One Piece: King of the World

Chapter 153: Shyarly?

Chapter 153: Chapter 153: Shyarly?

While Claudius and his group were meeting with King Neptune at Ryugu Palace, the transfer of the freed mermaid slaves from the Prometheus was successfully completed.

At that moment Nia had just exited the palace and was standing near Jinbei, the stout, blue-skinned merman who was also King Neptune's trusted subordinate. The two seemed to be engaged in some light conversation, and Claudius happened to notice them as he stepped out of the palace.

Upon seeing Claudius, Nia quickly approached to give her report. After hearing that the handover had been completed without issue, Claudius nodded in satisfaction. The rest, he figured, was up to Fish-Man Island to handle. There was no need for him to concern himself further with such minor details.

As they made their way back to Coral Hill, Claudius took in the sights of the island with a growing sense of admiration.

Although he couldn't help but criticize Fish-Man Island's "submissiveness" over the past 800 years, he had to admit that the island itself was breathtakingly beautiful. The dreamy, otherworldly scenery, with its glowing coral and shimmering waters, felt like something out of a fairy tale.

"What a wonderful place," Claudius murmured to himself, clearly impressed.

Hearing this Nia smiled and suggested, "Your Highness, if you like it so much, why don't we establish some property here? After all, it's not far from Mariejois, a trip would only take a day at most. If Your Highness enjoys this place, you could come here to relax whenever you please."

Claudius chuckled and asked, "Property? You mean like real estate? A manor?"

Nia nodded matter-of-factly and said, "Yes. I've heard there's an area called Euphory Hills, considered the most prestigious residential district on Fish-Man Island. It has several beautiful estates available for purchase. While the manors there are said to be expensive, it's hardly an issue for us."

Nia's confidence was apparent, her tone brimming with the self-assurance of someone who knew their wealth could solve any problem. To her, buying a luxurious villa seemed no more difficult than picking out a new coat.

And, truthfully, she wasn't wrong.

Claudius had built up an impressive fortune over the years. In his younger days, he had been far more restrained with his spending, carefully managing his limited funds. But now? Now he was wealthy beyond imagination.

Whether it was the "tributes" he regularly received from underworld figures like Umit, the generous annual allowances from the World Government, the vast sums of heavenly tribute owed to the upper-echelon Celestial Dragons, the profits generated by Happy Street under Stussy's management, or the earnings funneled through his alliances with pirates like Crocodile and Doflamingo, money was something Claudius no longer needed to worry about.

Hearing Nia's suggestion, Claudius stroked his chin thoughtfully before smirking. "You've grown quite attached to Mero and Lenny, haven't you? Is that why you want to buy a property here?"

Nia's cheeks turned slightly red, and she looked away, embarrassed. "Well, Lenny and Mero are leaving, but..."

"But you've become good friends with them over the years," Claudius said, his tone teasing yet kind. "You've spent so much time together that you're like family. Now that they've returned to Fish-Man Island, you'll want to visit them from time to time, and for that, you'd need a place to stay. Am I right?"

Caught off guard by how easily Claudius had guessed her thoughts, Nia lowered her head in bashful silence.

Claudius chuckled at her reaction, amused but also touched. "Nia, you're the person I trust most. You don't need to ask for my approval for something as trivial as this. If you want to buy property here, go ahead. And if it's what you want, we'll purchase all of Euphory Hills!"

Nia's eyes widened in shock, and she quickly waved her hands. "No, no, Your Highness! There's no need to go that far! A small manor would be more than enough."

Claudius laughed. "If you say so, but make sure it's one of the best manors on the island. No need to settle for second-best. Take your time and pick one you really like."

Seeing the sincerity in his words, Nia's initial embarrassment was replaced by warmth and gratitude. "Thank you, Your Highness. I'll take care of it."

As the group continued walking, Stussy, who had been quietly observing their conversation, smiled. She and Nia shared a close bond, so she wasn't surprised by how easily Claudius indulged her.

Meanwhile, Sengoku, who had been walking a short distance away, couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy. "Celestial Dragons really live on a completely different level," he thought with a sigh. "They can just casually decide to buy the best property on an entire island, as if it's nothing."

Still, Sengoku quickly consoled himself. "It's fine. Marine will soon be flush with resources after all these new developments. Maybe I'll propose building a nice Marine base with comfortable accommodations. Surely an Admiral deserves a decent place to stay..."

Had Claudius been aware of Sengoku's musings, he would've likely laughed and remarked on the creeping "corruption" in the Admiral's thoughts. But all of this was just playful banter in his mind. Sengoku, despite his occasional complaints, remained an upright and disciplined leader.

Eventually, Claudius and Nia arrived at Coral Hill, where they spotted Lenny and Mero walking around with a young mermaid girl. The girl was noticeably larger than Lenny and Mero, and her shark-like features hinted at her being a rare shark mermaid.

When Lenny spotted Claudius, she immediately waved and called out, "Your Highness!"

Claudius smiled and waved back as the group approached him. "You seem happy. Is it because you're back home?" he asked.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Mero introduced the young shark mermaid. "Your Highness, this is Shyarly. She's the daughter of a dear friend of ours... well, her mother isn't with us anymore. She's only fifteen, so Lenny and I thought we'd take care of her together. Is that alright?"

Claudius blinked in surprise. "Shyarly? A shark mermaid?" He couldn't help but feel that the name and her appearance were familiar, though he couldn't immediately place why.

Still, he smiled warmly and said, "You don't need my permission for something like that. You're free now, aren't you?"

Hearing this, Lenny touched the mark on her arm, a combination of the Celestial Dragon's Hoof and the Donquixote family crest. Originally, the mark had been branded onto her when she was enslaved, but the addition of the family crest had come later, symbolizing her bond with Claudius.

"Even though we're free, this crest means we'll always belong to you, Your Highness," Lenny said with a grin.

"Wise words, little one," Claudius replied, stroking his chin with mock seriousness.

"We're not little!" Mero chimed in indignantly. "We're older than you by a few years!"

As the group laughed and chatted, Lenny suddenly perked up and said, "Oh! Your Highness, Shyarly has an amazing ability, she can predict the future! Why don't you let her try it for you?"

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