One Piece: The Archangel's Guide

Chapter 14: Canaan's Request

Following Louis's explanation, Shanks also explained the abilities of Devil Fruits to Yelena in detail. Shanks's crewmates sincerely marveled at Yelena's good fortune.

However, Yelena's next words made them all fall silent. "I found this among the fruits and vegetables you gave us."

"..."

The members of the Red Hair Pirates looked at each other, wanting to speak but holding back.

Finally, after a moment of silence, Shanks spoke with a smile. "We don't have any Devil Fruits on our ship..."

"Perhaps the previous user of this Devil Fruit died, and it just happened to be reborn in the basket of fruits and vegetables we brought!"

Yelena raised an eyebrow. To be honest, she didn't understand what he meant. Then, she held out the fruit towards Shanks and said, "You should take back something so magical and precious!"

However, the Red Hair Pirates all smiled and waved their hands. "There's an unwritten rule among those who sail the seas," they said. "Whoever finds a Devil Fruit gets to decide what to do with it."

"Since you found this fruit, Yelena, it belongs to you!"

Shanks nodded in full agreement, gently pushing the fruit back towards her. "You should keep it for yourself, Yelena!"

"Besides, our whole crew has decided not to eat Devil Fruits!"

Yelena looked at the fruit in her hands, then at the sincere smiles of the Red Hair crew, feeling a bit at a loss.

Louis, on the other hand, had a contemplative look. If he remembered correctly, the Five Elders in the original story had mentioned that Zoan-type Devil Fruits possess a will of their own. There were also theories online that some Devil Fruits choose their own masters. But the Five Elders had seemed to imply that only the Nika Fruit actively evaded the World Government and chose its user.

So, in this situation, was Yelena just lucky, or had the fruit chosen her?

In the end, Louis's thoughts led nowhere, and he gave up.

However, Yelena then did something that no one expected. Under everyone's watchful eyes, she walked over to Louis and once again offered him the Devil Fruit.

Louis stared at the Devil Fruit shoved into his line of sight, his face a canvas of question marks. "What are you doing?"

"It's for you," Yelena said, her red eyes meeting Louis's, her chapped lips moving slightly. The cold wind swept a few strands of her white hair across her sallow but gently smiling face. Anyone could see how serious she was.

Louis was stunned on the spot, subconsciously repeating her word. "For me?"

"Yes. I want to give it to you."

"..."

Nearby, the scattered villagers instantly shed their listless expressions. They grabbed their family members and gathered around for a better view.

Seeing that Louis was silent, Yelena added, "If you hadn't intervened in that war the other day, I and all my subjects would have died. The women and children living on this plateau would have been found and killed."

After the Jacobites poisoned the river, Yelena understood that even if she had dragged their king down with her, her subjects would have stood no chance against those despicable people. In other words, if not for Louis, Canaan would have truly been wiped out.

"Therefore, I want to give this fruit to you."

Nearby, the crowd of villagers who had gathered looked crestfallen, as if they were disappointed. They exchanged glances. Clearly, this was not the show they had been hoping to see.

Louis took a deep breath and also pushed the fruit back. "Someone who has already eaten a Devil Fruit cannot eat a second one," he said.

Yelena's smile turned to confusion. She looked at Shanks for confirmation. Only after he nodded, confirming Louis's words were true, did she awkwardly lower her hand.

The bonfire burned, sending sparks rising with the heat, twinkling like stars. The orange glow stretched their shadows long across the ground. Amidst the crackling sounds, Louis looked at the fruit in her hand and suggested, "I think it would be best if you ate this fruit yourself."

Yelena shook her head. "I'm about to die. It would be a waste to eat a Devil Fruit."

She had already decided that, late at night, she would launch a solo raid on the town below and kill as many Jacobites as possible. Although a Devil Fruit ability could enhance her strength, it would be too much of a waste to die along with her. So, she had intended to give the fruit to Louis and ask him to help move her people away from this island.

To this, Louis said thoughtfully, "Not necessarily. Zoan-type Devil Fruits can enhance a person's physique. It might be able to alleviate your illness."

Just then, Shanks straightened his straw hat, put an arm around Hongo, and slowly walked forward, chiming in with a smile, "Don't worry, Hongo can definitely cure your disease!"

"Right, Hongo?!"

Shanks's words were filled with trust in his crewmate, believing Yelena's illness was a small matter for Hongo.

Hearing this, Hongo's tone also changed from his earlier cautiousness. He nodded with a calm expression and said, "Leave it to me!"

Yelena was stunned speechless. Ever since she learned that even Louis's magical ability had no effect on her disease, she had lost all hope of survival. She never imagined that she might now have a chance to live on and continue protecting her subjects.

Before Yelena could react, the people who had been sheltered and supported by the Canaan royal family for generations could no longer sit still. They surged toward Hongo like a tide, their faces full of pleading, tears glistening in their eyes.

"Please, I beg you, save Her Majesty!"

"She's not even fifteen years old! She shouldn't have to die like this!"

Thud...

Someone in the crowd knelt. A second followed, then a third.

Soon, all two hundred remaining survivors of the Canaan Kingdom were kneeling before Hongo and the Red Hair Pirates.

For a moment, even the Red Hair crew was stunned.

Yelena snapped back to her senses and rushed forward to pull her subjects up. The Red Hair crew also recovered from their shock and joined in, helping the kneeling people to their feet.

"What are you doing? Get up!" Yelena was afraid of hurting her subjects, so she didn't dare use much force. Seeing that her words had no effect, she shed her usual gentle demeanor and feigned anger. "Are you not even listening to me anymore?"

"Or have you decided you no longer recognize me as the last monarch of Canaan!"

At her words, the crowd flinched and fell silent, but they remained kneeling.

After a long time, someone turned their head and said in a hoarse voice, "Your Majesty Yelena, we have all witnessed the kindness of the Canaan royal family."

"If not for the generations of kings who protected us with their lives and traded their health for the food that kept us alive, we would have died long ago!"

"Ever since we were driven to the plateau, not a single king or queen of the royal family has died a peaceful death. Now that you have a chance to live, how could we possibly be willing to miss it?"