Ian brought Hancock, Nami, Kaya, Princess Sally, Princess Anna, and Gunko back to his mansion in the Holy Land.
Though called a mansion, it was actually a magnificent castle.
Above the Gothic-style castle, black spires pierced the clouds, and the grand architectural complex cast a shadow of dominion under the sun.
In front of the castle gate was a meticulously manicured giant garden, beside it a private golf course large enough to host world-class events, surrounded by various artificially cultivated flowers, plants, and trees.
When Ian appeared at the castle gate with his companions, the gate silently slid open inwards.
Inside, on both sides, two rows of servants and maids had been waiting for a long time.
"Young Master."
The servants and maids all bowed in unison, with genuine reverence.
Ian merely nodded casually and stepped inside.
Nami, who followed closely behind, stepped in and was instantly stunned by the sight before her.
If the external luxury had exceeded her imagination, the internal scene completely shattered her understanding of the concept of 'wealth'.
The floor was paved with whole slabs of polished obsidian, reflecting the chandelier made of countless giant diamonds on the ceiling.
Every pillar and wall within sight was intricately outlined with gold in ornate patterns.
Nami's eyes instantly turned into two glittering Berries symbols, and she trembled with excitement.
"Young Master!" She hugged Ian's arm, hanging onto him completely, "Is this going to be our home from now on?"
Ian glanced at her, a slight curl of his lip: "Look at you, so unworldly. Anna, take them to choose their rooms."
"Yes, Young Master." Princess Anna curtsied gracefully.
Upon hearing they could choose rooms, Nami and Princess Sally immediately perked up, excitedly following Anna deeper into the palace, looking less like they were choosing rooms and more like two hamsters about to roll around in a treasure trove.
Hancock stood still, her chin held high as she declared, "This concubine does not need to choose, for this concubine will be with the Young Master from now on."
Ian smiled, reaching out to pinch her delicate chin, "Everyone must have their own room; that's the rule here. You are no exception."
Hancock immediately pouted indignantly but reluctantly followed along.
In the vast hall, only Ian, Kaya, and Gunko remained.
"Kaya, you stay."
Kaya, who was about to follow them out to choose a room, paused, looking at Ian somewhat at a loss.
Before she could react, several Holy Land doctors rushed out from a side hall, and upon seeing Ian, they stumbled and fell to their knees in unison.
"We… we are late, please punish the Young Master!" The leading old doctor's voice trembled.
"Am I that scary?" Ian asked languidly, "Everyone, stand up."
The doctors then shakily stood, not daring to lift their heads.
"Your mission," Ian pointed to Kaya beside him, his tone brooking no argument, "is to cure her. I give you three months. I want to see a lively, adorable, and healthy Kaya."
Having said that, he reached out and led Kaya to his front, his voice uncharacteristically gentle: "You don't need to choose a room."
"I promised you I would build you a big house in the Holy Land. Now the big house is complete, and Gunko will take you there. For the next few months, the only thing you need to do is to rest and recover!"
Hearing this, Kaya's delicate body trembled.
She hadn't expected Ian's first act upon returning to his mansion to be arranging doctors to cure her illness. Nor had she expected that Ian would truly keep his word and build her own house in the Holy Land.
After a brief moment of stunned silence, Kaya's eyes reddened with emotion, and she nodded slightly, "Thank you, Young Master."
With that, she mustered the greatest courage of her life, stood on tiptoe, and lightly kissed Ian's cheek, then quickly lowered her head, not daring to look at Ian again.
"Miss Kaya, come with me!"
Gunko stepped forward, "I'll take you to the big house!"
Kaya nodded, her face flushed, and followed Gunko out.
Gunko quickly settled Kaya in and arranged for several servants to attend to her daily needs before swiftly returning to the hall.
"Let's go to the Flower Room," Ian stretched, "I've been away from the Holy Land for so long; if I don't go see my mom, she'll be angry."
With that, Ian took the lead and walked out.
Entering Pangu City, and passing through several long corridors, the two arrived at the entrance of the Flower Room.
Inside the door was a dreamlike world.
Countless rare butterflies fluttered in the air, various flowers from all over the world bloomed in the garden, and the air was filled with a refreshing fragrance.
In the center of the garden, a figure stood silently, her back to them.
As soon as Gunko stepped into the garden, she immediately knelt on one knee, respectfully saying, "Imu-sama, Young Master has returned."
Ian, however, strode over and stood beside the figure, playfully saying, "Mom, what are you looking at? Haven't you gotten tired of looking at it after all these years?"
The figure slowly turned her head, revealing a pair of dark red pupils, devoid of her usual coldness and majesty, looking entirely like a loving mother.
"Did you have fun on your trip?" Imu's voice was soft, and she didn't deliberately hide her tone.
"So-so," Ian pouted, "If that Dragon guy hadn't escaped, I'd probably be in a better mood."
Imu narrowed her eyes: "You seem to be paying more and more attention to World Government affairs? What, have you been the crown prince for too long and want something to do?"
"Hehe," Ian grinned, then his expression turned serious: "You are trapped in this Holy Land and cannot leave, and the Gorosei, those five old geezers, are useless. The God's Knights sound intimidating, but in reality, they're just a circus. Take that old Gringo, for example; the so-called King of God Valley was actually Rocks' speed bump back then. Now that your son has grown up, it's natural for him to clean up those disobedient fellows outside for his mom."
Hearing these words, a hint of relief flashed in Imu's eyes.
She raised her hand and took Ian's wrist, "You haven't eaten yet, have you? Imu has ordered your favorite food to be prepared for you."
With that, Imu led Ian to the dining room.
Mother and son sat opposite each other, and servants continuously brought various extremely luxurious dishes to the table.
Imu didn't move, quietly watching Ian.
After a while, Imu suddenly spoke, her tone slightly serious, "Imu already knows about you having the Marine publicly execute Ace. In three days, it will be the day of the Marine's public execution of Ace. What do you plan to do?"
—