One Piece: I am the Empress, and the more sycophants I have, the stronger I become.

For the next two days, the Kuja Perfume Cruise continued to sail smoothly on its return route to the calm zone.

Nicole Robin, on the ship, received almost unusually preferential treatment for her status as a "scholar in distress."

Her meals were separate from those of the other crew members and were delivered by a special person. They were exquisite and plentiful, and even fruit tea, which was meant to help refresh her mind, was included, taking into account her academic background.

Several sets of clothes were also prepared for changing. Although they were not fancy clothes, they were made of high-quality materials and were simple and comfortable casual wear.

What surprised Robin the most was that the high and mighty empress seemed to take special care of her, an "ordinary scholar".

Occasionally, when they meet in the corridor, the Empress will even nod slightly in acknowledgment.

Those captivating eyes had lost some of their outward coldness and gained a hint of indescribable... interest.

At this moment, Robin, compared to the more gentle and composed mature woman she would become two years later, still carried a lingering melancholy and wariness between her brows.

Its skin tone is also slightly darker due to years of underground activities or desert travel, making it resemble a tough black rose with thorns.

That evening, Hancock even came to Robin's room door herself.

She didn't knock, but simply pushed the door open gently.

Her stunning figure appeared at the doorway, and it seemed as if the entire room brightened up because of her arrival.

"Scholar, are you feeling comfortable living here?"

Hancock's voice still carried that unique languid magnetism, but compared to its usual coolness, it seemed to have gained a subtle softness.

She stood at the door without stepping inside, as if she had just happened to be passing by and asked a question.

But her stunning beauty and natural charm are themselves an invisible pressure and attraction.

Robin quickly stood up, maintaining a polite distance.

"Thanks to Her Majesty the Empress's care, all is well. I am deeply grateful."

Hancock's gaze swept lightly across the room, landing on the books spread out on the table, and a slight smile appeared on her lips.

"It seems you haven't wasted your time. The history of Alabasta, the land of sand... is indeed full of mysteries, especially those ancient ruins buried under the yellow sand, which are said to hold many lost texts and knowledge. I am quite interested in them."

Her words, like bait thrown out unintentionally, precisely touched the deepest chord in Robin's heart.

The true history, the lost truth!

Robin's heart skipped a beat, but he remained calm on the surface.

"Empress, you're also interested in history?"

"I just feel that anything that can withstand a thousand years of wind and sand without being worn away must have its unique value."

Hancock spoke ambiguously, her beautiful eyes darting around as she gave Robin a deep look, a look that seemed to see right through her disguise.

"Get some rest. If you need anything, just tell Aria."

After saying that, she said no more, turned around gracefully and left, leaving behind a faint fragrance and an inexplicable atmosphere in the room.

However, this sudden concern and pointed words did not reassure Robin; instead, they set off alarm bells in her mind.

The Empress's attitude was too strange; there must be a deeper purpose behind this extraordinary attention.

She can't stay any longer! She must leave as soon as possible!

In the stillness of the night, moonlight streamed into the corridor through the porthole.

Robin opened the door silently, like a phantom in the night.

Using the power of the Flower-Flower Fruit, they created eyes to observe and arms to cling to in the walls and shadows, carefully moving towards the deck.

She planned to steal a lifeboat and escape under cover of night.

Her movements were flawless, making almost no sound.

However, just as her toes were about to step onto the last step leading to the deck.

A cool yet familiar voice, tinged with a playful chuckle, rang out not far behind her:

"It's so late. Is the scholar unable to sleep and wants to go to the deck for some fresh air? Or... is there some urgent matter requiring him to leave my ship tonight?"

Robin's body froze instantly.

She slowly turned around and saw Hancock leaning lazily in the shadows at the end of the corridor, as if she had been waiting for a long time.

The moonlight outlined her stunning profile, and her beautiful eyes, still shining brightly in the darkness, were looking at her with a half-smile.

"Your Majesty the Empress..."

Robin took a deep breath, knowing that there was no point in pretending anymore, and tried her best to keep her voice calm.

"I do have some personal matters to attend to, so I cannot bother you any longer. Thank you for your hospitality."

Hancock chuckled softly, the sound particularly clear in the quiet night, carrying a hint of all-knowing mockery.

"Unfinished personal business? Are you in a hurry to go back and report to your boss, Crocodile, Miss All Sunday?"

Robin's pupils contracted sharply.

She knew all along!

With her identity completely exposed, Robin calmed down instead.

She raised her head to meet Hancock's gaze, attempting to use Crocodile's fame as leverage to escape.

"Since Your Majesty is aware of my identity, you should understand that I am the vice president of Baroque Works. Mr. Crocodile is in Alabasta, and if I do not return soon, it may cause unnecessary misunderstandings, or even... conflict. Surely Your Majesty would not wish to easily antagonize another Shichibukai?"

Her words carried a subtle threat, an attempt to leverage the situation.

However, Hancock's smile became even brighter, and even more... dangerous.

She walked slowly forward, stood in front of Robin, and looked down at her, making Robin feel like she could hardly breathe.

"Misunderstanding? Conflict?"

Hancock repeated the two words as if she had heard some funny joke.

"Since I dared to spare you, I naturally have no fear of Crocodile. As for turning against him?"

She leaned slightly closer to Robin's ear and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear, with a hint of arrogant disdain for the world.

"If he dares to come, I wouldn't mind letting him taste what it's like to be turned into a sand sculpture and placed in my garden."

This undisguised contempt and powerful confidence struck Robin's heart like a heavy hammer.

The "power" she relied on was so vulnerable in the eyes of the Empress!

Seeing the shock and barely concealed wavering in Robin's eyes.

Hancock straightened up, reverting to her languid demeanor, as if she hadn't uttered those murderous words just moments before.

"It's late, go back and rest, Robin.

She called her by her real name, but her tone carried an unquestionable command.

"You're not going anywhere until I lose interest in you."

After saying that, she ignored Robin, who was frozen in place, turned around, and her skirt drew an elegant arc as she disappeared into the darkness of the corridor.

Robin stood alone in the cold moonlight, looking in the direction the Empress had left, her heart filled with an unprecedented sense of powerlessness and...

A faint, almost imperceptible flutter of emotion, one that she herself was unwilling to acknowledge.

This woman is powerful, beautiful, willful, and unfathomable.

She tore off her disguise, ignored her threats, and declared her control in an almost domineering manner.

This absolute power and confidence had a strange attraction for Robin, who had been struggling in the darkness and seeking support.

But the taste... is quite peculiar.

[Ding! Target Nico Robin has developed complex feelings due to the host's absolute strength, arrogance in ignoring Crocodile, and strong control over her. Infatuation value +5! Current infatuation value: 8/100.]

Hancock returned to her cabin, feeling the energy slowly but steadily increasing, and a satisfied smile appeared on her lips.

Fear is the foundation, curiosity is the ladder, but the key to breaking down her defenses lies in demonstrating irresistible power and the possibility of protection.

Nico Robin, you can't escape.