Standing at the restaurant's entrance, watching the warship sail away, Zeff's eyes showed a trace of reluctance.
The chefs behind him, including Patty, were all downcast, with Patty and Carne silently wiping tears because Sanji had been taken away by Garp.
"Perhaps this is the best outcome for Sanji!"
Sensing the low spirits of those behind him, Zeff withdrew his gaze and said softly.
"The Grand Line has now completely entered the Marine era. Becoming a Marine will be his wisest choice. You should be happy for him!"
After speaking, Zeff didn't linger any longer, turning and walking back into the restaurant.
As a former great pirate who had ventured into the Grand Line, if not for having witnessed everything happening recently in the East Blue through newspapers and his own eyes, even the legendary Vice Admiral Garp's personal visit wouldn't have made him easily let Sanji go.
Because before Orion became Fleet Admiral through a military coup, the so-called justice of the Marines seemed to him like selling dog meat under the label of mutton—utterly hypocritical.
Especially the Marines in the East Blue, who had caused plenty of trouble for the common folk over the years.
Not to mention distant examples, just considering those Marines who frequented the Baratie—each one arrogant and domineering, looking down on everyone because of their Marine status.
But ever since Orion became Fleet Admiral, the Marines had not only undergone major internal reforms but had completely broken free from the supremacy of the Celestial Dragons, becoming a true force that carried out justice to the end.
Under such circumstances, if he continued to hold onto his previous mindset, it wouldn't just be Sanji being taken away—the sea restaurant he painstakingly built, along with people like Patty and Carne, would completely disappear.
...
Aboard the warship that had sailed away from the sea restaurant's waters, Garp was in an exceptionally good mood after successfully bringing all the East Blue kids on the list onto the warship.
He and Luffy were fighting over food brought from the sea restaurant on the deck, and whenever Garp couldn't win the struggle, he'd deliver a "Love Punch" that made Luffy howl in pain.
Witnessing Luffy's plight, Zoro, Ace, and Sanji maintained a tacit distance, terrified that Garp's fist might land on their heads too.
Usopp was no exception, trembling as he followed behind the three, hoping to huddle together for comfort.
The only one unaffected was Nami, who wouldn't indulge the grandfather-grandson duo.
Driven nearly mad by Luffy's screams, she stormed out of the cabin angrily, smacked Luffy on the head, then dragged him over and tossed him at Ace and the others' feet.
"Nami, why are you hitting me too?!"
Luffy, with a mushroom-shaped bump now also on his head from Nami's blow, glared resentfully at the she-devil and complained.
"Grandpa's the one stealing my food! You should be helping me!"
"Your food?!"
Nami planted her hands on her hips, eyes wide and scolded him loudly.
"This food belongs to everyone! If you eat it all, what will the rest of us have?"
"And you!"
Before Luffy could respond, Nami immediately turned to glare at Garp.
"And you! At your age, still fighting with us over food? When we get back to Marine Headquarters, I'm definitely reporting you to the Fleet Admiral!"
"Ahahaha, don't be so fierce, Nami."
Garp laughed heartily, pulling out a few crumpled Berries from his pocket and handing them to Nami.
"As long as you don't report me, these Berries are yours!"
"Really?"
Nami's eyes instantly lit up.
Unable to resist treasures and money, she transformed from a she-devil into a money-grubber in seconds, snatching the Berries before excitedly turning to run back into the cabin to find a hiding place.
Watching this scene, Nojiko—the most emotionally stable person on the warship—shook her head with a quiet chuckle.
Then, gathering her courage, she moved her small stool to sit opposite Garp and cautiously asked.
"Garp-san, could you tell me some stories about Fleet Admiral Orion? Ever since the Marines, led by Fleet Admiral Orion entered the East Blue and briefly stopped at Cocoyashi Village, Nami has been talking nonstop about wanting to join the Marines. Now that Fleet Admiral Orion has asked you to bring us to headquarters to report in, I'd like to learn more about him."
"Stories about Fleet Admiral Orion?"
Garp picked up a rice cracker and tossed it into his mouth, shaking his head.
"That's not something that can be covered in just a few sentences. But don't worry too much—Orion is the friendliest toward new recruits. He once served as an instructor at headquarters for a while, and to this day, every recruit he trained still fondly remembers their time in basic training."
Although he said this, Garp's eyes suddenly took on a sympathetic look.
Compared to other instructors at headquarters, Orion was the most unique existence.
Because Orion's method of training new recruits was completely different from everyone else's.
Other instructors didn't practice collective punishment—if someone made a mistake or fell behind in training, only that person would be punished.
But when it came to Orion, things like punishing the entire group for one person's mistake were just child's play.
His methods for tormenting new recruits were endlessly inventive.
Many times, he wanted to crack open Orion's head to see what was inside.
He could almost foresee how these youngsters around him would be tormented at Marine Headquarters.
Luffy, having undergone his devilish training, should be able to adapt.
As for the other kids, they were in for a world of suffering.
...
...
Holy Land, Flower Chamber.
Sengoku, Zephyr, Saturn, Warcury, and Nusjuro stood in a row outside the Flower Chamber pavilion, heads drooping, cold sweat beading on their foreheads.
Figarland Garling, standing opposite them, maintained a ramrod straight posture with an impassive expression, but secretly, cold sweat was also trickling down his back.
The reason the Gorosei, the highest authority of the World Government, and Garling, the candidate Gorosei, were reacting this way wasn't because Imu was reprimanding them again.
Rather, it was because Aqua was swinging a hoe, digging away in the Flower Chamber, turning Imu's favorite flower field—where she often lingered—into a complete mess.
The sight made their hearts pound with anxiety.
"She is Aqua, my adopted daughter."
Imu, seated gracefully in the pavilion, slightly raised her hand, her crimson lips beneath the mask parting as she spoke.
"From now on, she is the most noble princess of the Holy Land and your young mistress. I called you here not only to announce her identity but also to assign one of you each day to come to the Flower Chamber and impart everything you have learned to Aqua."
Saturn, Warcury, Nusjuro and Garling almost simultaneously bowed and said in unison.
"We obey!"
Although Sengoku and Zephyr reacted a bit slower, they already knew Aqua's identity and naturally wouldn't hold back.
Their slightly delayed reaction was entirely because, knowing that Aqua was Orion's adopted daughter, they never expected Imu to also adopt Aqua and directly declare her the most noble princess of the Holy Land.
Imu was not acting normal!
Such a straightforward declaration that Aqua was her daughter was clearly a case of having ulterior motives.