"Taken away by the Marines?"
Olvia hadn't expected that, but she didn't panic.
"They weren't armed, and they're not Devil Fruit users. No matter how you look at it, they're just ordinary civilians…"
"But they came from Alabasta and have no identification," Shakky said, lighting a cigarette and taking a slow drag before exhaling a wisp of smoke.
"After all, Alabasta is now openly wearing the same pants as Michael... so of course, the Marines would investigate anyone suspicious coming from there."
"I've already thought about that. The Marines now aren't the same as they were before. Even if they arrested those scholars because of their identities, once they confirm everything through investigation, they'll release them."
Olvia shook her head.
"On the contrary, if I act rashly now, I'll only alert them unnecessarily."
"Still, there's some good news... your giant partner hasn't been exposed yet."
Shakky nodded slightly.
"His name was Saul, wasn't it? He's hiding near the coast of area No. 16."
Olvia nodded.
Saul had been her partner for years, always acting alongside her.
This time, he'd even arrived at the Sabaody Archipelago a few days earlier.
Although a giant was always eye-catching...
That was different when surrounded by other giants.
Area No. 16 of the Sabaody Archipelago used to be an uninhabited area.
But now, it had become the designated vacation resort for the giants of Elbaf.
The prosperity of Sabaody and Fish-Man Island had reached even the faraway Elbaf, stirring the giants' curiosity.
Combined with Elbaf's friendly cooperation with the Marines, area 16 and the four numbered areas nearby had been developed into a holiday district for giants.
And since the area had once been a den of criminals—even after being cleared—ordinary people still didn't want to live there.
"I understand. Then I'll head to area No. 16 to find Saul first. As for the intel on Sabaody, you can just have it sent there later."
Olvia said this as she rose from her seat, ready to leave the bar.
But Shakky lifted her head with a smile, eyes glinting with amusement.
"Oh, right—so you don't walk into trouble blindly, I'd better tell you this first. The Sabaody Archipelago is currently under the full control of a certain Rear Admiral named Nico Robin."
That one sentence froze Olvia in her tracks.
"Nico... Robin?" Olvia frowned. "But she's just a Headquarters Rear Admiral, isn't she?"
"You really underestimate your daughter," Shakky chuckled. "Yes, she's just a Rear Admiral for now, but according to reliable intel, she's already been unofficially chosen by the higher-ups to be Vice Admiral Tsuru's successor. Remember—right now, Sabaody Archipelago might as well be Robin's personal domain."
...
Sabaody Archipelago, area No. 16.
"This wine's pretty good!"
Sitting by the seaside cliff, the former Marine Giant Vice Admiral—now a Revolutionary Army officer—Saul, held an enormous bottle of premium giant-made liquor he'd bought from local vendors and gulped it down heartily.
For years, Saul had been fighting for the Revolutionary Army and hadn't returned to Elbaf once.
Now that he was on Sabaody and discovered that the area No. 16 was full of giants, a wave of nostalgia washed over him.
Thanks to the number of giants here, even his massive size didn't stand out much.
Still, he hadn't forgotten his mission—to assist Olvia.
By his calculations, she should have already arrived at the archipelago by now...
She'd probably come to find him soon.
Thinking that, Saul took another long swig, muttering under his breath:
"Work's about to start... I can't keep being this lazy."
"Oh? Is that so? And what kind of work might that be?"
A calm, slightly husky female voice spoke from atop the cliff.
Saul froze and snapped his head up.
Under the moonlight, a woman in a Marine officer's uniform, wearing the cloak of justice, leapt down from the cliff.
Descending from the heavens—two worlds colliding in that instant.
In Saul's eyes, her face grew larger and clearer as she fell.
His whole body stiffened in place.
Sitting on the sand, between the soft boundary of beach and tide...
"What brings a fine lady Marine here tonight?" Saul spread his huge hands with a grin. "I'm just a simple giant tourist enjoying the sights of Sabaody!"
"Stop pretending, Saul. You've already recognized me, haven't you?"
"Da-lai shi-shi-shi! It's just that... I wasn't sure what kind of face to show you," Saul sighed helplessly. "After all... I'm with the Revolutionary Army now."
"But I haven't forgotten—you're my savior, my friend... my family."
Robin gracefully stepped down onto several large hands sprouting from the rock wall and landed softly on the beach.
When she looked up at Saul, her eyes were full of warmth.
"It's been a long time, Saul. Your laugh is still as strange as ever."
"Da-lai shi-shi-shi-shi! So my laugh is still that weird, huh?"
Saul reached out both massive hands, gently lifting the woman who once looked at him the same way as a child, placing her before his eyes.
"You've really grown up... you look exactly like Olvia now."
"Exactly like my mother?"
"Those gentle eyes are just the same."
"In recent years, you might be the only one who's ever called me gentle, Saul."
Robin's expression remained soft throughout.
If her subordinates saw her like this, they would surely shout, "Impossible! It's an illusion!"
"So, you came to Sabaody this time... is the Revolutionary Army planning something again?"
"Ah... I can't really say much about that," Saul said with a helpless shrug. "My mission's just to assist Olvia—ah! I said too much!"
"Da-lai shi-shi-shi! So that means... Mother's here on Sabaody too, right?" Robin mused thoughtfully. "Take me to her."
"Honestly, I don't know where she is right now... but I'm sure she'll come here to find me soon."
"Is that so?"
A satisfied smile bloomed on Robin's face.
"Uh... Robin, what are you planning to do?"
"Of course—fulfill my promise! You remember, don't you? I once said I'd bring Mother back to my side no matter what."
"...Haa."
Saul looked at the face so identical to Olvia's, let out a long sigh, and made the same comment he once did years ago.
"You two really are... a strange mother and daughter."
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Fanfic is finished. 583 chapters in total on p@treon/tambeerg