Chapter 10 -

Buzzing～～～

The distant, ancient sound of a bell gradually rang out. That sound drifted with the breeze, slowly making its way into Gawain's ears. Gawain was startled and then opened his eyes to the sound of the bell.

He found himself dressed in fur robes, wearing a crown, and sitting in a grand palace! Glancing around, he saw that the surroundings were decorated with dragons and phoenixes painted on beams and walls, with mysterious birds seemingly about to take flight from the beams. Yet, aside from all that, there was not another person in sight!

After a moment of inspection, Gawain turned his gaze to the table in front of him—a majestic desk. Upon it, there was no ink, paper, or brushes, but only a scroll made of some unknown material, rolled up. Without hesitation, Gawain reached out and unrolled the scroll.

In that instant, a dim light emerged from within, becoming more complete as the scroll unfurled. Once fully opened, a palace made of black and golden light floated before Gawain. The palace was magnificent, overflowing with an ancient grandeur. At the front of the palace, the three characters for "Xianyang Palace" were strikingly clear! Seeing the ancient script for "Xianyang Palace," Gawain's heart shook—could this be the palace of the Qin dynasty?

"I… Have I been dreaming the same dream twice?" he murmured to himself.

He couldn't be blamed for thinking that. How could an ordinary person suddenly find themselves transported into an anime world, and then mysteriously appear in Xianyang Palace? Anyone encountering something like this would surely think their dreams had somehow overlapped.

But whether it was a dream or something else entirely, it didn't matter. Gawain closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Is anyone there?"

He called out, but, as expected, there was no reply.

So, Gawain shook his head and returned his focus to the glowing scroll with its 3D holographic projection. Though not an optimist, Gawain was rational. If no one was going to give him answers, then dream or not, he would explore everything he could find out on his own. As he looked more closely, the scroll indeed changed. Beside the 3D projection of Xianyang Palace, several lines of text gradually appeared:

"Conquer all lands, sweep across the six realms, only through victory can one return."

"For each vanquished lord, his palace shall be taken and made into an imperial hall."

"Descendants of the immortal Qin, if you seek eternal life, you must fight."

"Advance without retreat, victory without defeat; those who fail will see their nation perish."

"The Emperor!"

"Whew!!!"

Gawain let out a deep breath and suddenly sat up in bed. Beside his bed, a maid stood respectfully, immediately stepping closer to Gawain.

"My lord, you're awake!"

The maid spoke only a few words before nervously lowering her head. Despite going through countless training sessions, this was the first time she had been assigned as head maid to one of the Celestial Dragons. Naturally, she was nervous. When her gaze met Gawain's slightly stunned expression, she became even more anxious.

The newly-awoken lord appeared somewhat bewildered, his handsome face showing an innocent confusion that was simply unfair! This Celestial Dragon lord was nothing like the others. He looked… so normal, yet so attractive!

How had she, a mere marquis' daughter from the West Blue's Rhine Kingdom, gotten this lucky? Not only had she been chosen to live in the Holy Land Mariejois, but she had also trained with the CP agents in Chambord and been promoted to head maid. And now, she'd been assigned to serve such a handsome Celestial Dragon lord!

Her cheeks flushed red, and her breath quickened—whether from nerves or excitement, she could hardly contain herself! Lying in bed, Gawain glanced at the young maid standing beside him, her short maid's outfit clinging to her thighs, revealing her long, slender legs.

Gawain stared blankly for a moment before lifting his right hand and slapping his forehead.

Smack!

The sound was crisp.

"Ugh."

Gawain groaned softly. The pain was far more real than the vague sensation of being injured in a dream. So, he really was awake! All that about confronting Charlos, and the conversation with the Five Elders—those were real. He really had arrived in this world!

But the Xianyang Palace and those words…?

Gawain couldn't help but fall into thought.

Beside him, his sudden movement startled the head maid, and she hurriedly jumped onto his bed, gently but firmly grabbing Gawain's arm.

"My lord, could it be that your injuries aren't fully healed, contrary to what the CP agents who brought you back said? Do you feel a headache, or any other discomfort? If you just want to hit something, please don't hurt yourself—hit me instead!"

The young maid earnestly pleaded, her fingers lightly massaging Gawain's slightly reddened forehead.

How could you bear to hit such a handsome face?

If you need to hit someone, hit me!

I've got tough skin!

Feeling the gentle touch of the girl, who looked to be only about fifteen or sixteen, Gawain sighed and waved his hand dismissively.

"Nothing, I just... wasn't fully awake," Gawain said as he lifted the covers and checked his clothes. Thankfully, he was wearing his usual white pajamas, so the maid wouldn't get any unintended benefits. He gently pushed the maid's hands away and sat on the edge of the bed.

As he moved, the maid naturally knelt down and took Gawain's feet into her arms, massaging them with clear delight.

"This... This Celestial Dragon lord's skin is incredible!" she thought to herself, completely enamored.

Amidst the grotesque appearances of most Celestial Dragons, Gawain stood out as a rare and striking exception. It didn't take much for the maid to fall for him.

Gawain allowed her to continue massaging his feet, then slipped on his slippers. Deep in thought, he asked her, "By the way, I don't know your name. You are...?"

"Ah!" The maid flinched, quickly helping him into his other slipper before kneeling solemnly before him. "It was my failure, my lord. I didn't introduce myself. After your conflict with Saint Charlos, when you knocked him unconscious, the Five Elders summoned you. While you were away, Charlos came to your Sky Castle in a rage and took away all your slaves."

"As for me, I'm Boji. After that incident, I was assigned here by the orders of the Five Elders to be your new head maid. I will dedicate my life and everything I have to serve you. In your castle, should you have any requests, I will do my utmost to ensure that none of your wishes go unfulfilled!"

"Wait!" Gawain interrupted her, asking calmly, "So all of my previous servants were taken by Charlos? Did you know any of them?"

Boji was about to answer but then felt puzzled.

That's right, did she know Gawain's previous servants? In theory, she had many friends in the service department and was familiar with many Celestial Dragons' maids. But why did she have no recollection of any of Gawain's previous servants?

For a moment, Boji stood frozen in place, nearly on the verge of tears. Nothing could be more terrifying than discovering on her first day in a critical position that she might have memory issues! But no matter what, she swore never to lie to the lord she served. With a teary face, Boji confessed, "I... I'm sorry, my lord. I can't seem to remember who your past servants were. It's not that I don't care, but... I really have no memory of them. Does this mean my memory is too poor for me to be a worthy tool for you? Waaaah..."

"Uh..." Hearing the sob in her voice, Gawain began to piece things together. He pressed further, "So you have no memory of my previous servants. What about me, then? Boji, you must be familiar with many Celestial Dragons' faces and identities. What was your impression of me before?"

What did I think of you? I restrained my hunger while looking at you! Boji thought as she tried hard to recall. But that only made her feel like crying even more. As a qualified head maid, she had a good memory of every Celestial Dragon's face in Mariejois. Yet, how could she have no recollection of someone as handsome as Gawain?

Just watching her confused expression, Gawain already knew the answer. He really had entered this world in an abrupt way, inserting himself into it. This world had no place for Gawain before, and though everyone thought his presence was natural, they had no memory of his nonexistent past.

Having his answer, Gawain couldn't let the maid continue down that line of thought. Some details were best left buried where no one would bring them up. He gently raised his hand and ruffled Boji's bright golden hair.

"It's fine. Don't worry. We'll get to know each other over time. For now, wipe your tears and fetch my clothes."

"Yes, my lord!" Boji wiped her tears, pitifully retreating, and through the door, Gawain saw her bring a host of other maids, all laden with a variety of intricate and complex garments.

As the maids busied themselves preparing his attire, Gawain sighed quietly. Could the reason for his sudden arrival in the world of One Piece be related to that grand Xianyang Palace?

The dead kingdom, the Emperor!

Could that palace want him to become an emperor?