Half an hour later.
Nao was tied up firmly in front of the sofa, three big lumps rising on his head, each steaming with little trails of smoke.
That was thanks to Chishio.
This frail-looking, elderly woman might seem delicate, but she was a Marine of the same generation as Garp and Zephyr, with a right hook that could rival the best of them.
Opposite him sat Chishio and Hina, and on the table between them was a small Den Den Mushi.
From the other end came Gion's somewhat resigned voice:
"Anyway, the whole mess started basically the way I just explained."
"I'm sorry, Chishio-nee. It was wrong of me to hide this from you, and it had nothing to do with this guy Nao. Please forgive him. I promise I'll apologize properly when we meet next time."
"No need!" Chishio huffed, crossing her arms, still a bit tsundere. "I'm still angry. Until I cool off, I don't want to see you again, Gion!"
With that, she cut off the call and fixed Nao with a frosty stare, sizing him up from head to toe.
Nao felt a chill run down his spine, instinctively shuffling backward.
He'd been quick-witted once he realized he'd returned to his own body.
As a stranger in Chishio's eyes, he knew any explanation would fall on deaf ears. So his first move was to contact the Marine ship and get Gion herself to explain everything.
The misunderstanding was roughly resolved, but in clarifying the situation, the real purpose of Nao's visit—namely, persuading Chishio to return to Marine Headquarters—couldn't be hidden.
Learning that the heartwarming presence of "Gion" over the past two days wasn't solely a personal visit, but tied to a mission from Headquarters, naturally stoked Chishio's feelings of betrayal.
And once it was revealed that this "Gion" was a fake, that anger reached a boiling point.
Chishio finally broke the silence, her expression unreadable.
"Nao, nineteen years old, just joined Headquarters last year, a new recruit under Zephyr's elite training program?"
"Yes, Chishio-nee... er, Rear Admiral," Nao said, nearly tripping over the familiar nickname he'd been using the past two days.
"Impressive, huh? In just two days, you had this old fool wrapped around your finger." Her tone was flat. "With talent like yours for acting and deceiving, it's a shame to stay in the Marines. Have you considered a career in CP?"
"Huh?"
"You know, the Cipher Pol—the World Government's intelligence agency. They could use someone like you."
Chishio reached for a pen and spread out a blank sheet of paper. "Here, I'll write a letter to Zephyr, recommending you for CP. That training spot in the elite program should go to someone who really needs it..."
"Please, Chishio-nee! Don't do that!" Nao shot up, only to trip on the ropes and fall back onto the floor with a pained yelp. "I'm exactly the kind of person who needs that elite program spot…"
"Oh really?" Chishio raised an eyebrow. "What's your dream? Why join the Marines?"
Nao's thoughts raced—because in twenty years he wanted to be sipping tea while watching the Summit War unfold from a safe distance? Because he couldn't stand Aokiji's slouchy sitting posture and wanted to correct it?
Obviously, he couldn't say that. Instead, he replied, "To protect the world from destruction, to uphold peace, to champion love and truth—"
Thunk!
Another lump formed on his head.
"Fine, fine," Nao winced, "To become stronger, to protect my family, and—" He hesitated before adding, "To uphold justice as I see it."
"Hmm, I suppose that counts as an honest answer," Chishio sniffed, finally setting the pen aside. "But tell me, kid, do you think impersonating someone and tricking an old woman like me is something a proper Marine would do? Don't you feel the least bit guilty?"
"I'm sorry, Rear Admiral Chishio!" Nao bowed his head in earnest. "But it's not like I had a choice. Gion's my superior officer, and I'm just a lowly recruit. I couldn't exactly refuse her orders…"
"I'll deal with Gion later," Chishio cut him off coldly. "Right now, we're talking about what to do with you."
Nao gave a resigned sigh. "Whatever punishment you decide, I'll accept it…"
"How about tying you to a stone and tossing you into the sea?" Chishio mused, glancing toward the window. "The port's not far, and even an old lady like me could carry you there and be back before dawn…"
Nao's face paled. "You're a Marine, not a pirate..."
"That's why I'm just tossing you into the sea. If I were a pirate, you'd already be fertilizer under my garden."
"Please don't say such terrifying things so casually, especially with Hina right here…"
"Fine, fine. Skip that part then. Any last words? I can ask Gion to pass them on to your family and friends."
"I don't think my crime is worth a death sentence," Nao muttered. "You can write that on my tombstone if you like."
Hina, who had been curled up in Chishio's lap listening to the exchange, finally burst into giggles.
"You're laughing too?" Chishio rapped her lightly on the head, then turned back to Nao with a weary sigh. "You've got a slick tongue, and that good-looking face of yours probably makes it even easier for Gion to tolerate you impersonating her…"
"Judging by how you carry yourself, I bet you're quite the heartbreaker back at Headquarters?"
"Not at all! I've never even held a girl's hand!" Nao protested.
Considering Bellemere's influence, the first part was true, though some readers might find this relatable.
Chishio waved a hand dismissively. "Whatever. Seeing as you've behaved yourself the past two days and kept me relatively entertained, even if it was all an act, I'll let it slide."
"But I do want to know one thing."
Nao barely had time to smile in relief before Chishio's gaze sharpened. "How did you recognize Rouge from the photos? Even at Marine Headquarters, her identity is a closely guarded secret, known to only a handful of high-ranking officers."
Here it was—the real crux of the matter!
Nao's heart raced. This was the very question he'd feared Chishio might turn her wrath on him for. After all, what business did a no-name recruit like him have knowing that the wife of the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, was Chishio's adopted daughter?
If Chishio had been any less upright—a bit more like the scheming top brass of the Marines—Nao might very well have been sleeping with the fishes tonight, his disappearance a complete mystery…
PS: Read Advance Chapters at https://www.patreon.com/c/ReadJin