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Outside the camp, a patrol team armed with weapons stood facing off against the two individuals.
"Come down and be checked, or we'll open fire!"
"You Bastard, this lady is Vivi, the Princess of Alabasta! What do you think you're doing?!"
Koza, with his dark skin, held a desert scimitar in front of a young girl with hair as soft and deep blue as water.
"Humph, I don't care who she is! This is Saint Lirisk's sanctuary camp. Are you sure you want to resist?!"
"I..."
Koza was exasperated.
Anyone who could add "Saint" to their name must be a Celestial Dragon! The patrol soldier was right. What confidence did a mere Princess of a country have to resist Celestial Dragons?
"It's alright, Koza, I'm fine."
Vivi stood up and patted her trusty duck Karoo, then pulled Koza down and nodded to the two patrolmen. "Would you please inform Vice Admiral Soryu that Nefertari Vivi seek an audience with him?"
Her every move was graceful, her tone neither humble nor overbearing. If Rowen were here, it would be hard to believe that this was the same Vivi as the wild girl in the original story.
Setbacks are the best training tools for anyone.
After experiencing Crocodile's "usurpation" of the country and the recent pirate invasion, with the nation in turmoil, Vivi had grown at an extraordinary pace.
"Nefertari?"
The two patrolmen exchanged a glance and felt each other's determination.
If it was just a personal matter, the other party would never have mentioned their family name, which was the source of their firm attitude.
As long as they didn't mention their family name, they had the right to resist Vivi's entry into the camp.
"What's going on?"
The other patrolman looked at him strangely. "How did you see Vice Admiral Soryu in such a short time?"
"Nothing."
The patrolman took a deep breath, then turned around and said, "Princess Vivi, Vice Admiral Soryu is already aware of your arrival. Please come to the main tent to meet him."
With that, two CP0 agents in white clothes appeared silently and ghost-like in the center of the field.
"At this time, Vivi's coming to find me must be about some trouble in Alabasta, right?" Rowen pondered with closed eyes, not even opening them when someone entered the tent.
Seeing no reaction from the CP0 agents responsible for escorting them, they saluted dutifully and then left the tent.
Silence hung heavy in the air like a person weighed down by a stone in the lake.
Koza wiped his forehead, his palms covered in cold sweat. "Vivi, we..."
"Shh."
Vivi silently shook her head, gesturing for Koza to remain quiet.
Then, she looked at the tall, majestic figure sitting on the chair with a curious gaze.
The first time she heard the name Vice Admiral Soryu, he was still a Rear Admiral.
At that time, Vivi was very afraid because there were men in white suits coming and going into the palace every day, and her father often disappeared.
Then came Crocodile's defeat and Cobra's release from captivity.
The second time she heard his name was in the incident with Skypia.
The attention of the whole world was focused on Enie Lobby, which was under the jurisdiction of the G-10 branch where he was located. It was said that the walls there were all built of a special material from Skypia, as white and pure as the clouds in the sky.
The third time was during the world-shaking final battle, when he fought against Celestial Dragon Lirisk and came out unscathed.
At that time, Vivi was a supporter of the "Celestial Dragons thesis," because she couldn't think of any other reason. If it wasn't another Celestial Dragon, how could he have emerged unscathed?
Then came the fourth time, and the fifth...
Even though they had never met, Vivi had already imagined a portrait in her mind.
He was domineering, powerful, and full of wisdom!
But...
None of that compared to the shock of meeting him in person today!
Just sitting there, he exuded a godlike aura, commanding reverence.
The pressure, a combination of Haoshoku Haki and the Thunder Cloud Dragon pattern, and even a faint unconscious emanation was enough to overwhelm the soul.
Zi Zi!
At this moment, a flash of lightning surged in the tent, and a pure white Thunder Pillar materialized out of thin air, shooting straight toward Vivi, death looming before her!
"Danger!"
In a moment of crisis, Koza rushed forward without thinking, pulling Vivi aside and placing himself directly in the path of the Thunder Pillar.
"Bo!"
"..."
Koza swore he truly felt death at that moment. However, just as the Thunder Pillar was about to hit him, the lightning disappeared in an instant.
Apart from the fingernail-sized scorch marks on their clothes, there was nothing else to prove that the Thunder Pillar had ever existed.
"So, this is the strength of the top-level fighters in the world? The gap is too wide!"
Vivi looked bewildered, staring at Koza, who had blocked her, and Rowen, who she thought might have been trying to kill her.
"Excellent performance!"
At this moment, the oppressive feeling in the air suddenly dissipated, and Rowen, sitting on the chair, opened his eyes calmly.
"Vice Admiral Soryu."
Vivi took a deep breath, regulated her breathing, and resumed her former graceful Princess demeanor, bowing to Rowen.
"No need for formalities, Princess Vivi. I was a bit impulsive just now."
Rowen waved his hand, and then attendants entered one after another, setting up tea cups and fruits.
What's going on?
Koza and Vivi exchanged a glance, feeling a bit puzzled.
After the attendants quickly arranged everything and left the tent, Vivi and Koza sat nervously. Rowen didn't seem inclined to greet them warmly. After sipping his tea, he spoke casually.
"I know why you've come to see me, but I'm sorry, I won't intervene."
Here it comes!
Vivi's expression froze.
Being explicitly rejected might have caused despair in the past when she was like a wild girl. But now, she had learned one thing: never give up on her beliefs!
"If Vice Admiral Soryu is concerned about the prohibition issue, please leave it to us. Here is a letter we wrote to the Gorōsei (Five Elder Stars) asking for help. It will definitely not put you in a difficult position."
"No, it's not about the prohibition, nor is it about my personal preferences. I just find it amusing, that's all."
Rowen didn't even look at the envelope Vivi took out. Looking at it would mean he was taking on the troublesome matter.
"Amusing?"
Suppressing the urge in her heart, Vivi used a gaze of longing to push back Koza, who was about to draw his sword and asked calmly.
"Dare I ask Vice Admiral Soryu, do you find it amusing that pirates invade a kingdom?"
"Don't try to provoke me with words. You are indeed amusing."
Rowen smiled calmly. "Alabasta is not the only kingdom I've helped with their troubles. Gourmet City, Pucci, was besieged by a pirate army before the palace. In Flower Capital, there's internal turmoil surrounded by mongrels. I intervened in both cases."
"But only you, Alabasta, have been targeted again. Don't you find that amusing?"
Rowen's counterattack changed Vivi's expression. Indeed, only they, Alabasta, had been targeted again.
"In terms of national strength, Alabasta has vast territory and abundant resources."
"In terms of governance, your father is a wise king, with no challengers to the throne, and he is deeply trusted by the citizens of the nation."
"In terms of military strength, a standing army of 600,000 is second to none at sea. Even if we in the Marines wanted to gather such a large army, we would have to recruit from the Four Seas, whereas you are all on the same land."
Rowen spoke calmly. "So I ask, with such advantages, how did you let the situation deteriorate to this point?"
"The pirates were all hidden at first, and by the time we realized it, it was too late to stop them!" Koza exclaimed angrily. "If it weren't for government officials dragging their feet, we would have had the opportunity to gather a large army and counterattack!"
"Yeah, so isn't it amusing?"
Rowen didn't get angry, his lips curling up. "Alabasta, one of the strongest kingdoms in the Large-Scale Kingdom, yet anyone can trample on it."
"Are you sure it's not because you're too weak to be bullied?"
Vivi: "..."
Could this really be the answer?!
(End of this chapter)