Although Luffy felt his strength had greatly increased now, perhaps enough to tangle with an Admiral, thinking back to his grandpa Garp's iron fists made him decide to play it safe for now.
If Vice Admiral Garp was that powerful, wouldn't the Marine Admirals be even stronger?
Although whenever Garp mentioned the Marine Admirals in front of him, he'd always say with a dismissive look, "Just a bunch of brats."
"That's good then."
Seeing Luffy's definitive answer, Ace also sighed in relief, patting his shoulder again. "Anyway, the power of awakening is strong, but you must master it carefully. I'm off."
Before his words had fully faded, Ace's entire body transformed into a blazing ball of fire, streaking across the sky like a meteor and quickly disappearing into the distance.
After bidding farewell to Ace, Luffy returned to the Alabasta royal palace.
Even though the Straw Hat crew were the heroes who had crushed Crocodile's conspiracy and saved the kingdom, their identity as pirates was ultimately a sensitive issue.
In the towns outside the palace, the Marines led by Smoker were still keeping a close watch on their movements.
Therefore, the grand celebration and reception had to be conducted discreetly within the palace walls, with only a select few like King Cobra, Pell, and Chaka aware of the full story.
Sanji, Usopp, and Chopper were all exhausted. After Chopper finished treating everyone's injuries, he went to rest early, so the promised feast of delicious food had to be postponed until the next day.
Even the ever-energetic Zoro had grabbed a few bottles of good wine and found a corner to doze off.
In Vivi's room, however, the atmosphere was somewhat delicate.
Nami, drained both mentally and physically, lay fast asleep on the soft, large bed.
Robin sat quietly on the sofa by the window, using the faint light filtering through the deepest darkness before dawn to read an ancient tome borrowed from the royal library.
She seemed utterly sleepless.
Vivi couldn't sleep either.
She had washed away the grime of battle and changed into a clean princess dress, yet she couldn't wash away the turmoil in her heart.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, Vivi looked out at the heavy, seemingly frozen sky—the darkest moment before dawn, mirroring her current mood.
The war was over.
It seemed some other things were coming to an end too.
Robin closed her book, elegantly crossed her legs, and let her gaze fall on Vivi's profile, etched with conflict.
A woman's intuition is sharper; she had likely already guessed what was on Vivi's mind.
She spoke softly, breaking the silence. "You want to set sail, don't you?"
Vivi's body gave a slight tremble, but she didn't turn around.
She didn't want to, or perhaps didn't dare to, answer that question directly.
"Miss Robin, earlier, thanks to your timely warning, my father was able to send people to quickly dismantle the bombs Crocodile had planted. Thank you. Without you, the casualties in Alubarna would have been far greater."
The topic change was rather abrupt, something even Vivi was aware of.
Robin wasn't surprised by Vivi's evasive answer. Her face still wore that faint, knowing smile as she repeated the question.
"You want to set sail, don't you?"
Vivi's expression froze completely.
This mean-spirited woman!
Why did she have to press the issue?
She instinctively covered her mouth. The tears she had been holding back finally breached her defenses, tracing a path down her cheeks.
Of course she did!
She wanted to continue adventuring with Luffy and the others, to sail toward unknown islands on that small ship, the Going Merry, with those loud yet warm nakama, to witness more miracles.
Vivi had always yearned for the freedom of adventure. She had never been an easy child, constantly slipping out of the palace to mingle with the common folk since she was little.
But she was the Princess of Alabasta, the kingdom's sole heir.
What impact would it have on this nation, just restored to peace and desperate for rebuilding, if she became a pirate?
How would the World Government view Alabasta?
Even her past experience of infiltrating a criminal organization as a spy could be exploited by those with ulterior motives, becoming a stain used to attack the royal family.
On her shoulders rested the future of the entire nation and the hopes of its people.
She wiped her tears forcefully and turned her head, countering with a question of her own. "What about you, Robin? Are you going to join Luffy and them?"
"Luffy said I should live as his nakama. Since he said that, let him take proper responsibility for it."
Take responsibility?
Vivi remembered what Robin and Luffy had done... back then, Luffy was unconscious, so it wasn't that time?
What happened when she wasn't looking?!
Through her tear-blurred vision, she seemed to see Robin gently touching her own lips.
How unfair.
She gritted her teeth, a wave of unwillingness rising in her heart.
Robin stood up then, walking over to stand before Vivi. And then, for the third and final time: "You want to set sail."
Her tone was not a question but carried a hint of certainty.
It was the question that struck right to Vivi's heart, yet felt so heavy it stole her breath.
What a mean-spirited woman!
Vivi's tears flowed even more fiercely, but she knew Robin was forcing her to face her own heart.
"I do...!" She nodded emphatically, her voice overflowing.
Looking at Vivi crying silently, Robin gave a soft chuckle.
"Then follow what your heart tells you.
"Go find your father. He's waiting for you."
"Waiting for me?" Vivi lifted her tear-filled eyes, somewhat startled.
"Yes." Robin nodded.
After leaving the underground royal tomb, she'd had a brief conversation with Cobra. He seemed to understand his daughter very well and had asked Robin to relay a message.
She said no more, but the meaning was conveyed.
King Cobra had likely already seen Vivi's struggle and, through Robin, was sending her a message.
Vivi froze. She met Robin's gaze, hesitated for a moment, then finally took a deep breath as if steeling her resolve.
"Thank you, Robin," she said quietly.
She then stood up, straightened her dress and slightly disheveled hair, and prepared to go see her father.
After parting ways with Ace, Luffy walked into the palace, his mind still replaying Ace's parting words.
A bit troublesome.
[Warning, warning...]
So noisy. It wasn't his time to sleep now, but to train. Yet he seemed to have caught Zoro's sense of direction, unable to find his way back for the moment.
Got to admit, this palace was really huge.
As Luffy opened a door and stepped through, he unexpectedly ran into Vivi, who was waiting by another door.
"Vivi, what are you doing here?" Luffy asked, puzzled.
Was she waiting for him? Like, maybe she'd guessed he'd get lost trying to find his way back after seeing Ace off?
Had to admit, that was a pretty accurate guess. Of course, this was just his mind wandering.
That couldn't possibly be it.
He didn't get an answer from Vivi. Instead, he saw her eyes, still rimmed with red and bearing traces of tears, staring at him unblinkingly.
"You really were waiting for me?"
***
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