That night, in the Kingdom of Arabasta, Vivi led Nami around the palace, showing her the surroundings. The ceiling of the grand hall was decorated with gilded murals, and the walls featured scenic landscapes and hunting scenes.
The glass bricks arranged in intricate patterns, the variety of materials used in the palace's interior decoration, and the architecture itself—all of these naturally displayed the power and prosperity of the nation.
Arabasta was a superpower in the first half of the Grand Line, with its capital city, Alubarna, housing a standing army of 600,000. This was also why Crocodile had chosen to establish his "Utopia" plan here.
Nami looked at the majestic palace and felt a sense of humility. Was it really a good thing to be friends with someone like the princess? If Vivi knew that she was a pirate, hated by most, what would she think of her...?
As these thoughts swirled in her mind, Nami couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness.
When it was time for dinner, Vivi's father, the 12th King of Arabasta, Nefertari Cobra, warmly welcomed Nami. He hadn't had the chance to dine with his daughter in a long time. Always busy with state affairs, he rarely had time to spend with her. Most of what he knew about Vivi's life was through reports from her bodyguard, Igaram. As a father, he felt inadequate and guilty for not being there for her more.
But today, since Vivi had brought a friend over, Cobra seized the opportunity. He finished his work early, instructed the palace chefs to prepare a large feast, and awaited them eagerly.
"My dear Vivi, come, let your father see you. You seem to have lost weight again. That damn Igaram—I'll have to deal with him later," the king said, giving Igaram a disapproving look.
Igaram lowered his head, looking quite aggrieved. He made sure the princess ate well three times a day, but the king was unfairly accusing him. It was a bit awkward, as he was being blamed for something he hadn't done.
Vivi hurried to defend Igaram. "Father, Igaram has been taking very good care of me. Don't be hard on him. I've brought my best friend Nami here to visit. Please don't leave a bad impression!"
With that, Vivi pretended to pout, making the king apologize repeatedly, trying to appease his beloved daughter. After a long while, Vivi finally forgave him with a smile.
The king then looked kindly at Nami, who stood behind Vivi.
"You must be Nami... Oh my! Not only are you beautiful, but you're also Vivi's best friend. I have to ask you, with all due respect, to take good care of my dear Vivi."
"I'm sure you two will become wonderful sisters."
It had to be said that the King of Arabasta, Nefertari Cobra, was truly a good king. Not only was he kind and approachable, but he also didn't look at Nami with any prejudice despite her being a commoner.
"Your Majesty, you flatter me," Nami responded politely, though she still felt a bit nervous. After all, she was a pirate, and facing a king of a nation made her uneasy.
However, as Tony had predicted, King Nefertari Cobra did not suspect Nami's true identity. From what Igaram had said, she was staying at a high-end restaurant in Arabasta, and as a king, he knew the cost of staying there.
Only nobles or wealthy merchants could afford such accommodations, and since Nami clearly wasn't a noble, he naturally assumed she must be the daughter of a merchant family. Thus, he saw her only as a businesswoman's daughter, not suspecting anything further.
The king ordered the banquet to begin, and the sumptuous dishes began arriving one after another. Nami was captivated by the sight.
Although she had already eaten many exquisite meals at the high-end restaurant, the palace's chefs were on another level, and their dishes slightly surpassed the ones she had tasted before.
Nami had never dined with such important figures, and she felt a bit out of place. She ate carefully, speaking with great caution.
But this didn't escape the king's notice. With a smile, he spoke warmly.
"Hehehe, Nami, don't be so formal. There's no king tonight. Just think of me as Vivi's father," the king said with a warm smile.
"Don't feel restricted by my princess status, Nami. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable. This steak is really delicious, try it." With that, Vivi cut a small piece of the steak and fed it to Nami.
Nami happily took the bite, which made the king feel a little envious. However, he also felt a pang of guilt. Both Vivi and he had been so sincere...
Just as they were enjoying their meal, dozens of figures stealthily infiltrated the Kingdom of Arabasta from all directions. A crisis was looming, but Nami and the others were completely unaware.
Tony and Robin stood at the door of the restaurant, anxiously waiting. The time for their meeting with Nami was fast approaching, yet they hadn't seen any sign of her from the direction of the palace.
"Robin, let's head to the Kingdom of Arabasta. I have a bad feeling about this," Tony said, his voice tense.
"Mm!" Robin nodded.
"If they're not back yet, something's definitely wrong," Tony continued, his anxiety growing with each passing moment.
The two quickly made their way toward the Kingdom of Arabasta. Tony had a sinking feeling that the king might have seen Nami's bounty poster and detained her in the palace. His worry deepened as he feared something might happen to Nami.
Tony cared deeply for Nami, and after all she had been through with Arlong, he couldn't bear to let her have any more painful memories.
Meanwhile, in the palace banquet hall, one by one, the guards were silently assassinated by hidden killers.
A man with a slicked-back hairstyle, a cigar in his mouth, approached the balcony where Nami was dining, using the outer walls of the palace, turning into sand with every step.
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T/N:
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