It was an eye-opener, even the light of hope that had resurfaced in my life if I dared go that far. I was desperately looking for ways... Sea Stone was not enough, I needed something stronger and all of a sudden this woman had to come and tell me this.
Primrose played with her silky hair and a happy smile, I better not tell her that she and the girls may become my lab rats, she may even enjoy it.
I had so many questions regarding so many things. With everything that she's saying... how can Lili be 'Lord Imu'? Is the woman I fought not Lili? How could her body and genetics be affected by the devil fruit she ate to the point even her descendants acquired that gene?
I hadn't even begun trying to answer those questions when Isabel continued although with a tone that seemed to be hoping for a conclusion.
"The current Nefertari are not descendants of Lili, they're descendants of her siblings... the real descendants of Lili are these ladies here, of that... I'm certain".
"How do you know this?"
"Nefertari Lili was a Queen without descendants during the formation of the World Goverment, eight hundred years ago. Her father perished in battle in a war we know as the 'Red War' and she took the throne early, even finishing off her engagement. She never returned to Alabasta and hence she can't be the ancestor of the current Nefertari Family".
"Tell me more-"
I needed to know, not only for my sake but also for Robin's sake, how I wished that girl was here right now she'd have shining stars in her eyes. Despite my enthusiasm though, Isabel was fated to disappoint me. Her eyes squinted evasively.
"I musn't".
"Why!?"
"All of her story is a taboo we have pledged never to disclose, it belongs to the void century. As much as I have told you... I have already sinned against my pledge of knighthood, Veyron".
I was about to explode, what is the point of keeping that pledge at this stage?! She couldn't just stop there... I need to know!
"Then overthrow that pledge-"
Her eyes glared at me sharply.
"Are you telling a knight to forsake her beliefs and honour?"
Oh my god, she's just like my mom... why do they need to be so stuck up and prideful about their honour and all that nonsense? Can't you just tell me the damn story?!
"I'm only willing to tell a part of it to Primrose since -as Lili's descendant- she has the right to know her ancestor's origin. We have talked about it during the morning and I have already told her everything I needed to tell her... I hope with this I can pay back at least a bit of what I owe Lili"
She released Primrose's hair and sat back down on her chair without saying a word.
"Are you going to leave me just like that after everything you spouted?!"
"..."
Her gaze was immaculate as she drank her tea, Prim rubbed my shoulder and shook her head, "Drop it, please understand her... I'll share it with you and the girls later, alright?~"
This void century is doing my heading now... Saint Isabel Esquivel, Nefertari Lili... who exactly are you and how are you two involved in all this mess? Are you a good person? or a bad person...? I don't know anymore.
'Wait, she didn't say Nefertari D. Lili?'
"Did you know that Nefertari Lili is a member of the D Clan?"
!!!
Oh yes... that's the face I wanted to see. Isabel's gaze contorted and even her fingers shivered.
"What did you say?"
I laughed a bit before sitting across from her and indicating Prim to continue making her breakfast.
"Now we can talk Isabel, it seems the knowledge you have... is not completely correct~"
"... do tell, explain to me that nonsense you have just spouted".
**
**
The Grandline, Kingdom of Alabasta, Castle of Alubarna.
Darkness still shrouded the early morning of another day. The snow had already stopped falling but it still piled up in some of the buildings, melting slowly.
A lady shrouded in this darkness wore a black shirt and skirt, she stood together with a man covered in dark green robes at the top of the castle. Downstairs, the labourers were about to finish repairing the massive hole created during the outburst a few days ago. Even the princess Nefertari Vivi was helping them with her newfound powers.
Robin and Dragon were looking into a particular room in the palace where a pair of men and woman were still hugging each other and crying... even though they had just woken up, the first thing they did was this.
They were so loud that even the little girl sleeping next to them nudged her eyes rather annoyingly.
"How long are you two going to cry?"
"*sob* Kumachi I wuv you! Waaaaaa! please forgive me!"
"I love you too, Ginny!! You forgive me, I should have gone sooner!"
"Waaaa!!"
"Waaaa!!!"
They pulled the confused little girl into the warmest of hugs and continued their fit of melancholy, there were still too many tears to shed. Tears of happiness and relief.
…
"They've been like that for three days..." Robin checked her hand watch while rubbing her temples while the man next to her showed a rare uncharacteristic smile.
"Even a lifetime may not be enough, let them be... sometimes feelings must be allowed out before one can move forward" His voice carried a bit of melancholy that accompanied the experience of life.
"Is that so...? In any case, I'll leave them to you. There is too much to do and I can't keep tabs on them, Dragon".
Her vacations had finished weeks ago and her investigation had now reached a major turnover, a city underneath Alubarna discovered by Crocodile. She could barely conceal the thrill of going down there to explore.
"I'm leaving as well. Three days was enough of a rest for me. Are you sure Veyron is okay?".
Dragon asked regarding his situation with Isabel, but Robin frowned and shook her head lightly, she hadn't received any further communication after that.
"You don't need to worry about my husband, if she was taken into Rusukaina, it is her you should be worrying about".
"I see... are the two of you... usually separate?"
Robin lifted an eyebrow and sent Dragon a sidelong glance, he coughed a bit and cast his coat aside, portraying an awkward behaviour that confused her.
"Pardon?"
She didn't understand his sudden interest in her private life.
"Forget it".
'I just want to know if the brat is paying attention to her if he's fooling around with other women leaving my daughter unattended-' He just didn't know how to approach the situation.