"Hey, Kuina… where's your master?"
After a while, Kureha asked, feeling her throat dry, and quickly took another gulp of wine.
So many years of peaceful life made her unaccustomed to seeing Nero's methods.
When Kureha left Nicuss, Nero had just become Emperor and had gone to Raftel with Roger.
In her impression, Nero was still that somewhat willful, free-spending little Highness.
Nero rarely used her power. Although she had heard that Nero became a Celestial Dragon, she casually took down Wapol, and even had the Marine do it.
"She said she was going out with Hathaway later. So this is what she was going to do."
Kuina couldn't help but feel speechless, remembering that Nero was still in bed when they came out.
To kill a king, and still be like this… In the Drum Kingdom palace, Nero and Hathaway walked in nonchalantly, still yawning and a bit groggy.
Their distinct presence meant that both the Marine and the palace staff noticed Nero immediately.
Following the etiquette for Celestial Dragons, everyone, no matter what they were doing, prostrated themselves at once.
No one dared to whisper; the scene was like a silent play.
Nero exuded a terrifying low pressure: "It's just a Wapol. Why do we have to come so early?"
"It's not early; it's already ten o'clock. Even if we were just going out for fun, I couldn't let Your Majesty sleep until noon."
Hathaway's expression was calm as she ignored Nero's morning grumpiness, then brought up another topic: "Moreover, this aura ahead… there's an acquaintance of Your Majesty among the Marine who came this time."
"Hmm, Kuzan? He's done quite well in the Marine these past few years," Nero mused, feeling the chill from ahead.
"Ah, to become an Admiral at this age…"
"To become my dog at this age…"
They both spoke at the same time.
"Eh?"
"Hmm?"
"…Your Majesty is absolutely right."
A small problem in their synchronicity, Hathaway paused then changed her statement to express agreement with Nero.
"Hey! Isn't that a bit too much?" Kuzan, who looked even sleepier than Nero, scratched his head, feeling helpless about the unreserved master and servant pair.
"Hmm, Kuzan, you should pretty much understand the cruelty of reality by now." Nero walked past Kuzan and Wapol, whose feet were frozen on the side, and slumped ungracefully onto the throne.
Propping her head with one hand, her emerald eyes finally met Kuzan's: "And what's so bad about being a dog? Especially my dog."
"Ah… if I had the choice, I'd still want to be human."
"Hmm, willful fellow, ungrateful!"
Nero scoffed, then turned her gaze to Wapol: "What's with that mouth? It looks so dirty."
"Th-that, Lord Nero, I am a user of the Munch-Munch Fruit. I am truly sorry for not noticing your arrival immediately. Please give me another chance!"
Perhaps seeing Nero and Kuzan's relaxed conversation, Wapol seized the opportunity to plead for himself.
"Are you saying I have no presence, trash can?"
"No, no, of course not. This is all due to my foolishness. Please, Your Majesty Nero, give me another chance!"
As he spoke, Wapol tried to kneel, but because his feet were frozen, he could only bow.
"Why should I give your foolishness an extra chance? The Munch-Munch Fruit is that Superhuman-type that eats anything, right? Stop talking, the stench is drifting over!"
Frowning, Nero felt a terrible odor coming from that mouth, polluting the air.
"As for your death sentence, it's already decided. I cannot change it. Just consider yourself unlucky and be more careful in your next life."
After speaking, Nero glanced around again. The palace in this remote place was quite shabby.
Standing up with her hands behind her back, Nero was now completely awake. She nodded to Kuzan: "Let's go, it's about time. We should go hang him."
Wapol's eyes nearly popped out of his head in fright. He wanted to disregard Nero's command and plead again, but no sound came out.
Glancing down, he saw that his mouth was covered by a thick layer of ice at some point.
"Sorry, from now on, you no longer have a chance to speak."
White cold air emanated from Kuzan's side, his body also covered in ice. He snapped his fingers as he walked past Wapol.
The ice and snow beneath him began to move, carrying Wapol's body behind Nero and Hathaway.
"Ugh… ugh ugh!" Wapol could only let out weak whimpers, tears mixed with snot flowing onto the ice.
This was Nero's first time exercising the Celestial Dragon's privileges so thoroughly. Coupled with Nero's inherent imperial aura, wherever she went, people knelt in worship.
The bustling central square also became quiet upon their arrival. Everyone knelt, making the view much clearer.
Nero walked step by step onto the temporarily erected platform, where a luxurious chair was placed.
Executing Wapol was too easy for her. Doing this might make Dorry feel a little better.
Such an uncertain reason was enough for Nero to act. Just as Wapol expelled and hunted down doctors, the nation had no choice but to submit to his tyranny.
Nero did the same. Power yields to greater power; this principle couldn't be simpler.
"Hmm, everyone stand up." After Nero sat down, she spoke with full authority, her clear voice echoing across the square.
"I declare, the execution officially begins."
"Oh——"
"Execute Wapol!"
"Wapol, you bastard! Because of you, my wife…"
"How many people died because there were no doctors?"
"Go to hell!"
"Long live His Majesty Nero!!"
The sound of a mountain tsunami turned into a wave of sound that crashed upon Nero, startling her.
It was, after all, the execution of their king. Not only did no one object, but they made her out to be a hero. Does this country not have such a thing as approval ratings?
However, hmm… it felt pretty good!
That guy who shouted "Long live," this country still has quite a few sensible people!
Nero's mouth twitched, struggling to suppress its upward curve, almost unable to maintain her dignified appearance.
The rope was pulled, and Wapol's feet dangled in the air on the execution platform. He struggled continuously, his thick neck preventing him from dying immediately, and for a moment, it remained in a stalemate.
Would Wapol just live like that?
That was impossible. Nero, losing patience, took a Marine's gun from the side. The traditional art of Celestial Dragons, aiming and firing, was done in one smooth motion.
The Haki-infused bullet hit him squarely between the eyebrows. Wapol instantly stopped struggling, his pupils losing their light.
The cheers in the square grew even more enthusiastic. Nero's name mixed with the cheers, and the Drum Kingdom was like a celebration.
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