Although the Queens were all theoretically equal, she knew that wasn't the case in reality.
Just like in ancient China—where there were head wives, common wives, concubines, and so on—the Kakin Empire, despite advertising fairness, still operated within a strict hierarchy.
There was only one queen. Everyone else was just a Queen, and even among Queens, there was a pecking order.
As the lowest-ranking Queen, she was surrounded by countless spies planted by higher-ranked rivals. They could be waitstaff, bodyguards—anyone.
To prevent the different factions' guards from getting too cozy or sharing intel, Queen Oito had ordered all bodyguards to be isolated and never meet each other.
Even though Ronnel knew Kurapika had already been hired, he hadn't actually seen him—or anyone else—since arriving.
So for nearly a month, Ronnel had been on his own.
…
At last, the day of the voyage—and the grand ceremony—arrived.
September 1st: a date destined to go down in history.
With the cooperation of the V5, the ferry ceremony was broadcast live around the world. Anyone with a TV signal, anywhere across the six continents, could tune in.
People everywhere paused their daily lives to witness this historic moment.
…
In the Kakin Empire, the streets were ablaze with excitement.
Crowds lined either side of the roads, their eyes fixed on giant screens showing the royal family.
Over on the coast, where the beach met the harbor, the atmosphere was even more electrified.
A massive stage had been set up long in advance. Now, the members of Kakin's royal family appeared one by one, signaling the official start of the voyage.
"Ladies and gentlemen! The day has finally come!!"
The most well-known host in the empire took the mic, voice booming with excitement.
"Let us turn a new page in the story of humanity and set sail toward the New Continent! The grand ceremony—officially begins!!"
"Ohhhhhh!!"
The crowd roared, swept up in the emotion of the moment. The host's words sent energy rippling through the audience like wildfire.
"Witnesses of history! How are we feeling tonight?!"
Following the Kakin host, a tiny, lively girl—provided by the V5—bounced up onto the stage. Her bubbly "loli" charm instantly melted the hearts of many in the crowd.
"From this moment on, everything you're seeing, everything you feel—will become a part of history. That's right—you are history!"
Compared to the eccentric old-timer hosts of the past, this grinning little girl had a strangely captivating presence.
Despite her cutesy appearance, the words she delivered didn't feel out of place at all. Instead, both the live audience and viewers at home felt a strange sense of pride well up inside them.
Seems like the V5 knew how to pick their people. None of them were pushovers.
…
In his private waiting room, Ronnel smirked as he watched the broadcast and saw the figure introduced by the hosts.
Of course the V5 wouldn't sit this out. It made sense they'd send someone in.
Who knew how many of their agents were hidden in the cheering crowd right now?
Still, this ceremony was beyond what bodyguards like him could interfere in.
All the guards stayed in their respective rooms. Once the ferry ceremony ended, they'd immediately escort their employers to the Black Whale.
…
"Next—let's get to the highlight of the show! Let's welcome the great leader who embodies humanity's bold step forward—His Majesty, King Nasubi Hui Guo Rou!!"
A deafening roar rose as a single figure appeared at the top of the stage.
King Nasubi stood with his legs wide apart, fists raised skyward at a sharp 45-degree angle.
The pose was straight out of a pirate manga—like Luffy declaring his dream to become King of the Pirates.
Nasubi's grin was one of pure satisfaction. He looked drunk on the glory of the moment.
"What I'm about to say... is just a little something from the heart."
He raised one hand high above his head, index finger pointing skyward. His voice, gentle but full of passion, echoed across the stage.
"I am the great King of Kakin! And the New World... will rise with us from the ashes!!"
Rather than making him look foolish, Nasubi's dramatic catchphrase somehow had the opposite effect. People all over the world were unexpectedly charmed by his flair—his uniqueness.
It was... kind of cute.
Hey, when someone's that powerful, even their quirks come off as charming, right?
"King! King! King!"
The crowd's chant rang out, sincere and thunderous.
There was no doubt—Nasubi Hui Guo Rou would be remembered in history books.
…
"Now, let's turn our attention to the second venue!"
The two hosts flanking the king's platform spoke in unison.
Of course, this grand stage was reserved for King Nasubi. No one else could take the spotlight.
The feed shifted. Cameras now broadcast from the secondary venue.
Before Beyond could even step forward, the First Prince, Benjamin, had already arrived.
He was followed by the Second Prince Camilla, Third Prince Zhang Lei, Fourth Prince Tserriednich...
One by one, the princes emerged, smiling and waving to the media and surrounding crowd.
At the strong request of the Kakin royal family, Beyond had been released by the Hunter Association specifically to attend the ferry ceremony.
Still, every move he made was being closely monitored by the Association. As soon as the ceremony was over and Beyond had fulfilled his role, Kakin was expected to return him to Hunter Association custody.
If not for that promise of cooperation, the Association never would've let him go in the first place.
As for Beyond himself...
Well, truth be told, he didn't really want to be here at all.
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Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (799 chapters in total)