"It feels so soothing… is it because of her tears?" Luffy thought, marveling at the strange sensation coursing through his body. As expected of a user of the Heal-Heal Fruit, even her tears seem to elevate my body and soul.
Mansherry, still crying, clung tightly to Luffy's left thumb, her tiny arms wrapped around it as though she'd never let go. The dampness on his skin felt oddly comforting, and Luffy's body relaxed instinctively.
Smiling gently, he reached out with his free hand and softly rubbed the little princess's head, her doll-like figure so delicate it made him feel as though he were holding a treasure.
"Hey, it's alright now," he said, his voice calm and reassuring.
But Mansherry's sobs only grew louder. Her tiny nose twitched as she buried her face against his thumb. Tears poured from her eyes as she whimpered, "It was so scary…"
Luffy, feeling slightly overwhelmed, took a handkerchief from his pocket and gently dabbed away her tears.
"Don't cry anymore. Everything's fine now," he said, trying to soothe her.
The little princess looked up at him, her tear-filled eyes glistening. For a moment, her sniffles seemed to quiet, but then, as if overwhelmed by the relief of being comforted, she began crying even harder.
Luffy scratched the back of his head, clearly at a loss. He crouched down and placed his hands on the ground, intending to set her down, but Mansherry clung to him stubbornly.
"No! I don't want to let go!" she wailed.
Resigned, Luffy allowed her to stay in his arms. He had no ulterior motives—Mansherry was simply so small and cute that holding her felt like taking care of a living, talking toy.
King Gancho, seeing his daughter's tear-streaked face, initially wanted to pull her closer to comfort her himself. But upon noticing how frightened she seemed, he chose not to force her. Instead, he raised his gaze to Luffy and bowed deeply.
"Thank you, benefactor," Gancho said, his voice full of gratitude. "You are now an eternal friend of the Tontatta Kingdom."
After a brief pause, he added firmly, "And as I promised, I shall honor my word. Please follow me—I will arrange a wedding ceremony for you and my daughter at once."
"W-WHAT?! A WEDDING?!"
Luffy jumped so high in shock that Mansherry nearly slipped from his grasp. Catching her quickly, he stared at the old king in disbelief.
If I go through with this, Hina, Ain, and the others will kill me when I get back! Luffy thought, panic setting in. Wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, he forced a smile and said, "That's not necessary! I didn't save Princess Mansherry for any kind of reward."
He turned slightly, the Marine coat bearing the symbol of justice fluttering behind him. "I came here to invite Princess Mansherry to join us. That's all. The rest was just a fortunate coincidence."
Gancho stroked his beard, nodding in understanding. But before he could respond, Mansherry's cries intensified.
"M-Mr. Human doesn't like Mansherry?!" she wailed, her little voice breaking. "I'm so cute! Why doesn't he want to marry me? I promise to be obedient and do my best to… to…"
Hearing this, Luffy's jaw dropped, his thoughts spinning out of control.
What's happening?! Doesn't she have a crush on Leo?!
Desperate to escape the situation, Luffy racked his brain for an excuse that no one could refute. He took a deep breath, plastered on an awkward smile, and said, "It's not that I don't like you, but… um… I'm only a few months away from turning 14. I'm not old enough to get married yet!"
The room fell silent. Mansherry, Gancho, Leo, and the other dwarfs all stared at him, their eyes wide with shock.
"It's over," Mansherry thought, her tiny face turning beet red. "I… I actually fell in love with someone younger than me! What should I do?!"
Though small in stature, Mansherry was already 19 years old—the same age as Kujaku. The realization of the age gap left her feeling utterly mortified.
Determined to recover, Mansherry straightened her back and wiped her tears with the handkerchief Luffy had given her. Her demeanor shifted dramatically as she assumed the role of a mature older sister.
"It's alright," she said, her voice calm and composed. "If we can't get married now, we can simply get engaged first. I'll take care of you until you're old enough to be my husband."
"WHAT?!" Luffy's mind blanked as the dwarfs around him erupted into cheers.
Before he knew it, Luffy found himself swept into an engagement ceremony filled with unique Tontatta traditions. His protests were ignored entirely, and he could only go along with the flow, his expression a mix of panic and resignation.
Meanwhile, on the other side of Dressrosa, King Riku and his family had decided to head toward the Marines' temporary refugee camp.
Kyros and King Riku donned their helmets once more to avoid drawing unnecessary attention. Violet, due to her association with the Donquixote Family, opted to wear a cloak that covered her face entirely.
Fortunately, many of Dressrosa's citizens had wrapped themselves in similar cloaks or makeshift rags after losing their homes and belongings. Among such a crowd, Violet's disguise blended in seamlessly.
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