"Mom! I came to see you!"
Three-year-old Vinsmoke Sanji had been sneaking all the way, only daring to raise his voice after entering his mother's palace.
He called out excitedly to her.
In his arms was a small box containing his very first culinary creation since he began to learn cooking.
He couldn't wait to present it to his mother.
His mother... had been eating less and less recently, her health deteriorating day by day.
Unlike his three emotionless brothers, Sanji worried about his mother constantly.
"Sanji-sama! What are you doing here so suddenly?" The plump maid attending Vinsmoke Sora—one of the rare non-clones in Germa Kingdom—exclaimed in alarm.
"This is the training time set by Judge-sama! If you're discovered, you'll be punished! Last time you were thrown in the dungeon, the Queen nearly fainted from distress..."
"It's okay! All training was canceled today! Father doesn't have time to watch me—he's already left the palace with the troops!"
Hearing this, the maid's heart softened and she stopped blocking his way.
After ushering Sanji inside, she cautiously peered outside before finally closing the palace doors.
In this twisted kingdom, she might be the last person who could protect the Queen and Prince Sanji.
Just thinking about Judge's cold, merciless, even hate-filled gaze made her tremble uncontrollably.
"Ebonie, is that Sanji?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. Sanji-sama has come to see you" the plump maid Ebonie replied to the weak voice coming from the bedchamber.
"Don't worry, no one followed him."
With that, she and Sanji proceeded deeper into the chambers.
From the large bed, a woman who bore some resemblance to Reiju rose and moved to the table.
Vinsmoke Sora—Judge's wife and Sanji's mother.
Deeply opposed to Judge's plans to modify their children into emotionless superhumans, she had taken powerful drugs to interfere with the Lineage Factors.
After the children were born, drug-induced complications caused her health to decline steadily.
At this point, Sora's condition had only just begun to deteriorate, but both she and Judge knew the truth—one chose willful ignorance, while the other had already resigned herself to death.
Yet Sanji's frequent visits reminded her that all her sacrifices had been worth it—she had succeeded in preserving one of her sons emotions.
"Look, Mom! I made this food myself!"
"I used only the healthiest ingredients! Eating this will definitely make you feel better soon!"
Sanji excitedly climbed onto a chair and opened the food container.
Immediately, a strange aroma filled the air.
When Ebonie leaned over to look, her expression froze instantly.
Unable to help herself, she swallowed hard and thought.
Her own cooking skills were already quite mediocre!
But she never expected Prince Sanji to surpass even her in this regard!
"Your Highness..." Ebonie approached Sora, "This smells rather terrible. Perhaps you shouldn't eat it."
Sora shook her head, casting a gentle gaze at Sanji who appeared both excited and shy.
In truth, Sanji hadn't met with her often.
Compared to his mother, he'd seen his clone training instructors far more frequently.
Yet precisely because of this, as a mother, she cherished every single moment with her son all the more.
So without hesitation, she took the food box, speared an unidentifiable piece and put it in her mouth.
"Mmm... Let me taste..."
"An omelet? With healthy fish and bananas inside? What an... interesting texture."
Sora continued eating bite after bite of the food whose taste and appearance defied common sense, all while maintaining a gentle smile.
She even offered suggestions, giving her insecure son some encouragement.
The initially shy Sanji watched happily as Sora ate the meal he'd prepared himself.
Meanwhile, Ebonie face grew increasingly pale beside them.
She couldn't even imagine how terrifying the combination of those ingredients must taste—it was surely something capable of destroying taste buds!
When Sora finished the last bite, she smiled blissfully.
"Sanji, it was delicious."
"R-really?" Sanji nodded repeatedly. "Then I'll make something else for you next time, Mom!"
"I'll look forward to that day, Sanji."
As Sora wiped her lips, an abrupt voice suddenly rang in her ears.
"Tsk tsk, maternal love truly is remarkable. To smile through eating something so terrible... I must say I'm rather impressed."
The unfamiliar male voice appearing suddenly in the royal chambers made Ebonie break out in cold sweat.
Just as her hand reached for the security alarm button, white flames shot forth, reducing the button to ash before she could press it.
Sora's frail body suddenly displayed unexpected strength as she pulled Sanji behind her, shielding his small form protectively.
"Who are you? What do you want?" Sora frowned deeply, looking towards the source of the voice.
"If you have grievances with Judge, you've come to the wrong place. In his eyes, we matter far less than his war machines."
"From what you're saying... you seem quite dissatisfied with Judge?"
"Dissatisfied?" Sora shook her head indifferently. "He turned my sons into those... things. What I feel for him is nothing but endless hatred."
"Clap clap clap..."
After Sora spoke, the sound of applause echoed through the chamber.
Looking up, they saw a young man with pure white Wings standing at the corridor's turn, holding her five-year-old daughter Reiju by the hand.
"What do you want? Everything is negotiable." Sora forced a strained smile. "Just let my daughter go, and I'll do whatever you ask."
"Uh, do I really look that much like a bad guy?" Michael scratched his chin awkwardly.
"And Your Highness, take a good look at what I'm wearing... it's a marine uniform, okay?"
For a moment, Michael even doubted his own face.
Weren't they supposed to be so handsome it angered gods and mortals alike, universally appealing to all ages and genders?
"Of course it is! It's because your entrance lines and tone were just too villain-like!"
Reiju sighed.
This marine big brother seemed a bit dumb in some ways.
But since he said he could heal Mother, she'd reluctantly tolerate him.
"Marine?"
"Correct. Rear Admiral Michael of Marine Headquarters, at your service, Queen Sora."
Michael gave a slight bow before straightening up again.
"I was entrusted by your daughter to come specifically to treat you."
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