The man seated at the center table naturally held a position of great importance.
The middle-aged man with long golden hair was Vinsmoke Judge, the ruler of the Germa Kingdom and commander of the powerful Germa 66.
Seated beside him were four young individuals with vividly colored hair, his children, Vinsmoke Reiju, Vinsmoke Ichiji, Vinsmoke Niji, and Vinsmoke Yonji.
Aside from Reiju, the others only gave Lloyd a brief glance before losing interest. Niji and Yonji, however, focused their attention on Galette and Stussy, their gazes filled with undisguised desire.
Reiju spoke softly, her tone thoughtful.
"Father, that man seems to have an unusual connection with Stussy."
Judge remained silent for a moment before replying.
"I have heard certain things from the World Government. That woman is far more complicated than she appears."
He paused, then picked up his wine glass and rose to his feet.
"Reiju, come with me. This is a good chance to build a connection. It may benefit the Vinsmoke Family."
He did not call the other three.
Ichiji, Niji, and Yonji remained where they were, uninterested. Judge understood them well. Niji and Yonji were incapable of proper social interaction, especially when women were involved. Ichiji was slightly better, but not by much.
It was the result of his own decisions. The modification of their Lineage Factors had created powerful soldiers, but at the cost of something essential.
After the incident with Pieklo, attention throughout the hall had shifted to Lloyd, the bodyguard brought by Stussy.
Figures like Morgans approached one after another, attempting to strike up conversation with Stussy and draw information about Lloyd.
Stussy saw through all of it.
She responded with elegance and ease, smiling as she deflected every probing question. Not a single useful detail about Lloyd was revealed.
Meanwhile, Lloyd himself was being persistently engaged by Galette.
Her attitude toward him had clearly changed. She was far more attentive now, though she refrained from directly asking him to remove his mask again.
Because of her presence, the others found no opportunity to approach Lloyd at all. After failing to gain anything from Stussy, they gradually withdrew in frustration.
Before long, Judge and Reiju arrived.
Stussy stood politely to greet them. Judge's gaze briefly swept over Lloyd, who remained seated without the slightest movement. A faint smile appeared on his lips.
After a brief exchange of introductions, Judge and Reiju sat across from them.
As the conversation progressed, Judge subtly brought up the World Government several times. Each attempt was skillfully redirected by Stussy, her composure never wavering.
What Judge did not realize was that, by approaching this table, he had unknowingly stepped closer to death.
Behind the mask, Lloyd's eyes rested on him with cold indifference, like one observing a corpse.
Judge's experiments with Lineage Factors stirred memories Lloyd had no intention of revisiting.
He had already made a decision.
This man would not live much longer.
As the hall continued to fill, the atmosphere grew more lively. When nearly every seat was occupied, Charlotte Perospero entered and announced the start of the banquet.
Moments later, a young woman with golden twin pigtails and a chef's hat stepped forward, directing servants as dishes were brought in.
When she appeared, Lloyd's gaze lifted slightly.
Galette noticed immediately and smiled faintly.
"That is Charlotte Pudding, ranked seventy-sixth in our Charlotte Family."
Lloyd gave a slight nod, his tone neutral.
"I thought she was a chef."
Galette chuckled softly.
"She is very skilled at cooking. She volunteered to help prepare this wedding banquet."
The dishes were quickly arranged across the tables. Judge and Reiju returned to their own seats.
Lloyd glanced at the spread.
At the center was a massive cream cake, surrounded by an overwhelming variety of desserts. The sheer sweetness was excessive even by appearance alone.
On Whole Cake Island, even buildings resembled confections. Their obsession with sweets was evident everywhere.
For most guests, a few bites were enough to become overwhelming.
Stussy, however, seemed to enjoy it thoroughly.
Her white fox mask covered only the upper half of her face, allowing her to eat freely. She savored each bite with visible satisfaction.
Lloyd, on the other hand, remained still.
His full-face mask made eating inconvenient, but more importantly, he had no interest in the food.
Galette, however, had no intention of letting the matter go.
She seized the opportunity and spoke lightly.
"Lady Stussy, will you not have your bodyguard try anything? Or is he someone who avoids showing his face in public?"
Stussy dabbed the corner of her lips with a silk handkerchief, removing a trace of cream. She smiled faintly.
"You will have to ask him. As you can see, my bodyguard is not someone easily controlled."
Galette turned to Lloyd, her tone casual but her gaze intent.
"Is that so? But refusing even a single bite might seem disrespectful to the Charlotte Family. At least try the chocolate pudding. It is Pudding's specialty. I am certain it will not disappoint you, Mr. Zero."
As she spoke, she personally used his utensils to place a portion onto his plate.
Her eyes remained fixed on him, unblinking.
Under that gaze, Lloyd finally moved.
He picked up the knife and neatly divided the pudding into several precise pieces.
Galette felt a flicker of anticipation.
Perhaps he would finally remove the mask.
Instead, Lloyd lifted a piece with his fork and brought it to Stussy's lips.
She paused briefly, then smiled and accepted it, her lips closing around the fork with natural ease.
Only after that did Lloyd act again.
With one hand, he slightly lifted the lower edge of his mask. The movement was so quick that Galette barely registered it.
In an instant, the pudding on the plate was nearly gone.
The mask settled back into place, showing only the faintest shift near his mouth.
"The taste is acceptable."
His tone remained indifferent.
Then, without hesitation, Lloyd picked up the last piece.
Galette was still processing what had just happened when he extended the fork toward her.
"Do you want some?"
Her expression froze, completely unprepared for his response.
===
If you want to read more, check out my patreon.
Patreon.com/ _Zeph