Chapter 34 — Their Big Day
"Alright, alright, enough talking. I'm here, aren't I?"
Eiger rubbed his temples helplessly, unable to withstand Chief Marin's endless chatter. With a sigh, he even tossed in a small piece of flattery:
"Executive Chief Marin."
"Hmph! If Nico hadn't dragged you along, you'd still be off hacking mountains!" Marin snorted.
Then he gave Eiger a long, appraising look.
Seeing the man in an actual formal suit for the first time, the old chief nodded with satisfaction.
"Getting married really changes a man. You used to wear that damn training outfit no matter the occasion. Never groomed yourself, never dressed up. Finally, you look presentable."
And then—
He went right back to his favorite topic.
"So? You two—when are you having a child?"
"…"
Every time Marin asked that question, Eiger felt like he'd been yanked out of the One Piece world and into some rural slice-of-life drama about a retired soldier being pressured by the village elders.
He almost expected someone to tell him to farm sweet potatoes next.
Feeling Nico's grip tense slightly in embarrassment, he forced out the usual answer like a broken record:
"Soon, soon."
And then—he immediately changed the subject.
"Aren't you busy? Shouldn't you get back to work?"
"Oh! Crap, I forgot!"
Realizing he had a mountain of things left to do, Marin spun around mid-sentence, shouting urgently as he hurried off,
"Get yourselves ready! It's almost time for the ceremony!"
As the old chief ran off, Eiger exhaled slowly and scanned the surroundings—
and his eyebrow twitched.
It was… surprisingly elaborate.
Streamers. Banners. Decorations. A big stage.
The villagers had even put up a ceremonial arch at the brewery entrance.
Wasn't this a small winery?
Who taught Marin how to do all this?
And… was that a red ribbon for a ribbon-cutting ceremony?
This was excessive.
He had assumed they'd gather everyone, say a few words, open some drinks, and have a feast.
Just like normal people.
But no—
Marin had transformed a simple opening into something that looked like it belonged in a major city.
Still, seeing the villagers' excitement, Eiger didn't have the heart to complain.
Let them have their fun. They earned it.
---
By late morning, the entire archipelago was buzzing.
"Quick! Eiger! Nico! Get over here!"
Marin's voice echoed across the courtyard.
Eiger glanced at Nico.
They exchanged a small smile and walked forward together.
Sure enough—
a giant red ribbon stretched across the brewery entrance.
Below it stood what felt like every villager in the Sibia Archipelago. Only the people guarding the docks were absent.
Eiger and Nico stood front and center.
Marin stood proudly beside them, grinning so widely his eyes nearly disappeared.
"Smile!" he whispered urgently. "Smile, boy!"
"…"
What else could Eiger do?
Under Nico's amused gaze, he forced a polite smile.
Then—
At Marin's roaring command, Eiger lifted the ceremonial scissors and cut the ribbon.
A clean snip.
And the crowd exploded with cheers.
"OPEN THE FEAST!" Marin shouted triumphantly.
Roars of celebration filled the air.
The brewery's grand opening had officially begun.
Eiger could only stare blankly.
This whole 'ceremony'…
After all that buildup…
It was literally just one snip and a shout before everyone charged the food tables.
Exquisite and crude at the same time.
Exactly like something a small island would put together after watching a big-city event once.
"Move it! Bring out the green grape wine we brewed earlier!" Marin barked. "Everyone needs to taste it!"
Eiger watched him bustle around, wildly enthusiastic.
He couldn't even complain.
This level of joy was infectious.
He sighed, took Nico's hand, and joined the feast.
But still—
"Why are we holding the banquet at noon?" he muttered. "What are we supposed to do tonight?"
Marin rolled his eyes.
"You idiot. When people are this happy, of course we feast all day and all night! One day! One night! That's how it's done!"
"…Right."
Eiger almost forgot—
This wasn't the peaceful countryside from some previous life.
This was the One Piece world.
And in this world—
People throw a party at the drop of a hat.
They could start a feast at noon, at dawn, or even for three straight days and nights—
because on this sea, that was perfectly normal.
"Eat! Drink!" Marin shouted, already flushed with excitement. "Today, there's meat and wine for everyone!"
He grabbed a cup, proudly clinking it toward Eiger.
"This batch was brewed the way Nico taught us! Go on, taste it—tsk tsk tsk—fragrant, rich, smooth!"
"Yes yes, I'll try it."
Eiger took a sip—
and his eyes lit up.
Not bad at all.
Even though it wasn't a hard liquor, the green grape wine had a surprisingly rich, mellow flavor.
"I only wrote down the brewing method," Nico said with a soft smile.
"It's thanks to the craftsmanship of the villagers—and the grapes here are excellent."
"That's right! Sibia's green grapes are the best!"
Marin puffed up proudly, then glared at Eiger.
"Look at that, Nico speaks better than you!"
"…"
Eiger rolled his eyes silently, but before he could finish his drink—
a villager burst through the crowd, panting.
"Big warship! A huge warship just docked! Eiger— the Navy is here for you!"
The entire crowd froze.
"?!"
The Navy?
From the 315th Branch?
Wine raised halfway to his lips, Eiger stiffened for a split second—
then felt Nico beside him tense like a cornered animal.
He immediately grabbed her hand.
Nico blinked, startled by the gesture.
For a moment, uncertainty, disbelief, and fear flashed across her eyes.
But she quickly forced a gentle smile.
"I'm okay, darling."
"It's fine. It's probably just Enchi."
"No, not Colonel Enchi!" the villager said, shaking his head frantically.
"This ship is way bigger than his—much bigger!"
"…"
Still holding Nico's hand tightly, Eiger stared at the excited villager.
"And do you know who's ON it?"
Before the villager could answer—
a booming, carefree laugh crashed through the noise.
"Hahahahaha!"
Followed by an unmistakably familiar voice:
"Having a feast, are you?! Looks like old me arrived at the PERFECT time, Eiger boy!"
---
A short while earlier…
A massive Marine battleship was sailing through the West Blue.
"Zephyr-sensei, the Sibia Archipelago is just ahead!"
"Already?"
Standing on deck with his right arm wrapped in bandages, Zephyr gazed at the approaching island and chuckled.
"Eiger, brat…
Old man's here.
Surprised? Didn't expect me, did you?"
My own brand of justice…
Absolute justice, domineering justice, carefree justice, ambiguous justice—
he'd taught countless Marines with different convictions.
But that brat's "my-justice-is-the-only-justice"…
If he ever brought it to Marine Headquarters,
what kind of storm would it stir up?
Zephyr grinned.
He was very eager to find out.
---