Noblesse Privilege 12 (Patreon)

Noblesse Privilege
Chapter 12

-VB-

While the brutes and ambitious fought with earthshaking forces, a much more intellectually inclined woman stood inside a cave underneath the palace, writing down the last of the translations.

Robin finished writing down the shorthand translation of the Poneglyph before she snapped her notebook close. “Hmm,” she hummed. This Poneglyph was about some kind of ancient weapon called Pluton and where to find it.

This was something that would not be placed in Crocodile’s hands.

With a swivel, she turned around and left the cave.

She wouldn’t go back to Crocodile’s service, now that she had what she wanted. Besides, Crocodile was not back when he should have already; the only reason why he wasn’t here was either because he was too caught up against a single World Noble’s retinue or even Alabasta’s native warriors or because he lost. Either way, his lack of presence proved that he was not ready to do anything worthy with this information.

It was time for her to leave again. Having a base to come back to was nice, but all things come and go…

-VB-

Luponte stepped away from the main street of Alubarna.

Each of his footsteps left behind ever-fading footprints soaked in blood, and he ignored the awed stares and cheers of the people as he walked away from the piles of dead and dying Baroque Works agents.

He cared for none of this because he was angry with himself.

When the Baroque Works agents came out and started burning the city, he had been ordered to take care of them and the fire. He was hesitant, but he went and obeyed because he expected the warriors of the palace to hold their ground should anything untoward approach it.

Instead, one of the wings of the palace burned, and bogged down in fighting as he had been, he couldn’t leave to help, because, despite his boasts to Crocodile, enough fighters would keep even the water held back.

And then he saw one of the walls of the palace blast away in a move that he was all too familiar with, but this came after the tattletale signs of Crocodile’s sandstorm.

Instead of relief, he only felt even more anger.

What have the fucking palace guards and warriors been doing that his master had to personally take up arms to defend himself?!

By the time the fighting in the streets was over, so was the fight in the palace.

He dread what he would find, and his fear fueled his anger.

“LUPONTE~!”

He froze before he started running.

He made turns and jumps, cleared buildings in a single stride, and landed in front of the palace.

There, looking out of the ruined walls of the blasted palace wing, was his master, sitting on the ground with a grin on his face and waving at him. Palace guards stood around him as did some of the retinues of his lord, but they looked superfluous. On top of that, the sand scattered everywhere also confirmed what happened.

Luponte immediately jumped and landed in the destroyed hallway and knelt.

“Are you alright?”

“Yup,” Geoffrey responded tiredly. “Can’t believe I actually punched out a warlord!” he giggled hysterically.

Luponte sagged. “You idiot.”

“Oi, I’m still your lord!” he whined petulantly before he settled down. “Yeah, it was kind of stupid of me. I even sent the palace guards who were with me away.”

Instinct took over and he slammed down a fist on top of his master’s head. Geoffrey choked and moaned in pain. “Idiot.”

“... yeah.”

“We’re going to up your training.”

“Okay.”

“... Good job. Can’t believe you made a pirate warlord run away with his tail between his legs.”

“I know, right?!”

Luponte paused as he heard footsteps and looked to his left. From the scuffed but mostly untouched parts of the palace, he saw a group of the palace warriors approach with the armored and armed king at the front.

Geoffrey waved casually. “I beat Crocodile!” he cackled.

That brought up everyone short as they arrived at the scene.

“But I’m wiped, so I’m going to sleep now. Later.”

And then his master, who’d been leaning against the walls at this point, dropped his head and fell asleep like a rock.

Luponte reached out and caught him before he slid down.

“... I think it’s best if I took my master back to his grand galleon. I cannot guarantee master’s safety here.”

King Cobra looked stricken by his words but nodded nonetheless. “I understand.”

“I also think master will like it if Vivi could come with us. He does like her, you know, and leaving her here where it’s not safe will make him unhappy, especially after he had to fight off a pirate warlord.”

Again, the hesitation returned but the man nodded.

Though the fires were being put out, there were still many Baroque Works agents and soldiers running around and causing havoc. It was only prudent that the succession of the kingdom had to be secured.

-VB-

When I woke up, it was to the sound of water splashing outside the room. My eyes slid open and I found myself not in the Alabasta Palace but my personal quarters aboard my grand galleon. I sat up.

I felt … fine.

Good, even.

Did I dream it all up? Had the fight with Crocodile been just a dream? Just the dreams of a teenager thinking he could spite the world and win?

…

I closed my eyes as I realized that it was because I couldn’t not be sore after using up everything I had for that last-ditch move. There was just no way.

Everything had been a dream, and I haven’t even met Vivi yet.

Everything sucked.

The sunlight sucked.

I sighed and got up.

Just because everything sucked didn’t mean I could use it as an excuse to not do my part.

I dressed myself and left my room.

The door next to my quarter opened?

Huh?

But no one used that. Luponte used the quarter across from my quarter.

My eyes widened as I saw a blue-haired lady walk out.

“Oh, you’re awake!” Princess Nefertari Vivi smiled earnestly as she walked up to me. “I knew I could count on our healers to help you!”

“I- Uh, hi- healers?”

Maybe it wasn’t a dream?

Uh. Shit, what do I say in this situation?

“Hi!”

… Way to go me.

She giggled instead of laughing at me. “Let’s go eat. I want to know what kind of food you have your servants serve on your ship.”

It’s a date!