HST: Chapter 180/181

Chapter 180: Banquet, Master of the Royal Path

After leaving the cell, Caelan, Violet, and King Riku made their way toward the palace.

"Caelan-sama, are you really not going to accept Doflamingo?"

Violet asked nervously.

Beside her, King Riku wore the same anxious expression.

They had both been shaken by Doflamingo's words in the cell.

If Caelan had actually agreed to Doflamingo's conditions, everything would have been lost.

"He's just daydreaming. You don't need to worry about it."

Caelan patted Violet's head, comforting her once more.

"Yes, I understand."

Violet nodded, though a trace of unease lingered in her eyes.

Her eight years as an undercover agent had left deep scars, and she struggled with insecurity.

After Caelan defeated Doflamingo, she had kissed him and felt like she'd finally found someone she could rely on. But Doflamingo's taunts stirred her anxiety again.

She wanted to believe in Caelan's character, but this was their first meeting, and it was hard to judge someone that quickly.

Violet glanced at Caelan and quietly made up her mind.

Tonight, she would make him hers.

Just then, the three of them arrived on the street leading to the palace when a wave of cheering snapped Violet out of her thoughts.

Looking around, they saw the citizens of Dressrosa gathered on both sides of the road, watching them. The cheers had come from them.

"That's the God Slayer Caelan, the one who saved us!"

"Looks just like in the newspaper!"

"The one next to him… is that King Riku? He rescued King Riku!"

"Your Majesty Riku, we wronged you!"

"Long live Caelan-sama!"

"Caelan-sama is invincible!"

The people cheered passionately for the three of them.

When they first heard that Doflamingo had been defeated, many still doubted it and even sympathized with him.

But after Caelan forced Sugar to reverse her powers and restore the people turned into dolls, and with the World Economy News' coverage backing it all up...

The citizens of Dressrosa finally saw the truth of Doflamingo's conspiracy and realized King Riku had been wrongfully accused all those years ago.

Caelan, who had revealed the truth and taken down Doflamingo, now held their deep respect.

Violet's eyes sparkled as she stared at Caelan, completely ignoring King Riku beside her, who was in tears.

"This is… wonderful!"

King Riku's voice trembled, his eyes filled with tears.

Ever since Doflamingo framed him, he had gone from a beloved king to a reviled tyrant.

The grief and injustice he endured had been overwhelming.

Now, with the truth exposed, he was finally vindicated.

King Riku stood tall once more, reclaiming the dignity of a former king.

All of this was thanks to Caelan standing by his side.

In his heart, King Riku was full of gratitude.

Amid the cheering crowds, the three of them reached the Dressrosa royal palace.

"You two go catch up. I have other matters to attend to. I'll see you later."

Caelan said with a smile.

"Then, Caelan-sama, please go ahead. We won't delay you any longer. However, we'd like to hold a celebration banquet tonight. Please attend, and bring your subordinates with you."

King Riku responded respectfully, not putting on any airs despite being the father-in-law.

Even though Caelan had casually called himself that earlier, he was more powerful than Doflamingo and had saved Dressrosa.

When it came to etiquette, King Riku dared not be careless.

"I'll definitely be there."

Caelan agreed readily, then turned and left.

Only Violet and King Riku remained.

"Daughter… thank you for your years of hardship."

King Riku looked at Violet with deep affection in his eyes.

Eight years ago, Violet was just a 20-year-old princess living a life of comfort and joy.

Overnight, her world crumbled. Their family was torn apart, and their kingdom was stolen.

After that, she had to live under the enemy's rule, forced to compromise and endure.

King Riku could hardly imagine how Violet had managed to survive all these years.

"It's okay, Father."

Violet's eyes filled with tears. The pain and suffering of the past eight years poured out in front of her father.

King Riku gently patted her back, silently offering comfort.

After a while, Violet calmed down. With tears still in her eyes, she smiled with hope. "It's all over now. Tomorrow will be better."

She thought of Caelan. As long as that man was around, she would never have to endure such pain again.

"Yes, tomorrow will be better."

Hope returned to King Riku's heart as well.

The dark cloud that had loomed over this country had been swept away by Caelan.

"Let's go gather people and prepare for the celebration banquet."

Violet encouraged herself. She was determined to make the evening event a grand one.

This was a gesture from the entire kingdom, and they couldn't afford to be careless.

King Riku and Violet got to work quickly, gathering people in a rush.

Dressrosa had been under Doflamingo's control for eight years, and King Riku's old retainers had long since been replaced.

Now, organizing a banquet for more than 2,000 people was beyond what their current manpower could handle.

Fortunately, when word spread across the country that they were preparing a banquet to honor Caelan and his forces for defeating Doflamingo, the people eagerly pitched in.

Some brought supplies. Others helped with labor.

After a busy afternoon, the banquet for Caelan and his force of over 2,000 was ready as scheduled.

Caelan, Nami, and the others arrived with more than 1,500 officers from the G-5 branch.

The remaining Marines had to stay behind to guard the imprisoned Donquixote Family members, eating standard issue rations instead.

"I'm sorry, Caelan-sama. Our conditions are really limited."

King Riku lowered his head, ashamed.

Despite everyone's efforts, the banquet fare was simple—basic meats and drinks donated by the people.

"No, this is already very good."

Caelan picked up a piece of roast meat and savored it carefully.

Delicious food was always welcome, but the heart of an entire country was even more valuable.

Then Caelan stood up, raised his glass, and called out to the Marines.

"Do you like tonight's banquet?"

His voice rang clear and loud, echoing throughout the venue for all to hear.

At first, there was silence.

Then suddenly, a wave of noise surged like a tide.

"Yes!"

"I love it!"

The G-5 Marines responded enthusiastically.

They were truly touched by Dressrosa's heartfelt gesture.

The people welcomed them with food and drink.

This... this was the kind of justice they believed in.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 181: What’s Wrong

That night, after a banquet enjoyed by both hosts and guests, everyone returned to their own rooms.

As promised, Violet came to Caelan's room… and gave herself completely to him.

"Haa~"

Violet collapsed onto the bed.

Her entire body felt as if it had fallen apart, lacking the strength to even lift a finger.

Her beautiful face was tinged with a deep blush, and the discomfort from her "first bloom" made her moist eyes shimmer slightly.

Violet looked at Caelan with complicated emotions, a mix of relief and lingering anxiety.

"Caelan-sama… I entrust my life to you."

Leaning against his chest, her tone carried a sense of distance and melancholy.

Now that Doflamingo was gone, what came next?

She trusted Caelan, but would he continue to value her from here on?

"Don't worry. I won't turn my back on you. From now on, just stay with me."

Caelan gently wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, speaking tenderly.

He understood that this was the natural fear and unease a woman felt after giving herself to someone. It was just like a man's post-climax calm.

This was the moment when a scumbag would usually start laying on the manipulation, making promises they never intended to keep.

"Mm…"

Looking at the man beside her, Violet quietly made a decision.

"Caelan-sama… are you interested in hearing my story?"

Violet traced lazy circles on Caelan's chest with her fingers, glancing up at him with a teasing gaze.

She believed that once she told this story, Caelan's favor toward her would deepen even more.

"Now that you mention it, I am curious."

"Was Doflamingo… a eunuch or something? He didn't lay a finger on a beauty like you. And in the end, I got the prize."

Caelan looked at Violet, eyes filled with intrigue.

Truthfully, he was shocked to discover Violet was still a virgin.

He'd originally approached her with less-than-noble intentions, fully expecting her to have a history with Doflamingo.

"Doflamingo's not a eunuch. He just didn't touch me. He had plenty of other women to satisfy himself."

"He's just…"

Violet blushed and hesitated, struggling to get the words out.

Even bringing up Doflamingo's twisted preferences felt uncomfortable.

"What is it? Spit it out!"

Caelan's curiosity was eating at him like a cat scratching his heart.

Doflamingo had passed up a beauty like Violet? Why?

Seeing Caelan so desperate to know, Violet shut her eyes and quickly said, "Doflamingo… thinks of me as his mother. He has a bit of a mother complex."

"…What?"

Caelan's eyes widened. He was genuinely stunned.

"Are you serious?"

Even with the information overload he'd been exposed to in his past life, this was hard to digest.

This sort of… "interest" was a little ahead of its time, even for him.

"Of course it's true!" Violet confirmed firmly, then continued, "Eight years ago, when Doflamingo took over Dressrosa, he started pursuing me. Back then, I had no choice but to agree… for my father's safety."

"But over those eight years, he never touched me. I went from a young girl to the woman I am now, completely untouched."

"I found it strange too, until one day he accidentally called me 'Mom.' That's when I started getting suspicious. After keeping a close eye on him, I confirmed it."

"He didn't lay a hand on me because he didn't think I was 'motherly' enough. But in the past couple months, his attitude started changing. I think he finally believed I'd matured into that 'motherly' image."

Violet gave a self-deprecating laugh.

Doflamingo was the one who destroyed her family and usurped her kingdom.

Naturally, she hated him deeply.

Even though she had no choice but to go along with his pursuit, she had never intended to give herself to him.

Once she realized his twisted preferences, she devised a plan.

For the following years, she played the role of a mother—gentle, serious, nurturing.

It made her sick, but it worked. She managed to keep her body safe.

Still, over the past two months, she'd noticed the change in Doflamingo's eyes—his aggression returning.

If Caelan had arrived any later… she might not have been able to hold out.

"…Tch."

Caelan sucked in a sharp breath, shocked by what he had just heard.

But the more he thought about it, the more sense it made.

He'd seen Doflamingo's backstory in the anime.

His father, Donquixote Homing, had given up his Celestial Dragon status and taken the family into the outside world.

Doflamingo grew to resent his father deeply.

And after his mother's death, his hatred for Homing reached a peak.

In his twisted filial piety, Doflamingo had even beheaded his own father to prove his worth to the Celestial Dragons.

Of course, it failed.

Still… it explained his fixation on his mother.

Caelan couldn't help but click his tongue.

So this is the kind of man Doflamingo really is?

This inner circle… it's beyond messy.

Still, Caelan silently gave his thanks to Doflamingo.

If not for his messed-up psyche, Caelan wouldn't have ended up with such a rare find like Violet—mature yet pure.

As these thoughts spun through his mind, Caelan looked back at Violet.

She was already stunningly beautiful, but after what had just happened, she looked even more enchanting.

Maybe it was just his imagination, but after hearing her story, she seemed to glow with a mysterious allure.

Caelan licked the corner of his lips and gave her a mischievous smile. "Madam… you wouldn't want your son Doflamingo to suffer in prison, would you?"

"...Huh?"

Violet's heart skipped a beat as she saw the strange look in Caelan's eyes.

She had guessed that telling the story would make him like her more.

But she hadn't expected him to get this weird about it.

Still, she had achieved the desired effect.

Violet feigned nervousness, biting her lip as she played along. "W-What are you planning?"

"Madam… you know what I want."

Caelan caressed her body, his voice soft and suggestive.

Violet first showed a hesitant, fearful expression… then firmly replied, "Caelan-sama, as long as you don't hurt my son Doflamingo, you can do whatever you want to me."

As she spoke, an inexplicable thrill coursed through her body, and her limbs began to stir again.

"Then I won't hold back, Madam."

Caelan pulled her into his arms with passion.

He had to admit, Violet's acting was top-tier.

(To be continued.)