Kairos was in a good mood.
A card without killing anyone—rare.
A "sword-wielding Pleasant Goat" still sounded ridiculous, but a reward was a reward. Even scraps had value.
Seeing Chopper finishing the bread, Kairos handed over the rest.
"Here. Eat slowly."
He set the bag down and turned to leave.
Chopper looked at it.
Then froze.
The bag… was full.
For a second, he didn't move at all.
Then his nose stung.
He had been rejected since birth—by his own kind for his blue nose, by humans after eating the Human-Human Fruit.
No place belonged to him.
No one had ever just… given him something.
Not like this.
Chopper quickly lifted his head.
"Wait—!"
But Kairos was already gone.
"What's your name?!"
His voice echoed faintly across the snow.
No answer came back.
—
Kairos bought another bag of bread and kept walking.
His thoughts shifted.
Dr. Hiriluk?
…No.
Challenging a dying man felt wrong, even by his standards.
Dr. Kureha, then.
Doctorine.
That might work.
She was old—but strong.
Still…
Kairos let out a quiet breath.
"Why does every option here feel questionable?"
He didn't stop walking.
The deeper he went into the town, the clearer things became.
Drum Kingdom wasn't peaceful.
It looked calm.
But it wasn't.
People spoke in low voices.
Complaints. Fear. Resentment.
"You heard? Another order. All doctors summoned again."
"Yeah… and new taxes too."
"What else can we even do?"
Kairos passed them without a word.
He had heard enough.
Then a thought surfaced.
In the original timeline, Blackbeard had attacked this place.
Wapol fled.
The country fell into chaos.
Kairos stopped.
Then turned.
"…Might as well."
If someone was going to do it anyway—
why not him?
He changed direction.
Straight toward the palace.
—
Night fell.
Snow reflected the starlight, casting a dim glow over the land.
The palace stood tall in the distance, its walls pale against the dark sky.
Guards patrolled lazily.
At the main gate, one of them yawned.
"Stay alert," his partner muttered.
"Relax," he replied, waving it off. "Who's going to attack Wapol?"
A breeze passed.
Soft.
Out of place.
The guard blinked.
"…Did you see that?"
"See what?"
"I thought the gate moved."
"You're imagining things."
They kept talking.
Neither noticed—
the gate was already open.
—
Inside, the corridors were quiet.
Too quiet.
A figure moved through them without sound.
White clothes.
Steady steps.
Kairos.
His gaze was calm, almost absent-minded.
He was thinking.
What would it feel like to sit on a throne?
To rule, even for a moment?
His hand rested lightly on Sandai Kitetsu.
"…Let's try it."
—
The throne room doors stood open.
Inside—
a man sat sprawled across the throne.
Fat.
Ugly.
Purple hair hanging messily.
A metal plate bolted under his jaw.
He tore into meat with both hands, chewing loudly, grease dripping down his chin.
King Wapol.
Kairos stopped at the entrance.
For a brief second—
he just looked at him.
Then stepped inside.
The sound was soft.
But it was enough.
Wapol looked up.
His small, greedy eyes locked onto Kairos.
"Who are you?!"
His voice echoed sharply through the hall.
"Who let you in here?!"
Kairos didn't answer immediately.
He walked forward.
Slow.
Unhurried.
Each step echoed across the floor.
Wapol's expression twisted.
"Guards!"
No response.
"Where are my guards?!"
Still nothing.
Kairos stopped halfway across the hall.
Then finally spoke.
"Sleeping."
Wapol froze.
"…What?"
Kairos tilted his head slightly.
"They won't be waking up anytime soon."
Silence fell.
For the first time—
Wapol's expression changed.
Not anger.
Not arrogance.
Fear.
"You—what do you want?! Money? Food? I'll give you anything!"
Kairos looked at him.
Then at the throne.
Then back at him.
"…Move."
Just one word.
Flat.
Wapol blinked.
"…What?"
Kairos didn't repeat himself.
He simply stepped forward again.
That was enough.
Wapol scrambled off the throne without thinking.
He didn't understand why.
But his body moved on its own.
Kairos reached the throne.
Paused.
Then sat down.
It was… ordinary.
Just a chair.
Nothing special.
He leaned back slightly.
Looked down at Wapol.
"…So this is it."
Wapol swallowed.
"…You… you wanted the throne?"
Kairos rested his chin lightly on his hand.
"For today."
A pause.
Then, almost casually—
"I'll be king."
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