Vivi arrived beside Shirahoshi while riding on a coral bubble.
"This must be Uncle Neptune, Shirahoshi always talks about, right?"
Hearing Vivi's voice, Neptune and the others turned toward her.
The aura she carried was clearly different from an ordinary noble girl.
Combined with the way she addressed Shirahoshi so familiarly, Neptune immediately had a rough idea of her identity.
"You are Nefertari Vivi, daughter of Cobra, correct?"
Neptune's words made Vivi slightly flinch. She had not expected the Sea God Neptune to recognize her so easily.
Noticing her reaction, Neptune let out a light chuckle.
"Cobra and I have a good relationship. At every World Conference, we sit on the same side, our seats are even next to each other. He often talks about you. Says you are a rare and capable queen. Every time we meet, he keeps going on about it, I almost get tired of hearing it."
Vivi quickly waved her hands in embarrassment.
"Uncle, you are exaggerating. I am just a normal woman. I am not worthy of being called a queen."
From the moment she met Neptune, she did not feel any sense of pressure or intimidation.
Instead, he felt approachable, almost warm in his presence.
And since he was Shirahoshi's father, Vivi figured his personality must not be bad either.
Shirahoshi had always been gentle and pure-hearted, so it made sense her father would be similar.
Neptune, however, and Vivi's father Cobra, shared a relationship built on more than just diplomacy.
For instance, both men were famously fond of similar "topics" during long meetings, especially involving their daughters and passing admiration for attractive women they occasionally saw at the World Conference.
This was one of the reasons their relationship remained unusually strong.
The group continued walking and talking as they moved forward.
Neptune observed the nation around him and could not help but sigh.
"Peach Garden truly lives up to its reputation. It may very well be the most prosperous nation in the world. Even Golden City, the world's greatest entertainment capital, would struggle to compare."
Even someone who had seen much of the world like Neptune was visibly shaken by what he was seeing.
The guards following behind him were already completely speechless.
This place was beyond anything they could have ever imagined.
In their minds, they even began to think that working as guards here must come with incredible benefits, high pay, and stability for life.
If they could get a job in Peach Garden, they would probably be set forever.
But those thoughts remained buried in their hearts. None of them dared speak them aloud.
Soon, the group advanced further, and a grand golden city came into view.
Everyone froze again.
Within this already astonishing nation, there stood an even more magnificent city.
"This… this is Shandora, the capital of Peach Garden? Unbelievable," Kōsei said, eyes wide in shock.
Neptune himself paused in silence.
The Shandora before them even surpassed the grandeur of Mary Geoise's Pangu City.
While Pangu City was decorated with gold, jade, and jewels, Shandora carried a deep ancient majesty, built into the mountain in layered formations.
Golden light reflected across its structures, giving it a sacred yet grounded presence.
Luxurious, but not arrogant.
Grand, yet not overwhelming.
"Yes, this is Shandora, the capital of Peach Garden," Wyper confirmed calmly.
---
Wano Country, New World
"Hey, Yamato, can you let go of my hand…"
Ace's voice carried a hint of awkwardness.
When Yamato said her hand was sore and needed support, Ace naturally agreed to help her.
At first, it was just a simple gesture.
Her hand rested lightly in his.
But somewhere along the way, their fingers interlocked without either of them noticing.
Since then, Yamato had not really been inspecting Wano Country properly. Instead, she was clearly enjoying the experience like sightseeing.
Although she was Kaido's daughter, Yamato had spent most of her life confined to Onigashima.
Everything in Wano Country felt fresh and exciting to her.
She stopped at stalls, tried food, bought clothing, and even picked up wooden clogs.
Each time she changed something, she would turn to Ace and ask,
"Ace, does this look good?"
"How about this one?"
"Should we buy it?"
"Oh, I forgot to bring money. Did you bring any?"
After every purchase or outfit change, she would naturally take his hand again without hesitation.
As the General's guard, Ace had no valid reason to refuse.
The streets of Wano Country were filled with couples walking hand in hand.
Shopkeepers casually called out comments like,
"You two look perfect together,"
"Sir, your wife is beautiful,"
"Miss, your husband is very considerate," and so on.
At first, Ace thought Yamato might get embarrassed or annoyed by such remarks.
But instead, she simply replied,
"Thank you, I think so too."
Ace froze for a moment.
That response was far too direct for the Yamato he knew.
"Masaka…"
A bold thought briefly crossed his mind.
But he quickly dismissed it.
There was no way.
Yamato was Kaido's daughter, one of the Four Emperors' heirs, and now the acting General of Wano Country.
She had responsibilities far beyond something like this.
And he himself was a pirate, someone who still aimed for the sea and the future.
They lived in completely different worlds.
Even if something like this felt natural right now, it could not mean anything serious.
Still…
He could not deny he was enjoying holding her hand.
The warmth lingered more than it should have.
"Why should I let go?"
Yamato tilted her head slightly, confused.
"I am the General now, and you are my guard. Are you planning to disobey an order?"
Ace hesitated.
"Well, that's…"
Honestly, he did not want to let go.
Her hand was soft, warm, and strangely calming.
But they were about to meet Rolan and the others.
Walking in like this would definitely cause misunderstandings.
Still, Yamato's reasoning left him no room to argue.
He was her guard. Orders were orders.
Forget it, if they saw it, they saw it.
It was not like they would stay in Wano forever anyway.
"What are you two doing?"
Robin's voice came the moment they appeared together, still holding hands.
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