"That's more like it."
Ritter withdrew the drifting blood-mist and leaned lazily against the ship's rail. "You stay here."
Reiju's shoulders drooped, and her eyes reddened with disappointment. But before she could sink too deep into it, Ritter added:
"Live happily every single day. That's my order."
The setting sun washed his deep crimson eyes in a gentle glow.
"I'll have Judge build you a real garden filled with daisies. Little girl, you should say out loud what you like."
Judge: "???"
Reiju blinked, then suddenly burst into bright laughter. She nodded forcefully. "Okay!"
Ritter crouched down, pinched her cheeks, and said, "If you want to laugh, then laugh properly. There's no feeling in that giggle of yours!"
Reiju let him tug her tiny cheeks. "Kee-hee… kee-hee… su-su!"
The Blood-Mist sailed away slowly. Reiju stood frozen in place until the ship's silhouette vanished over the horizon. She touched her ear, where a tiny wild daisy was tucked a flower Ritter had placed there before leaving.
"Miss Reiju," a clone soldier approached respectfully. "Lord Judge requests your "
"Tell him I want the empty lot on the east side," Reiju said, turning gracefully. Her skirt brushed a soft arc through the air. "And from today on, I want strawberry cake for afternoon tea."
"Miss, that… may be difficult "
"He'll agree."
Her voice no longer trembled. She walked toward the castle with new lightness in her step. The evening sun stretched her shadow long behind her. Everything seemed unchanged, and yet… everything had changed.
Ritter: What? Irrevocable order? Judge changed it himself. Whether he realized it on his own or did it to please me who knows? As long as the outcome is good, I don't care.
The Blumarine Jackson drifted boldly into Drum Kingdom's port without the slightest attempt at subtlety. Ritter wanted everyone to know: the Lord of Mist has arrived on this island.
(For this arc, I'm assuming Dr. Hiriluk saved the nation thirty years ago, meaning Wapol is already king. This setting was adjusted earlier.)
The blood-red pirate flag atop the mast snapped violently in the snowy wind. The ship's figurehead a pair of crimson dragon eyes swept coldly across the waves.
The harbor fell silent in an instant.
The once lively dock seemed to have its sound switched off. Fishermen froze; one didn't even notice his basket overturning.
A few pirate ships that were preparing to dock abruptly changed course. A young deckhand pointed at the flag, trembling. "Captain… that… that's "
"Shut it!" The captain smacked the back of his head, voice low and deadly. "If you want to die, don't drag me with you! Turn around! NOW!"
On the second floor of a tavern farther away, an old one-eyed pirate sputtered his drink all over the table.
"What the hell… why is the Lord of Mist back again?" He grabbed his companion's arm. "Quick! Take the pirate flag down! Hang a fishing net! We're fishermen today!"
Snow piled on the dock was pushed aside with a screech as the hull slid in. When the anchor chain hit the water, the entire island seemed to shudder.
Ritter stood at the bow, blood-red cloak snapping in the cold wind. He lazily glanced at the pirates scattering in terror and scoffed.
"Tch. Has Tesoro been overworking? They say pregnancy makes you stupid, but he only started paternity leave how is he already this careless? Letting outsiders onto the island?"
Moriah approached cautiously. "Heh-heh-heh… Captain… should I…?" He drew a finger across his throat.
Ritter shook his head. "I'll do it."
A voice infused with overwhelming Conqueror's Haki burst across the island:
"Whatever business you have, I don't care! Anyone with a bounty leave this island immediately. Otherwise… die. You have five minutes."
Ritter's voice rolled across Drum Island like a death sentence. His Haki surged like a tidal wave, making even the air tremble.
He waited exactly five minutes.
Some still hadn't moved.
They were testing him, gambling that he wouldn't bother with small fry.
"Some people really don't understand."
The pirates who remained froze, eyes shaking, cold sweat soaking their backs.
"Three." Ritter raised three fingers. Blood-mist surged behind him. "Three "
"RUN!!!"
Chaos exploded instantly. Pirates threw aside their weapons and trampled over each other. Fights broke out over blocked paths; a silent battlefield unfolded on the snow-covered dock.
Ritter watched the spectacle and sighed.
"Idiots."
"Two "
He bent one finger down. Blood-mist crawled across the dock, melting snow and revealing charred black ground beneath.
A pirate captain with a skull tattoo on his chest, realizing he was still too far from escape, dropped to his knees.
"Lord Lord of Mist! We'll leave NOW "
"One."
The last finger folded.
Blood-mist roared upward like a crimson tsunami and swallowed every pirate who remained. No screams. No struggle. Only a chilling hiss.
Three seconds later, the mist receded.
The dock was empty. Not a corpse in sight. Only a few pirate hats remained, soon buried by falling snow.
Ritter withdrew the blood-mist, satisfied, and shrugged at the stunned Moriah.
"See? Peaceful now."
Moriah's mouth twitched. "Heh-heh… Captain, I think you scared the civilians."
The entire port was dead silent. Fishermen huddled together, trembling. An elderly fish seller fainted outright.
"Oh sorry, sorry~" Ritter waved casually. The blood-mist lifted the old woman gently and slipped a gold bar into her hand to calm her down.
A surprisingly effective remedy.
"Everyone, carry on. I'm only here to deliver a baby."
"Lina, make sure our ship is docked in the most obvious place."
"Got it, Captain! All right, boys pull anchor! We're parking somewhere flashier!"
"Roar" X?
"Haven't eaten yet, huh?"
"ROARRRRR!!" X?
"Enel, I'm counting on you to seal off the island for now. Pirates aren't allowed in."
"Leave it to this god," Enel replied, nodding.
Wapol and his ministers lined up at the gates, trembling. They had witnessed firsthand: the moment Ritter set foot on the island, every pirate vanished.
"W-welcome back, Lord of Mist…"
"Calculate how much business the villagers lost because of the evacuation. I'll compensate them double. And you behave. If not, I'll kill you."
Blood-mist wrapped around them all and swept them up into the air, carrying them straight toward Dr. Kureha's home at the mountain's peak.
Ritter didn't look back.
"Captain," Enel said, "this god will keep an eye on them. Don't forget I ruled Skypiea."
"No need. Just watch the pirates." Ritter waved him off. "Those fools won't dare steal from me. Even if it's only a few thousand berries I'll make them regret it."
He turned toward the castle, crimson eyes narrowing with interest.
"Let's go. Time to check on our boss, Tesoro, and see how he's holding up."
Ritter stood at the castle gates, staring at the heartwarming scene before him
(Scene continues.)