Downstream of the river, a group of pirates fished them out of the river. From their dripping wet appearance, it was evident that they had just swum up from the river not long ago.
“I knew these guys couldn’t succeed. Wasn’t I right?”
They were the people Perona had mentioned just now, all subjected to the same treatment—first being roughed up by Hollow, then thrown directly into the river by Bewear.
They should thank Bewear for now being able to expertly control its strength in order to take care of the kids. Otherwise, that bear hug could have easily shattered their ribs.
The wedding had ended, yet not entirely. This was only the first ceremony; two more wedding ceremonies were to follow, each of a different nature.
The wedding on Zou Island is meant to inform the entire tribe about the matter, while the wedding on the outer island was a symbolic display of reputation. Wealth and prosperity are meant to be flaunted, and sometimes, announcing something to the outside world is also a way to showcase one’s power.
However, the venue on the outer island was not as exquisite as on Onigashima, and there’s no need to repeat the vows that have already been exchanged. The wedding on the outer island was more of a social event and a showcase of prowess.
Although everyone was formally congratulating the newlyweds, they were also discussing a lot of business matters in private.
“Why didn’t I know Queen could talk so much nonsense?”
Watching Queen give a speech on stage, Setsuna’s face twitched a few times, and she was struggling to hold up her business smile.
Due to the need to discuss some matters, Queen once again took on the role of the host. However, he was not as brief as before, and he took the art of speaking nonsense to the extreme.
First, he praised Kaido and Arceus, then boasted about the Beasts Pirates, showed off a bit, and only afterward agreed to discuss proper business with others.
Sometimes it’s not a deliberate attempt to make him shoulder the blame; rather, his current lines easily shift the blame onto himself.
“Maybe he’s been holding back for too long. Don’t mind him; it won’t last much longer.”
Minks were not commonly seen in the outer sea, let alone Mink’s weddings, but those who came here did not show any malicious intentions.
Receiving invitations and attending indicated that their forces were close to the Beasts Pirates. Nobody wanted to stir up trouble at this time.
“Sister Setsuna! You really got married?”
While Setsuna and Zeraora were whispering to each other, shouts of excitement were heard from outside.
“Pekoms? What are you doing here?”
Setsuna immediately recognized Pekoms; this was part of Hitsugisukan’s training for her. Hitsugisukan believed Setsuna could succeed him as the duke of Zou Island, and as the duke, she should at least know all the citizens.
So, whenever Setsuna returned, Hitsugisukan would introduce her to unfamiliar citizens. However, among the duke of Zou Island, only Hitsugisukan has managed to achieve this, so Setsuna did not inherit this talent.
However, she still remembered some key figures, like the captain of the Musketeer Squad, Doctor Miyagi and others. She remembered Pekoms because his distinctive bean-shaped eyes were too obvious.
As a Lion Mink, those eyes did not match his species at all, making him look nothing like a lion.
So, later on, Setsuna brought him a pair of sunglasses. Pekoms also liked the item that could shield the eyes, but he lost it during the previous shipwreck.
“I followed Big Brother Pedro and went out to sea, and then…”
Pekoms briefly explained his situation and current experiences. While he explained, several chess soldiers and chefs entered, carrying a massive wedding cake.
“Long time no see, both of you. This is a gift from Mama.”
Charlotte Moscato, accompanied by Charlotte Broyé and Charlotte Melise, walked in. They had met during the tea party, establishing a bit of acquaintance.
Meanwhile, some people were slightly surprised on seeing them appear. This was a pirate wedding, and Marines wouldn’t openly appear here. However, they would send intelligence agents to infiltrate.
Kaido, Charlotte Linlin, and Edward Newgate, the three most notorious pirates on the seas, were remnants of Rocks Pirates. Even if they didn’t show up personally, the interactions between their subordinates would make some people nervous.
Their infiltration was to ensure this wasn’t an overt meeting to form an alliance. If something of that sort occurs without them having received any intel, it could lead to significant trouble.
“That’s Moscato, Minister of Gelato. Are these two pirate crews really just business associates?”
Apart from these individuals, there were also representatives from various Underworld factions. Some had only heard about the relationship between the Beasts Pirates and Big Mom. It was already quite rare for Charlotte Linlin to send a normal gift, let alone send her children to personally congratulate.
Even though Moscato’s status wasn’t as high as Katakuri and Cracker, he was still Charlotte Linlin’s son and an important member of her crew. Living in the New World, they couldn’t be ignorant of these matters.
The business wedding lasted quite a while, and most of the time was spent boasting. After finishing affairs here, Zeraora took Setsuna to Zou Island.
This time, Queen didn’t accompany them. The ceremony on Zou Island didn’t require Queen to act as the emcee, so it was better to leave him here to continue boasting.
The real important event was happening at Setsuna’s hometown. Although it is impossible to make Zou Island as grand as Onigashima, it had its unique wild charm.
Using the Den Den Mushi for communication, Zou Island had also finalized the arrangements for the wedding. Moreover, other members, such as Pedro, who were returning to Zou Island, also received the news of Pekoms being safe.
However, Pekoms didn’t plan to return to Zou Island. As a member of Big Mom Pirates, he went back to Whole Cake Island. He had participated in one of the three weddings so as to entrust Setsuna to convey the news of his safety to his parents. He was worried that if he saw his parents, he wouldn’t be able to leave Zou Island.
Moreover, he sneaked away from Zou Island with Pedro at such a young age. If he just went back like this, he would definitely be scolded.
The ones heading to Zou Island were not only Zeraora and Setsuna but also the new generation of the Beasts Pirates led by Arceus. On one hand, he was going there in the role of the groom’s parent, and on the other hand, Yamato and others wanted to see what Zou Island, the country on the back of the elephant, was like.
Hachi and Rin had Vivre Cards that could take them back to Zou Island, so several Millennial Dragons flew towards Zou Island. While having the ability to fly is a personal matter, it is a matter of status when one has a flying mount. Otherwise, some people wouldn’t bother searching for mounts.
The flying journey was quick, but as they approached Zou Island, Arceus heard a muffled sound in his ear.
“So tired. It’s been so many years, is there anyone who can let me take a rest?”
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