[~1250 words]
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James chuckled softly, teasing Rebecca with a mischievous grin. "You're so obedient, Rebecca. I can't help but want to eat you up right now."
"Eh!? Eat me!?" Rebecca's innocent mind clearly didn't understand the double meaning.
James didn't explain. He took one last deep breath of her unique, sweet fragrance, then gently lifted her off his lap.
"Let's go. I'll take you back to my country for something delicious."
Dressrosa was still in ruins, and the palace was no exception. It wasn't the right time for a grand feast just yet. It would take a few more days to restore everything to its former glory.
"What about Soldier Mr.? Can I still see him?"
Even amid all the changes James had brought into her life, Rebecca still thought of Kyros, the one who had raised her.
"Of course you can," James replied warmly.
He thought for a moment, then took out a Thunder Token and a Tone Dial.
"Here~ This is a Tone Dial. You can record a message for him."
"Just tell him you're going to become a princess under Dressrosa's new ruler and that he doesn't need to worry. He can take the Thunder Token I left and go to the palace to find work."
Rebecca was touched by how thoughtfully he had arranged everything. She took the items and placed the Thunder Token on the table in front of Kyros. Then she gently recorded her message into the Tone Dial before setting it down beside the token.
After that, Rebecca asked to visit Scarlett's grave to pay her respects. James readily agreed, wrapping an arm around her waist and flying into the sky with her.
Guided by Rebecca, they soon reached the grave. They hadn't brought any offerings, but flowers bloomed everywhere around them. They picked a few and laid them down respectfully.
After a quiet moment of tears, James reluctantly took Rebecca back to the Divine Palace.
Nami and Robin had already returned. The moment they saw James bringing back yet another beautiful young woman, they immediately surrounded him, pulling at his arms and bombarding him with questions.
Violet, Sugar, and Baby-5 were still in Dressrosa's palace. Without James's explicit order, Nami and the others hadn't dared bring them up to the sky—especially with the dangerous Sugar around. This conveniently avoided an early, potentially awkward meeting between Rebecca and Violet.
After everyone got acquainted, James and Rebecca joined the God Consorts for dinner in the main hall.
Midway through the meal, James reached into his embrace and gently took out Mansherry, waking her up.
"Is this the Tontatta Tribe?"
All the women stared curiously at the tiny princess in James's hand. Since he had brought her here, it was obvious what her future role would be.
Even the giant beauties like Shirahoshi and Shyarly had been welcomed into the family. For the delicate, doll-like Mansherry, the women were mostly just wondering:
*Exactly how was James planning to marry someone so small?*
"Woo~ So tired~" Mansherry woke up slowly. Once she realized where she was, she shyly clung to James's thumb and refused to let go.
"Don't be afraid, Mansherry," James said gently. "They're all very nice. They're all my wives."
"Nani!?" Mansherry blinked in surprise, then nodded as if she had figured it out herself.
"That makes sense. A great benefactor like you should have many wives."
She then looked around at the women with open curiosity. At the same time, her tiny stomach let out a loud rumble.
Nami smiled knowingly and picked up a piece of cake, bringing it to Mansherry's mouth.
"You must be hungry. Eat something first, and we can chat afterward~"
Mansherry was instantly charmed by Nami's warm smile. She greeted everyone happily before starting to eat the large cake in small, adorable bites right in front of James.
"Oh, right—Nojiko, help massage her little nose~" James gave Nojiko a meaningful look.
"Okay~ Leave it to me~"
Nojiko accepted cheerfully. Under Mansherry's confused gaze, she gently stroked the tiny princess's face with a hand infused with the power of the Slip-Slip Fruit.
One breath later, Mansherry's face became flawlessly smooth and sparkling.
"Done~ You know, she really does look like a delicate porcelain doll now," Nojiko said proudly.
All the women leaned in curiously to admire the result, secretly praising how skilled Nojiko had become with her Devil Fruit.
"Eh? What happened?" Mansherry touched her face, completely unaware of the change.
As expected from the Tontatta Tribe—they could be a bit slow to notice these things. If no one said anything, who knows how long it would have taken her to realize!
"It's nothing. Just keep eating~" James said with a smile.
Mansherry patted her little stomach and continued nibbling happily at the oversized cake.
After everyone had eaten their fill, Mansherry and Rebecca grew much more comfortable with the other women.
However, even after the meal, the weakness in Mansherry's body still hadn't faded.
James knew he couldn't let her suffer any longer. He asked the women to take good care of Rebecca, then took Mansherry with him to a private palace chamber.
Mansherry followed along obediently the entire way, having no idea what was about to happen.
Once he placed her gently on the soft couch in the inner hall, James began his grand performance:
"Mansherry, do you feel very weak right now?"
"Yes~ What's wrong with me?" Mansherry stared at him with her big, innocent eyes.
If an ordinary person saw her like this, they would probably feel overwhelming guilt.
"This symptom appeared after you lost your Devil Fruit. I need to treat you so you can return to normal."
"Is that so…? Then please help me with the treatment~"
"Of course. But the treatment method is a bit special, and you'll need to cooperate fully."
"Also… you'll need to agree to become my Divine Concubine first. Otherwise, it wouldn't be appropriate for me to treat you."
James's expression showed just the right mix of hesitation, struggle, and reluctance—as if he had no other choice. His acting skills were truly Oscar-worthy. It was a shame he didn't pursue a career in movies.
"Ah? Divine Concubine?"
Mansherry didn't quite understand, so James patiently explained:
"It's like those big sisters you just met. You'd become my wife."
"Eh!? I… Can I really become the Great Benefactor's wife?"
Mansherry's focus seemed slightly off from what James expected, but that didn't matter.
"Yes, you can. This isn't just about saving you—it's about saving me too."
"When I took your ability, I suffered some internal injuries. I need your help to heal them…"
As he spoke, James clutched his lower abdomen, pretending that was where the pain was.
"Mansherry, are you willing to become my Divine Concubine? For both our sakes, so we can heal our injuries?"
"Yes! To heal the Great Benefactor, of course I'm willing!"
Mansherry's eyes were incredibly firm. To her, this seemed like a great honor.
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