Watching his daughter's instantly radiant expression, Cobra felt even more gloomy and worried inside.
That look... it wasn't that his daughter was being abducted by pirates, but rather that she was eagerly ready to run off with them herself?
He began to seriously doubt whether his decision was inviting the wolf into the house.
No, it was personally delivering the little white rabbit into the...
Sigh!
Now he wasn't worried about Luffy doing something excessive to Vivi; instead, he was worried that his precious daughter, fueled by admiration, gratitude, and a dash of a maiden's budding feelings, might just give herself away at lightning speed!
The smile at the corner of Vivi's mouth was almost impossible to suppress. She asked eagerly, "Should I call Luffy in then? To tell him the decision!"
Cobra looked at his daughter's poorly concealed delight, feeling both amused and exasperated. He quickly waved his hand. "No, no! Don't let him in!" He was afraid he might not be able to resist taking out a knife.
"Work it out among yourselves. I have a lot of state affairs to attend to."
He rubbed his temples, feeling as if he had aged several years in an instant. "Your coming-of-age ceremony is not far off. Set sail after that. Consider it a proper farewell."
He pondered for a moment, his expression returning to the steadiness and far-sightedness of a king. "However, I will announce to the outside world that you were forcibly abducted by the Straw Hat crew. At that time, I will submit a request to the World Government, offering a bounty of 500 million Beri for your safe return alive."
"500 million Beri?!"
Vivi was startled.
That bounty amount far exceeded the total bounties of Luffy's entire crew.
It would inevitably attract countless greedy eyes, greatly increasing the danger of their voyage.
But this was also Cobra's method of protecting his daughter.
And he had witnessed Luffy's strength firsthand. Even a Warlord of the Sea couldn't do anything to him. The Straw Hat crew's members were all quite capable; ordinary pirates wouldn't stand a chance against them.
At least until they entered the New World...
Looking at Vivi, nearly bouncing with excitement, Cobra's gaze was deep, carrying a hint of resignation and a warning. He lowered his voice meaningfully, "You leave as one person. If you return as three, my heart won't be able to take it."
Vivi's face flushed a deep crimson, like a ripe strawberry.
She guiltily averted her eyes, not daring to look at her father, her voice as faint as a mosquito's hum. "Father! What nonsense are you saying!"
Impossible!
I... I could never be that shameless of a woman!
Seeing his daughter's mix of embarrassment and annoyance, Cobra sighed inwardly.
A grown daughter can't be kept at home!
Leaving Cobra's room, Vivi's heart was still pounding wildly.
There was the shock of learning her family's secret, the excitement of formally setting sail soon, and a touch of shyness from having her inner thoughts exposed by her father.
In short, a tangled mess.
"Vivi, how did it go?" Luffy asked urgently, stepping closer. "The old man didn't agree?"
The [Plan] in his head hadn't prompted task completion yet.
Vivi looked at Luffy's face so close to hers, really wanting to happily tell him that her father had agreed for her to sail with them.
But for some reason, the scene of Robin feeding medicine to Luffy flashed through her mind.
Though she didn't want to admit it.
That moment of disappointment and inexplicable jealousy felt very real.
Sour, envious, and powerless.
Vivi had never carefully considered what the feeling of liking someone truly was.
But if it existed, maybe it felt like this?
Feeling at ease because of his strength, happy because of his acknowledgment, her heart racing because of his touch, and feeling a pang of bitterness because of another woman's closeness to him.
What left the deepest impression on her was still their first meeting, when Luffy subdued her in that humiliating way, spanking her until her bottom was swollen.
Back then, she'd rather die than yield, even thought about biting her tongue, only to have Luffy notice and roughly block her mouth with his hand.
Was he deliberately taking advantage? It didn't seem so; those eyes held only a stubborn determination for a nakama.
For a long time afterward, she thought Merry, who came up with that torture idea, was a little devil.
But after yielding, she became Luffy's nakama. And he kept his promise, helping her accomplish that thing she was willing to give her life for.
Ending the war, exposing Crocodile's conspiracy, driving Crocodile out of this country.
How could she not be moved by a Luffy like that?
Therefore, a small, private thought sprouted in Vivi's heart.
Why could Robin have such intimate contact with him, while she could only watch from the sidelines?
After a moment of silence, Vivi raised her head, her gaze somewhat evasive. "Father... he agreed."
"He agreed?"
Luffy was stunned.
But the [Plan] showed no reaction, which puzzled him.
Where was the problem, then?
"But..."
Vivi's voice carried a barely perceptible tremor. She avoided Luffy's gaze. "I... I can't get past this hurdle in my own heart."
She lied.
This was her little scheme.
Luffy was completely baffled, scratching his head in confusion. "What does that mean?"
Vivi's cheeks flushed. She stole a glance at the tightly closed door to her father's room, then, as if steeling her resolve, grabbed Luffy's wrist and quickly led him to a deserted corner of a corridor far away.
"Could you... could you be like you were when we first met... and take me away with a forceful attitude and methods?"
She kept her head down, fingers nervously twisting the hem of her dress, her voice as faint as a mosquito's hum, almost inaudible. "I mean... you see... even if you kidnap me, they can't say anything, right?"
Luffy looked at Vivi with a strange expression, virtual question marks seeming to pop up above his head.
This felt like a very odd request.
But, to complete the [Plan], it seemed he had to agree?
However, using forceful methods here... if the palace guards saw, they'd definitely chase after him, right?
That wasn't a big deal; his skin was thick.
What Luffy was most worried about was that if this caused a big commotion, would he still be able to eat in peace at the grand feast that was surely to be held soon?
That loss would be far too great!
Vivi seemed to sense Luffy's concerns. Moreover, for this slightly shame-play flavored little game of wits she wanted to play, she was far too embarrassed to have a third person witness it!
"Let's... let's go to my room," Vivi whispered, her voice like a thread.
Luffy countered, "Aren't Nami and Robin there?"
He remembered they were arranged to rest in Vivi's room.
"I... I have two rooms. The one Nami and the others are staying in is the one I used before I turned eighteen. My coming-of-age ceremony is approaching, so the palace actually prepared a new room separately."
Vivi's face turned even redder, almost as if it would bleed.
To be honest, she hadn't spent much time in that new room herself. It still contained many personal items and some intimate clothing.
Was it too private?
Vivi's heart was pounding like a drum.
***
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