The Pirate Princess Becomes Queen

"Okay, no rush, let's leave here first."

The sea train was packed with passengers. Enies Lobby was no longer a pristine place. Belo Betty, the Revolutionary Army commander, came here every few days to recruit comrades, and others were doing the same. Some recruited pirates, others sold weapons, and some trafficked people. It was a place where all sorts of people came from. Now that Mr. 5 had made a big fuss, and the World Government and the Navy were about to launch a massive search of the entire island, everyone's first choice was to run away to a safe place and then observe the situation.

With a series of "whoosh whoosh" sounds, the sea train received departure permission and immediately left Enies Lobby, heading towards Water Seven, which was not far away.

The explosive news of Mr. 5's rampage on Enies Lobby reached Crocodile's ears in Alabasta fifteen minutes later...

Because of Buggy the Clown's arrest, the pirates' momentum was severely damaged due to the lack of this key figure who was constantly making connections. Crocodile, who had just calmed down for two days and was preparing to take a break, was stunned!

I only sent Mr. 5 to escort Bucky the Joker to his trial, how did this guy blow up Enies Lobby?! Are you kidding me?

Didn't you consider the consequences before you acted? Can you even defeat Admiral Kizaru, or Admiral Akainu? Do you even have a brain?! Are you some kind of spy sent by the Nephalem Ritual family?

Before he could figure out the pros and cons, or the impact of this matter on himself, the Five Elders called from Mary Geoise.

"We need an explanation! You, come to Mary Geoise now, immediately!" The Five Elders' tone was extremely firm. After saying this, they hung up the phone.

Chapter Fifty-Nine: Water City

Crocodile was furious, but despite the suddenness of the incident, he remained quite rational.

His first thought was to abandon Mr. 5 and never admit that this idiot had anything to do with him, but would the Five Elders believe him? His second thought was to abandon Baroque Works altogether, but after thinking about it, he was a little reluctant. He had spent so much money and years of hard work to build the studio, and he was just going to give it up? Should he also abandon the plans for Alabasta? Wouldn't all his hard work over the years have been for nothing?

Crocodile despises the World Government, the Four Emperors, and the Navy from the bottom of his heart, but he values ​​interests even more, and he can also play the subservient role when necessary.

Crocodile reluctantly went to Mary Geoise for a lecture. He was determined that Mr. 5 would definitely have to be abandoned, but this time, even if it came at a certain cost, he would protect Baroque Works, because it was a crucial force for him to seize Alabasta.

Most importantly, Baroque Works absolutely cannot be investigated by the World Government. Nico Robin's existence is too deadly; if it were discovered, he would have no way to explain himself.

He must be patient, patient until he seizes the throne of Alabasta and obtains the Ancient Weapon "Pluton". With the Ancient Weapon in hand, what does he have to fear from the World Government or the Navy!

While Crocodile was rushing to the Holy Land of Mary Geoise, the Landoruff Theatre Company also arrived in Water Seven.

Old man Landoruff has regained his fighting spirit. After all, he's old enough to live in a fairy tale world. He had fantasies about Enies Lobby before, but now those fantasies have been shattered. He still has to live his life.

Not counting Miss Gianna, whose grandfather grows tea trees in the mountains, the rest of the troupe was dirt poor, having lost all their cooking utensils on Enies Lobby.

Now penniless, they are finding it difficult to make ends meet in Seven Waters, a city with a relatively high cost of living.

The old man made up his mind that he had to solve the problem of feeding the troupe members first, and then buy a ship to continue their tour along the Grand Line.

As the troupe stepped out of Bluewater Station in Water Seven, the first thing that caught their eye was the enormous fountain of Water Seven. The streets were bustling with pedestrians, and the waterways crisscrossed the city. Looking at the lively city, the despair they had felt earlier seemed to have eased somewhat.

In contrast to the coldness and indifference of Enies Lobby, Water Seven gives people a feeling of warmth and enthusiasm.

Vivi and most of the troupe had never been to Water Seven. A few people, including old man Landoruff and the troupe's treasurer, had been here, but they hadn't stayed long. Water Seven had heavy commercial taxes and very strict management of foreign ships.

Even with heavy commercial taxes, they still need to survive here for a while. Their first priority is to make money, then buy a ship, set sail, and continue to the New World.

Without props, the original stage play could not be performed, but the people were not discouraged. They were all craftsmen with a skill, so they would not starve.

The group left the station and arrived at a relatively crowded square. They then dispersed, each using their own methods to raise money. Some recited poems, some performed operas, and some played music. Old man Landoruff occupied a corner by himself, performing a highly entertaining swordsmanship demonstration.

Buggy the Clown also seems to want to make some money and then go back to his pirate crew.

He performed a ball-catching and tossing act with more than a dozen colorful balls. He got more and more excited and forgot his original intention. While catching and tossing the balls, he increased the difficulty. He borrowed a unicycle from a passerby and then pulled on a steel cable, going all out and winning rounds of applause.

Karu the duck also took out a paper bag and invited passersby to play a game of paper-throwing.

Seeing that everyone's performance was quite engaging, Vivi didn't stand aside. Just like attending a company annual meeting, she danced a famous flamenco dance from her previous life in front of everyone.

Wearing a veil and holding a rose in her mouth, she danced gracefully to the music beside her. Her fiery red dress spun rapidly with her movements, and her passionate and unrestrained dance attracted many citizens of the Seven Waters City to watch.

After she finished dancing, she seized the opportunity to sell a few lucky rabbit feet, then went to rest and watch other people's performances.

Bello Betty quietly approached her and said, "You're very rich, Your Highness."

Vivi remained unfazed: "Me? Are you kidding me? Do you know how much money I had when I left the palace six months ago? All my savings from over ten years only amounted to 50 Berries! You call that rich?"

Bello Betty exhaled a smoke ring and asked, "I've done some research, and the Nefertari family has always had a good reputation, but in recent years they've faced a lot of criticism from the common people. Why is that?"

Vivi countered, "Your intelligence agency is so powerful, you must have gathered a lot of intelligence. Why do you think that is?"

“Someone has their eyes on your father’s throne.” As a professional in the world of rebellion, Bello Betty, despite the vast distance and relying solely on some true or false intelligence, deduced Crocodile’s intentions.

Through her sunglasses, she looked at Vivi very seriously: "Do you need any help? I can tell you're a good person, and your father must be a good person too, a good king. You need the help of some friends."

Vivi sneered: "So what's the price? Turning Alabasta into your soldier training base and weapons production base? When the navy launches a large-scale encirclement and suppression, you can just leave, but what about my father and me? Are we supposed to run away with you? After all this trouble, will Alabasta's ten million people end up with only one million? Heh, the price of being a good person is too heavy. I can solve this myself, it's not a big deal, I don't need your help."

Their conversation ended there, and they went their separate ways.

Vivi continues to set up her stall and sell her goods!

Bello Betty chatted with the actors and staff of the troupe from time to time. It was clear that she valued the troupe very much and wanted to bring the troupe, which had been treated unfairly, into the Revolutionary Army's camp. Vivi remained silent about this. As long as the other party did not use the power of the Devil Fruit, she did not intend to interfere. They were all adults and should be responsible for their own choices.

The Landoruff Theatre Company worked hard for half a day and earned enough to cover their living expenses for the next few days through their performances.

Before leaving the square, they encountered several young men and women holding banners and signs.

"Are you tourists? Welcome to Water Seven! Water Seven is holding an election for a new mayor. If you are experiencing financial difficulties, you can participate in our campaign activities. Carrera will provide lunch, and you can stay for free at one of these hotels in the evening..."

The young men and women were clearly not new to this, and they talked on and on. Their smiles weren't exactly genuine, but compared to the coldness and greed of Enies Lobby, the troupe felt a warmth like springtime here.

Chapter Sixty Election

Carrera is a shipbuilding company with a monopolistic nature, formed by the merger of seven shipyards in Water Seven.

With its strong financial resources and numerous employees, the company has undertaken shipbuilding projects for the World Government and Navy, and is also responsible for many municipal projects in Water Seven. It is a veritable behemoth.

Carrera has been doing a lot of work during the election campaign to support its president, Espagu, in his mayoral campaign.

The Landoruff Theatre Company were not citizens of Water Seven, so they had no right to vote, but they could still cheer and wave flags. Their professional publicity skills were also appreciated by the campaign team, which is why they received free room and board.

"That's great! Let's go!" Upon hearing that someone was treating her to dinner, Vivi, unusually, spoke up to persuade the old man Landoruff. You see, she had been quite low-key after killing Lieutenant Colonel Gobana, the plaintiff.

She lost a lot of money today, and it's rare for her to be treated to a meal by a big spender. She won't forgive herself if she doesn't eat her way out of some of it!

Many members of the theater troupe shared her idea: free food and drinks, what's there to be unhappy about? What are you hesitating for? Let's go!

A group of people first escaped Enies Lobby, and then busked on the streets, but they were exhausted. Old man Landoruff thought about it and realized that he didn't care who became the mayor of Water Seven. He figured that eating the other person's food and then helping out with some promotion was perfectly acceptable. Besides, he needed to buy a boat from the Carrera Company. After thinking it over, he nodded in agreement.

Water City is crisscrossed by waterways, and its citizens use a creature called "Bru" as their mode of transportation.

Blue resembles a seahorse. This animal is gentle and can swim steadily on the water. Riding a Blue is like riding a horse. This creature has an extremely strong carrying capacity and is an essential mode of transportation for the citizens of Water Seven.

Since the troupe didn't have any Blues, Carrera Company covered the cost, renting 33 Blues for the troupe as transportation at a price of 1,000 Berries per day.

Blue was indeed very docile. Vivi used her ability to hear all things to communicate with it, and the seahorse-like animal nodded repeatedly to her. However, the seahorse was a little unhappy about the pet duck sitting on its back, and kept sticking its tongue out at the duck. Vivi had to soothe it for a while.

The group went to a restaurant for a meal. Vivi was quite proactive, practically dragging old man Landoruff into the restaurant; she was really starving.

Her strength is increasing every day, and as her strength grows, her appetite naturally increases as well...

Once inside the restaurant, she transformed into a glutton and started eating without saying a word.

To maintain her image as a pitiful, weak, and helpless person, she chatted with people at this table for a few minutes, then casually ate a bowl of shrimp rice, and then went to another table to chat, quietly finishing a bowl of fried fish balls. One bowl after another, she ate a total of five bowls before she felt that she had something in her stomach and was no longer starving.

As Vivi strolled around eating a plate of takoyaki, the head of Carrera Company arrived.

When someone invites you to dinner, the troupe is expected to put in some work. This is perfectly reasonable and acceptable anywhere. So she continued to be the one doing the work, occasionally taking a couple of fried meatballs to try.

The newcomer was dressed fashionably: a yellow top, a black skirt, high heels, non-prescription glasses, and blonde hair. This female assistant to the president of Espagu immediately attracted the attention of the men in the troupe as soon as she appeared.

"A member of CP9?" Vivi subconsciously lowered her head. With a subtle sense, she felt that this woman was not simple. Bello Betty also used the screen next to her to block the blonde woman's view.

As it turned out, their actions were completely unnecessary.

The blonde female assistant said, "Hello everyone, welcome to Water Seven. I'm Mr. Espagu's assistant, Kalifa..."

Several male actors with somewhat flirtatious eyes kept glancing at her bodycon skirt and calves, while whispering among themselves.

"Miss Kalifa is so beautiful, she has such a wonderful presence..."

Before the male actor could finish speaking, the female assistant turned around, looking extremely annoyed: "This is sexual harassment! It's incredibly rude!!"

Her movements were swift as the wind; her high-heeled feet rained down on the male actor and the area around him.

The blonde female assistant launched a fierce attack with front kicks, side kicks, outward swings, and side slams.

Vivi was a bit far away, but she could still hear a series of "thud thud thud thud" sounds, which showed how hard the kick was!

Several male actors, along with Bucky the Clown who was contemplating whether to eat barbecue or tempura, and a mere passerby, were all within the female assistant's attack range.

"Hehehehe..." Looking at Bucky the Clown's bruised and swollen face and his innocent eyes, Vivi almost burst out laughing. She didn't know whether to call this guy's luck good or bad. Although he was caught in the crossfire, his face was so swollen that he could save on makeup.

Let alone outsiders, even if Shanks himself came here now, he probably wouldn't recognize this guy with a bruised and swollen face and a missing front tooth as his good brother.

"You! You! You!—" Bucky the Clown was so angry he couldn't speak.

The female assistant, Ms. Kalifa, sincerely apologized to him: "I'm sorry, sir, I tend to lose control when I get emotional... which often leads to accidental injuries... I'm very sorry!"

After the little incident, Kalifa started talking to old man Landoruff about work.

The old man's theater troupe was considered dispensable by the World Government and the Navy, but for the Revolutionary Army and the team preparing to run for mayor, it was an important asset.

The female assistant brought some information. The troupe doesn't need to criticize the competitors. As long as they express their advantages through a stage play so that the public can understand it, Carrera can secure the victory.

The members of the Landoruff Theatre Company were able to perform on stage because their cultural literacy was above average. In just two nights, the playwrights in the company wrote a stage play based on the actual situation in Water Seven. After rehearsing twice, the play, featuring mayoral candidate Esbagu as the protagonist, was presented to the citizens of Water Seven on the third day at noon.

The Landoruff Theatre Company is already considered one of the world's top artists. Normally, they are not very useful. If you throw them into places like Oni Island or Whole Cake Island, they will die as many as they go. The main theme of this world is not watching stage plays. Art is definitely not as useful as power. But in Water Seven, their professional skills have added a whole new variable to the mayoral election.

As a mayoral candidate and president of the Carrera Company, Espagu is a charming middle-aged man. Hearing that the Landoruff Theatre Troupe was helping him garner votes, he rushed over to express his gratitude after the third day of performances.

Chapter 61 The Gaze of CP9

“Mr. Landoruff, I saw your play two years ago, it was wonderful. I never expected you to come to Water Seven.”

The middle-aged man, Espagu, had short, bluish-purple hair and dressed very smartly. His gestures and movements conveyed a certain affected maturity, but deep down he was still a bit of a goofball...

The meager food and lodging provided by Carrera Company could not express his gratitude at all, so he asked directly if there was anything the troupe could do to help him.

You've all been reduced to street performances; no one would believe you're not facing difficulties.

The old man didn't mention the filth he encountered on Enies Lobby, only that he met pirates and brought up the matter of buying a new ship from the Carrera Company.

Without a second thought, Espargo agreed immediately. He was the shipping magnate of Water Seven, and while he might not be able to say much else, he had an abundance of ships!

Espagu was very busy. After expressing his wishes, he politely took his leave, leaving behind several foremen from Carrera Company, who wanted to help the troupe build a new ship to their specifications.

A kind young man named Kaku, with a long, square nose, carefully inquired about the troupe's requirements and took notes from time to time.

Another man, wearing overalls and a white vest, with a pigeon perched on his shoulder, took out several boat models for them to choose from.