Are you the only one who came to take my head?

Half a month later.

Alabasta, South Hall of the Royal Palace.

This was a relatively secluded place within the royal palace, usually uninhabited.

But for the past half a month, it had been heavily guarded, with a considerable number of guards protecting it.

"Tap!" "Tap!" "Tap!"

At this moment, crisp footsteps could be heard.

The guards' expressions turned serious upon hearing this, and they looked towards the approaching figure not far away.

"Princess Vivi!?"

Upon seeing the princess with blue hair and a beautiful face, they naturally bowed in unison.

"Following Father King's orders, I've come to see that Your Excellency to thank Cataleya for the rainfall."

Vivi stated concisely.

"Please let me pass."

Hearing this, the guards showed hesitation.

But their hesitation didn't last long, and they moved aside as instructed.

In fact, when they first began guarding the 'Your Excellency' in the South Hall, they were very vigilant—especially the guards who had participated in the conversation in the reception hall, who were well aware of the guest's identity and his powerful strength.

However, as time passed, this vigilance gradually faded.

After all, to this day, that guest had successively used his miraculous ability to bring rain to three cities, 'Yuba', 'Cataleya', and 'Elma', stabilizing the domestic situation in Alabasta.

King Cobra had also met with him one-on-one.

Coupled with the fact that His Majesty the King was currently busy pacifying the citizens across the country, Vivi, Princess of Alabasta, held the highest status in the entire royal palace.

Therefore, they naturally dared not disobey orders.

After the guards moved aside, Vivi naturally walked into the South Hall.

From afar, she saw a lounge chair.

Sunlight streamed through the translucent dome, falling directly onto the lounge chair, where Dragon of the辰, wearing a mask, was seated.

He held a cup of cola, the straw extending through a gap beneath his mask.

"Oh? It's Princess Vivi—come to disturb my sunbathing again?"

And upon seeing Vivi arrive, Dragon of the辰 turned his head to greet her, but Vivi could clearly see him quickly shield the cup behind his back.

Who would snatch something like that?

Vivi grumbled in her heart.

But after this past month, she had become quite familiar with Dragon of the辰.

She also knew that this guy, who called himself a "Great Officer of the Twelve Zodiacs" and possessed immense strength, had a very peculiar personality in certain aspects.

So, at this moment, she simply performed a standard royal etiquette: "Your Excellency Dragon of the辰, good day."

"I am here under Father King's orders to thank you for the recent rainfall in Cataleya."

She stated what seemed like a perfectly reasonable excuse.

But—

"Ah, regarding that reason—I must regretfully inform Your Highness that you've been found out."

At this moment, Dragon of the辰 said without any pretense.

After confirming that Vivi didn't seem to intend to snatch his drink, he resumed drinking his cola: "Not long ago, your guard captain, Your Excellency Igaram, came to see me. I learned from his words that King Cobra never gave you any such orders."

At this point, his voice beneath the mask seemed to become teasing.

"Furthermore, according to my speculation, those who are plotting against your country should be making their move against me soon—so I advise Your Highness that it's best not to come here if you don't have to."

Upon hearing this, Vivi's expression changed.

"Igaram."

She gritted her teeth, somewhat annoyed at her guard captain's loose tongue.

But then, she stubbornly looked at Dragon of the辰: "That won't do. You have to tell me who that mastermind is! Why won't Father King tell me no matter what?"

"I am the Princess of Alabasta, and I have a responsibility to my people!"

That's right.

This was the reason why she had been frequently coming here recently, even going so far as to make excuses and lie.

Not long ago, her Father King had met with Dragon of the辰—and this time, he hadn't brought her along.

But based on Igaram's revelations, she could confirm that Dragon of the辰 had revealed the mastermind behind Alabasta's great drought during that meeting.

However, when she questioned King Cobra, her father merely shook his head and refused to tell her the answer no matter what.

"That is not something you need to know, Vivi."

His Majesty the King replied just like that.

But Vivi couldn't accept it—she believed that as a princess, she should naturally know who the bad guy trying to destroy their country was.

"I must make that guy pay for what he did to Alabasta!"

Vivi said indignantly.

Facing Vivi's attitude, Dragon of the辰 remained noncommittal.

"Your Highness, please allow me to ask a question presumptuously."

He said softly, "Have you ever left Alabasta?"

"I..."

Hearing this question, Vivi was a little confused.

But she still forced herself to say, "Of course, I have."

As the sole princess of Alabasta, she had indeed barely ever left Alabasta.

The only exception was three years ago.

"I accompanied Father King to the last 'World Conference'."

She gritted her teeth, recalling the World Conference three years ago.

Her father had reprimanded the King of the Drum Kingdom, 'Wapol', at the conference, and the latter had retaliated against her after the conference.

Although she had calmly chosen to compromise at the time, swallowing her pride and apologizing, she had later cried profusely in her father's arms.

It wasn't a good memory at all.

Thus, Dragon of the辰 spread his hands, "This is the reason—Your Highness."

"You haven't truly seen the 'world' yet, and your Father King clearly feels the same way."

He smiled, "So, please go back."

"..."

Vivi bit her lower lip and looked at Dragon of the辰. After a long while, she snorted.

She stood up and turned to leave.

However, halfway out, she turned back. Amidst Dragon of the辰's surprised "Ah!", she picked up the cola bottle from the ice beside him and guzzled down the remaining cola.

Afterward, she cast a triumphant glance at Dragon of the辰 and strode out of the South Hall.

"."

Looking at the empty cola bottle, Luo Yi, beneath his mask, felt like crying without tears.

He had to admit, as expected of someone who would almost become Wang Luffy's crewmate in the future, their unconventional style of action and thought process was already showing signs.

However, just as he was about to ask the guards outside the hall for another bottle of cola.

"Your Highness, why have you returned?"

The voices of the guards could be heard from outside the hall.

"I forgot to tell the person inside something just now, it's a very important secret, you all should leave first."

"Ah? But Officer Igaram said..."

"Hm? Are you not obeying my command as the princess?"

"Of course not, how could we dare— We'll leave now."

As the words outside the door fell.

Dragon of the辰 saw that Vivi, as expected, strode back into the South Hall.

Upon seeing Luo Yi, she also revealed a warm smile: "Your Excellency, I have something to tell you."

She quickly walked to Dragon of the辰's side.

"What a coincidence, I also have something to ask you?"

Dragon of the辰 continued to lie on the lounge chair, smiling and asking, "Are you the only one who came?"

Vivi's expression visibly turned somewhat taken aback.

But in an instant, she adjusted, smiling and saying, "What do you mean, only me? Wasn't I the only one who came just now?"

"That's not what I meant."

But Dragon of the辰 continued to smile.

"I mean— are you the only one who came to take my head?"

"Swish!"

The moment Dragon of the辰 spoke, Vivi's smiling face instantly turned cold and sinister.

Her legs moved almost instantly, like a long whip, kicking towards Dragon of the辰.

At this moment, her face also instantly changed— from Vivi's beautiful face, it instantly transformed into a man with a flat bangs and heavy makeup.

And Dragon of the辰's unfinished sentence explained his identity.

"Baroque Works, MR.2."