Chapter 214: The Audience

After a moment, Jona came to her senses, looking at Monet, whose body was now surrounded by swirling snowflakes. She clapped her fist into her palm and exclaimed,

"So you're a Devil Fruit user! Why didn't you say so earlier?"

Monet replied quietly, "Sister Jona, you never asked me…"

Jona realized Monet had a point. Devil Fruit users generally didn't announce their abilities. She examined the snowflakes drifting around Monet with interest.

"Snow, huh? It's a beautiful ability. Could it be a Logia-type Devil Fruit?"

Monet thought for a moment. "That man Disco did say my fruit was a Logia-type. He called it the Snow-Snow Fruit."

Though Jona had suspected it, hearing it confirmed still left her in awe. "A Logia-type, really? Carlos told me that Logia fruits are very rare and incredibly powerful!"

Monet blinked and let a delicate snowflake swirl around her fingertip. Honestly, she didn't think her power quite matched up with the term "powerful."

While helping Sugar bathe, Jona remarked,

"No wonder the Young Master took an interest in you. He's a Logia user too. It's not exactly a secret, it's even in the papers."

Monet, still a child, didn't keep up with the news. She'd only heard of the Black Dragon, but knew little else. Hearing that Carl, her new master, was also a Logia user made her feel a sense of connection to him.

Monet stood under a showerhead, adjusting the temperature lower before starting to rinse herself off. As a Snow-Snow Fruit user, she technically didn't need to bathe to stay clean, but being a girl, she felt strange without washing.

While rinsing, she asked Jona about Carl's Devil Fruit ability. Jona replied that it was the Dark-Dark Fruit. Few knew that Carl also possessed the Vampire Fruit—only family members like Garling and the late Darian were aware, along with Olvia.

Unlike the common element of snow, darkness was shrouded in mystery. So, even with the name Dark-Dark Fruit, Monet couldn't quite grasp the nature of Carl's power. Even Jona admitted she didn't fully understand it, only that Carl's abilities were incredibly potent.

In Monet's mind, darkness only brought to mind the night—a concept that made her little sister Sugar cry but didn't seem inherently threatening.

Meanwhile, Jona had finished bathing Sugar, and Monet promptly turned off the shower. The water droplets on her body froze instantly, melding back into her skin, making her appear even more radiant. Jona wrapped Sugar in a towel, then went outside to retrieve fresh clothes for the sisters.

The uniforms, which the Figarland family servants wore, were primarily white with gold accents. The fabric was remarkably smooth, and Monet could hardly believe they were meant for servants.

Once dressed, Monet held Sugar and spun around in front of a mirror. Jona teased her, "

Don't get too full of yourself. I need to take you to meet the Young Master."

Blushing, Monet set Sugar down and meekly fell into line behind Jona. Following Jona's lead, the two sisters arrived at a grand white palace.

Upon arrival, Jona's expression turned serious as she addressed Monet and Sugar,

"This is the residence of Lord Garling, and the Young Master will also be inside. When you meet them, don't speak unless given permission, understand?"

The sisters nodded, their earlier sense of ease quickly replaced by nervousness. Especially Monet, who gulped nervously—her life had changed drastically in one day. Although still a slave, she now belonged to the world's most powerful family. She understood that the people she was about to meet were figures of immense influence, people that most would never even glimpse.

Her heartbeat quickened at the thought of encountering such individuals. Her palms grew clammy, yet beneath the nerves lay a sense of excitement and curiosity, especially toward her new master, Carl.

It was almost funny—due to the height difference and his cloak, she hadn't managed to get a clear look at Carl's face earlier.

Monet wasn't the only one feeling the pressure. Even Jona, a longtime servant, still felt a twinge of anxiety whenever she entered the palace. Such was the impact of being in the presence of true power.

Jona adjusted her uniform, then knelt to make sure Monet and Sugar looked presentable before leading them inside the palace.

In the grand hall, Garling and Carl sat across from each other, both dressed in identical black robes, deep in conversation. Jona dared not interrupt, motioning for Monet and Sugar to remain at the entrance with her.

Monet stifled her curiosity about Carl's appearance, mimicking Jona's lowered gaze as they waited. Nearby, she overheard Garling and Carl's discussion.

"Rosward…hmph. Even if he didn't know your identity beforehand, he must face consequences for his words," Garling said.

"Do you want him dead?" asked Carl.

"Death isn't necessary, but he should be penalized."

"Agreed. How would you like to handle it, Uncle Garling?"

"When he comes to confess, let's demand three years' worth of the Heavenly Tribute from him."

"Very well. Giving the Heavenly Tribute to someone like him is a waste, anyway."

"He's a fool. Let's not waste our time on him. Are those the slaves you acquired? Is the older one the Logia user you mentioned?"

"Yes, I bought her and her sister for three hundred millions Belly—a steal, really."

Hearing Carl's voice, Sugar tugged on Monet's clothing and whispered,

"Sister, are we something picked up?"

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