Chapter 23

Hancock's face, as white as jade, turned crimson. She touched her forehead with one hand and pressed the other against her chest, weakly whispering:

— Ah, how unbearable... Am I dying?

Severely ill, Hancock didn't even notice anyone entering the room. She was merely panting heavily, panicking about her condition. For the first time in ten years, she felt so weak.

Gluoliosa entered the room, leaning on a cane, followed by Sal and Luffy.

— I heard the Snake Princess fell ill. How is she now?

The middle-aged doctor standing nearby anxiously replied:

— Miss Gloriousa, Lady Snake's condition is very similar to heart issues. Her heartbeat is extremely rapid, and she has a high fever. In all my years of practice, I've never encountered such an odd illness. It's very similar to another condition, but not quite...

After listening to the doctor's explanation, Gloriosa noticed the blush on Hancock's delicate face. She had a bad premonition and quickly moved to examine the girl's body.

After a preliminary examination, Gloriosa stepped back a few paces, unable to believe her eyes. The symptoms were alarmingly familiar to her, just like those she experienced in her youth.

— How is this possible? How could the Kuja Queen have this illness? Who? Could it be... him?

Gloriosa was stunned, and her words caused panic among the others waiting, who bombarded her with questions:

— Mother, how is my sister?

— Yes, mother, if you know, please tell us quickly. We are dying of worry.

Hancock, in her unusual state, also heard Gluoliosa's words and shouted:

— Old woman, if you know, tell me quickly. I'm in so much pain.

Seeing the same symptoms as before, Gluoliosa stuttered and uttered two words:

— Sa...l...

The slowly mentioned name caused a strong reaction in the patient. She clutched her heart, feigning pain, her breathing quickened.

The Snake Princess's reaction spoke volumes. Gloriosa sighed, powerless. Perhaps such a fate is destined for the queen of Amazon Lily.

— It is love sickness, a unique ailment of the women of Amazon Lily. When a woman falls in love with a man, she develops the Kuja Queen's illness. If it is not cured, the Snake Queen will die sooner or later. This illness affects every empress. It is a sickness of love.

Gloriosa's words left everyone present in shock. The proud Snake Queen, in love with a man? It was inconceivable.

Boa Sandersonia considered something and said:

— Could it be that my sister is in love with Sal?...

Boa Marigold immediately objected, as she was the most immune to men among the three sisters.

— Impossible! My sister is so sacred and proud. How could she fall in love with an ordinary man?

Hancock ignored the crowd's reactions. She was simply embarrassed as her feelings were dissected. Recalling the appearance of that man, her heart filled with a sweet sensation. She immediately covered her face with her hands and said:

— Am I in love? We've only known each other for one day, and I can't stop thinking about him.

Gloriosa didn't continue to speculate and shouted towards the door:

— Sal, come in for a moment. You were asking about the Kuja Queen?

Sal, who had been observing the events in the room, entered. Although he had his suspicions, seeing Hancock's condition still left him incredulous.

— Hancock, are you alright?

The appearance of her beloved made Hancock's heart race, but the discomfort in her body vanished. Her heart was filled with a strange sense of satisfaction she had never felt before. Usually self-loving and arrogant, the empress even stuttered as she spoke:

— Sal, do you... do you have any requests of me? If it's not too much, I... I promise you.

Hancock's reaction left Sal with mixed feelings. Though he knew her affection stemmed from his act of killing the Celestial Dragons, he hadn't expected her to truly fall in love with him.

This is the real world; he is not Luffy, with a pure heart. He never imagined he would make the most beautiful woman in the world fall in love with him.

Hancock, suffering from love sickness, was truly in a predicament. She had no choice but to satisfy her inner longing, that is, to love Sal. Or die from love sickness, like the Stone of Husband's Waiting.

Of course, there was another possibility: if Sal were to suddenly die, the love sickness could be cured.

Sal said to everyone present:

"Can you leave Hancock and me alone? I know what love sickness is, and I can handle it."

No matter what, Hancock was still a simple woman who had never been in love. Comforting her shouldn't be that difficult.

Gloriosa was a bit perplexed. If possible, she would prefer that the Snake Queen not become Sal's lover. After observing him for two days, she realized that he had big ambitions, and his secrets were utterly unfathomable. This man was definitely not a match for her.

But what happened was done. Hancock, suffering from love sickness, couldn't change anything now, and they could only reconcile with it.

"Let's step out for a while and leave them alone."

"But... Sister, it must be done."

Boa Marigold was worried about her sister being alone with a man, but Boa Sandersonia gently led her away. Perhaps soon they would have a brother-in-law.

Everyone left, and only the two of them remained in the bedroom. The atmosphere grew increasingly ambiguous.

They looked at each other with different expressions. Sal clearly saw the love in her eyes. Although he didn't love Hancock, her personality wasn't unpleasant to him. He gradually realized that she was quite charming.

Of course, one might say that Hancock's beauty softened the few flaws in her personality. After all, beautiful women often have a slight advantage, and the one standing before him was the most beautiful woman in the world.

At that moment, Hancock, with a hint of femininity, said:

"Sal, you know all the details... Concubine..."

Before Hancock could continue talking about this "Shakky," Sal stepped forward and embraced her. Her slender figure was pleasant to the touch, and her enchanting fragrance slightly intoxicated him. The beauty in his arms remained there for a moment, already hanging limply on Sal. Her eyes were still captivated by her beloved, and her breathing made the atmosphere even more ambiguous.

Sal also looked at Hancock, and for a moment, his heart hesitated; taking the final step would make things irreversible. He didn't want to deceive this woman's feelings. If it were possible, it would be better not to cross the emotional boundary, limiting himself to only physical contact.

But now, faced with something incomparable, no man could resist the temptation of this beauty.

Of course, a certain guy is an exception.

Sal sat with Hancock and shared stories of his childhood and little secrets. This communication made them more familiar with each other, and the tension in their bodies dissipated.

After an hour, Sal's expression slightly changed. He observed with the help of Observational Haki and saw that the crowd outside had finally left, and no one could disturb them.

He immediately took Hancock's white hand and gently said:

"It's late, let's go to sleep."

Hancock hesitated for a moment after receiving the invitation from her beloved, but in the end, she agreed, wanting to win his heart and be with him for the rest of her life

If you want to read more advanced chapters +20 chapters, follow me on my patreon

patron.com/Manofathousandskills