Night had fallen.
In the vast, palace-like living room of the hillside villa, the fire in the fireplace flickered quietly, bathing the entire space in a warm, orange glow. Takero leaned back on the sofa, gently swirling the amber liquid in a crystal glass. Opposite him sat an uninvited late-night visitor.
She was a stunning woman, exceptionally tall, with healthy, glowing, wheat-colored skin. Her long, wavy silver-white hair cascaded over her shoulders like liquid moonlight, creating a striking contrast with her bronzed skin. She wore a daring, skin-tight black bodysuit that hugged every curve of her powerful and beautiful figure, perfectly outlining her astonishing waist-to-hip ratio. Her impossibly long legs were casually crossed, catching an alluring sheen from the firelight.
The visitor was Charlotte Smoothie.
Takero took a small sip of his drink, letting the spicy yet mellow liquid spread across his tongue. He looked up, his gaze playful and undisguised as he assessed the guest before him. He was the first to speak.
"It's getting late. Why aren't you with your stubborn brother? What brings you to my home in the middle of the night?"
Before Smoothie could answer, a cute voice filled with hostility and alertness rang out from beside Takero.
"Master!" Monet leaped out from behind the sofa like a protective kitten, placing herself between Takero and the visitor. "Don't believe her! This woman, coming to you so late, dressed so… so shamelessly! She definitely has ill intentions!"
As she spoke, her emerald-green eyes glared fiercely at Smoothie. 'Damn it!' she screamed internally. 'This long-legged vixen! The last time she was here, she was trying to seduce Master with her looks! Now she dares to come directly to our door! She must be up to no good!'
Smoothie looked at the little green-haired girl, whose fur was practically standing on end. A disdainful smile, full of a grown woman's superiority, appeared on her face. She lazily scrutinized Monet from head to toe. Her gaze lingered for a moment on Monet's flat chest, which was no different from an airfield, before she let out a soft "heh."
The quiet laugh, though not loud, was incredibly insulting.
"You… you… what's that supposed to mean?!!!"
Monet felt utterly despised and exploded instantly. Her face turned crimson with anger as she pointed a trembling finger at Smoothie.
"It means nothing," Smoothie said indifferently, elegantly picking up a teacup from the table and taking a small sip.
"You…" Monet started to say more, but was cut off.
"Enough, Monet," Takero finally spoke. He pulled the flailing Monet back to his side and pressed her down onto the sofa. "Calm down. Let's first hear what our beautiful guest actually wants."
Smoothie slowly turned her gaze back to Takero. Her eyes, usually filled with haughtiness, now sparkled with the gleam of a hunter sizing up her prey. She gently pursed her full, crimson lips against the rim of her cup, then spoke in a magnetic, slightly husky voice.
"All the hotels on the island are full, and I still have to participate in the tournament finals tomorrow. I had nowhere else to stay, so I had to come trouble you, North Sea Emperor."
She paused, leaning forward slightly, making her astonishing cleavage appear even deeper in the firelight.
"Also… Katakuri speaks very highly of you. And Mama… she seems to really want me to marry you." She gave Takero a seductive smile. "So… I'm very curious about you, little man."
Strictly speaking, Takero, who stood nearly two meters tall, was by no means "little." But in front of Smoothie, a woman from the Long-Leg Tribe who was over three meters tall, he did seem diminutive by comparison.
Takero simply returned her playful smile. "Is that so? Then what do you think about it?"
"Me?" Smoothie proudly lifted her beautifully sculpted chin. "Although Mama's orders are absolute… if you want to be my man, it won't be that easy, you know?"
"Oh?" Takero raised an eyebrow. "Then… what are the conditions?"
Smoothie looked at him, her eyes now burning with an unprecedented flame of conquest. "It's very simple," she said seriously. "You must be stronger than me. You must completely conquer me and make me wholeheartedly convinced that you are the better warrior."
The "Queen" of the Long-Leg Tribe curved her lips into a smile full of confidence and challenge. Her choice of a partner was one of the few things over which she had some degree of control.
"…Interesting." Takero took another sip of his drink. He looked at the gorgeous woman before him, who was radiating a fatal allure and charm, and the curve of his lips widened. "Then, how do you know… that person isn't me?"
Smoothie's eyes shimmered as she gave him a look full of deep meaning. "Whether it's you or not… can't be decided just by talking."
Takero chuckled and set down his glass. "In that case, you can stay here tonight," he said. "But the room rate here isn't cheap."
"I have my own… method of payment," Smoothie replied, putting down her teacup as she looked silently into his eyes. Everything was understood without another word.
"Hey! Hey!!" Monet, standing nearby, was completely flustered. She looked at the two of them, watching the sparks fly between them, and felt the atmosphere in the room become strange and tense.
"Master!" she asked anxiously. "What kind of riddle are you two talking about? I don't understand a single word!"
Takero smiled at her. "It's getting late, Monet. Go to bed early. Be good."
With that, he stood up and walked straight toward his large bedroom on the second floor of the villa. Smoothie said nothing more, only flashing a victorious, alluring smile. She tacitly stood up and, with long strides of her slender legs, followed close behind him.
"Hey! Hey—!!" Monet grew even more anxious. She hurried after them, frantically asking questions.
"Master! Master! What are you two going to do?!"
"Where are you going?!"
"Take me with you—!!!"
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