Sugar paused for a moment, waiting for the nauseating taste in her mouth to fade. Soon afterward, a strange sensation rose from within her body.
She attempted to activate her ability, and in the next instant, her body transformed into a stream of teal wind. The current surged through the room before reappearing directly in front of Lloyd and the others.
The powerful gust swept across the room, lifting the women's skirts and exposing flashes of colorful underwear beneath them. Startled cries immediately echoed throughout the lounge.
The women hurriedly pressed their skirts down, their faces turning red one after another. Monet stepped forward and sharply flicked Sugar's forehead.
Sugar instantly covered her head with both hands and cried out in pain.
"Ow, ow, ow! Sister, what was that for!?"
Monet placed her hands on her hips and glared at her.
"What do you think? You definitely did that on purpose."
Sugar immediately threw herself into Lloyd's arms and muttered unhappily.
"So what if I did? Young Master is the only man here anyway. What's wrong with letting him see?"
Monet froze.
What Sugar said was not entirely wrong.
Saint Shalria, Hancock, and Robin, who were also present, offered no objections.
Hancock, who was the most shy among them, secretly glanced at Lloyd before lowering her head with a blush.
Saint Shalria had already accepted Lloyd as her future husband in her heart. Not only did she not object, she even nodded slightly in agreement.
As for Robin, the intelligent and mature woman possessed a naturally reserved personality despite her passionate nature. Although she had read extensively, she had little practical experience, and the situation left her feeling a strange sensation she could not quite describe.
Monet finally gave up arguing with Sugar.
"Don't use your ability recklessly inside the house again. If you make another mess, I'll have you live alone in the library as punishment."
Sugar pouted and raised her small face pitifully toward Lloyd.
"Young Master, Sister is bullying me."
Lloyd smiled and gently rubbed Sugar's light green hair.
He suddenly thought of Carrot. If Carrot were here, she would probably get along extremely well with Sugar.
Originally, Lloyd had planned to bring Wanda and Carrot to Mariejois first. However, Garling had urgently summoned him, forcing him to leave the two women temporarily at Marineford.
Thinking of this, Lloyd lifted Sugar into his arms and walked toward the sofa before taking a seat.
Monet sat to his left.
Hancock and Robin first cleaned the table that Sugar had disturbed with her powers. Afterward, they moved behind Lloyd and stood on either side of him, gently massaging his shoulders.
Saint Shalria originally intended to sit beside him on his right. However, just as she bent down, Lloyd raised his hand and lightly gestured toward the opposite seat.
"Shalria, sit across from me. I have something to discuss."
Her heart immediately began racing.
Saint Shalria quickly walked to the opposite sofa and carefully sat down while maintaining the etiquette she had recently worked so hard to learn from her family.
Her hands rested neatly on her lap as she stared at Lloyd without blinking.
Lloyd spoke calmly.
"Saint Shalria, when you return to your family, tell your father, Saint Rosward, that the Navy will soon arrive in the Holy Land. He should ensure that everyone in your family behaves properly and treats the Navy with the dignity expected of World Nobles rather than acting like arrogant upstarts."
Saint Shalria had expected him to discuss marriage, and a trace of disappointment appeared in her heart. Even so, she obediently nodded.
"Please rest assured, Saint Lloyd. I will deliver your words exactly as you said them. Besides, even without your warning, our family would never treat the Navy like ordinary people. After all, the Navy serves under you."
Lloyd smiled slightly.
"It still needs to be said. Otherwise, someone may end up becoming an example."
Saint Shalria blinked in confusion.
"Saint Lloyd, what do you mean by becoming an example? Who could possibly punish the World Nobles?"
Lloyd answered in a composed voice.
"I can. Before coming here, I instructed the Five Elders to relay my orders to every family. Anyone who insults or abuses the Navy will be punished. Those whose offenses are severe will be executed immediately."
The room instantly became silent.
Saint Shalria, Monet, and the others were visibly shocked.
Even Hancock and Robin stopped moving while massaging Lloyd's shoulders.
Execute World Nobles?
During the eight hundred years since the establishment of the World Government, nobody had ever heard of a World Noble being executed.
Furthermore, the Five Elders stood at the very peak of authority among the World Nobles. Yet Lloyd had spoken of instructing them, as though they occupied positions beneath him.
As a World Noble, Saint Shalria understood the authority of the Five Elders better than ordinary people. The impact of Lloyd's words was far greater for her than anyone else in the room.
She sat motionless on the sofa, unable to respond.
Lloyd continued.
"I understand the behavior of the World Nobles in the Holy Land. There will certainly be fools who ignore my warning. This situation also provides me with an opportunity to correct the atmosphere of Mariejois. However, I hope your family will not become one of those examples. Do you understand?"
Saint Shalria slowly recovered from her shock.
His earlier words had left her frightened, but these words made warmth spread through her heart.
Lloyd was clearly treating her as one of his own.
At that moment, tears nearly formed in her eyes.
She had grown up in Mariejois as a World Noble and possessed beauty that far surpassed many other noble women. She had always been treated as someone special.
Yet after meeting Lloyd, she changed herself completely.
In order to become his wife, she abandoned many of the arrogant and extravagant habits she had developed since childhood. She frequently visited the Figarland family, worked hard to learn proper etiquette, and even became close with Lloyd's attendants.
The Saint Shalria within the Figarland residence was entirely different from the woman she was outside.
None of those changes had been easy.
Yet she persevered.
And now, at last, she felt that her efforts had been rewarded.
The distant and unattainable Saint Lloyd whom she admired had finally acknowledged her.
Looking at Saint Shalria as tears gathered in the corners of her eyes, Lloyd gently beckoned.
"Come sit here."
She hurriedly wiped away her tears, stood up, and walked over before obediently sitting beside him.
Even then, she did not dare sit too close, leaving a small distance between them.
Lloyd turned toward her.
"Shalria, do you want to marry me?"
The words exploded inside Saint Shalria's mind like thunder.
Without even thinking, she answered immediately.
"Yes! Saint Lloyd, I want to become your wife!"