Not long after the Netherworld set sail, a call from Sunny left Hancock utterly devastated, as though life had lost all meaning.
Urouge wore his ever-unchanging smile, showing no interest whatsoever in Hancock's reaction. He merely raised his head and gazed at the sky, seemingly missing his aerial homeland in Paradise on the Grand Line.
Lafitte was keeping an eye on their course and paid no attention to what was happening on deck.
Brook, who was always shamelessly asking people to let him see their panties, had been unusually restrained ever since boarding. After all, anyone with eyes could tell that Hancock was hopelessly infatuated with his captain, so Brook had refrained from acting recklessly.
Cavendish and Perona watched from the side as Hancock gradually lost all her vitality. Along with their confusion, they found the scene unbelievable.
This was the Empress.
Yet in front of Maud, how had she become so humble?
During the Shichibukai meeting, Cavendish had personally witnessed Hancock's unreasonable cold arrogance. She showed no courtesy to any man, and the slightest displeasure would earn him an Aroma Leg.
But now...
Cavendish stared wide-eyed at Hancock, who had suddenly become utterly dispirited.
After a moment, he could not help turning his head to glance at Perona.
That glance seemed to say: Hancock became like this because of you, didn't she?
Perona immediately understood what Cavendish meant. Her brows shot up, and she put her hands on her hips. "Don't look at me like that. That woman becoming like this has absolutely nothing to do with me!"
To be honest, Perona had genuinely considered adding fuel to the fire just now. But it had only been a thought. She really had not sent a Negativity Ghost at Hancock.
Cavendish remained half-convinced as he looked again at the utterly