Did I say something wrong?
Seeing Rear Admiral Chishio's face turn dark, Nao felt a pang of unease.
This reaction was off. Gion (Momousagi) herself had told him that Chishio was a close friend of Vice Admiral Tsuru and a long-time comrade of Garp's—they were supposed to be on excellent terms.
Could it be… the situation was more complicated than he had imagined?
Reflecting on Chishio's subtle change of expression just now, Nao figured that was probably the case.
A tangled relationship? A friendship gone sour? He didn't dare guess, but it seemed more and more likely that Chishio's sudden resignation and return home three years ago was somehow connected to Garp.
"Eat up, little Gion," Chishio finally sighed, breaking the awkward silence around the table. "Don't overthink it. It's not your fault. Just try not to mention that guy in front of me again."
"Mm-hmm," Nao nodded obediently.
Beside him, little Hina (still a child here) looked utterly confused, hesitating mid-bite, her expression puzzled. Just a moment ago, everything had been so warm—what had happened between Chishio and Gion to change the mood so suddenly?
Her clueless, adorable look made Nao chuckle softly. He ruffled her hair and shifted the conversation back to their earlier, lighter topic—stories about the Marine Elite Camp. He recounted various funny incidents among the new recruits from Gion's perspective, making Tashigi giggle endlessly. Even Chishio, though initially grim, eventually began to smile again as she listened.
The atmosphere around the dinner table quickly returned to a relaxed and lively one.
Nao breathed a silent sigh of relief. The last thing he wanted was for the mood to turn awkward, making it impossible to convince Chishio to return to Marine HQ.
As for the subject of Garp… it was clear that today was not the right time to bring it up again. He figured it was best to wait a couple of days and observe the situation before pressing further.
After dinner, Nao volunteered to help clean up, scrubbing down the kitchen until it was spotless.
Chishio chatted with him for a bit, and when she heard that Nao would be staying on the island for a few days while waiting for his ship, she happily headed upstairs to prepare a room for him.
Nao had offered to help her with the room, but the stubborn old lady wouldn't hear of it, insisting he rest instead.
Left with no choice, he went for a walk around the garden.
By now, it was completely dark outside. Stars filled the sky, though the moonlight was hidden behind clouds. A cool night breeze swept through the village, filling Nao with a sudden sense of solitude.
"By this time tomorrow, Shiryu and Rosinante should be arriving at Silest Island," he thought to himself. A twinge of regret and frustration followed. "I can't participate in the combat assessment, but hopefully those two idiots will do well this time…"
…Yeah, right!
If he had to score a big fat zero on this assessment, his buddies might as well fail right alongside him!
By the time he returned from his walk, the guest room upstairs was already prepared. Just as he was about to settle in, Chishio called him back.
"Little Gion… aren't you going to bathe?"
Nao stiffened.
Ah, he'd completely forgotten—Gion had a strict habit of bathing every day.
Since Chishio had practically watched Gion grow up, she definitely knew this. But Nao had already promised Gion that while he was borrowing her body, he absolutely wouldn't change clothes or bathe.
He was a man, and a man's word was his bond.
"I'm too tired today," Nao said, trying to sound casual. "I'll just do a quick rinse tomorrow morning."
"…Well, all right," Chishio replied, though she still looked a bit puzzled. "Then good night. Get some rest. I'll wake you up for breakfast tomorrow—you have to try a few of the desserts I've recently learned to make."
"Got it, Chishio-san," Nao said.
Once Chishio had gone downstairs, Nao shut the door and collapsed onto the bed. Before he could even stretch out, he felt something bump against him from under the covers—
"Boo!"
A little pink head popped up from under the blankets, grinning mischievously. "Good evening, Gion onee-san!"
"Hina?!" Nao's eyes widened. "When did you—"
"When Grandma was preparing the room, I snuck in!"
Hina wriggled closer, wrapping her arms around Nao's waist and breathing in the faint scent of Gion's perfume. She giggled.
"Were you surprised?" she asked, eyes sparkling.
"…'Surprised' doesn't even begin to cover it," Nao replied awkwardly. "Come on, Hina, I've been traveling all day. I'm exhausted. Why don't you go back to Chishio-san's room?"
"Nope!"
Hina huffed and pressed her cheek into Gion's… well, her chest. "I want to hear more stories about the Marine elite camp. I'll sleep with onee-san tonight!"
Nao froze. The contact of soft, youthful skin against him made him instinctively tense up.
This was bad. Hina might still be a kid, but she was nearly thirteen—already entering adolescence. They had to keep some distance.
"No way," he said as gently as he could. "I've spent years in the Marines, always sleeping alone. If someone suddenly shares my bed, I won't be able to sleep at all. I've had a long day, and I'd rather not wake up tomorrow with dark circles under my eyes. You don't want that, do you?"
"…All right," Hina said reluctantly. But just as she got out of bed, she hesitated and turned back. "Then… can I sleep on the floor?"
"Huh?" Nao blinked.
"I mean a futon on the floor," Hina explained, eagerly dragging out a thick futon from the closet. "I want to keep Gion onee-san company and hear more stories. I promise I won't disturb you if you get sleepy!"
This was déjà vu.
Why did everyone want to sleep on the floor?
Wait… why did he just think "again"?
"…Fine," Nao finally relented, unable to resist her hopeful eyes. "But you're still young. No staying up too late, okay?"
"Yay!"
Hina beamed with delight as she spread the futon on the tatami mat.
Nao sighed and helped her set up the bedding.
Once the lights were out, they lay in their separate beds, and Nao resumed telling her funny stories from dinner—this time adding a few from his previous life, carefully modified to remove any inappropriate elements.
Without realizing it, time passed, and Hina's eyelids grew heavier until she finally drifted off to sleep.
Nao smiled softly at her peaceful face, then turned his gaze upward at the ceiling. After a while, he opened the system panel and accessed his inventory, pulling up the "Swordmaster Ryuma's Insight Notes (Fragment)" that he had redeemed earlier that day.
PS: Read Advance Chapters at https://www.patreon.com/c/ReadJin