Sea Circle Calendar 1518
East Blue · Goa Kingdom · Royal Palace
"How could that ugly bastard ever be worthy of the princess?"
"Your Highness, would you mind getting a new fiancé?"
A bloodstained longsword stuck in the corpse of a blond man with a mushroom-shaped haircut swayed gently, like a cheerful dandelion dancing in the breeze.
Bright red blood flowed and spread across the floor.
A black-haired young man sat on the golden throne with an arm around a stiff-faced, blonde princess. With a flippant tone, he tilted up her pretty chin.
Princess Sally Nandcarnet
The blonde princess sat trembling on the young man's lap, her expression three parts fear, three parts awe, three parts fury, and one part gratitude.
The large hand around her waist made her whole body stiffen. She stared in disbelief at the corpses strewn across the floor, then at the strange young man seated beside her.
Besides the corpse of the blond man with the mushroom-shaped haircut, there were two bodies dressed in noble attire and more than a dozen dead guards on the palace floor.
"My father and brother really were... secretly poisoned by them?"
Princess Sally Nandcarnet trembled as she pointed at the bodies of Outlook III and Stelly, her voice filled with anger and disbelief.
Stelly was her fiancé!
They were supposed to marry next month. Then Stelly would become the prince consort of the Goa Kingdom, sharing in its glory and power.
And Outlook III was the noble duke most favored by the king of Goa.
Yet they had actually dared to assassinate the royal family!
"Your Highness, didn't you hear their 'sincere confessions' loud and clear before they were executed just now?"
Wang Shi breathed in the perfume on Princess Sally and let a trace of ambition show in his eyes.
He never would have expected that a shut-in college student from Blue Star would end up with a chance to take over the royal capital.
After crossing over to the Goa Kingdom and landing in Terminal Town, a chaotic haven for scoundrels, he had struggled to survive for months. No one knew how hard and dangerous life there had been for him. He'd come close to dying countless times.
Fortunately, he had taught himself Japanese because of certain interests.
Without that, he would have found it even harder to get by. He would have stood no chance of surviving.
Then, after fighting for his life, he managed to get his hands on a Devil Fruit.
In those harsh conditions, he didn't hesitate for a second. He didn't even care what power it granted—he just ate it.
After that, everything changed for Wang Shi.
Once he had the Devil Fruit's strange power, he found the whole world had become friendlier.
After countless deaths and injuries, even the thugs and hooligans of Terminal Town, with their twisted faces, began showing him "warm smiles."
Wang Moubo was right: when you're strong, the world treats you gently, and everyone you meet is a "good person"!
After training and developing his ability for a while, Wang Shi had carved out a thriving place for himself in chaotic Terminal Town.
He'd been preparing to put to sea and make a name for himself, punching the Shichibukai and kicking the Four Emperors...
Then word spread throughout the Goa Kingdom that its king and prince had died under mysterious circumstances, one after another.
Wang Shi, who had already made all the preparations to go to sea, saw a glittering shortcut appear before him.
Damn it!
If he could take a shortcut and become king, who the hell would go be a pirate or bounty hunter?
He was taking this kingdom!
If a loser like Stelly could become king, why couldn't a mighty transmigrator like Wang Shi?
Was usurping a kingdom and becoming king really so hard in the world of One Piece?
Doflamingo had usurped Dressrosa...
After Kuma drove King Bekori out, he somehow became the new king of the Sorbet Kingdom and earned the title of Tyrant...
After Wapol was sent flying by Straw Hat Luffy, Dalton, the captain of the kingdom's guards, became the new king of the Drum Kingdom. He even renamed it the Sakura Kingdom, and it still had the right to attend World Government meetings.
Wapol built a new Black Drum Kingdom in South Blue and easily won the World Government's recognition, becoming one of the fifty nations allowed to attend its meetings.
In this world, as long as a country paid enough Heavenly Tribute, the World Government wouldn't interfere with changes in power within its Affiliated Nations.
That was how absurd this world was.
Except for one Sand Crocodile, who had tried to usurp Alabasta, a country with ties to the Twenty Kings...
Feeling the princess's stiff body slowly relax against his lap, Wang Shi's lips curled upward like an AK he couldn't keep down.
He really hadn't expected his trip to the royal palace to go so smoothly.
The whole Stelly family had been there, secretly trying out the throne.
And Wang Shi had overheard their plot and their boasting.
He'd only had to bring out a few Qing-era methods of torture before Outlook III, the couple Didit and her husband, and Stelly—all three arrogant, useless nobles—had fallen to their knees.
Outlook III had spilled the entire plan: his family intended to assassinate the royal family and replace them.
"You want to be my husband, the king of the Goa Kingdom?"
Princess Sally Nandcarnet had more or less resigned herself to her fate. Even Outlook III and her fiancé Stelly had coveted the throne of the Goa Kingdom.
This man had appeared out of nowhere, killed Stelly and the others, and exposed their plot.
He'd even asked whether she minded getting a new fiancé...
Even if Princess Sally was foolish and sheltered, she understood Wang Shi's intentions.
Princess Sally slowly turned to look at him.
There was no denying that Wang Shi was far more handsome than Stelly, that ugly mushroom head.
Thinking of Wang Shi's strange abilities, she pondered for a moment. Her hands, which had been hovering uncertainly before her, rose nervously, and she wrapped them around his neck like a lover.
She leaned closer to him where she sat on his lap.
"Thank you for avenging my father and brother."
"Tomorrow, I... will announce the plot by Outlook III and Stelly to seize the throne."
"And you, my hero, will be my fiancé—and the new king of the Goa Kingdom."
Looking at Wang Shi's handsome face, Princess Sally trembled slightly as she gently kissed his lips.
She had decided to make the powerful Wang Shi her new husband, so he could stabilize the Goa Kingdom.
Her father and brother were dead, as was Outlook III, a man of immense influence.
She feared that, as the only princess left, she wouldn't be able to control the kingdom or keep it stable.
To be honest, she didn't want to lose her luxurious life or her power.
"Congratulations to you, too. You're about to go from princess of Goa to queen of Goa."
Wang Shi naturally wrapped his arms around Princess Sally, and the two shared their first deep, passionate French kiss.
Princess Sally's eyes grew hazier.
But with the corpses in the palace and their wedding still ahead of them, Princess Sally—who strictly observed noble etiquette—grew flustered when she could barely breathe and pushed Wang Shi away.
"Don't~"
"Please."
"First, have someone clear away these criminals' bodies..."
Princess Sally's flushed face showed a hint of panic. She'd actually enjoyed kissing Wang Shi.
And she'd known the man for less than two and a half hours.
"Come with me to take control of the palace guards."
"Tomorrow... night... I'll be with you."
Seeing that Wang Shi seemed reluctant to stop, Princess Sally worried he might be displeased. She quickly gave him a shy, awkward look.
"There's no need to rush."
Wang Shi smiled faintly. He and Princess Sally stood up from the throne together, and he discreetly adjusted himself, trying to calm the anger of his little brother.
Princess Sally noticed his reaction, too, and a glimmer of light flashed through her eyes.
She felt a little excited, and a little shy.
After straightening their clothes, Wang Shi piled the bodies together.
Looking at the corpses of Outlook III and the couple Didit and her husband, Wang Shi wondered: if Sabo ever regained his memories and learned that Wang Shi had killed his biological parents, would he come after him for revenge?
Princess Sally found Wang Shi a splendid set of noble clothes.
"Come, my prince consort. Let's take control of the palace's military forces."
Only now did Princess Sally begin to feel afraid.
She hadn't realized that Outlook III had already taken control of so many guards and attendants in the palace.
No wonder they had been able to poison the king and prince without anyone noticing.
If Outlook III hadn't needed to use Princess Sally's identity to forge an alliance by marriage and take over the throne, he probably would have had the last princess killed, too.
She was nothing more than a stepping-stone for the Outlook family to become the new royal family.
"As you wish, Your Highness!"
Wang Shi grinned with unrestrained delight at his sudden rise to power.
He really hadn't thought that usurping a kingdom could be this easy.