The tangerine tree that Nami wanted was delivered within two days by a designated person.
It was clear that this was a carefully selected mature tree, uprooted and transported to Konoha.
The trunk was thick, the branches lush with foliage, and golden fruits hung from them.
After spending half a day transplanting it into the yard and leveling the soil, Nami stood beneath the tree, looking up with joy in her heart.
She had grown up in a place with an tangerine grove, and when she set sail, she had managed to transplant an tangerine tree onto her ship as a way to carry her feelings for her hometown.
"This is really nice. We could plant some more grass in the yard," Robin said with a smile.
The wind rustled the leaves, and beneath the tangerine tree, Nami couldn't help but close her eyes.
"Hancock, what do you think?" Robin asked.
"I have no objections," Hancock quickly replied.
She didn't really understand such matters, but she also felt that with this tree, the yard no longer seemed so empty and monotonous.
Leaving the care of this home to the two of them in the future might be a good choice.
Robin smiled and said, "Then, when you have time, let's go out and buy some together."
Hancock nodded in agreement.
She found it very comfortable to be around Robin, who always took her into consideration.
Her usual arrogant and domineering persona had always been an act—she had just gotten used to it over time.
In other words, she had already been completely won over by Robin.
That evening, after Robin and Nami finished cooking, they made some extra pastries that looked quite appealing.
They were special treats from their hometown, something that likely didn't exist in this world.
Robin packed the pastries into a nice-looking bag, preparing to take them to Samui and the others.
However, just as she arrived at Samui's doorstep and was about to knock, she suddenly stopped, listening carefully.
From inside the room, strange sounds seemed to be coming through.
And it wasn't just one person—Samui, Mabui, and Yugito's voices were mixed together, rising and falling.
Amidst it all, she could hear the term "Your Majesty."
Robin's hand froze in midair, unsure whether to proceed or leave.
She stood there motionless.
She ended up listening for almost half a minute before hurriedly withdrawing her hand, pressing her lips together, and turning to leave.
Back home, when Nami saw her return with the bag still in hand, she couldn't help but ask, "What happened? They didn't like them?"
Robin stared blankly for a moment before replying, "No… no, I didn't deliver them."
Nami tilted her head in confusion, sensing something strange in Robin's expression.
"Robin?"
"…I'll go later. I'm heading to my room first."
Robin placed the bag on the table and walked straight to her room, leaving Nami, who had been watching TV in the living room, feeling puzzled.
Inside her bedroom, Robin gradually calmed down.
Samui's identity—she was the emperor's personal secretary.
According to Hancock, Samui often assisted the emperor with numerous governmental affairs and was someone he trusted and relied on deeply.
From the moment Robin first met her, she had known that this cold, capable, and beautiful woman was no ordinary person—completely different from Hancock, who was just a naive fool in comparison.
So, all three women in Samui's home… were involved with the emperor in that way?
Thinking back to when the emperor had forced her to stay here, Robin suddenly saw her situation in a new light.
She had been trying so hard to convince herself to look on the bright side of things—so much so that she had almost forgotten the reality of her circumstances.
The past few days had gone smoothly—everything she wanted was provided, and the living conditions were luxurious…
But in reality, wasn't she just a canary in a gilded cage raised by the emperor?
She had beautiful feathers, but they were merely for her master's viewing and pleasure.
And when the emperor was in the mood one day, would she be expected to obediently strip and lie down on the bed without resistance?
Knock, knock—
The sound of knocking interrupted her thoughts. Nami stood at the doorway.
"What's wrong with you?"
Robin looked at the one person here whom she truly considered a friend and companion—they were practically family now.
Taking a deep breath, she smiled and said, "Nothing. When I went to Samui's place earlier, they seemed busy, so I didn't disturb them. I'll go later."
Nami gave her a thoughtful look. "Are you really okay?"
Robin maintained a relaxed and gentle smile. "What could be wrong? Have you taken your bath yet?"
"I'll go in a bit."
"Then you go first. I'll go last."
Robin picked up a book to distract herself.
When Nami finished bathing and called for her, she finally headed to the bathroom.
As Nami dried her hair with a towel, she remarked, "The hot water and hairdryer here are so convenient! Robin, since you're going last, you should take a soak in the bathtub."
After her bath, Robin used the hairdryer until her hair was half-dry, changed into comfortable loungewear, and finally picked up the bag of pastries before heading to Samui's place.
At the door, she took a moment to collect herself before reaching out and knocking.
The door was opened by Mabui, who greeted her with a warm smile. "Miss Robin."
Robin smiled back. "Sorry to disturb you. We made some pastries—traditional treats from our hometown. I thought you might like to try them."
More than an hour had passed since she had last come by.
As Robin stepped into the living room, she could hear the sound of the shower running from the bathroom.
Mabui, who seemed to have been cleaning, paused her work and invited Robin to sit on the sofa in the living room.
Robin asked, "Is it Miss Samui or Miss Yugito who's taking a bath?"
Mabui smiled warmly. "Ah, it's Samui."
Her attitude was always kind and gentle—she treated many people this way.
In Robin's eyes, both Mabui and Yugito were stunning women, each with their own unique charm.
The emperor certainly had good taste.
But… three women together? That seemed a bit absurd.
As they chatted idly for a while, Samui finally emerged from the bathroom, dressed in sleepwear with a towel wrapped around her head.
The steam from the bath made her look even more ethereal and refined.
Robin suddenly recalled—the emperor had wives.
And not just one.
So where exactly did Samui stand in all of this?
"Miss Robin, welcome."
"Sorry for disturbing you, Miss Samui."
Mabui smiled. "Robin and the others made some traditional treats from their hometown for us to try. I had some already—they're delicious."
Samui nodded. "That's very thoughtful."
Robin immediately responded, "Miss Samui has been taking care of us all this time. This is just a small token of appreciation."
After some more casual conversation, Robin eventually took her leave.
It was already late outside, and Mabui escorted her to the door.
As the door closed behind her, Mabui turned to Samui with a smile. "Miss Robin is a really nice person."
Samui simply said, "She's very smart. Much smarter than that Hancock."
"Isn't being smart a good thing?" Mabui asked.
"I suppose." Samui replied indifferently.
Beauty combined with intelligence—such a person was formidable.
The women around the emperor could generally be divided into two categories.
Those in the imperial household—his official wives, noble and highly esteemed imperial consorts.
And then there were the others, the ones like them—his mistresses.
Many might see becoming the emperor's wife as the ultimate honor, an incredible fortune.
But to Samui, such a thing was utterly laughable.
She now had everything she could possibly want, and whatever she desired, His Majesty would provide.
That so-called imperial consort title would only be a burden to her.
She rarely interacted with those women anyway—why bother putting herself beneath them?
As for Boa Hancock, at first, Samui had been dazzled by her beauty.
But after spending some time with her, she was ultimately disappointed by this woman who couldn't even take care of herself.
It was obvious—Hancock still naively believed that His Majesty would fall at her feet, mesmerized by her beauty.
But His Majesty was never short on beautiful women.
Trying to climb to the top based on looks alone?
That was nothing more than a delusional fantasy.
.............
Life had been peaceful—Robin and the others had already been here for over a week.
But this kind of life filled Robin with a lingering sense of unease.
Hancock often went to serve His Majesty, yet ever since that first meeting, she and Nami had never been summoned again.
Had the emperor forgotten about them?
But if His Majesty saw Hancock almost every day, how could he have truly forgotten about them?
This thought troubled Robin deeply.
She often felt restless, thinking she had already mentally prepared herself, yet the moment she was expecting never came.
It was like a prisoner on death row, knowing her fate but left waiting for the execution.
She would rather the emperor just come straight to her face and tell her outright that he wanted to sleep with her.
"Robin, what are you so worried about?"
One day, Nami finally couldn't hold back and asked.
"…Nothing."
"What, are you wondering why that emperor still hasn't come for you?"
Robin froze for a moment, then let out a bitter laugh. "How did you know?"
Nami shrugged. "It's written all over your face."
Robin instinctively touched her cheek, then chuckled helplessly.
Nami continued, "Why overthink it? If he wants to come, he'll come. If he doesn't, he doesn't. It's just sleeping together, isn't it? Sooner or later, it's all the same."
Robin was surprised by Nami's casual attitude.
Only now did she realize that Nami had understood the situation all along.
After hesitating for a moment, Robin said, "Do you remember the other day when I went to deliver our hometown's pastries to Miss Samui?"
Nami nodded lightly—she remembered that Robin had returned midway for some unknown reason.
Robin pursed her lips. "That day… I came back because I saw them… They were…"
Nami laughed. "Saw what? You don't seem like yourself at all right now, Robin."
"…Samui, Mabui, Yugito… plus His Majesty. The four of them were…"
Nami froze.
Her expression shifted to one of complete disbelief.
"This emperor… sure knows how to play!"
Robin let out a soft sigh. "Have you ever thought about… what if the emperor forces us?"
Nami: "…"
Robin's question made Nami fall into silence as well.
If that really happened… would she even have the power to resist?
And what about Robin…?
Seeing Robin also sitting there in silence, Nami frustratedly ran a hand through her hair.
"Why even think about this? Thinking won't change anything. Whatever happens, happens."
Robin could only give a helpless smile—in their current situation, thinking really was useless.
That night.
After dinner and washing up, the lights in the living room were turned off.
Robin had read for a while and was about to turn off her bedside lamp when she suddenly heard a knock on her door.
At first, she thought it was Nami, so she got up from bed, still in her nightwear, and went to open the door.
But the person standing there made her heart clench.
The living room lights were out, leaving the figure shrouded in darkness, but with the dim glow from her bedroom, she could still make out his sharp features.
"Y-Your Majesty…"
Robin's eyes widened, and for a moment, she felt like she couldn't even breathe properly.
Makoto stood there, his expression calm as he spoke. "Are you not going to let me in?"
At this hour… if he entered her bedroom… what else could it possibly mean?
Her hand tightened around the doorknob instinctively.
And at that moment, she finally realized her true feelings—she was not ready.
They stood there, frozen in silence, neither moving.
The tension stretched for half a minute before Robin finally regained control over her breathing.
"Your Majesty… it's quite late. Why have you come…?"
Makoto looked at her obedient, lowered gaze, then suddenly lifted her into his arms.
The abrupt action made her gasp out loud.
Her body stiffened, but she did not struggle.
Instead, her hand instinctively clutched onto Makoto's arm.
Bang!
With a single kick, Makoto shut the bedroom door, carrying Robin toward the bed.
Even when her body was placed onto the bed, Robin remained completely still.
Makoto looked down at her, amused by how tense she was, and couldn't help but chuckle.
He leaned down, taking a deep breath against her skin.
"You smell wonderful."
Robin bit her lower lip, refusing to make a sound.
She had always maintained the habit of bathing daily—there was no way she could have body odor.
It was probably just the scent of her body wash.
Makoto's fingers gently brushed across her cheek, then slowly trailed downward, reaching the buttons of her nightwear.
As he touched the first button, Robin's entire body tensed up again.
"It seems… you're not ready yet." Makoto remarked.
"…"
Robin still gave no response.
How was she supposed to respond to something like this?
Could she really outright refuse the emperor himself?
She had chosen to stay—wasn't that already a silent agreement to sell herself to him?
And yet, to say out loud that she was "ready" was something she simply couldn't bring herself to do.
Makoto only undid a single button before withdrawing his hand.
He gazed at Robin, lying there on the bed, and said:
"Since you're not ready, I won't force you."
Hearing this, Robin felt an instant wave of relief.
She had barely escaped this ordeal.
But then…
The emperor's next words made her heart sink like a stone.
"Nami seems to be more open-minded than you," Makoto remarked casually.
"Perhaps she sees these things more lightly. I'll go to her room instead."
Seeing that the emperor was truly about to turn and leave, Robin panicked and blurted out:
"Your Majesty!"
"Hm?"
Robin had intended to say that Nami wasn't ready either, but just as the words reached her lips, she suddenly realized—
What did 'ready' even mean?
Wasn't it all just an excuse, a justification?
He only wanted her to take the initiative.
For a brief moment, Robin was lost in thought.
Then, as she looked at Makoto, who stood beside the bed, her eyes flickered with indecision.
"Your Majesty…"
She lowered her gaze, voice soft, and slowly reached for the buttons of her nightwear.
The second one… the third…
Until she had removed everything, leaving herself feeling more vulnerable than ever.
Unsettled, she quickly grabbed the nearby blanket, pulling it over her body as a shield.
Outside, the secluded courtyard remained silent and undisturbed.
Nami and Hancock were already deep in sleep.
Suddenly—
Makoto grabbed the blanket and tore it away.
The stillness of the night was shattered, like a stone plunging into dark waters.
Waves rose and crashed in the moonlit abyss.
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