Princess Mansherry struggled to eat the oversized artificial Devil Fruit that Leo insisted she consume in one go. Her tiny stomach was so full it brought tears to her eyes, and those around her couldn't bear to watch any longer. They pleaded with Leo on her behalf: "Come on, Leo! Princess Mansherry is small, let her eat it slowly. We won't take it from her..."
However, Leo ignored their pleas, continuing to insist that Mansherry eat the Devil Fruit.
As the powerful fruit's energy began to spread through Princess Mansherry, it reorganized her flesh and bones. The transformation was less intense for her, given the fruit's origin from Leo's own Tontatta lineage, but it was still more than the delicate princess could bear.
Soon, she cried out in pain. Hearing her cries, Leo felt his heart ache. Unable to stand it, he anxiously paced, kicking up waves of dust.
"I said Leo, do you want to drown us all in dust? Calm down," Vista chuckled at Leo's distress.
Seeing Vista laugh, Leo snapped, "Princess Mansherry is in pain, and you can still laugh? It's really infuriating, Vista."
Vista laughed heartily. "Leo, you should remember how painful it was when Cavendish ate one of Lord Chiba's artificial Devil Fruits. You were right there. Don't worry, it'll pass soon."
Although Leo knew it was only temporary, seeing Princess Mansherry in pain made him wish he could endure it for her.
After about half an hour, Princess Mansherry's cries subsided. Ace stepped forward, broke an elixir into pieces, dissolved it in water, and carefully administered it to her. Her breathing began to stabilize, and she gradually regained consciousness.
Seeing her recover, Leo breathed a sigh of relief. He handed her the remaining fruit and urged, "Your Highness, please eat the rest."
Princess Mansherry burst into tears. "I don't want to endure that pain again."
Leo frowned and insisted, "You must eat it. Finish the rest now."
His harsh insistence made Princess Mansherry cry even more. The onlookers couldn't stand by any longer. "Leo, you're being too harsh on Princess Mansherry," they accused.
"Such a huge fruit and such a small body—how can she eat it all?" Hina pointed out.
Leo replied, "I'm not being cruel. Only by eating this Devil Fruit can she gain the power to protect herself."
"Princess Mansherry, please eat it," he pleaded.
With tears in her eyes, Princess Mansherry held the artificial Devil Fruit, far larger than herself, feeling wronged.
Peacock intervened, picking up Princess Mansherry and glaring at Leo. "Princess Mansherry is protected by us. If she doesn't want to eat it, she doesn't have to."
With that, Peacock took Princess Mansherry away. Leo tried to stop them, but Peacock's presence forced him to back off.
"Princess Mansherry, don't go with her," Leo called out.
"Let's go, Princess Mansherry, ignore him," Peacock said gently.
"Okay," Princess Mansherry nodded, leaving with Peacock.
Leo was left feeling lonely and dejected, staring after them. He sat down with his head bowed, holding the remaining half of the Seam Fruit.
"Alright, let's disperse," Vista told the crew.
Leo stayed put, silent and contemplative. Everything he did was for the sake of his people and Princess Mansherry.
Vista sat beside him, offering him a drink. "Leo, you didn't do anything wrong; you're just too intense and don't understand women," he consoled.
"Women are emotional and less rational. If it were you or any man, you'd endure the pain without hesitation, but women are different. They feel the pain and think you don't care about them."
Leo remained unconvinced. "No, Princess Mansherry isn't just any woman; she's our princess. She must be strong and not defeated by pain," he insisted stubbornly.
Vista sighed. "Leo, you're still young. Women remain women, regardless of age or position. Understanding that is key to dealing with them."
Vista's advice highlighted the importance of empathy and understanding, reminding Leo that even in his well-intentioned efforts, there's a need to recognize emotions and approach situations with compassion.
[•———•——•———•]
𝙥𝗮𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙤𝙣(.)𝙘𝙤𝙢/𝙂𝙤𝙙𝙊𝙛𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧
✨ • 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀: 𝙂𝙚𝙩 𝟲𝟬+ 𝙖𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙖𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙚𝙡𝙨𝙚.