When the Empress and Gloriosa arrived at the tavern, it was already packed to the brim. Over a hundred Amazonian women had crammed inside to hear the story, while many more stood outside, itching to get in, forming a long queue that stretched beyond the door.
A server stood at the entrance, collecting entry fees one by one. But the place was so full that some people simply gave up on paying, choosing instead to lean over the second-floor balcony to eavesdrop.
As the Empress and Gloriosa appeared, the crowd instinctively parted, creating a clear path for Hancock and her two sisters to walk straight into the tavern.
The atmosphere inside was electric. Nearly every woman held a bottle of liquor in hand. Clearly, the owner was going to make a fortune tonight.
Lotus, the tavern's owner, sat in the VIP section and didn't bother leaving. With a bottle of wine in one hand, she rested her cheek on her palm, her posture relaxed and her gaze affectionate as she admired the man at the center of it all. Her eyes practically sparkled with adoration.
That man—Leo—sat calmly in the middle of the room, surrounded by countless Amazon warriors, yet completely unfazed by the attention. He spoke smoothly and confidently:
"That slave girl was once a princess of a certain kingdom. However, her royal family, guided by compassion, refused to exploit their people to gather the Heavenly Tribute necessary to become a World Government affiliate. As a result, they remained unaffiliated, unprotected by the Marines, and suffered constant harassment by pirates."
"Eventually, the princess was kidnapped during a raid and sold at the Sabaody Archipelago to the Celestial Dragons."
"One particular Celestial Dragon—known for his cruelty after being betrayed by a slave he once took as his wife—no longer trusted any slaves. Yet his carnal desires remained. Every day, he demanded a new virgin slave, and by morning, he would execute her."
"One by one, the girls were used and killed—until the princess's turn came."
"Unwilling to die so easily, she made a proposal to the Celestial Dragon: 'Let me tell you a story from my homeland before we lie together.' Amused and irritated, he agreed. So, she began her tale…"
"And that first story was titled: The Fisherman and the Fish-Man."
That's right—Leo was telling the legendary tales of One Thousand and One Nights.
Despite being ancient stories, these tales brim with timeless wisdom—critiques of tyrannical rulers and reflections on the harsh realities of life. After stripping out the religious glorification that often padded the originals, Leo refined and reworded them with local flavor, filling each story with drama, suspense, and moral weight.
Just as a thousand readers might interpret Hamlet a thousand different ways, so too did the hundreds of Amazon warriors see themselves in Leo's story.
Hancock focused on the princess's transformation into a slave. Her sisters, Sandersonia and Marigold, were reminded of their own traumatic pasts. The others were simply swept up in the deep emotional resonance—a resonance all too familiar to women, often targeted through manipulative media in the outside world.
That's why, when Leo reached the climax of the first tale and suddenly stopped, the disappointment in the room was so overwhelming it created a shockwave of audible sighs. The sheer synchronization of it startled everyone.
"Why'd you stop? Keep going!" Hancock, standing regally in the middle of the parted crowd, instantly became the center of attention. Clad in a crimson dress that clung like fire, her exposed skin was so pale it practically shimmered, leaving many Amazons clutching their chests in reverence.
"Lady Empress!" several shouted with fervor.
But Hancock paid them no mind. Her gaze remained fixed on Leo as she calmly asked, "Why did you stop?"
Leo smiled knowingly. "This story is called One Thousand and One Nights for a reason. What I've told so far is just the beginning. Each night, the girl would tell a new tale, always ending on a cliffhanger by dawn. In doing so, the Celestial Dragon neither touched her nor killed her—he kept her alive, eager to hear the next part."
"Through these one thousand and one stories, she bought herself time… and ultimately, a chance at survival."
"If I told you everything now, it'd ruin the fun. Since I'll be staying on Amazon Lily for a while, why not let the suspense build and entertain you a bit?"
His smile was full of modern smugness—self-assured, calculated, charismatic.
"You're staying?" Hancock asked in surprise, covering her mouth as a blush rose to her cheeks.
"You haven't agreed to 'work with me' yet, after all…" Leo replied. The joy on her face sent a chill down his spine—he suddenly realized he might've overlooked something important.
Behind Hancock, Gloriosa watched him with an amused expression. At this point, she was fairly convinced Leo wasn't some enemy spy trying to infiltrate Amazon Lily. No spy that clumsy would last more than a few days.
"In that case, you may remain here," the Empress said, regaining her composure. Her intelligence kicked back in, and she smiled gracefully.
The surrounding warriors were instantly entranced by her beauty again, shouting in unison, "Lady Empress!"
Neither Leo nor Hancock paid them any attention.
Leo knocked himself lightly on the head in frustration. He realized once again that he'd made a "logical" misstep—applying too much cold rationality to a society that wasn't governed by pragmatism.
This was an agrarian society, after all. Here, if someone moved you, you gave them your full trust. In the One Piece world, the line between "villain" and "hero" could shift entirely because of a single emotional moment.
Leo had brought modern thinking with him—too calculating, too logical—and once again, it backfired into comedy.
It was clear now: his departure would have to be postponed. But maybe that wasn't such a bad thing.
With that thought, he smiled. "Well, I'm still recovering. I guess I'll rest in Amazon Lily for a while."