<h4>Chapter 122: Huh? The "Second Sister-inw" Bes the Sister-inw?</h4>


    Inside udius'' pce in Mariejois, udius was staring at the little girl standing before him with an expression of surprise.


    After dealing with the mess involving Charros, udius had decided he''d had enough of the ve market and returned directly to his pce, apanied by his "trophies" and the newly purchased Hancock and her sisters.


    As for Charlos, the expected retaliation never came. It seemed even his father, Saint Rosward, had epted the reality of the situation. Facing udius'' wrath again was not worth the trouble, and thest thing Rosward wanted was for udius to go on another rampage.


    udius hadn''t given it much thought. What was a Celestial Dragon anyway? Just another obstacle to kick out of his way.


    After returning, he had instructed Nia to have the newly acquired subordinates cleaned up. They were filthy after their ordeal and needed fresh clothes and care. The four young children he had picked up were the first to be attended to, as they required less time and attention. Most of them were simply regr kids, but one of them stood out to udius.


    The little girl standing in front of him was unexpectedly familiar. At first, udius hadn''t noticed anything unusual; she looked just like an ordinary, albeit unusually cute, little girl. But as he questioned her, udius began to realize why she was different.


    This girl''s name was Ko. It might not have meant much by itself—names repeated often enough across the world but the fact that she was captured and sold from an ind called Foolshout Ind made udius take a closer look.


    "What''s with today? It''s like the ve market is full of hidden treasures," udius thought, mildly amused.


    First, he had stumbled upon Fisher Tiger, locked up in a cage, then the Boa sisters. Not long after, he had encountered the tragic couple, Tesoro and Ste. Now, while looking for a few ymates for Ace, he had unintentionally discovered Ko.


    If udius'' memory was correct, this Ko would grow up to be an important figure in the Revolutionary Army, known affectionately as "The Second Sister."


    Ko, at this moment, didn''t bear the same hardened, resolute demeanor she woulde to have after being rescued by Fisher Tiger in the future. But she was visibly nervous, which was hardly surprising given her situation. udius could only imagine the darkness she must have endured to end up here.


    "I really have found another gem," udius thought, a smile ying on his lips.


    In the future, Ko would be known for her incredible skills, even learning fish-man karate, which spoke to her talent and adaptability. udius figured that if she could master that, then with the right training, she would pick up other forms of martial arts, like the Rokushiki, with ease. She might not be far behind Rob Li, another talented young protégé of udius'' who was currently training under Spandine.


    Returning his attention to Ko, udius considered her future potential. She wasn''t just skilled inbat; she had an impable knack for organization and reliability. In the Revolutionary Army, she was known for her uncanny ability to manage tasks so efficiently that Sabo would often joke about having nothing left to order her to do because she had already done it.


    This made udius smile inwardly. Ace, although young, was showing signs of being highly capable, but there was still that spark of "wildness" in him. Even as a baby, Ace had shown a rambunctious side. He wasn''t one to y quietly with plush toys but had an immediate interest in toy swords and guns.


    Ace was now three or four years old and was polite and well-mannered, but udius could still see the fire in his eyes. He had always thought about finding someone toplement Ace''s strengths and cover his weaknesses, someone who could be a trusted ally. Until now, no one had seemed suitable. But Ko might be the answer.


    "If they grow up and develop feelings for each other, and end up as a pair, that would be perfect," udius mused, smiling to himself. Then he paused as the thought took root, realizing the implication. If Ko ended up with Ace, that would mean the "Second Sister" would be the "Sister-inw."


    udius burst outughing at the thought.


    Startled, Ko took a nervous step back before realizing what she had done and hurriedly stepped forward again, eyes fixed on the floor.


    "Ko, isn''t it?" udius said, his voice softening. "There''s no need to be afraid. I''m not going to hurt you. This ce is your home now, so rx. From today onward, you''re no longer a ve. Let''s see... you can think of me as your godfather."


    Of course, udius meant this in a strictly paternal sense, not in any dubious way. From this day forward, Ko would be under his protection. As for the Revolutionary Army and whatever influence Dragon might have, udius didn''t care. If Dragon couldn''t grow the Revolutionary Army without Ko, that was on him.


    As for Sabo, well, if he found himself without a partner because of this twist of fate, it was just as well that Ace gained a valuablepanion. udius felt no guilt over it.


    Ko stayed silent, the nervousness still etched on her face despite udius''s attempts to reassure her. After a few more moments offorting words, he dismissed her to rest.


    With that taken care of, udius stepped into the courtyard for a walk. Nia followed closely behind, ready for whatever task might be needed.


    "It''s customary to mark them, isn''t it?" udius remarked.


    "Yes, Your Highness," Nia replied. "The three sisters, Tesoro, and Ste already bear the mark of the Celestial Dragon''s hoof. It''s themon branding, of course."


    udius touched his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm... Ko will have to bear a mark as well. But branding is too cruel. Let''s use a tattoo instead. Something elegant that symbolizes she''s under my protection."


    Nia''s lips curved in a small smile. "She might not understand the significance now, but when she grows up, she''ll know what an honor it is."


    udius nodded. "And as for the others, have the hoof of the Celestial Dragon covered with the crest of the Donquixote family. It''s time they bore my name instead of that symbol of oppression."


    "Yes, Your Highness," Nia replied, already mentally arranging the task ahead.


    ***


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