Aaron Kyle's sigh of "How boring," echoed in the quiet of the luxurious private room. Caron, standing respectfully to the side with his eyes downcast, was long accustomed to his boss's sudden fits of groundless complaint.
Just then, the door slid open gently. A tall, radiant figure entered carrying a plate of freshly cut fruit. It was Boa Hancock, who had grown even more stunning over the past two years. She carefully placed the fruit plate on the table beside Aaron Kyle, her movements graceful and soft—a world away from the stubborn girl who used to stomp around, too afraid to even speak her mind.
"Aaron Kyle-sama~ Please have some fruit." Her voice was sweet and gentle. When her eyes fell on his profile, they unconsciously took on a soft, adoring sparkle.
Aaron Kyle simply grunted in acknowledgment, casually spearing a piece of apple with a small fork. His gaze remained fixed on the arena below, where two new fighters were preparing for the next deathmatch. Hancock didn't leave. She stood rooted to the spot, her eyes fixed on him with pure adoration.
To her, this man was a living legend. Two years of being by his side, combined with details of the Battle of Mary Geoise that she had pieced together, had formed a complete and terrifying image in her mind. He had single-handedly fought four of the Five Elders, shattered the Red Line itself, and returned to recover as if it were just another day at work. His power was far beyond her comprehension.
Yet, in his daily life, he was always so lazy and easygoing. He was witty and humorous, often telling jokes that she didn't quite understand but still found amusing. This extreme contrast between his immense power and his relaxed nature held a powerful allure for a young woman experiencing love for the first time. In any world, a mature, steady, and overwhelmingly powerful man like Aaron Kyle was bound to capture the hearts of young women.
In the past, she had often tried to secretly rally Robin and the others to resist their enslavement by this "devil." But now, whenever she saw Robin efficiently organizing documents for him or the others thoughtfully preparing his refreshments, the feeling that welled up inside her was not shared resentment, but a sharp sense of crisis. These so-called sisters were getting far too close to Aaron Kyle-sama!
Just as Hancock was lost in her thoughts, Robin entered with a new report. "Aaron Kyle, this is the latest intelligence from the New World." Robin handed the document to him and smoothly picked up his empty teacup, the entire exchange perfectly coordinated and familiar.
Hancock watched them, unconsciously biting her lower lip. It all reminded her of how things began…
A few days after Hancock was first brought to the Sabaody Archipelago, the villa received two special guests: the "Dark King" Silvers Rayleigh and his partner, Shakky.
"You brat, you certainly live a comfortable life," Rayleigh said, taking a large swig of sake. He shook his head as he watched Aaron Kyle lounging on a beach chair, soaking up the sun.
Shakky lit a cigarette, her gaze drifting over to Hancock, who was watering flowers in the garden nearby. "Is that the girl from Amazon Lily?" Shakky asked, exhaling a perfect ring of smoke. "She's very beautiful."
Rayleigh put down his sake bottle, a hint of worry on his face. "Aaron Kyle, you can't just take her like this. The Kuja… Gloriosa won't just let this go, will she?"
Aaron Kyle opened one eye and glanced at Rayleigh. "Shakky-san hasn't said anything. Why are you, an outsider, so worried?"
Shakky chuckled at that. "I haven't been the Empress for a very long time. Besides, it's better for her to be with you than to be stuck on that small island."
Her words left Rayleigh speechless. He knew she was right; as a former Empress of Amazon Lily, Shakky had more right to speak on the matter than anyone.
"Besides," Aaron Kyle added, closing his eyes again and speaking lazily, "if the old woman really comes looking for trouble, I have my own ways of dealing with her."
Rayleigh's worries soon came true. About half a month later, a ship bearing the Kuja emblem docked at Sabaody's port. An old woman leaning on a snake-headed staff stormed into the villa, her face a mask of pure fury.
It was Gloriosa, the former, former, former Empress of Amazon Lily, who would one day be known simply as Elder Nyon.At this moment, though her body had begun to shrink with age, her face still held traces of the peerless beauty she possessed in her youth as part of the Rocks Pirates.
"Aaron Kyle!" she shouted as soon as she entered, striking the floor heavily with her staff. "You junior! How dare you abduct a Kuja sister! Hand over Hancock at once!"
Aaron Kyle, who had been reading a newspaper in the living room, looked up at the furious old woman without a change in his expression.
Gloriosa placed her hands on her hips and tilted her head back arrogantly. "I don't care if you're the Wave Guiding King or some other monster! Today, I will teach you a lesson on behalf of Roger!" She struck a pose, looking as if she was genuinely preparing for a fight.
Aaron Kyle slowly put down his newspaper and stood up. He didn't release any Haki or show any aggression. He just looked at her calmly and said something that no one in the room could have ever expected.
"Roger never loved you."
The single sentence struck Gloriosa like a bolt of lightning from a clear sky. Her body went rigid. The anger on her face instantly froze, replaced by immense shock and a deep, soul-crushing sorrow. Her lips trembled, but no words came out. He had exposed the deepest secret hidden in her heart, the greatest regret of her entire life.
"Waaah—!"
Gloriosa could no longer hold it back. Decades of pent-up grief and heartache erupted in that single moment. She threw her staff to the ground, covered her face with her hands, and let out an earth-shattering wail before turning and fleeing from the villa. Her dejected figure no longer held any of the majesty of a legendary Empress.
Hancock was completely dumbfounded. Robin and the others exchanged bewildered looks. He had defeated her with nothing but words.
After crying her heart out and leaving, Gloriosa never returned. Another year passed, and Hancock celebrated her eighteenth birthday. She had blossomed from a frightened girl into a woman of unparalleled beauty.
That evening, she went to find Aaron Kyle herself.
"Aaron Kyle-sama~ I wish to return to Amazon Lily."
Aaron Kyle was reading in his study and paused at her words. "Is it uncomfortable living here?"
"No," Hancock said, shaking her head. She walked right up to him and gathered the courage to look him directly in the eyes. "It's wonderful here, but… here, I can only ever be a flower living under your protection."
She paused, her voice becoming incredibly firm. "I want to have my own strength. I want to become a blade that you can use, not just a decorative vase that can only pour your tea. I want to become the Empress of Kuja, lead the Kuja Pirates, and plant a flag for you in the New World!"
Aaron Kyle looked at the ambition burning in her eyes. He was silent for a moment, and then he smiled.
He reached out and, just as he had years ago, gently flicked her smooth forehead. "Go."
Having received his permission, Hancock's eyes reddened. She threw herself fiercely into his arms for a brief, tight hug, then turned and left the study without a moment's hesitation.
A few months later, Aaron Kyle lay on the sofa, casually flipping through the latest newspaper. A story on the front page took up a massive amount of space.
"WORLD SHOCKED! THE PEERLESS BEAUTY, THE PIRATE EMPRESS, IS BORN! KUJA PIRATES ACHIEVE ASTOUNDING RESULTS ON FIRST VOYAGE, WORLD GOVERNMENT OFFICIALLY EXTENDS INVITATION TO BECOME NEW WARLORD OF THE SEA!"
Next to the headline was a large photo of Boa Hancock's arrogant profile. In the picture, she looked down upon the world, her Conqueror's Haki almost radiating from the page. She already carried herself with the full demeanor of an Empress.
Aaron Kyle tossed the newspaper aside, a satisfied smile on his face. And thanks to his deliberate efforts to conceal their connection, the World Government remained completely in the dark about the relationship between their newest Warlord and the Wave Guiding King.
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