Lucia crouched down, lightly pinching Boa Hancock's chin as she said indifferently,
"You do have a pretty face. The young master should like it."
Looking into Lucia's amber eyes, Hancock swallowed nervously and murmured,
"I want to go home. I miss my sisters. Please, let me go back home!"
Lucia tilted Hancock's chin slightly and said,
"From the moment you arrived here, you no longer have a home. From now on, wherever the young master is—that is your home."
With that, Lucia grabbed Hancock by the back of her clothing, lifting her effortlessly. Turning to Monet and the other two girls, she said,
"Come with me to see the young master."
The trio obediently closed their books, stacked them neatly on the table, and ran over to Lucia's side.
Spandam, who had been standing awkwardly nearby, hesitated. He wanted to follow but didn't dare to ask, so he stayed rooted in place.
Noticing this, Lucia turned and said,
"Spandam, you come too. The young master once said you're one of us."
At her words, Spandam's whole body trembled. Even the pain in his lower body seemed to fade. Wiping the corners of his eyes, which had grown moist, he quickly followed.
Lucia led the group into Carl's bedroom.
Carl lay quietly on a finely crafted bed, clad in a black sleeping robe.
The moment Spandam saw him, he almost lost control, exclaiming,
"Saint Carl—"
Lucia turned back to glance at him, and Spandam immediately covered his mouth, not daring to make another sound.
Sugar and Robin, being shorter, had to stand on their toes and cling to the edge of the bed to see Carl's side profile.
Monet, however, hadn't taken her eyes off Carl since entering the room. This wasn't her first time here, but every visit was the same—she couldn't help but stare at Carl.
Lucia placed Hancock by the bed. Only when she was looking at Carl did her usually cold face soften into a faint smile.
Hancock stared dazedly at Carl's flawless, sculpture-like face and couldn't help but mutter,
"So beautiful… Is he even a man?"
Lucia's voice, unusually gentle, came in a whisper as if afraid to disturb Carl's slumber.
"Don't speak carelessly. He is my young master, Saint Carl."
"What's wrong with him?" Hancock asked.
Lucia sighed softly, setting Hancock on the ground. She gently stroked Carl's face and said tenderly,
"The young master is just sleeping. He's very tired."
Suddenly, Sugar puffed up her chest with pride and exclaimed,
"The young master is a great hero! He defeated that big bad guy, Roger!"
As she spoke, Sugar raised her hand, mimicking the stance Carl had taken when unleashing his powers.
Hancock's expression shifted. She looked down at the younger girl and asked,
"Roger? Do you mean Pirate King Roger?"
Sugar pouted, placing her hands on her hips as she retorted angrily,
"Pirate King? He was just a big thief!"
Hancock didn't respond. She was too stunned.
Although Carl's battle with Roger had been broadcast worldwide, places like Amazon Lily—isolated and with limited communication—hadn't seen the broadcast. However, Hancock had heard rumors while aboard the Kuja Pirates' ship.
She knew the outcome of the legendary battle: Pirate King Roger had been slain by Admiral Black Dragon, Carl. It was said the area where Roger had fallen remained shrouded in perpetual darkness, an ominous void where ships would be torn apart by an unseen force if they ventured near.
As Hancock stood frozen in thought, Spandam approached Lucia and whispered,
"Lady Lucia, is Saint Carl gravely injured?"
Lucia shook her head and replied softly,
"No. Even before his battle with Roger, the young master often fell into deep slumbers. This time, it's likely due to overexerting his power."
Spandam nodded solemnly before gritting his teeth and muttering angrily,
"What is the Navy even doing? How could they let Saint Carl personally handle something like this? He is of such noble status! Roger was nothing compared to him!"
Lucia lowered her gaze and said calmly,
"It's not entirely the Navy's fault. No one anticipated that Roger was a Devil Fruit user, let alone that his fruit's power would be so formidable. On that battlefield, only the young master could stand against him. If the Navy had lost that battle, the consequences would have been disastrous for the World Government. The young master couldn't stand idly by. After all, in many ways, he is one of the true rulers of the world."
Spandam nodded fervently and declared,
"Lady Lucia is absolutely right. Saint Carl is the true ruler of the world. He alone is worthy of the title of king. Someone like Roger—a mere pirate—calling himself king is a joke!"
His fervent outburst made even Lucia glance at him in surprise. Spandam, usually known for his cautious and sycophantic demeanor, seemed oblivious to how his words bordered on treason.
Realizing he had spoken too freely, Spandam paled and dropped to his knees with a thud.
"My apologies! I spoke out of turn!"
Lucia remained silent for a moment before saying,
"Rise. You didn't say anything wrong. The young master is indeed the true king."
Meanwhile, Hancock was reeling. She had confirmed the identity of the man before her—Carl, the one who had slain Pirate King Roger.
Among the Kuja elders, Carl was revered as the strongest man in the world. Even the former leader and ruler of Amazon Lily, Gloriosa, had declared it so.
Before Carl, Gloriosa had regarded Whitebeard Newgate as the strongest.
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+210 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg