Hearing Shirahoshi's words, everyone in the hall was taken aback.
However, it was clear that no one was going to let Shirahoshi leave with Nicholas.
Although Shirahoshi could communicate with the giant Sea Kings, she was still inexperienced. Despite the Sea King's formidable power, Shirahoshi herself was not very strong.
In the sea, commanding the Sea Kings made her invincible, but on the surface, some strong individuals could still threaten her safety.
In the end, under Queen Otohime's persuasion, a dejected Shirahoshi followed her out of the hall.
"Sigh…"
Watching Shirahoshi leave, Neptune sighed. He knew her character and worried that the future war might be too much for her to bear.
After all, how could a war be without casualties...
Seeing Neptune's concern, Nicholas spoke up.
"Don't worry. Shirahoshi won't be on the front lines. She just needs to stay in the safe ocean and command the giant Sea Kings."
Nicholas never believed that the Sea Kings' power would be decisive in battle. Although their strength was immense, they were still ocean creatures. Even if they could reach the Red Line, it was uncertain how effective they would be out of the water.
"Thank you, Nicholas."
Neptune expressed his heartfelt gratitude. He knew the power of Poseidon was immense and understood the consequences if such power fell into the wrong hands.
Nicholas had the ability to control the Sea Kings by force but chose to respect Fish-Man Island's wishes instead.
Perhaps he was indeed the one Fish-Man Island had been waiting for all these years.
After parting ways with Neptune, Nicholas strolled in a small garden within the Ryugu Palace.
Although Shirahoshi's Sea King powers had awakened, she was still not proficient. Nicholas needed to stay on Fish-Man Island for a while to guide her.
Nicholas also pondered his next steps.
While he could now challenge Im, the outcome was uncertain. Im had lived for so long, who knew what hidden cards she still had.
Besides Im, the forces controlled by the Celestial Dragons were also a concern, as were the Five Elders. Although they had not fought, their status suggested they were not weak.
Additionally, there were Kaido and Barrett, who were also threats with considerable power.
As Nicholas was deep in thought, a shadow flitted past the colorful, oddly-shaped coral nearby.
Nicholas stopped and looked towards a rockery, where a fish tail was visible.
"Mr. Nicholas."
After a brief silence, a timid voice came from behind the rockery, unable to bear the awkward atmosphere.
Hearing Shirahoshi's voice, Nicholas wasn't surprised.
Seeing a large fish tail, it was obvious who was hiding behind the rockery.
Smiling at Shirahoshi, who peeked out from behind the rocks, Nicholas asked, "Is there something you need, Shirahoshi?"
"Well, it's just…"
Shirahoshi fidgeted with her clothes as she floated out from behind the rockery, a large shark following her.
"Just what?"
Despite his empathy, Nicholas didn't pry into the thoughts of teenage girls.
"I want to join your pirate crew!"
Finally mustering the courage, Shirahoshi said loudly, startling her pet shark Megalo.
"Shirahoshi, let's take a walk."
Nicholas smiled and invited her.
"Okay, Nicholas," Shirahoshi replied.
Shirahoshi's delicate face first showed surprise, then broke into a beautiful smile as she gently agreed to Nicholas's request.
The two then wandered around the garden of the Ryugu Palace.
During their conversation, Nicholas learned why Shirahoshi wanted to join him. Simply put, the naive girl, who had lived in seclusion her whole life, was curious about the outside world.
"I really want to see the real sun on the land..."
Shirahoshi said hopefully, looking up at the 'sun' that illuminated Fish-Man Island.
"You will have the chance, although not now..."
Nicholas stopped and looked at Shirahoshi's longing profile, saying seriously, "But I promise you, it won't be long before Fish-Man Island lives under the real sun. And I agree to your request, wherever you are, you are our companion."
"Yes! Captain!"
Shirahoshi met Nicholas's gaze and nodded seriously, smiling brightly.
In a distant building, Neptune, Otohime, and the three princes watched Nicholas and Shirahoshi in the garden.
"Shirahoshi looks very happy. I thought she would be timid in front of a strong person like Nicholas. Seems I was worried for nothing."
The eldest prince, Shark, said, understanding his sister's usually timid nature.
"I didn't expect Nicholas to be so gentle with Shirahoshi."
The third prince, Ryuboshi, said with a smile.
Neptune remained silent, arms crossed, watching Nicholas and Shirahoshi.
He wasn't sure if Nicholas had the same patience with others, but he knew Nicholas was kind to Shirahoshi largely because of her Sea King abilities.
But Neptune didn't mind. From his perspective, Nicholas's relationship with Fish-Man Island was beneficial, even if it was largely due to Poseidon's presence.
In the garden, Shirahoshi didn't notice Neptune and the others watching, but Nicholas did.
In fact, he had noticed their surveillance even before he encountered Shirahoshi in the garden but didn't mind.
After a while, Nicholas said goodbye to Shirahoshi.
Shirahoshi, still excited, looked disappointed when she heard Nicholas was going to rest.
A few days later, Nicholas and his crew were ready to depart.
During these days, Shirahoshi had learned to communicate with the Sea Kings, although her range was limited to a thousand miles around Fish-Man Island. Still, her range was steadily increasing.
It was expected that one day Shirahoshi could communicate with and summon a giant Sea King from a distant part of the Grand Line with a single thought.
To ensure Fish-Man Island's safety, Nicholas had Shirahoshi summon two super-giant Sea Kings to patrol the surrounding waters.
As for why not summon more, the ecosystem around Fish-Man Island couldn't support them. These super-giant Sea Kings required a terrifying amount of food each time they fed.