It was mealtime again, and Elior had to admit—Baby 5 and Yamato were truly talented cooks. They were worthy of being called first-class maids.
If Kaido ever learned how deeply Yamato had fallen under Elior's control—serving him with unwavering loyalty—his rage might have shaken the seas themselves.
After dinner, Elior returned to sleep.
Tonight, as always, he stayed in Hiyori's room.
Every night, he would go there as casually as if it were a game. Seeing his interest, Elior couldn't even be bothered to decorate his own quarters—though the mansion was certainly large enough.
Hiyori initially thought Elior would want to "experiment" with her again, but that didn't happen tonight.
She quietly sighed with relief. After all, her husband was so powerful that even seven people combined couldn't hope to resist him. Facing him alone was madness.
"Hiyori, come with me tomorrow," Elior suddenly said from the bed.
Before falling asleep, Elior had the sudden thought of visiting Hancock—by the way, taking Hiyori along.
Of course, one must bring a woman when traveling.
And this wasn't going to be a battle; Elior simply considered it a vacation.
Besides, he had once helped remove the Celestial Dragon slave marks from the backs of Hancock's two younger sisters at her request. It felt about time for him to visit Amazon Lily and bring Hancock under his wing.
"Our destination is Amazon Lily."
"Amazon Lily? That name sounds… familiar."
Hiyori frowned, trying to recall why it rang a bell.
"A woman named Boa Hancock lives there," Elior said.
"Her!?"
Realization struck, and Hiyori's face twisted in mild resentment.
So that was it—her husband was taking her to meet that woman, the famously beautiful and powerful Pirate Empress.
Hiyori didn't even know what to say.
But Elior didn't notice her expression.
"By the way," he added casually, "I'll help you develop your abilities. Among the others, you're the weakest right now."
"In that case," Hiyori thought determinedly, "I'll just have to work twice as hard! No, ten times, a hundred times harder!"
She understood perfectly well who Elior meant—Reiju, Bonney, Gion, and perhaps Boa Hancock herself.
After all, the others—like Baby 5 and Sugar—served as attendants or maids.
But only she and Reiju held official standing by Elior's side.
The next day, Elior set sail with Hiyori aboard a grand ship, while Reiju and the others watched them depart.
Before leaving, he ordered Barrett and the rest to stay alert—the Marine might be planning something.
He knew that after annihilating the Revolutionary Army, neither the Marines nor the World Government would sit idly by.
As their voyage continued, Hiyori stood on deck, gazing out at the endless sea.
It felt wonderful to be alone with him like this.
Back in Paradise, such moments were rare. Now, she could finally enjoy Elior's company in peace. The more days like this, the better.
Still, she couldn't help but feel uneasy. In just a few days, they would reach Amazon Lily—home of that extraordinarily beautiful and fearsome woman.
There were said to be only two women in the world with Conqueror's Haki strong enough to rival the Yonko.
One was Big Mom and the other was the Pirate Empress herself.
As time passed, Hiyori's anxiety grew, weighed down by the comparison she couldn't stop making.
She was competitive by nature; it was impossible not to measure herself against a woman equal to her in beauty and strength.
A day passed quickly.
Elior's ship had crossed the undersea channel from the New World, passed through the Sabaody Archipelago, and entered the Calm Belt where Amazon Lily lay hidden.
The ship moved swiftly because, once again, Elior encountered the giant octopus from before. Recognizing him immediately, the creature flattered him, bowing deeply. At Elior's command, it guarded the ship and escorted them swiftly through the depths.
After two more hours, they finally arrived near Amazon Lily.
Elior lifted Hiyori into his arms and used Geppo to leap down onto the island's interior.
Meanwhile, the giant octopus remained outside, faithfully guarding the vessel.
Beasts, unlike humans, were quick to submit to overwhelming power.
They feared it instinctively.
"So this is Amazon Lily?" Hiyori asked, looking down in awe.
The island was unlike anything she had seen before—it looked like a massive mountain suspended over the sea, or perhaps a dormant volcano with a thriving city hidden within.
"Elior, are there really only women here?"
"That's right," he replied.
"Then how do they… well… have children? Reproduction usually requires both male and female, doesn't it?"
Elior paused. How would he know that?
He simply shook his head, unwilling—or unable—to answer.
By now, night had fallen.
Inside the palace of Amazon Lily, the Pirate Empress Boa Hancock stood before a mirror, fresh from her bath, admiring her flawless, snow-white back.
The slave mark that once stained it—the symbol of the Celestial Dragons—had been erased by Elior's power.
Now, every inch of her skin was perfect.
Since then, Hancock's smile had become softer, her arrogance tempered by something new—devotion.
Her thoughts were filled only with Elior's image.
That day, when she finally met him, he had personally removed the brand that haunted her dreams.
She could hardly believe it—the mark that once symbolized despair was gone, erased without a trace.
It was nothing short of a miracle.
When she returned to Amazon Lily, even Nyon and her sisters, Sandersonia and Marigold, couldn't believe their eyes. If they hadn't seen Hancock's flawless back themselves, they would have thought it was a joke.
But the scar was truly gone.
The nightmare that had tormented Hancock for years had finally been wiped away.
No wonder she seemed so radiant now.
The proud, imperious Pirate Empress was now gazing dreamily into her mirror—an image that would have shocked anyone who knew her.
"The world's most beautiful woman…" she murmured, smiling to herself. "No one could ever compare to me."
"Elior… will you come to me again?"
Dressed in a tight pink-and-white nightgown, Hancock's lovesick behavior made her sisters roll their eyes.
Nyon could only sigh helplessly. She knew full well that the Pirate Empress had fallen deeply in love with the Yonko Elior.
And truth be told, Nyon supported it wholeheartedly.
After all, that man was one of the Yonko!
Having Hancock follow him didn't seem like such a bad thing.
Yes, the laws of Amazon Lily forbade love with men from the outside world…
But the rulers who once broke that rule had all fallen for worthless men. Compared to Elior, they were nothing but small fry—worms to his dragon.
What none of them knew, however, was that at that very moment, Elior had already arrived above the palace, descending silently from the night sky.