Thud!
Terracotta's plump body lay on the ground.
Princess Titi sat in front of the bed, staring at the collapsed Terracotta, unable to return to her senses for a long time.
Gion, in bat form, had already appeared at the spot where Terracotta was, it was her who acted just now.
"S-She... is she dead?", Princess Titi looked at the blood mark on Terracotta's neck and hesitated for a moment before asking.
The injury didn't seem serious; there wasn't even blood flowing out.
But with Gion being the world's greatest swordswoman, she could surely kill Terracotta in any way possible.
Princess Titi didn't understand what kind of world the strong lived in, she only knew that the strongest could move mountains and fill seas.
And Gion was the world's greatest swordswoman as proclaimed by the world government, surely possessing that kind of tremendous power.
"Princess, do you want her to be dead or alive?", Gion didn't answer directly, and her voice carried a bit of teasing.
Some things, once done, could never be undone.
No matter how much one regrets now, it's already too late.
"Dead or alive...", Princess Titi hesitated for a moment, then finally sighed, "It's better if she's dead. I don't want anyone to know about this matter."
In the end, she still made up her mind.
This was forced by Terracotta, she truly didn't want to kill anyone.
But things had come to this point, killing was already the only way to resolve the problem.
"I'll help you take care of the body. No one saw her on the way here. I'll make it look like she suddenly died," Seeing Princess Titi make up her mind, the corners of Bat-Gion's mouth curled into a smile.
Before Terracotta even arrived, her Observation Haki had already covered the entire palace, so she was very clear about everyone's movements.
She just didn't know Terracotta's purpose, which is why she didn't stop her in advance.
Honestly, Gion still supported Rosse's plan very much.
If only a few people had to die to take down Arabasta, that was the best outcome for them.
Having followed Rosse for so long, she was very clear about the ambition he harbored deep in his heart.
That ambition was also their common goal.
To achieve that goal, it was destined that many things must be sacrificed.
"Thank you," Princess Titi let out a soft breath, her whole body relaxing.
Because of this matter, one person had already died.
Since things had reached this point, she could only walk this road to the end.
Compared to the safety of the entire Arabasta, everything else seemed so insignificant.
Thinking of this, Princess Titi hesitated for a moment and still said, "Igaram might also know about this."
Gion was dragging Terracotta's body out, and when she heard this, she paused, "I understand."
Since Princess Titi had spoken, Igaram must die too.
However, Igaram was currently at Cobra's side. How to kill him, she would need to ask Rosse.
Strategic matters were never Gion's strong point.
Rather than figuring out how to clean things up herself, it was better to ask Rosse directly.
"Thank you...", Princess Titi's soft thanks continued to echo in the empty palace as the grand palace doors closed.
———
"Vivi... this is the name your father gave you. It's such a nice name...", Princess Titi stroked her swollen belly. While her expression shone with maternal radiance, it also carried more of a complicated emotion.
She didn't know if what she was doing was right or wrong.
But since she had already stepped on this path, there was no room for retreat.
Princess Titi knew very well, from the moment Terracotta died, there was no more room to maneuver between her and Cobra.
Even if she was also a victim in this matter, now she had become the perpetrator.
In this situation, no matter how it's put, it was still a kind of betrayal.
"I'm sorry, Cobra," Whispering Cobra's name, the face that appeared in Princess Titi's mind, however, was Rosse's.
Long ago, Rosse had already completely entered her heart.
After all, no matter how much she refused to admit it, Vivi was the child of her and Rosse, and had nothing to do with Cobra.
———
On the vast and boundless land of Arabasta, a winding road stretched toward the capital, Alubarna.
The scorching sunlight poured down without obstruction, baking the sand until it was scorching hot, and even the air seemed to warp with heat.
In this environment, flocks of Super Spot-Billed Ducks surged like a yellow torrent, galloping wildly down the road.
These Super Spot-Billed Ducks were unique creatures of Arabasta and were also the fastest creatures in the kingdom.
As they ran, clouds of sand were kicked up, resembling a whistling whirlwind.
At the front of the team, Cobra rode steadily on a Super Spot-Billed Duck, while Igaram also rode one, shoulder to shoulder with Cobra, guiding the direction ahead for the team behind them.
At the rear of the convoy, two sturdy Super Spot-Billed Ducks were straining to pull a luxurious carriage, which looked a bit out of place in the sandy terrain.
Rosse and Sora, along with others, were currently inside this carriage.
Zephyr, uninterested in Arabasta's welcome, simply stayed at the marine base where the ship docked. While Rosse was in Arabasta for a few days, he planned to hunt some pirates to blow off steam.
"Purupurupuru!"
Along the way, the Den Den Mushi on Igaram suddenly rang.
Igaram frowned slightly but still took out the Den Den Mushi to answer, "What is it?"
["Lord Igaram, something bad happened! Head Chef Terracotta has had an accident!"]
"What? Terracotta had an accident?", Igaram was shocked, nearly falling off the Super Spot-Billed Duck.
"Tell me quickly, what exactly happened?"
He and Terracotta had a very good relationship as husband and wife. Now that his wife had an accident, how could he not be anxious?
["My lord, Head Chef Terracotta suddenly died while going to the bathroom."]
"SUDDEN DEATH? ARE YOU KIDDING ME!"
Igaram couldn't help but retort, Terracotta's health was even better than his. With such a strong and healthy body, how could she suddenly die?
["It's true! We're not lying! You'll understand when you return!"]
The anxious voice from the other side of the Den Den Mushi made Igaram have to believe it.
'But how could this be...'
'Out of nowhere, how could Terracotta suddenly die?'
'No—'
Igaram suddenly remembered something.
When he left this morning, Terracotta handed him a letter, saying to read it after they came back with the guests.
Igaram trusted his wife very much and never once thought of secretly reading it.
After hurriedly hanging up the call, now sensing something wrong, Igaram was eager to return to the palace and find out what happened to his wife.
He also wanted to go home and see, just what was in the letter his wife had written.
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