INIIDF-Chapter 252 Baterilla Island

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Chapter Serialization - South Blue Afternoon Tea Part 5: "I am Garp, here to help someone with their last favor"

The man known as the Marine Hero ascended to the second floor, loosening his tie as he approached the woman sipping tea on the balcony.

…

[Roger, holding only a simple bag, laughed heartily: "You recognize me?"]

["Who wouldn't recognize you? You damn pirate!!"]

Bonney's eyes blazed with fury as she caught sight of Roger's face. She charged at him, her expression fierce.

She wanted to turn this so-called Pirate King into a ten-year-old— no, a one-year-old! Let's see what kind of king he is then!

"Uh..."

But before she could reach him, she suddenly began to foam at the mouth, her eyes rolling back as she collapsed weakly, kneeling at Roger's wet boots.

As her consciousness slipped away, Bonney caught a glimpse of Roger lowering his head. Just before darkness enveloped her, she heard the faint echo of the Pirate King's laughter, "It seems like... you really hate me..."

…

"Hey! I said, don't space out, okay?"

Liam's voice jolted Bonney from her reverie.

She blinked and let out a sigh, still kneeling.

Liam teased, "Are you getting older, so you start reminiscing about the past, huh? Sobert Kingdom's Queen?"

The woman seated on the throne, the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen, seemed uninterested, barely paying attention to his ramblings.

Bonney shot a glare at the man beside her, annoyed and baffled by why Hancock tolerated having such a dangerous guy around.

"Seriously, Queen Mother... forget it, I'll just call you Auntie Queen!" Liam continued, "The books say the Sobert Kingdom is practically destroyed, but... it still seems to be an Allied Kingdom member of the World Government. What's going on there?"

In the Levely arc of the manga, Jewelry Bonney, either restored to or still being Sobert Kingdom's Queen Mother, approached the Celestial Dragons' residence near Holy Land Mariejoa, where the guards immediately recognized her. This proves that the Sobert Kingdom still legally exists.

Bonney merely sneered at Liam's question: "The World Government doesn't actually care about having true allies; they just need the taxes! As long as the Heavenly Tribute from the Sobert Kingdom is regularly paid to the Celestial Dragons... do they care if there's still a complete Sobert Kingdom?"

"Ah, I get it now..." Liam realized, connecting Bonney's pirate identity and later Supernova status, "You've been collecting treasure through piracy to make up for the Heavenly Tribute, huh? You're really something— single-handedly covering an entire nation's Heavenly Tribute!"

Robin pondered, "Kuma only destroyed the town; the palace's treasures should still be intact..."

"Leeching off ancestral savings and robbing to pay the Heavenly Tribute, just to keep the World Government's protection, it's not easy, huh? Respect," Liam clapped and stood up. 

"But what's the point? The only benefit of being an Allied Kingdom is the protection from the World Government for the kings' rule, basically to ensure they have a stable environment to collect taxes from their citizens... But most of Sobert Kingdom's citizens are gone, so even if they lose the Allied Kingdom status, what difference does it make? It can't get worse than this, right?"

Bonney didn't respond to this question.

Liam casually said this, not particularly concerned, and smiled at Hancock: "Well, take your time; I'll take my leave."

Her words made Bonney shiver slightly, feeling uncomfortable in her kneeling position.

Liam gestured to the air beside him, and B.I.B. followed his lead out of Snake Princess's private cabin, returning to the room where he and Robin had been resting.

As he sat on the bed in the cabin, Liam reflected on Hancock's commanding stance when she used her snake hair toxin to control Bonney.

As expected... Empress Boa Hancock is fundamentally a Haki-wielding type.

The little quirks she showed in front of him and Robin were likely just personal preferences developed from special experiences— unimportant. 

In front of Liam and Robin, it was fine; but with anyone else? Liam would probably have a hard time— who would dare to be rude to Hancock? They'd be kicked to death for sure.

The dark battle armor seemed to fade back into his body.

Liam took a deep breath, feeling the overwhelming exhaustion from using his Stand slowly dissipate as the energy of Life Return within him worked to recover it.

After practicing for a while... "Practicing" was a strange term...

When he opened his eyes again, Robin had somehow returned to the room, quietly reading a book by the desk. Seeing Liam awake, she made him a cup of hot milk, gently sprinkling a few flower petals onto the milky surface before placing the cup in front of him as she sat down.

"You think," Liam took a sip of the floral milk tea, "that Hancock insisted on bringing that Queen Auntie along for what?"

Robin turned a page of her book, softly adjusting her hair, "Probably... it's for Snake Princess."

"I thought so!"

Liam nodded, looking out the cabin window at the endless sea. "But the effect of the Age Age fruit is hard to say... it might not cure lovesickness..."

Robin whispered, "We'll have to try."

"Yeah!" Liam sighed lightly, then suddenly asked, "Where's the next island? How far is it from Magnifique Island? I wonder if the event there is over yet..."

'What was the deal with Magnifique Island?' Liam mused for a moment and vaguely remembered something about a princess's martial arts tournament for marriage... but it wasn't his concern, so he didn't dwell on it.

"You mentioned several islands that we could pass by, so the next island..." Robin recalled the South Blue sea map and the current route of the Kuja pirate ship, "I think it's called... Baterilla Island?"

"That's it!" Liam nodded and laughed, "Definitely need to check it out."

Robin shook her head, once again unable to follow Liam's train of thought.

As the Kuja pirate ship made its way toward the next island,

On the battleship escorting the captured pirates from the Glacier Pirate crew, officers spread out the sea map and held a late-night meeting. Based on the rough route provided by the lookout soldiers, they circled a few possible islands where the Kuja might stop.

Colonel Augat's Den Den Mushi never rested, constantly making calls to warn branch colleagues on the islands...

It seemed that the most dangerous pirate crew in South Blue was heading their way! If they didn't want to die, they'd better be extra cautious!

"You're exaggerating! If they dare come here... we'll show those female pirates what true justice looks like!"

The Marine officer at Baterilla Island's base snorted, hanging up the Den Den Mushi.

(End Of The Chapter)