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"Pat~"
At Hikaru's signal, Kami shut off the Den Den Mushi.
"I didn't expect the royal family of the Ryugu Kingdom to treat Lord Hikaru with such respect!" Shiki said sweetly, lifting a piece of cream cake from the table and feeding it to him.
"That was the eldest prince, Shark Star. He's always been gentle, but I've never seen him show that kind of respect to an outsider before."
The mermaids were amazed. For the first time, they truly began to grasp the extent of Hikaru's power.
Once everyone had finished eating, it was time to rest.
Following Shirahoshi's arrangement, they went to a spacious room big enough to accommodate many mermaids.
The mermaids sang their most beautiful melodies, trying their best to help Hikaru drift into a soft, sweet dream, surrounded by the gentle fragrance of their presence.
When Hikaru awoke, he found the three princes of the Ryugu Kingdom, along with the soldiers of the Neptune Army, had already been waiting outside Shirahoshi's manor for quite some time.
But he wasn't in any rush to meet them. As the one holding the upper hand, appearing too eager would only undermine his position.
Attitude is a mask for the heart. You have to let the other side wait, chip away at their pride, and set the tone—only then can you steer things toward your true goal.
The mermaids gradually woke up as well, and chatted with Hikaru for a while. Eventually, they moved to the hall for afternoon tea.
After a short while, Hikaru gently pushed aside the cup Sera handed him. His eyes turned to Shirahoshi.
"Shirahoshi, come with me to Ryugu Palace. With your help, I believe the future you foresaw will come true sooner rather than later."
"Okay~"
She nodded softly and walked with him to the manor's entrance.
Even though Shark Star and the Neptune Army had been waiting impatiently, none of them dared voice a complaint. They remembered King Neptune's instructions clearly.
However, the hot-headed Second Prince, Emperor Star, and the unruly Third Prince, Overturn Star, were clearly growing restless. Still, under Shark Star's cold glare, neither dared say a word.
When Hikaru and Shirahoshi finally appeared, Shark Star shot a warning look at his brothers before stepping down from the Phoenix Tail Carriage and respectfully saluting.
"Lord Hikaru! Lady Shirahoshi!"
Hikaru gave a simple nod. Their humble and courteous attitude made it unnecessary to posture. As the saying goes—you don't strike someone who's smiling at you.
"Let's go. Take us to Ryugu Palace," he said bluntly.
Seeing that Shirahoshi would be joining them, Shark Star didn't dare object. He turned and led them into the carriage.
Throughout the ride, the overwhelming aura radiating from Hikaru and Shirahoshi kept the three princes silent and at a distance. The group arrived at Ryugu Palace without exchanging another word.
Upon receiving Shark Star's message, Neptune immediately ordered his chefs to prepare the finest delicacies of Fish-Man Island.
Yet his mind was troubled.
Why is Hikaru involved with Shirahoshi? And why are they coming to the palace together…?
These questions kept swirling in his mind—until the three princes finally brought Hikaru and Shirahoshi to the palace gates.
To show how seriously he took this visit, Neptune didn't just plan a grand welcome ceremony—he personally came out to greet them.
As soon as Hikaru came into view, Neptune swam forward with a bright smile, speaking with genuine warmth:
"Ah, Mr. Hikaru! I'm Neptune, King of the Ryugu Kingdom. It is truly an honor to have you visit our Ryugu Palace. Your presence brings light to the entire kingdom!"
This wasn't just flattery. It was the heartfelt humility of a small nation, the instinctive caution of a kingdom without power.
The fact that Neptune could bring himself to do this in front of someone who could crush his entire kingdom in an instant… spoke volumes about how clearly he understood his position.
Some might say, "Doesn't he have the Whitebeard Pirates supporting him? What's there to fear?"
But that was exactly what Neptune feared. If someone held a grudge against Whitebeard or wanted to drag him down from his position as one of the Four Emperors…
Then Fish-Man Island—being the only passage to the New World—would be an easy target. A soft persimmon, ripe for the taking.
Hikaru gave a calm nod and said, "King Neptune? I've heard of you. I'm sure you've heard of me as well. I'm a busy man, so let's skip the pleasantries. Lead the way."
Neptune gave a wry smile. "Mr. Hikaru, you're direct—I won't waste time either. Please, follow me."
He subtly signaled the three princes, then gestured for the Neptune Army to take the lead.
It was their first official meeting. As the host, Neptune should have been the one to open the conversation. But Hikaru had already shut it down with a single line—"no need for more words"—leaving Neptune no choice but to walk silently toward the palace hall.
Once inside, the Left Minister oversaw the seating arrangements.
Shirahoshi was placed beside Hikaru. When he looked up, he noticed that everyone's seats were at the same height—meaning Neptune had shown proper respect for his title as the "God Emperor."
Neptune hadn't tried to place himself above Hikaru without knowing his true identity. It was a careful move—wise and deliberate.
When all was ready, the Left Minister clapped his hands softly and whispered to the nearby soldiers to serve the food.
In no time, the long banquet table was filled with an array of mouthwatering Fish-Man Island delicacies. Despite the variety, Hikaru didn't pay them much attention.
Thanks to the devoted support of many goddesses, his digestion had vastly improved. He could easily eat ten meals a day without issue.
Seeing that the table was set, Neptune smiled. "Mr. Hikaru, please, enjoy the meal."
"Please," Hikaru replied, picking up his utensils. Shirahoshi wasn't hungry, but she sat beside him quietly, feeding him with gentle care.
The mermaids nearby were stunned. They could hardly believe their eyes. Shirahoshi—usually cold and distant—was now personally feeding a human?
While Shirahoshi continued to feed him, Neptune leaned in and asked softly, "Mr. Hikaru, Lady Shirahoshi… are the two of you… married?"
He asked purely out of curiosity. To him, there was nothing strange about the pairing. After all, he stood twelve meters tall, while his late wife, Queen Otohime, had only been two meters—far more of a mismatch than Hikaru and Shirahoshi.
"Yes. Shirahoshi is now one of my divine concubines."
"Congratulations on your marriage!" Neptune said with heartfelt sincerity.
Hikaru gave a slight nod and continued eating. He had to admit—the food on Fish-Man Island was quite good.
Still, for such a grand palace, a banquet seemed like a rather plain way to welcome a powerful guest. There were no dancers, no musical performances, no artistic displays to show the island's culture.
But it made sense. Neptune was a man of simple tastes. He'd only ever had one wife—Queen Otohime—and after her death, he never remarried. Without anyone to entertain, there was no need to keep a performance troupe.
After several rounds of drinks, Neptune finally got to the real reason behind the visit.
"Mr. Hikaru, did you arrive at Fish-Man Island riding a Sea King?"
"I did."
The moment Hikaru answered, he could already tell why Neptune had brought it up. Anything involving Sea Kings was bound to make the royal family uneasy.
"So it's true… sigh. When the Neptune Army first reported it, I thought they were exaggerating. May I ask… how do you control Sea Kings, Mr. Hikaru?"
Neptune's face was tense, his voice cautious. He clearly feared that one wrong word might cause Hikaru to flip the entire table.