New World, Kingdom of Dressrosa.
"Chris actually has such an incredible woman by his side. It's truly enviable," Viola murmured, holding a Den Den Mushi, her flawless face filled with astonishment.
She was utterly impressed by Baccarat's Devil Fruit ability, admiring it endlessly.
However, the mere thought of Chris made her somewhat angry.
"That jerk is so cold-hearted, it's infuriating."
"Since childhood, I've been the pearl in everyone's palm. Everyone adored me and treated me with kindness."
"Except for that bastard. He won't even answer the call himself, leaving it to Baccarat instead."
"How can such a man exist in this world? I hate him!!"
Viola shook her head and sighed, pushing aside these chaotic thoughts.
The top priority now was to find what Chris wanted—this was the most troublesome part.
After careful consideration, she realized she didn't possess any particularly valuable treasures.
And Rebecca likely didn't have anything either.
"It seems Father must have hidden something from us. He definitely has secrets he hasn't shared," Viola frowned slightly, analyzing the situation.
Since Baccarat had said so, then the item must undoubtedly be in their possession.
She believed Baccarat wouldn't joke about something like this.
"I'll have to talk to Father. There's no other way."
Her eyes filled with determination, Viola strode out of the room without hesitation...
The next day.
The usual place—the Revolutionary Army base where King Riku resided.
Inside the room, the same three people were present: King Riku, Rebecca, and Viola.
"Viola, why have you contacted us again?"
King Riku sat in his chair, his expression stern as he looked at his daughter. "Frequent contact like this risks drawing Doflamingo's attention. Have you considered the consequences?"
Rebecca quickly waved her hands, her delicate face breaking into a sweet smile as she chimed in.
"Grandpa, since Auntie reached out, she must have gotten in touch with Chris."
She turned to Viola, blinking her beautiful eyes playfully. "Auntie, am I right?"
Viola leaned back in her chair, crossing her legs elegantly, exuding grace as she replied with a smile.
"Clever girl."
"I did contact Chris. He agreed to deal with that bastard Doflamingo within two years."
"But..."
Her brows furrowed slightly as she looked at King Riku, a bitter smile on her lips. "He made a demand. Only if we agree will he help liberate Dressrosa."
Seeing Viola's expression, Rebecca couldn't help but ask curiously, "Auntie, what did Chris ask for?"
"Is the demand too unreasonable? Is that why you seem troubled?"
King Riku glanced at Viola, his aged voice steady. "Speak. No matter what it is, as long as it's not excessive, I can agree to it."
Viola brushed aside a strand of hair from her forehead and smiled faintly as she explained.
"It's like this."
"Chris has a woman named Baccarat by his side. She's a Lucky-Lucky Fruit user and can sense when good fortune is near."
Her expression turned serious as she looked at the two of them. "Her intuition tells her that there's an incredibly valuable treasure in Dressrosa."
"She doesn't know exactly what it is, but she's certain it's in our possession."
"I've thought it over, but I can't figure out what she's referring to, so I came to discuss it with you."
Viola hesitated for a moment before continuing, "Father, neither Rebecca nor I have anything of great value."
"Have you hidden something from us? If possible, I'd like to know what it is."
Hearing her words, Rebecca and King Riku were both stunned.
The Lucky-Lucky Fruit—such a powerful Devil Fruit!
It's truly unbelievable!
Rebecca snapped out of her daze and immediately turned to King Riku, her face full of disbelief.
"Grandpa, is what Auntie said true?"
"Did you really hide something from us? That doesn't sound like you, Grandpa."
Silence.
King Riku didn't answer immediately. He leaned back in his chair, sighed, and spoke slowly.
"If I'm not mistaken, what Chris wants is indeed in my possession."
It was true!
Viola and Rebecca exchanged glances, both seeing the shock in each other's eyes.
King Riku adored them both, treating them like precious treasures.
There was no reason for him to keep secrets from them—this revelation left them deeply puzzled.
Rebecca, being less composed, pouted and grumbled.
"Grandpa, you actually kept secrets from us? I thought you loved us the most."
"I won't talk to you anymore. I'm ignoring you."
Viola rolled her eyes and scolded lightly, "Don't be ridiculous. Father must have had his reasons for not telling us."
Then, she turned back to King Riku, her face softening into a gentle smile.
"Father, can you tell us now? What exactly is this thing?"
King Riku waved his aged hand, his expression kind. "I wasn't trying to hide it from you. It's a rule passed down through our ancestors."
"800 years ago, our Riku family became the new royal family of Dressrosa."
"Since then, every generation's king has passed down a map to the next heir."
He sighed, shaking his head. "By my generation, I only had daughters, so I never told either of you."
"Honestly, this map is useless. It's a shame it ends with me."
Rebecca's eyes sparkled with curiosity, her delicate face lighting up with excitement.
"Grandpa, what kind of map is it? Why is it so mysterious?"
"It's been passed down since 800 years ago—it's practically a legendary treasure!"
Viola nodded, her expression complex as she murmured, "So Baccarat's prediction was correct."
"If she hadn't mentioned it, I would've never known the royal family had such a secret."
King Riku smiled warmly at them, his voice gentle.
"This map is said to lead to the Tree of Devil Fruits."
"Of course, this is just what our ancestors claimed 800 years ago. No one knows if it's true."
"In my opinion, guarding this map for generations is utterly pointless."
He chuckled softly, his tone resolute. "Even if the map is real, so what?"
"Where the Tree of Devil Fruits grows has nothing to do with us. What could we possibly do with that knowledge?"
"Besides, this map isn't complete. You'd need to gather the other fragments to possibly find the final destination."
"All in all, it's just a useless piece of parchment."
King Riku looked at them affectionately. "For these reasons, I never told you about it. There was simply no need."
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T/N:
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