Purupurupuru...
Hancock pulled out a green, scale-patterned Transponder Snail.
"Sister!" As the call connected, Boa Sandersonia's voice came through.
"What is it, Sandersonia?" Hancock asked languidly from her lounge chair, her gaze fixed entirely on Ryuuto beside her.
Ryuuto was currently toying with her other hand, and the sensation made Hancock so shy that her eyes were glued to him, unable to look away.
"Hancock, as the Empress of Amazon Lily, do you even remember your responsibilities?"
Before Sandersonia could say more, the Transponder Snail was snatched away, and Elder Nyon's stern voice barked through.
"You old hag, don't you dare order me around!" Hancock snapped, gripping the snail tightly.
"Hancock! The World Government has contacted you several times already!" Elder Nyon was clearly furious, calling Hancock by her full name with a sharp, forceful tone.
"So what if they have, old woman!" Hancock replied. She could feel Ryuuto tracing circles in her palm with his finger, sending a tingling sensation through her. Her voice took on a lazy, breathless tone.
"Hancock, if you refuse the World Government's summons again, your time as one of the Seven Warlords will be over! You must think about the future of Amazon Lily! Snake Princess, I'm begging you, please return at once!"
Elder Nyon first laid out the grave consequences in a solemn tone before her voice softened into a desperate plea.
"Old woman..." Hancock started to argue, but Ryuuto gently took her arm.
"Elder Nyon, I'll convince her," Ryuuto said, taking the Transponder Snail from Hancock's hand.
"Thank you. Please, you must," Elder Nyon replied, her sincere voice coming through the snail.
Click... The call ended.
"Ryuuto?" Hancock turned her questioning gaze to him.
Ryuuto guessed what was happening. He had killed Crocodile, leaving a vacancy among the Seven Warlords. The World Government was likely summoning the remaining members to discuss Crocodile's replacement and formulate a strategy.
Hancock herself couldn't care less about her Warlord title. Because of the trauma of her childhood, she harbored a deep hatred for the Celestial Dragons, and by extension, the World Government. However, the title of Warlord offered invaluable protection for Amazon Lily. That was the only reason she had accepted the World Government's invitation in the first place—to safeguard her home. Of course, the government had only invited her because they coveted Amazon Lily's strategic location.
With Crocodile's death at Ryuuto's hands, the world was in a sensitive state. If Hancock refused the summons multiple times, she would very likely be stripped of her title. Elder Nyon's fears were well-founded. Losing their Warlord status would be disastrous for Amazon Lily, and now was not the time to declare war on the World Government.
"You should listen to Elder Nyon this time. Go to the meeting," Ryuuto said, squeezing her hand gently.
Hancock understood the reasoning, but in the throes of her lovesickness, she couldn't bear the thought of being separated from him.
"Ryuuto, I just want to stay with you!" she said, her eyes locked on his.
"I want that too, but the time isn't right... When I become stronger, things like this won't be able to keep us apart," Ryuuto said earnestly, cupping her face in his hands.
Breathing in his scent, Hancock's face instantly turned beet red, and her entire body went soft, melting completely into his embrace.
"What are you two doing?!"
Suddenly, Nami's shout cut through the air. She had walked up to them, carrying a tray of food.
"It's over, are they gonna fight?" Foxy and Buggy, who were spying from behind a wooden plank, whispered to each other. Buggy looked nervous.
"I don't think so," Foxy countered.
"Nami, I was just convincing Hancock. She might have to return to Amazon Lily soon," Ryuuto explained calmly, holding Hancock in his arms as he looked between the two women.
"Really? Oh... I mean, that's too bad!" Nami's face first lit up with joy before she quickly feigned a look of concern, glancing sadly at Hancock.
Inside, Nami was practically cheering.
'Oh my god... this is the best news ever! Finally, no one will be competing with me for Ryuuto!'
Nami placed the food down in front of them, then slapped her forehead as if she'd forgotten something and quickly disappeared back into the ship's cabin.
Behind the wooden plank...
"See? I told you they wouldn't fight!" Foxy whispered triumphantly to Buggy.
"Ryuuto~~" Hancock murmured, her face flushed as she looked up at him with a pitiful expression.
"Hancock, didn't I say I had a gift for you?" Ryuuto remembered his promise.
"Hm? What are you giving me?" Hancock asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Let's go back to my room. I'll give it to you there," Ryuuto said, scooping her up into his arms and carrying her towards his cabin.
Nami saw them from the galley. But thinking about how Hancock would be leaving soon, she grit her teeth and pretended she hadn't seen a thing.
Ryuuto's mind was on the system's exchange interface. He had 72,350 Reputation Points. Before buying the Lineage Factor for Mohmoo, he had 87,500. He spent 10,000 on the Lineage Factor and another 6,000 on a Growth Factor, which should have left him with 71,500. The extra few hundred points must have come from taking in the Buggy Pirates and the Foxy Pirates.
He scrolled through the exchange list for a long time... until he finally found it at the very bottom.
[Eternal Diamond Ring: 100 Reputation Points]
[A diamond from the Sea of Eternity. Legend says that two who make a wish at the Sea of Eternity will be together forever and ever!]
[Perhaps it is not the diamond that is eternal, but love itself!]
The image showed a set of matching rings, one large and one small. This was exactly what Ryuuto was looking for. Hancock desperately needed something to hold onto, a tangible symbol of his feelings for her. A token of their love. The Eternal Diamond Ring was perfect. One for Hancock, and one for him. It was a promise of forever.
This wasn't just a gift; it was Ryuuto's heart, his devotion to Hancock.
"Exchange," Ryuuto thought.
A flash of white light later, two rings, shimmering with a brilliant luster, appeared in his inventory.
"Ryuuto~" Hancock cooed, reclining on the luxurious, two-meter-wide wooden bed. Her voice trembled with emotion as she stared at him with watery, expectant eyes.
'You've got some nerve, Hancock,' Ryuuto thought with a wry smile. 'For someone who looks so innocent, you're certainly thinking some bold thoughts right now!'