I'll Give It a Try

"Leave this place, Your Majesty!" Shyarly urged through tears.

"We can't leave yet," Queen Otohime said firmly. "I promised to attend King Cobra's conference, and I need to learn more about the state of the world before I can understand what to do next. I understand your fears, but that is exactly why I cannot run! If we suddenly ask to leave before the Reverie is over, who will trust us in the future? Who will still be willing to help us?"

"But..."

"Open your heart, little Shyarly." Queen Otohime placed her hands on Shyarly's shoulders. "Perhaps you saw something bad in your prophecy, but don't tell me yet. Eyes can deceive, and I want to trust my own feelings. Perhaps if we open our hearts, the future we see will be different."

"All right. I'll give it a try." Shyarly knew that nothing she said would matter.

Watching Queen Otohime's retreating back, Shyarly's nails dug deeply into her palms.

Over the following days, the Reverie passed amid fierce daily disputes. For the vast majority of nations, Fish-Man Island's affairs were simply irrelevant. Proposals concerning their own national interests were the real focus. Especially under the broad objective of eliminating pirates, any privilege a country could secure might bring enormous benefits, even allowing it to strike deals with the World Government.

King Cobra's proposal was to form an alliance in the first half of the Grand Line to actively resist pirates. However, it was ridiculed by King Wapol of Drum Kingdom, who claimed that Cobra had ulterior motives. The two broke into a heated argument, but most of the attending kings supported Cobra. Wapol left the venue in a huff.

To secure his throne, Wapol had sent the Celestial Dragons plenty of gifts. If Saint Trump had not been such