Early March 1493 of the Sea Circle Calendar.
South Blue, at the church south of Sorbet Kingdom.
At nine in the morning, the sunlight was just right, complemented by the gentle climate of the South Blue.
Though the church appeared somewhat worn, the ivy covering the walls on both sides added a touch of classical charm to the area under this weather.
Many elderly people were coming and going, all praising the pastor.
Not far away, at the edge of the forest, a middle-aged woman dressed in plain linen clothes stepped down from a carriage and waved for the coachman to drive farther away.
The woman had white hair, with wrinkles around her eyes and brows.
Even so, one could still glimpse the elegance and beauty of her youth from her current demeanor.
"Good morning, Neri-sama~"
"You still look as beautiful as ever, Neri-sama~"
The woman named Neri did not put on any noble airs. Instead, she held the hands of the elderly men and women, chatting warmly with them.
"It's all of you… seeing you healthy and well is what brings me the greatest joy."
After chatting for a while, Neri bid farewell to the elders and walked toward the church.
"Kumachi, let's get married!"
"Ah, Ginny, why so sudden? I'm not prepared yet!"
"Oh, what's there to prepare? Getting married just means sharing a good meal and having children!"
"I, a girl, am already ready! Don't be so wishy-washy!"
"But, Ginny..." The man's voice grew increasingly flustered, eventually stumbling over his words until he couldn't form a complete sentence.
"You two are still like this, huh."
Neri walked into the church, holding the latest newspaper she had bought from a news coo before entering.
"Neri-nee! Look at how useless Kumachi is!"
The pink-haired Ginny kicked Kuma, puffed her cheeks in anger, and pulled Neri to sit down.
"All I want is to marry him, but a grown man is being so hesitant. Hmph!"
"Kuma is a very gentle man. I believe he must have his reasons for hesitating."
Neri smiled and nodded at the shy Kuma not far away.
"Good morning, Kuma. I'm here to bother you two again."
"Not at all. Ginny and I are both happy to have you here."
As he spoke, Kuma brought over a cup of tea from nearby.
It was just plain mountain spring water… they didn't have extra Berry to spend on tea leaves.
"Hmph!"
Ginny deliberately turned her head away, refusing to look at Kuma.
"Useless Kumachi is the worst!"
Kuma scratched his head and smiled sheepishly, though his heart grew increasingly bitter.
This wasn't the first time Ginny had proposed to him, but whenever he remembered how his mother had died because of his father and his race, Kuma couldn't bring himself to respond to Ginny's feelings.
The Bucaneer Tribe… this race had brought him mostly painful memories.
"... Neri-nee, is this the latest news?"
Neri nodded, "Yes, it's news from the Grand Line. My son has become an incredibly remarkable man."
"Eh… we've always heard you talk about him, but we've never seen him before."
Ginny wrapped her arms around Neri's and looked at the newspaper together.
"He was taken away when he was six. It's been a long time since I've seen him, but no matter how much he's changed…"
Neri opened the newspaper, and Kuma curiously peeked over from behind the two women.
[#World Destroyer Dead!? Suspected Killer: Eight Headed Monarch, Bazel!]
[#Shocking! Does the Rising Pirate Star Bazel Have What It Takes to Become the Strongest Pirate?!]
[#Bazel: The World Destroyer? Nothing but Trash… My Target is Whitebeard!!!]
"Bazel?" Ginny blinked, "Sister Neri, didn't you say your son was a marine?"
"I'm not sure why he suddenly became a pirate, but this face is definitely my son's."
Neri gazed at the photo of the man on the newspaper, his face brimming with confidence, her eyes filled with longing.
"That white hair of his was inherited from me~"
"But please keep this a secret between the two of you, alright?"
Ginny made a zipping motion over her lips.
"My lips are sealed! Kumachi, you have to keep it secret too!"
Kuma smiled warmly and agreed, "I understand. I won't breathe a word of this to anyone."
The atmosphere in the church grew even more relaxed as the three chatted and laughed about recent events.
"But Sister Nellie, are you sure you won't take care of that man? He's King Bulldog's distant nephew, Bekoli."
"Neri-nee, are you sure you don't want to do something about that man… Bekori, the distant nephew of King Bulldog?"
"He's always wanted to become the king of this country, right? But his character...."
When Bekori was mentioned, Neri couldn't help but feel a headache and rubbed her temples with both hands.
"That fool has always wanted to join the World Government's affiliated nations. He even says that if he becomes king, he'll bring freedom and happiness to the people of this kingdom."
"His reputation among the citizens isn't bad, but that's all just an illusion crafted by Bekori's deception. The problem is, I can't exactly step forward and say too much about it."
"But… aren't you the king's daughter?" Ginny retorted unwillingly.
"I'm not a prince. If I were a man, Bekori wouldn't have the chance to speak so publicly."
Neri sighed, feeling rather helpless against the deeply ingrained traditional views.
"If Bazel were to return, his status would definitely allow him to become king."
She suddenly stopped mid-sentence, raised her head to look outside, and a faint red glint flashed deep within her eyes.
"Long time no see, Sengoku. And behind you is… So it's the Hero of the Marines."
"Wahahaha! You must be Neri, right? I'm Monkey D. Garp, Bazel's teacher!"
Garp rather confidently bestowed upon himself the title of teacher.
Sengoku pushed Garp's face aside. At the moment, neither he nor Garp were wearing their Justice cloaks. Instead, they were dressed in ordinary beach outfits.
"Neri, it's been a long time. You're still as beautiful as ever."
"Let's skip the flattery."
Neri smiled brightly as she flipped the newspaper over and pointed at Bazel's face on it.
"Could you explain something to me? I only asked you to teach Bazel how to get stronger faster, so why did he suddenly become a pirate?"
Sengoku coughed lightly a few times, his eyes shifting guiltily as he inspected the church's decor.
"Well, it was an accident. Garp and I came here this time to commend Bazel."
"But Neri, how did you recognize Bazel? He's changed a lot, hasn't he?"
Neri rolled her eyes, "I'm his mother. Even if he's bulked up, or even if his face were ruined, I'd still recognize him!"
"Don't change the subject. Why did Bazel become a pirate? The Marines didn't send him undercover, did they?"
"Undercover? Ah, hahaha~"
Garp laughed awkwardly a few times before suddenly clutching his stomach and running outside.
"Ooh, my stomach hurts! I need to find a place to relieve myself. Sengoku, I'll leave this to you."
"Hey, Garp, you bastard, don't…!"
Sengoku was about to chase after him, but the ghostly gaze burning into his back made him freeze in place.
"Um, Neri, let me try to weasel… no, explain…"
"It really was an accident…"
"Never mind. Children grow up and have their own ideas."
Contrary to Sengoku's expectations, Neri didn't press him to fabricate a lie. Instead, she sighed softly and put away the newspaper.
"So then, what are you two doing here with all these bags? Why did you come to see me?"
"To commend you, and also to arrange a team of elite Marine's soldiers to ensure your safety."
"Ensure my safety?" Neri shook her head and refused, "I'll accept the gifts, but take your men back. Otherwise, I'll tell Bazel to come home."
Sengoku was left speechless.
If anyone else had said that, he would have dismissed it as nonsense.
But if it was Neri…
He knew very well that Bazel deeply respected his mother.
"But your safety…"
"This man, Bartholomew Kuma, is a good friend of mine. He's an incredibly strong man."
Neri stood up and patted Kuma's arm.
"With him here, this kingdom is absolutely safe."
Kuma scratched his head shyly, "I'm not that strong~"
"Besides, leaving a team of Marines here would be too conspicuous. I don't want to end up like Zephyr's family, killed by pirates."
'Zephyr's family…'
Sengoku smiled bitterly.
The fact that Zephyr's family was killed by pirates he had once captured was a disgrace to the Marines and a thorn in the hearts of old comrades like them.
"Then I won't insist. I'll report back to Fleet Admiral Kong when I return."
"Sengoku!!"
Suddenly, Garp came running back in, looking excited.
"Bogard spotted members of the Roger Pirates on the next island over! Let's go! With you here, working together, we can definitely capture the Roger Pirates this time!!!"
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