Snake Princess Is Sick?

Midday was the hottest time of day on Amazon Lily, which lay in the Calm Belt. After all, this was the Calm Belt, where you couldn't feel the refreshing breeze that swept across other regions.

So, every day at this hour, the island's residents would put down their work in unspoken agreement. Some would head to the taverns in pairs or threes to drink, while large groups of sisters would splash around in the lakes and chat.

It was a scene of singing and dancing, of flowers vying for beauty. Unfortunately, in this country without men, no one could ever see such a splendid sight.

"I wonder when Lady Snake Princess will return from this expedition."

"At least half a year, I'd say."

"But I heard that for the past month, Lady Snake Princess has gone to the prison every day to see that man. Could it be... she's fallen in love with him?"

"That's impossible! I heard from the sisters guarding the prison that the man looks absolutely miserable every time Lady Snake Princess leaves."

"Yeah, yeah, I heard that too."

"..."

Gossip had always been a female pastime, and the people of this warrior nation were no exception.

"Hm?"

Just then, a tall woman suddenly pointed toward the harbor, her tone uncertain. "That... is that the Kuja Pirate Ship?"

"How could it be? Lady Snake Princess only set out this morning. How could she be back so soon... Hm? It really is!"

"Why has Lady Snake Princess returned? Did something happen?"

"Impossible. Lady Snake Princess is the strongest!"

"..."

While they were arguing, a crew member of the Kuja Pirates hurried over. "This is bad! Lady Snake Princess has fallen ill. Where's Elder Nyon?"

"What? Lady Snake Princess is sick?"

The women were startled. They scrambled out of the lake in an instant, all looking extremely anxious.

"We'll talk about that later. Where exactly is Elder Nyon?"

"Isn't she at home?"

"No, I went to her house to look for her."

"I know! Elder Nyon went to the back mountain to gather herbs. We'll help you find her!"

After a thorough search, they finally found Elder Nyon gathering herbs on the back mountain.

Still dazed, Elder Nyon was tucked under the arm of a Kuja Pirates crew member and hurriedly carried to Hancock's bedroom in the palace.

"Elder Nyon, you're here at last! Hurry, hurry—take a look at what's wrong with our sister!"

In the bedroom, Sandersonia and Marigold were already as anxious as ants on a hot pan. They grabbed Elder Nyon and pointed urgently at Hancock, who lay on the bed. "We don't know what happened. We'd barely set sail when our sister suddenly collapsed."

"Yeah, Elder Nyon, please take a look at her. Our sister keeps clutching her heart. The ship's doctor thinks something's wrong with it, but can't find any symptoms." Marigold hurriedly pulled Elder Nyon closer.

"Ah... ah... it hurts so much..."

Hancock clutched her chest desperately. Her face was pale, yet tinged with a seductive blush, and she kept panting heavily, her breaths alluring. One couldn't help but marvel: even when the Empress was sickly, she was still breathtakingly beautiful—and utterly bewitching.

"Hmm? These symptoms?"

Elder Nyon stepped forward to examine Hancock closely. Her expression changed, and she turned to Sonya and her sister. "Has anything happened over the past few months? Don't leave out a single detail. Tell me everything."

Sonya thought for a moment, then shook her head. "Nothing happened. A month ago, we did encounter a man who offended our sister, so she captured him and locked him in the prison."

"A man?"

Elder Nyon was suddenly startled. "Why would Snake Princess bring a man back?!"

Elder Nyon had once been the empress three generations ago. To make amends for the mistakes she'd made during her reign and out of respect for the current empress, she lived quietly by herself in a corner of the village. Since her home was so remote, she didn't know Bai Ina existed.

"That man did something very, very terrible to our sister. She probably brought him back to torture him," Goldie replied.

"Yeah, for the past month, our sister has gone to the prison every day to torture him."

"Every day?"

Elder Nyon's expression grew even graver. "Then what did you say to Snake Princess before she fell ill?"

"Nothing in particular." Sonya recalled what had happened, then continued, "Our sister just asked how long this voyage would take. I told her it would probably take half a year, and not long afterward, she fell ill."

Cold sweat immediately broke out on Elder Nyon's forehead. She turned to Sonya and asked, "Do you know that man's name?"

"I think it was something like Bai Ina..."

"Ah... ah... ah..."

Before Sonya could finish, Hancock let out a painful moan.

"Just as I thought?"

Elder Nyon slapped her forehead in distress, then went to Hancock's side. "Bai..."

"Ah... ah... ah..."

"Ina."

"Mm... huh... ah..."

"Na."

"Ahhh... ah... ah... mm..."

"Elder Nyon, have you figured out what's wrong with our sister? Is it serious?" Sonya and Goldie hurried closer, their faces full of alarm.

Elder Nyon's expression was grim as she replied, "It's serious. Very serious. It's a fatal illness. As far as I know, every empress in history except me has died from it."

"What?!"

Sonya and her sister were shocked. They grabbed Elder Nyon and asked, "How could this happen? Elder Nyon, if you know what this illness is, then there must be a way to treat it, right?"

"Well..." Elder Nyon hesitated, then stepped toward Hancock, who was writhing in pain on the bed. "Snake Princess, it seems the man named Bai Ina in the prison wants to see you. Would you like to go see him?"

"Elder Nyon!" Sonya's expression turned furious. "Our sister is in this state. How could she possibly have time to bother with—"

"Whoosh—"

Before Sonya could finish speaking, Hancock's moans abruptly stopped. In the blink of an eye, she had risen to her feet.

"..."

The three of them stared, stunned.

"He's nothing but a prisoner. How dare he expect me to go see him!" Hancock's pale cheeks quickly flushed with color. Though she said that, she wasted no time getting dressed, finishing in moments.

"Honestly, I'm bored anyway. I'll go see that brat." With that, Hancock didn't even glance at the three women standing dumbstruck in her bedroom. She walked straight out and headed for the prison.

"..."

Sonya and her sister exchanged a look, then turned to Elder Nyon in confusion. "Our sister..."

"Snake Princess is suffering from lovesickness. The thought of going half a year without seeing the person she loves has made her heartsick and caused her to collapse." Elder Nyon watched Hancock leave in shock, unable to help wondering what kind of man could make this woman—an ice queen who seemed incapable of falling in love—come down with lovesickness.