The battle ended when Shakky grabbed Gloriosa by the shoulder and executed a shoulder throw.
Lying on the ground, Gloriosa gazed at the azure sky. There was no sign of defeat in her eyes, only the relief of it all being over.
The crowd in the stands was stunned for a moment, then a thunderous cheer erupted. Everyone was celebrating the birth of the new empress.
Shakky stood in the arena, accepting the cheers and applause from the crowd.
Meanwhile, Gloriosa had slipped away from the scene at some point unnoticed.
When Milim found her, she was by the sea, watching the ebb and flow of the tide, an unexpected hint of vulnerability in her expression.
For love, Gloriosa had given up all of her status and identity. Even for her, a diviner who could occasionally glimpse the future, the uncertainty of what lay ahead was daunting.
"Hey! There you are, Gloriosa," Milim's voice suddenly called out.
Gloriosa was startled. The vulnerable expression on her face was instantly replaced by a smile; she didn't want the person she liked to see her weak side.
"Lady Milim, I must have made a fool of myself today."
"Not at all!" Milim scratched her head, a little embarrassed. "I heard what you said on the dueling stage. I never thought I was so well-liked."
Gloriosa turned her head away, but the blush on her face was impossible to hide. "I'm sorry. My words must have troubled you."
"Not at all. I'm actually very happy to be liked!"
"Although it's difficult for me to return your feelings, just as you said, we can definitely become like family," Milim said, grabbing Gloriosa by the shoulders.
She forced Gloriosa to look her in the eyes. Gloriosa was so shy she was about to faint, but she forced herself to meet Milim's gaze.
"Since you've already made your decision, there's no need to hesitate, right?"
"Gloriosa, become my family. Become the family who will live alongside me in this world." Milim's gaze was firmer than ever before.
"Yes!" Gloriosa didn't say anything else, but nodded with unwavering certainty.
"That's great!" After getting Gloriosa's confirmation, Milim happily jumped onto her.
Gloriosa never expected happiness to come so suddenly. She blushed while cherishing Milim's embrace.
Following that, everyone attended the coronation ceremony for Shakky as the new empress of the Island of Women, feasting and drinking at the banquet.
Gloriosa also took Milim to all sorts of venues and interesting places on Kuja Island, and they spent over a week having a wild time.
Only then did Milim and Gloriosa prepare to leave the Island of Women and return to Totto Land.
They boarded a small boat without notifying anyone to see them off, so the only person on the shore was Shakky.
Shakky stood with her arms crossed and a wry smile on her face, looking at Milim, who was fishing, and Gloriosa, who had placed her ample assets on top of Milim's head!
"Gloriosa, it seems you've been very happy these past few days. You look much younger."
A smile graced Gloriosa's face, and it became even more content as she looked at Milim sitting in her lap. "This is the nourishment of love, Shakky."
"One day, when you have someone you like, you'll understand," Gloriosa said. She and Milim had grown much closer over the past week.
Gloriosa had also discovered that Milim didn't reject her closeness. Her current life wasn't much different from the life she had imagined with a lover.
Therefore, Gloriosa felt an unparalleled sense of satisfaction.
"A woman truly blinded by love," Shakky snorted.
"Anyway, remember to give my regards to Queen Charlotte Linlin when you get to Totto Land."
"I know, I know," Gloriosa replied with a cheerful smile.
"In that case, I'll see you next time." With that, Shakky said no more, turned, and walked away.
"Goodbye!"
Milim also pulled away, shouting at Shakky's retreating figure, "Remember to come visit Totto Land next time!"
In the distance, Shakky waved her hand, her back quickly blending into the crowd behind her.
The small boat gradually moved deeper into the sea, heading towards Totto Land at a high speed.
...
Charlotte Linlin had just hung up the Den Den Mushi, a smile on her face that was hard to describe. "Milim, you really know how to have fun!"
"How many days has it been? You've already roped in another one, and it's someone else's empress at that."
"Mwahahaha! This is really something!" Vegapunk had a brilliant smile on his face. Ever since Milim had left, his days had felt quite lonely.
When Linlin decided to contact the empress of the Island of Women, Vegapunk and Eir had come to the office, wanting to know how Milim was doing.
Eir had a complicated expression on her face. "That's our Big Sis for you! She never comes home empty-handed."
Hearing Eir's words, they all realized it was true.
The first time she went out, she brought back all the giants from their village and Vegapunk.
The second time she went out to fight, she brought back Bullet.
This third trip was even more ridiculous—she brought back the empress of an allied nation.
Thinking about it, a strange look appeared in their eyes. Could it be that Milim has some kind of ability that compels her to bring someone back every time she leaves?
And the people Milim brought back were no ordinary individuals.
Naturally powerful giants and the genius scientist, Vegapunk.
Bullet had already started his training, and his progress was extremely fast. He truly possessed the potential to become an Admiral.
And now, there was no need to even mention it. The empress of the Island of Women, Gloriosa, was already a seasoned fighter. Bringing her over would add a teammate with near-Admiral level strength.
None of these people were ordinary. It made Linlin want to send Milim out again just to see who else she could find!
Linlin shook her head, clearing these jumbled thoughts from her mind. She wasn't actually angry, just a little frustrated that Milim had gained an adopted older sister without telling her.
"Alright, since you all know Milim's whereabouts, it's time to get back to work," Linlin said, looking at the people still in her office.
"Indeed, it's time to get to work," Vegapunk said with a laugh and turned to leave.
The others also left one by one, leaving only Eir standing there.
"Eir, is there something else?" Linlin asked, looking at her.
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