novelnext Chapter 107 Princess Vivi
Chapter 107 Princess Vivi
Seeing that Bai Yu and his group truly had no desire for Hades' power, Cobra's last trace of worry vanished, replaced by a gentle smile. His tone became even more welcoming: "You have come from afar, and have such a special connection with Alabasta. Tonight, the palace has prepared a simple banquet, all local home-style dishes. Would you be willing to join us? There are no complicated formalities, just family and close friends sitting together for a meal, so please feel free to relax."
Bai Yu nodded slightly upon hearing this, glanced at Kanna and Rangiku beside him who were looking expectant, and smiled, "We are naturally happy to accept Your Majesty's kind invitation."
Robin nodded slightly. It was truly rare to have such a wise monarch. Alabasta had a history spanning thousands of years, so it seemed that the king of this country had a good lineage.
The banquet was held in the courtyard of the palace. As dusk fell, the glass lamps under the eaves lit up one by one, casting a warm yellow glow on the long table covered with a beige carpet. Silver cutlery and fresh desert berries were laid out on the table, and the air was filled with the aroma of stewed dates and roasted desert antelope meat, as well as the sweet scent of chilled jujube juice.
The restaurant has shed its royal grandeur and gained a warm, homey atmosphere.
As soon as Cobra sat down, he whispered an instruction to the servant behind him. A short while later, a series of light footsteps approached from afar, and a small figure carrying a bunch of bougainvillea in full bloom skipped and hopped over.
The girl was wearing a light blue princess dress with delicate sea buckthorn patterns embroidered on the hem. Her long hair was braided into two playful braids, with pale yellow ribbons tied at the ends. Her eyes were like stars in the desert night sky, bright and clear. She was Princess Vivi, who was only six years old.
"Father."
Vivi walked to Kobra's side, first obediently curtsied, then raised her head, her gaze curiously sweeping over Bai Yu and his group. There was no trace of a child's timidity in front of strangers, but rather a confident scrutiny, like a brave fledgling eagle.
Koub stretched out his hand and ruffled his daughter's hair, his tone gentle yet with a hint of pride, as he introduced her to everyone: "Ladies and gentlemen, this is my daughter, Weiwei. Weiwei, please greet Mr. Baiyu and all the ladies."
"Hello Mr. Bai Yu and hello to all the older sisters." Weiwei straightened her small back and bowed respectfully. Her voice was clear and loud. Although her demeanor was still childlike, she had a dignified air about her, not at all like a six-year-old child.
"Don't call me 'sir,' just call me 'brother.'"
Bai Yu was speechless at Cobra's behavior. Why did everyone else call him "sister" while everyone else called him "master"?
Rangiku couldn't help but laugh, reaching out to pick up a date coated in icing sugar from the table and offering it to Vivi: "What a lovely little princess, here, try this."
Vivi didn't take it immediately. Instead, she looked at Cobra first, and only after receiving her father's tacit approval did she reach out and take the date. Her fingertips were slender, and her movements were gentle. After taking it, she bowed decisively to Rangiku: "Thank you, sister."
She then carefully unwrapped the candy, took a small bite, and the sweet taste melted on her tongue. Her eyes curved into crescents, but she did not lose her composure and wolfed it down. She maintained her calm demeanor and then turned her curious gaze to Kanna.
She was very interested in this very cute-looking person of the same age in front of her.
Just then, a slight commotion came from the corner of the courtyard. Two young servants hurried over with a stack of plates. When they reached the table, they tripped over something, their bodies wobbled, and the plates were about to fall to the ground.
Vivi happened to be right in front of the young servants. Instinctively, she placed her small body in front of them, firmly supporting the top plate with both hands, while urgently calling out to the two flustered servants, "Be careful!"
Her voice wasn't loud, but the two servants, who were already flustered, subconsciously calmed down upon hearing Weiwei's voice and slowly placed the plates they were holding on the low table next to them.
One of the attendants turned pale with fright and quickly bowed, apologizing, "Your Highness, we are so sorry, we were so careless."
Another servant lowered his head, his face full of guilt: "It's all our fault. We almost spoiled the food and almost hurt you."
Weiwei didn't blame them at all. Instead, she stepped forward, gently patted the servant's clothes, and said in a gentle tone, "It's okay, you didn't do it on purpose, but you must be careful in the future and don't panic when something happens."
She paused, then looked up, glancing at the two servants, and continued, "If you encounter this situation again, don't panic. If you really can't handle it, just toss it aside. Sometimes the more you rush, the more chaotic things become, and you might end up spilling food on the guests."
As she spoke, she reached out and straightened the wrinkled collar of one of the servants, a small gesture full of genuine concern.
Cobra sat in his seat, quietly watching his daughter's every move, his eyes filled with a smile of satisfaction. Robin also raised an eyebrow slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. This six-year-old princess, when faced with an unexpected situation, rushed forward to resolve the crisis immediately; this courage far surpassed that of children her age.
At the same time, she did not blame the servants who made mistakes. Instead, she cared about their safety first and patiently reminded them of the precautions to take afterward. This empathy and leadership are truly rare.
Robin looked at Vivi and said softly, "Princess Vivi is very brave and kind."
Hearing Robin's praise, Vivi didn't become arrogant. Instead, she turned around, gave everyone a bright smile, and then ran back to Cobra's side. Looking up at her father, she said, "Father, they didn't mean it. Please don't punish them, okay? They already know they were wrong and will be careful in the future."
Cobra smiled and nodded, reaching out to pull his daughter onto his lap, his voice gentle: "Okay, whatever Vivi says."
He looked at everyone, his tone tinged with pride: "This child has been like this since he was little. Even though he is still so young, he always thinks about protecting others. His heart is full of the people of Alabasta."
Weiwei leaned against her father's chest. Hearing this, she raised her head earnestly and said, "Father, I want to be like you in the future, to protect Alabasta and everyone here, so that every child in the desert can have enough to eat and drink clean water."
As she said this, her eyes were incredibly firm, gleaming with the light of idealism.
Judging from her actions, this was not a child's casual remark, but a deep-seated conviction and persistence. She may not yet understand the heavy responsibility behind the word "king," but she has already engraved the word "protection" in her heart.
Bai Yu thought of Uchiha Itachi. In comparison, the weasel was no match for Vivi at all, even after he grew up.
Kanna, chewing on the candy in her hand, tilted her head and looked at Vivi, her little face full of approval: "Vivi is so amazing, Kanna will protect everyone too."
Bai Yu smiled and ruffled Kanna's hair, then looked at Vivi: "Vivi will definitely become a great princess in the future, no, a queen who protects Alabasta."