When Carl finished speaking, before Rockstar could respond, Shanks immediately piped up from the side.
"Hey, hey, hey, my crew hasn't disbanded yet! Are you really trying to poach my crew members right in front of me?!"
Carl shot a sidelong glance at Shanks without replying, his expression plainly saying,
"And what if I am?"
Shanks deflated instantly and let out an awkward laugh.
"Well… thinking about it, his offer is actually not bad. Rockstar's been a free agent for too long — it's about time he found something serious to do!"
Rockstar blinked and turned to Shanks with a questioning look. Shanks cleared his throat and crossed his arms.
"Rockstar, whatever path you choose from here on out is up to you. Don't worry about how I feel."
Carl stared speechlessly at Shanks pretending to be deep and philosophical. But before he could say anything, Rockstar suddenly blurted out:
"Captain, I just wanted to ask... if the crew disbands, do we still get a severance package?"
Pffft!
Shanks couldn't hold it in and spat out a mouthful of wine. Rockstar wiped his face with an innocent look, clearly offended.
"Hahahahaha!"
The rest of the Red-Haired Pirates burst into laughter. Lucky Roux laughed so hard he started choking and thumping his chest. Even Carl couldn't help but shake his head and chuckle.
As for Buggy, he had been holding back all this time, and now finally found a chance to vent. Floating over beside Shanks, he leaned close to his ear with a wicked grin and whispered,
"Hey Shanks, if I really do start a circus one day, I'll definitely invite you to play the Clown. You'd be perfect for the title King of Clowns!"
"..."
Shanks pushed Buggy's face away in disgust, then turned to glare at Rockstar like he was ready to eat him alive.
But Rockstar, sly as ever, immediately darted toward Carl for protection. The sight stabbed Shanks in the heart — once upon a time, Rockstar had been the most loyal to him on this ship. Now? He had defected to Carl without a second thought.
Carl glanced down at Rockstar. Though his earlier words had sounded cold and opportunistic, Carl could see the sadness hidden in his eyes.
Among the Four Emperors, the Red-Haired Pirates had the smallest crew — but they also had the warmest bond. Every crew member was deeply attached to the crew and to Shanks as their Captain. With the disbandment looming, how could anyone truly be indifferent?
To put it simply, Rockstar had just been trying to lighten the mood.
Despite his rugged appearance, Rockstar was more sensitive than most gave him credit for.
Carl, of course, wasn't going to point it out. Parting always came with a tinge of sorrow.
He just chuckled, flicked Shanks lightly on the forehead, and said,
"You're a father now, and you're still acting like a goof."
At the mention of that, Shanks couldn't help but smile. Gazing out toward the sea, he said softly,
"I really want to see her already... my Amara..."
Amara — the name of Shanks' daughter. Figarland Amara.
Carl swirled the wine in his flask and chuckled.
"You'll see her soon. I'm looking forward to meeting my niece too. Just don't go forgetting about Uta."
"Of course not. In my heart, Uta is also my daughter. I wasn't there for her when she was little, but I'm going to make it up to her properly."
"Good. As long as you know what you need to do. I already had Kalifa send both Makino and Amara to Mary Geoise. The old man wants to see his granddaughter even more than you do."
Thinking of this, Carl couldn't help but grin. Who would've thought that the famously stern Garling, upon hearing of his granddaughter's birth, would have that kind of reaction — his face practically lit up, looking like he wanted to sprint straight to the East Blue.
In the end, Carl had to talk him out of it. Honestly, with Garling's status, if he suddenly appeared in the East Blue, it might scare the whole sea stiff.
Garling wasn't like Shanks. That naturally intimidating aura of his could unsettle anyone without him saying a word.
Carl shared the story with Shanks, who felt a sudden warmth in his chest. His image of Garling, once distant and cold, now seemed... softer.
At the very least, even though they'd never met, his father seemed to have a heart.
Shanks clinked flasks with Carl and said softly,
"Thank you for taking care of Makino and Amara. I really couldn't rest easy otherwise."
"What the hell are you talking about? One's my sister-in-law and the other's my niece. If I don't look after them, who will? You, you unreliable bastard?"
"...I swear, from now on I'm going to be a proper dad. At the very least, I want to give Amara a complete childhood!"
"Then let's see how you do. You've been roaming the seas long enough. Time to settle down. Everyone needs a place to call home someday."
"...A place to call home, huh..."
A touch of confusion crossed Shanks' eyes. The word "home" felt so foreign after a lifetime at sea. But soon, a look of longing flickered across his face — he imagined holding Amara high in the air, spinning her around.
Except... her image was still blurry in his mind. He hadn't even seen his own daughter yet.
Scratching his head, Shanks asked quietly,
"... have you seen Amara yet? I'm kind of dying to know what she looks like..."
Carl rolled his eyes, then pulled a photo from his coat and handed it over.
"See for yourself. Kalifa sent this from the East Blue not long ago."
Shanks practically snatched the photo like it was a national treasure, clutching it with both hands and gazing at it.
In the picture, Makino was beaming, flashing a peace sign. In her arms was a fair-skinned baby girl with soft golden hair, smiling as brightly as a spring sunbeam.
Shanks' mouth stretched into the goofiest grin imaginable. He kissed the photo with a loud smack, then hurried to wipe it clean with his sleeve. Finally, he gently tucked the photo into his coat, close to his heart.
Carl couldn't help but tease him.
"Hey, you just gonna steal it like that?"
Shanks chuckled sheepishly and covered his chest with one hand.
"Just let me keep this one. I'm gonna live off this photo for the next few days!"
(T/N: As I said, we have already reached the last chapters published by the author. I publish as fast as he does)
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+140 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg