Qiuqa put together 10 key points after reading manga One Piece Chapter 1185.

1. The Squire

Leuven informed Candle that from now on, Brook would serve as her squire. He also asked Candle to teach Brook proper etiquette, speech, and other royal manners. Candle agreed.

Afterward, Brook trailed behind Candle into the palace. Along the way, he couldn’t stop ogling the women around them, rating them one by one with remarks like, “You’re pretty, you’re ugly, you’re pretty.”

Even so, Brook then turned to Candle and flattered her: “Still, the prettiest of them all is you.”

Unexpectedly, Brook then approached several of the women and brazenly asked for permission to see their panties. Furious, Candle immediately reprimanded Brook for his indecent behavior.

2. The Man Candle Likes

Time passed. Brook now attended the elite music academy he had once only peered at through the window.

Upon arriving at the school to pick him up, Candle, having heard complaints from teachers and students, scolded the boy for not wearing his uniform like the other children.

Brook replied casually, “If I bow too much to school rules, I might lose my touch for creating good music! Besides, the only uniform I ever want to wear someday is a royal guard’s!”

After school, Brook’s schedule continued with sword training under Candle’s tutelage, ensuring he would grow into a formidable knight.

During a break, Brook suddenly asked, “Lady Candle, is there a man you like?”

Candle offered a faint smile, staring ahead. “There is, but he is very hard to reach. That is why I continue to hone my swordsmanship, so I can always be worthy of standing by his side.”

Hearing this, Brook—who spent every single day with her—confidently assumed she was talking about him.

“It’s obviously not you!” Candle snapped, instantly shattering his expectations.

Finishing their training and preparing to head home, Brook acted up again. With a perfectly innocent face, he asked, “In that case, would Lady Candle kindly show me her panties?”

Without hesitation, Candle beat Brook to the ground right then and there.

3. The Incident in Esperia

Brook’s childhood flashback ended, returning the story to the present day, where he and Princess Shuri were relaxing in the garden.

Brook recounted a past event to Shuri, detailing a time when a World Government ship had docked in Esperia. Its arrival had thrown the entire nation into sheer chaos. It was the first time Esperia’s citizens had ever seen the Celestial Dragons in person—figures who carried a deeply intimidating presence.

“After that incident, Lady Candle suffered such severe physical and mental exhaustion that she was bedridden for months,” Brook recalled somberly. “Looking back, a truly grim atmosphere blanketed the entire country at that time.”

However, once that difficult period passed, incredible news swept through Esperia. Leuven—beloved by all his people—finally ascended the throne, transforming from a prince to the King of Esperia. Simultaneously, King Leuven announced his marriage to Lady Candle.

In an instant, the lingering gloom vanished. The entire nation became a stage of vibrant celebration, overflowing with music and joy.

“Until finally, you were born, Princess Shuri,” Brook said, gazing warmly at the princess. “Your birth brought even greater happiness to this land.”

4. Brook is Willing to Die

Brook then told Princess Shuri how deeply he cared for her parents. Having saved his life in the past, they had become so precious to him that he would gladly sacrifice his life for them.

Hearing this, Princess Shuri replied, “You’re always talking about my parents. What if I were the one in danger?”

Without hesitation, Brook answered that he would give his life for her, too. Seeing the princess still pouting, Brook offered her a piece of candy, which instantly brightened her mood.

5. A Song for Princess Shuri

Brook then introduced a song to Princess Shuri titled “Leave Me Be.” He felt the song would be perfect for her to listen to if she ever wished to live independently. The lyrics were drawn from a regional dialect originating from the Kamigata Nation in the western regions.

As Brook sang, memories of their time together flooded back. He remembered running to shield her with an umbrella in the rain, measuring her ever-growing height, and Shuri mischievously scaring him with a ghost doll.

Even the memory of Brook lying sick in bed resurfaced. Back then, Candle had patiently taught Shuri how to cook for him. And when the meal was finally served, Brook devoured it eagerly—he absolutely loved the princess’s first homemade dish.

6. The Mysterious Fog

When Princess Shuri was fifteen, a mysterious disaster struck the Country of Music. A thick fog blanketed the nation, slowly morphing into toxic smoke that lingered for six full months.

The smoke corroded every musical instrument. The melodies that usually filled every corner of the land vanished, replaced by the continuous chorus of coughing citizens. Tens of thousands suffered from lung disease, while hundreds more lost their lives.

Amidst the despair, Queen Candle tried to soothe her people. She assured them that the disaster would pass and Esperia would return to its former glory.

Tragically, shortly after the toxic fog finally dissipated, Queen Candle passed away from inhaling too much poison during the crisis. Her passing left an unimaginably deep wound. Brook, Princess Shuri, and King Leuven were utterly consumed by grief. All three wept hysterically before Candle’s grave during her funeral.

7. Brook’s Dream

After drilling Princess Shuri in swordsmanship, Brook remarked that there were times her movements left him in awe, as if the girl could see into the future.

Shuri chuckled, replying, “I want to be as strong as my late mother.”

Brook firmly believed she would one day rival Queen Candle’s strength. However, he doubted King Leuven would ever allow the princess to fight on the front lines. Brook also suspected something was heavily weighing on the King’s mind—a burden neither he nor the princess could ease. Even so, Brook promised to remain fiercely loyal to the king.

“Didn’t you want to become a pirate?” Shuri asked.

Brook answered that his top priority right now was repaying his debt of gratitude. As for his dream, it could wait.

Hearing this, Princess Shuri asked him to take her along when the time came. Brook firmly declared that he would never allow a princess to become a pirate.

8. Heavenly Tribute

Palace officials reported to King Leuven that Esperia’s economy had collapsed, leaving the kingdom unable to pay the Heavenly Tribute to the World Government.

In response, King Leuven decisively declared his defiance. He announced to his soldiers that they would go to war against the World Government.

The declaration instantly sent shockwaves throughout the kingdom. When asked for his reasoning, King Leuven explained that he refused the tribute’s alternative condition: handing over a hundred of his citizens as slaves. To him, surrendering his people to be slaves in the Holy Land was no different than sending them to their deaths.

Elsewhere, anxious citizens sought out Brook, the Commander of the Royal Guard. They frantically asked, “Is the history of Esperia about to end?”

Their fears were well-founded. Any nation unaffiliated with the World Government would be deemed a lawless wasteland—just like the rumors of a country in the West Blue that had recently been wiped off the map.

“Will they strip us of everything we have?” the desperate people asked.

In response, Brook plucked his guitar strings and sang a song. The meaning of the lyrics playfully jabbed at their sorrow: didn’t they already have nothing left to lose? Hearing Brook’s honest yet comforting lyrics, the citizens burst into laughter, admitting he was entirely right.

9. The War Begins

Two months later, a fleet of Marine ships dropped anchor at Esperia. Brook immediately readied his sword, preparing to intercept the forces storming the shores.

“This country may sit at the edge of the map, but its name will not vanish so easily!” Brook declared fiercely. In a flash, several Marines were sent flying, cut down by a single, lightning-fast slash.

Brook sprinted relentlessly toward the castle. As he slashed through enemies blocking his path, his eyes swept over the tragic landscape. The garden where he used to play with Princess Shuri had been engulfed in flames. The junkyard, too—the historic spot where he and King Leuven first met—had been completely reduced to ashes.

10. Princess Shuri Eliminates King Leuven

Arriving at the entrance to the throne room, Brook’s steps were halted by a soldier’s panicked scream from inside: “Your Majesty! Princess Shuri!”

Stepping inside, Brook jolted in shock. He found King Leuven dead, collapsed face-down on the floor. Standing tall right in front of the King’s corpse was Princess Shuri, gripping a blade.

With a vicious face and a wicked glare, Shuri spoke: “With this, the war will end, Brook. You must be happy, right?”

Brook could only stand there frozen, staring at the princess.

Yet, looking more closely, there was a glaring anomaly. Both King Leuven’s corpse and Princess Shuri now possessed horns and wings. These physical traits closely mirrored the victims of Domi Reversi, a terrifying technique used by Imu to warp humans into demonic foot soldiers, binding them entirely to his will.

Furthermore, there was an even more suspicious detail. Not far from where King Leuven had fallen stood a towering figure puffing on a cigar, clad in the uniform of the Holy Knights. And right beside him clearly stood Gorosei Saint Marcus Mars, transformed into his monstrous Itsumade form.