God's Domain Floating Island.
Adams stepped out with his long legs and reached Violet in just a few strides. He extended his right hand, his slender, well-jointed fingers gently lifting Violet's smooth chin, and gazed into her brown eyes, which were trembling slightly from tension.
I'm quite surprised. Why did you agree to come with me so readily?
Violet's delicate body trembled slightly. The masculine scent close at hand, mixed with a cold, sharp edge, made her heart beat uncontrollably faster.
Two flushes of red bloomed across her pretty face. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down as she adjusted her somewhat disorderly breathing and emotions.
"Dressrosa... has already suffered the devastation of the Donquixote Family once. The Riku Royal Family's reputation has been tarnished, and the country is left in tatters. It cannot endure any further destruction and turmoil."
"My family... finally escaped alive from that disaster. I cannot let them throw their lives away for me or any other reason.
Father... he doesn't have a son, and my older sister passed away early. So now, as the eldest daughter of the family, I have the obligation... to protect them, to protect this home."
Adams listened quietly, his expression showing no change. It wasn't until Violet finished speaking that he nodded slightly, his thin lips curving into an almost imperceptible arc.
"A very commendable resolve. But do you know what you will face next?"
Violet didn't know what she thought of, but the blush on her cheeks instantly deepened, resembling a ripe apple.
Her gaze flickered, not daring to meet Adams's eyes, and her voice was as soft as a mosquito's hum:
"I... I know. I have already prepared myself... mentally."
She paused, her expression shifting through a succession of struggle, shyness, and determination. Finally, as