After Neptune spread the news that Caelan was going to take Shirahoshi away, Caelan, led by a maid, arrived at the Hard Shell Tower where Shirahoshi was kept.
The tower's outer surface was littered with all kinds of weapons—knives, guns, swords, halberds, axes, hatchets, hooks, forks... weapons both familiar and strange were embedded all over it, making it look like a giant hedgehog.
"How insane and deranged."
Looking at the devastated state of the Hard Shell Tower, Caelan couldn't help but sigh.
Vander Decken was a pervert among perverts. A complete lunatic.
Just for the power of Poseidon, he had proposed to Shirahoshi when she was only six years old—and that was right after her mother had died.
The fact that someone could do such a thing... even calling him brain-dead wouldn't be enough.
If Shirahoshi had at least been older, there might have been a chance.
If he really wanted the power of Poseidon, he could've just come and taken it by force. Neptune's defensive power was practically nonexistent.
Honestly, neither side was thinking too clearly.
Caelan pushed open the door of the Hard Shell Tower and walked inside.
The lights were on, and it clearly wasn't Shirahoshi's bedtime yet.
The towering Shirahoshi, 11 meters tall, was curled up on her shell bed, trembling as she timidly looked at Caelan who had just entered.
Beside her bed, a large pink floating ball bounced softly.
It was obvious that Caelan had startled the mermaid princess while she was playing.
She had pink curly hair, a taiyaki-shaped hair ornament on her head, and a pair of shell earrings.
Her light blue eyes shimmered with tears, and her beautiful face was filled with shyness and curiosity.
In terms of beauty, she was second only to Hancock.
Caelan looked at her and judged that her looks were on par with the Pirate Empress.
"Um... who are you?"
Shirahoshi covered her chest with both hands and looked at Caelan timidly.
"I'm here to deal with you..."
Caelan spoke in a low tone and laughed like a villain.
"Y-You're here to kill me?!"
Shirahoshi panicked, tears welling in her large blue eyes.
Was she going to die here today?
Father, brothers, someone save me!
"I'm here to protect you, to solve your problem."
Caelan's expression turned serious as he smiled gently.
In that moment, he felt a wave of nostalgia, like he was back in his school days, playing harmless pranks on his classmates.
What a youthful memory.
"You're here to help me?"
Shirahoshi stopped trembling and looked at Caelan more carefully.
"That's right. I'm here to deal with Vander Decken."
Caelan answered solemnly.
"Thank you! That's wonderful!"
Shirahoshi's eyes lit up with joy and she instantly believed his words.
Tsk, is she really this trusting?
Caelan clicked his tongue inwardly, surprised by her innocence.
"I get the feeling you're thinking something bad."
Shirahoshi suddenly interrupted Caelan's drifting thoughts.
"No."
Caelan quickly snapped out of it and answered seriously.
"Hmph, I don't believe you!"
Now that she had confirmed his identity, Shirahoshi relaxed quite a bit.
The ultra-sensitive Observation Haki she inherited from her mother, Otohime, allowed her to sense people's emotions.
She couldn't read minds, but she could detect intentions and attitude.
That was why she had believed Caelan's words—because she sensed no ill will from him.
As for her earlier fear, that was just her naturally timid nature.
"Let me formally introduce myself. My name is Caelan Alaric, and I'm a great hero."
Caelan smiled as he spoke.
To be fair, that wasn't inaccurate from the perspective of many people.
"Um... my name is Shirahoshi. I'm a mermaid princess."
Shirahoshi looked at Caelan and tried her best not to appear timid. She wanted to change how she was perceived.
"You said you're a great hero... can you tell me your story?"
Shirahoshi turned around and looked at Caelan with curiosity.
After spending so long locked in the Hard Shell Tower, she was deeply curious about the outside world.
This human really did seem trustworthy.
And based on that alone, maybe it wasn't wrong to call him a hero.
"Of course."
Caelan chuckled and agreed. He wanted to stir up Shirahoshi's desire for freedom—after all, it would make taking her away that much easier.
Just as he was about to begin, Shirahoshi made a move.
She stretched out her hands, picked Caelan up, and gently placed him against her chest, letting him sit on that soft spot.
"This way I can hear better. Is that okay?"
Shirahoshi stared at the tiny figure in front of her and asked seriously.
"Of course. This is perfect."
Feeling the softness beneath him, Caelan had no complaints.
He would never turn down a benefit like this.
"Ahem. The story begins in the East Blue..."
After clearing his throat twice, Caelan began telling his tale.
Though it was his own story, he didn't tell it like a self-inserted battle log. He recounted it from the perspective of an adventurer.
The strange waters of Reverse Mountain that connect the four seas, the tale of the two giants in Little Garden, the dangers and conspiracies in Alabasta, the ancient promise tied to Sky Island...
He told it all.
"Amazing!"
Shirahoshi's aqua-blue eyes sparkled as she became fully absorbed in Caelan's vivid storytelling.
Compared to the dull tales her father used to tell, the world described by Caelan was far more dazzling and magical.
Before they knew it, two hours had passed, yet Shirahoshi was still enchanted by the adventure.
Suddenly, a loud bang sounded outside the Hard Shell Tower.
"Eek!"
Shirahoshi instinctively curled up into a ball, trembling all over.
"That guy... it's starting again!"
No matter how many times she heard that sound, she could never get used to it.
"You stay here. I'll go check it out."
Caelan frowned, knowing that the news had finally reached Vander Decken.
As expected, the man who had obsessed over Shirahoshi for eight years couldn't resist making a move.
Caelan stepped out of the Hard Shell Tower, looking around for clues.
A trembling arrow was embedded in the side of the tower, with a letter attached.
Opening it, he read:
[If you don't hand over Princess Shirahoshi to me within two hours, I will destroy the entire Fishman Island!
—Vander Decken IX]
"Oooh, so scary."
Caelan crumpled the letter casually, completely unfazed.
In fact, he almost wanted to laugh.
How exactly was Vander Decken planning to destroy Fishman Island?
There was only one method.
He would throw Noah's Ark at Shirahoshi, using its immense size to crash into the entire island.
In other words, Vander Decken IX was still inside Noah right now.
Isn't this just a suicide missile?
If he had escaped or gone into hiding, things would've been a bit harder.
But the fact that he was still sitting inside Noah… was practically begging to die.
Returning to the Hard Shell Tower, Caelan smiled and said, "Shirahoshi, I'll be back soon. When I return, you'll be able to leave this place."
With that, Caelan turned and left the tower.
"Ah!?"
Shirahoshi stopped trembling and looked at Caelan in surprise.
"Really? Will I really be free?"
She whispered to herself, filled with doubt.
(To be continued.)
***
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