The road leading to Kuja City had already been cleared.
Aside from the warriors who had sailed with the Kuja Pirates, all other citizens of Amazon Lily had been ordered back to their homes.
It was obvious this had been done in preparation for welcoming Kairo, the mysterious traveler.
After all, many people on the island had never even seen a man before and had no idea what kind of creature a man actually was.
To avoid unnecessary trouble, only members of the Kuja Pirates remained gathered beneath Kuja City.
"Stopi, what is Lady Snake trying to do?"
Standing beneath the city walls, the tall Avelandra watched Kairo approach and asked in confusion,
"Has Lady Snake really lifted the ban on men because of this man?"
"I have no idea either."
Stopi blinked blankly before lowering her voice.
"Keep it down. Don't let Kikyo hear you."
"I already heard."
The moment Stopi finished speaking, a cold and beautiful woman with a high black ponytail and sharp phoenix-like eyes standing opposite them immediately replied,
"Although I've always upheld Amazon Lily's century-old rule of keeping men out, this is Lady Snake's order. We must obey her arrangements."
Then she narrowed her eyes.
"But speaking of which, Stopi, Avelandra... what happened to you before?"
"How did all of you end up unconscious on the shore?"
"Were you defeated by that man?"
"About that..."
Avelandra nodded awkwardly.
"We weren't defeated."
"We were knocked unconscious by his Conqueror's Haki."
"What?"
Kikyo's eyes widened immediately.
"His Conqueror's Haki actually knocked all of you out?"
"As unbelievable as it sounds, that's exactly what happened."
Stopi glanced at Kikyo, who hadn't arrived at the shore in time to witness the battle.
"If you had been there, you would've fainted too."
"Because that man's Conqueror's Haki is far stronger than Lady Snake's."
"How unbelievable..."
Kikyo blinked before turning to look toward the approaching group.
At the front, Sandersonia and Marigold walked in silence.
After spotting the guardian warriors below the city, the two sisters immediately put on their usual cold and distant expressions.
Because of the slave brands on their backs, they always maintained a certain distance from the citizens.
If the marks were ever discovered, they wouldn't be able to remain in this country.
Neither would their elder sister.
"Wow, they're really all women!"
Perona curiously looked at the female warriors beneath the city before turning to Sandersonia.
"Sandersonia, are even the children here girls?"
"Yes."
Sandersonia subconsciously kept some distance from Perona.
Clearly, she still feared her Devil Fruit ability.
"This is an island inhabited only by women."
"From birth, they're raised as warriors."
"They shoulder all labor and family responsibilities."
"And even when they become pregnant, they only give birth to girls."
"???"
Perona blinked in confusion.
"Pregnant?"
"If this island only has women, then how do they get pregnant?"
"Wait... can women have babies with other women too?"
"Robin, didn't you say that only a man and a woman can have children together?"
Robin was completely caught off guard.
Her beautiful eyes widened instantly.
Then her face turned bright red.
She secretly glanced at Kairo.
After confirming that he didn't seem to react, she quietly sighed in relief.
Then she skillfully changed the subject.
"Sandersonia, you're a Devil Fruit user, right?"
"Yes."
Sandersonia nodded.
"I ate the Snake-Snake Fruit, Model: Anaconda."
"I'm an Anaconda Woman."
"Marigold ate the Snake-Snake Fruit, Model: King Cobra."
"So she's a Cobra Woman."
The guardian warriors gathered beneath the city watched the scene unfold.
After seeing how respectfully Sandersonia and Marigold treated Kairo and his companions, their curiosity about this traveler only grew.
Even so, they remained silent.
They simply watched as the group entered Kuja City under the sisters' guidance.
Soon—
Kairo and the others arrived outside Hancock's palace.
"Mr. Kairo, please wait here for a moment."
Just as Sandersonia finished speaking, Hancock's voice sounded from inside.
"That's not necessary."
"Please invite Mr. Kairo in."
"Yes, Elder Sister."
Without hesitation, Sandersonia turned and bowed politely.
"Mr. Kairo, please."
Before Kairo could move, Perona excitedly lifted the curtain and rushed inside.
Seeing this, Kairo shook his head helplessly and smiled.
"Let's go."
He then entered with Robin.
"Mr. Kairo!"
The moment Kairo stepped inside, Hancock—who had been weakly lying on the bed—suddenly sat upright.
She looked nervously at the man walking toward her.
"Hm?"
Standing nearby, Elder Nyon blinked in confusion.
A moment ago, Hancock had looked weak and listless.
Now she suddenly seemed full of energy.
And the way she looked at Kairo...
There was unmistakable nervousness in her eyes.
Elder Nyon immediately began staring at Kairo.
Her mind raced as she searched through decades of memories, trying to find any information she might have heard about this traveler.
Unfortunately, she eventually gave up.
Because she had never heard of him before.
Of course, that wasn't surprising.
Kairo had only recently entered the Grand Line.
Though he had traveled throughout the Four Blues, Elder Nyon lived deep within the Grand Line on the relatively isolated Amazon Lily.
There was no reason she would know about him.
"Hancock, I heard you're sick?"
Kairo calmly walked over and stopped in front of her.
"If you're ill, I happen to know a little medicine."
"Perhaps I can help you again."
"I... I'm fine."
Hearing the concern in Kairo's voice only made Hancock more nervous.
She didn't even dare look directly at him.
Lowering her head, she softly said,
"I asked Sandersonia and Marigold to invite Mr. Kairo here because I wanted to thank you in person."
After speaking, she lowered her head even further.
Her shy appearance left both Sandersonia and Marigold momentarily stunned.
Meanwhile, Elder Nyon seemed to realize something.
Though she still wasn't completely certain, she chose not to interrupt.
"No need to thank me."
Kairo shrugged.
"I'm a traveler."
"Whenever I arrive somewhere new, I usually stay for a while to sightsee and experience the local customs and culture."
"If you don't mind, Hancock, I'd like to spend some time on Amazon Lily—"
"Of course!"
Before he could finish, Hancock immediately looked up.
Her cheeks flushed red as she nodded repeatedly.
"Mr. Kairo can stay as long as he likes!"
"However, before that..."
"I would like to ask Mr. Kairo for another favor."
After gathering her courage, Hancock looked directly at him.
"My two younger sisters have the same brand on their backs that I once had."
"Could Mr. Kairo help remove theirs as well?"
"E-Elder Sister..."
The moment Hancock mentioned the brands, Sandersonia and Marigold's pupils contracted.
Their faces instantly turned pale.
The fear they held toward those marks was no less than Hancock's.
Sandersonia, in particular, began trembling as memories of the past resurfaced.
Before either sister could say anything else, Kairo revealed a warm, harmless smile.
"Since Hancock trusts me so much..."
"Of course I can."
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