"Saint Rosse, I hope you'll show mercy!", Otohime timely stepped forward. Even if she wasn't prepared, she would still stand up for the merfolks.
After all, this matter really had nothing to do with this group of merfolks.
Their participation in the concubine selection was due to Neptune's demand.
As soon as Otohime spoke, the whole hall fell silent. The merfolks all looked at her with hopeful and grateful eyes.
Many of them had previously followed the crowd and insulted Otohime, and now, hearing her plead on their behalf, they all instinctively lowered their heads, their hearts full of guilt.
"Give me a reason," Since he was putting on a show, Rosse naturally wouldn't agree too easily, that would seem too fake.
Standing in front of Rosse, Otohime reasoned firmly, "First, not only were they not accomplices to Neptune, they actually used other means to delay time, it's not like they did nothing."
"Second, if you are willing to spare them, I am willing to agree to become your third wife," As she spoke, Otohime's gaze, filled with affection, landed on Rosse's face. [T/N: Well well well...]
From the moment she met Rosse, she had regarded him as a confidant. And his series of actions had never let her down.
Previously, Rosse asked her to become the queen of the merfolks, the spokesperson of Jaygarcia. In truth, she understood very clearly, the unspoken meaning was to become Rosse's wife.
However, before this, Neptune was the obstacle between them. Otohime was willing to follow Rosse, but when it came to feelings, she still couldn't betray.
But unexpectedly, due to a misunderstanding, Neptune had been the first to act in betrayal. Now, she was no longer the consort of Fish-Man Island.
Even the new royal consort of Fish-Man Island had died by her hand.
To be frank, she and Rosse were already accomplices, neither of them good people.
"Since you say so...", Rosse smiled slightly, his gaze sweeping across the disbelieving merfolks below.
Look, so many loudspeakers. He was just announcing a predetermined fact, yet these little merfolks would still thank Otohime.
And with the buffer provided by the merfolks, the matter would appear as if Otohime was forced to agree due to his coercion, instead of colluding with the Celestial Dragons.
Although there wasn't much difference, the meaning was still distinct.
The advantage was that Rosse and Otohime could now draw a line between them.
Because Otohime was coerced and had always harbored goodwill, she could face the public with the most positive image.
Whenever anything happened, Otohime could also be the first to know.
As for him, he could do whatever he wanted.
All villains or all saints, neither was easy to sustain a major force.
But with one playing the red face and one the white face, pulling like this, the public would more easily accept it.
At least, they'd feel like they had a choice. Rosse wasn't willing to restrict himself, so he chose to play the white face.
"You are free," With Rosse's announcement, the merfolks finally relaxed completely and burst into wild cheers.
Some leapt high into the air, some wept tears of joy, others hugged each other.
For these female merfolks, everything that had happened today had been far too overwhelming. Only now could they finally breathe easy.
Rosse didn't pay attention to the crowd below. Instead, he directly took out a Den Den Mushi.
While the loudspeakers below were still present, he had a few more pieces of information to spread.
With so many people watching, it was a perfect moment to establish his image.
Public persona was a very important thing.
"Pururururu!"
After waiting briefly, the Den Den Mushi connected.
["Saint Rosse? This is Saint Warcury! Report immediately!"]
From the Den Den Mushi came a hot-tempered voice.
Saint Warcury, Warrior God of Justice of the Five Elders.
Not only had Rosse received the information, the Five Elders had received it even earlier.
What Neptune had tried to cover up had never been possible from the start.
Back then, many people had seen Rosward enter the palace. Afterwards, there were loud sounds of fighting from inside, only a fool wouldn't know something had happened.
In fact, even Rosse had been informed by the Five Elders to go to the scene and investigate.
"The matter has been clarified. When I arrived, Saint Rosward was already dead, shot to death. CP0's Qope was entangled by Neptune and is already seriously injured," Rosse said calmly.
["How are Qope and Neptune?"], Warcury's voice grew more irritable.
Rosse could even hear the sounds of things being smashed in the Five Elders' office, and not just one or two items.
Clearly, Warcury wasn't the only one angry.
It had been over ten years since such a vicious incident involving a Celestial Dragon death had occurred.
And this time, it happened on Fish-Man Island.
"Qope voluntarily died in battle against the enemy. Neptune was nailed by me in front of the palace. I will execute him three days from now and allow public viewing until then," Rosse said lightly.
["Well done! Excellent!"], Warcury didn't hide his praise at all.
'Dare touch a Celestial Dragon? Deserves death!'
["Saint Rosse, where were you at the time of Saint Rosward's death? What were you doing?"]
Saint Nusjuro's voice came from the Den Den Mushi, this was a belated accountability.
"Saint Nusjuro, I am not Saint Rosward's babysitter," Rosse sneered and directly retorted.
"Why don't you ask whether I was attacked? You can't possibly believe Rosward was worth such an elaborate assassination?"
["Who's the mastermind?"], A cold voice from Saint Saturn came through, this was part of their planned narrative.
What Rosse had done this time was even better than expected.
Letting the Fish-Man District take the blame couldn't compare to having Neptune take it himself.
If Neptune wanted to kill someone, then it truly had nothing to do with Rosse.
"The Whitebeard Pirates attacked me. Commanders of the first, third, fourth, and fifth divisions all came, practically all high-ranking forces except for Whitebeard himself."
This was what he had to say, and it was Rosse's excuse.
["KILL THEM!"], Saint Mars's heavy voice rang out.
Touching the Celestial Dragons, that had clearly touched the reverse scale of the Five Elders. Such villains, must not be spared.
["Whitebeard Pirates..."], Warcury's voice was full of frustration.
With so many top-tier combatants showing up, and Whitebeard's known connection to Neptune, the situation was now very clear.
This assassination had been aimed at the Celestial Dragons.
And the target wasn't just Rosward, even Rosse had been included. If Rosse hadn't been strong enough, he likely would've been taken out too.
Now that the Whitebeard Pirates had committed such an act, they would definitely be exterminated.
But what to do with Fish-Man Island had become a matter for deliberation.
Killing was inevitable, but how many to spare was the question.
Fish-men and merfolks were still important slave resources. The Five Elders didn't plan to kill them all in one go.
They leaned more toward exterminating most, and keeping some as slaves.
But before they could finalize their decision, Rosse suddenly said, "There's one more thing."
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