffy let go of Vivi's hand.Vivi suddenly felt her hand empty, and her heart felt a sudden sense of loss as well.Cobra was a bit numb.Oh, my little cabbage, this wild boar is just waiting outside, it's not like he's already set sail! If he really went to sea without you, would you be pining away with lovesickness like this?Luffy left the study.Inside the study, only the father and daughter remained.Cobra looked at his daughter Vivi, whose azure eyes were becoming increasingly like those of his late wife, and his heart was filled with mixed emotions.What he actually wanted to see was the determination shown by Luffy and Vivi, and now everything was going exactly as he had guessed.Cobra knew his daughter very well.Given Vivi's status and her sense of responsibility as a princess, Cobra knew that even if he said nothing, Vivi surely wouldn't end up going to sea with Luffy and his crew.Naturally, Cobra preferred for Vivi to stay in the country. Not to mention the negative impact of a country's princess becoming a pirate, most people who became pirates these days were those with nowhere else to turn.Vivi was a princess of Alabasta; what business did she have being a pirate?However, witnessing the battle between Luffy and Crocodile in the underground royal tomb, especially the white flame clouds swirling around Luffy and that familiar posture, had triggered his memories as a member of the Nefertari royalty.Those ancient memories passed down from generation to generation, buried deep within their bloodline.It was time to tell the next successor.Cobra's expression became serious as never before."Vivi, what I am about to tell you is something only you can know.Only when you believe it is appropriate and suitable can you tell others, or even announce it to the world."This was the first time Vivi had seen such an expression on her father's face.Sensing the seriousness of the atmosphere, she nodded vigorously."There are some things regarding the true origin of our Nefertari royalty, and the fate that Alabastabears, that it is time for you to know.We, the Nefertari royalty, are not ordinary rulers."Cobra spoke slowly, his gaze seeming to pierce through time and space, returning to that distant past, as he said:"Our ancestor was one of the twenty kings who founded the World Government eight hundred years ago—Nefertari D. Lily.""D.?"Vivi exclaimed.This term was actually very familiar, because it was in Luffy's name.But what surprised her even more was, in some sense, was her own family actually Celestial Dragons?Vivi frowned.The many rumors about the Celestial Dragonsmeant she didn't have much affection for this group.When she was little, she had followed Cobra to the Holy Land Mary Geoise to attend the World Conference held every four years, and she had seen those so-called Celestial Dragons.How should she put it?She didn't feel like she was the same kind of person as them."Yes, Nefertari D. Lily."Cobra nodded affirmatively and said: "But unlike the other nineteen kings who chose to move into Mary Geoise and become today's Celestial Dragons, our ancestor, Queen Lily, refused the privilege of permanently residing in the Holy Land.She returned to this homeland, Alabasta, to continue protecting its people and let the name Nefertari continue in this sea of sand."Vivi was somewhat dizzy from the impact of this massive amount of information.She had never imagined that her family had such a connection with the Celestial Dragons.It was no exaggeration to say that if this were told, the whole world would be shocked, and Alabastawould become the focus of the entire world.What Cobra said next shocked her even more:"There is one thing here that confuses me.When I was organizing the early historical documents from after the Void Century, I discovered a suspicious point.In all official records, one cannot find the name Nefertari D. Lily.The person who returned to Alabasta and established the subsequent rule was recorded as Queen Lily's younger brother. Queen Lily herself seems to have disappeared from history.""Disappeared?"Vivi felt a chill."Then, Father, why are you telling me this?" Viviasked, puzzled."The whereabouts of Queen Lily, the Will of D. that she represents, and why she did not become a Celestial Dragon like the other kings—these mysteries are very likely related to the future survival of Alabasta.Cobra said heavily: "After all, we have this inseparable and sensitive connection with the World Government and the Celestial Dragons.And the power Luffy displayed, especially that white form, reminds me of some vague records in the royal secret chronicles, which seem to be related to a legend from Queen Lily's era. He might also have some connection to this lost history."Is Luffy also related to us?Vivi's focus had shifted slightly.However, the excuse Cobra provided to Viviactually relieved her of any psychological burden.Searching for the connection between Luffy and her clan?"Since you have the heart to follow Luffy and his crew to sea, it's just as well. I know you have always longed for adventure, so go and experience this vast world.And by staying by his side, perhaps you will have the chance to encounter the truth covered up by the World Government and find the answers that are closely related to the fate of our royal family."There were actually some things Cobra didn't say.This could also be considered a way out that he, as a father, hoped to find for Vivi and for this country.Cobra sighed inwardly. Was this not a glimmer of hope and another form of protection he was seeking for his daughter amidst great risk?Having experienced the Crocodile incident, he understood that isolation and silence were not absolutely safe.Perhaps there were still people who knew the news that a poneglyph existed in Alabasta. What Cobra feared most was the World Governmentfinding out, because it was forbidden to possess a poneglyph.Furthermore, Luffy and his group of pirates were very different from the mainstream pirates of this era; they were more like the so-called adventurers who were popular hundreds of years ago.Vivi's eyes grew brighter as her father spoke.The longing for adventure, previously suppressed by responsibility, was now combined with the noble mission of exploring family secrets and protecting the country's future, sweeping away the gloom in her heart and filling her with unprecedented motivation.Sometimes people just need to find an excuse for themselves!Chapter 126: Vivi: My Bounty Is 500 Million Berries?Cobra looked at the radiance suddenly glowing on his daughter's face, and instead felt even more depressed and worried.This expression... It didn't look like his daughter was being abducted by a pirate, but rather like she couldn't wait to run off with someone?He began to seriously doubt whether his decision was inviting a wolf into the house.No, it was personally sending a little white rabbit into... Sigh!He wasn't worried about Luffy doing anything excessive to Vivi now; instead, he was worried that his precious daughter might just give herself away at lightning speed due to admiration, gratitude, and a bit of young girl's infatuation!The smile on the corner of Vivi's mouth was almost uncontrollable, and she asked eagerly:"Then should I call Luffy in? To tell him this decision!"Seeing his daughter's uncontrollable joy, Cobrawas a bit amused and exasperated, and hurriedly waved his hand:"No, don't let him in!" He was afraid he wouldn't be able to resist taking out his sword."You two can figure it out yourselves; I still have a lot of government affairs to handle."He rubbed his temples, feeling as if he had instantly aged a few years, and said: "Your coming-of-age ceremony is coming up soon; go to sea after that. It will count as a formal farewell."He pondered for a moment, his expression recovering the composure and foresight of a king:"However, to the outside world, I will announce that you were forcibly abducted by the Straw Hatcrew. At that time, I will submit an application to the World Government for a bounty of 500 million Berries, demanding that you be brought back alive.""500 million Berries?!"Vivi was taken aback.