For Uchiha Chiga, who possessed eternal life, the cheer of "Long live!" was almost ironic — as if wishing him longevity could somehow shorten it.
Still, Chiga didn't dwell on such thoughts. After Neptune and his family expressed their most heartfelt gratitude, they invited him to take the seat of honor at the head of the banquet table.
Beside him, Shirahoshi — the true star of today's celebration — seemed determined to stay close. She sat right beside Chiga, boldly placing a delicate hand on his thigh.
Chiga glanced down at her. Although she tried to appear calm, the pink flush spreading across her cheeks betrayed her nervousness.
He smiled faintly but said nothing. Only after the servants finished placing dish after dish on the long coral table and the banquet officially began did he finally relax into the occasion.
Shirahoshi, on the other hand, was full of energy. She kept picking up food and placing it into Chiga's plate.
"Chiga-sama, try this! It's delicious!"
Her actions made it seem like he was the one being celebrated rather than her.
Neptune and Otohime exchanged a glance. Neptune leaned closer and whispered,
"Shirahoshi's already grown up, and it's clear she holds special feelings for Chiga. Should we… perhaps, give her a little push?"
Otohime thought carefully before replying softly,
"I can see it too, but Chiga-sama's status is far above ours. We aren't in any position to bring up such matters. It will depend on Shirahoshi herself in the end."
As she spoke, her gaze shifted to her sons — Prince Fukaboshi and his brothers — who were busy devouring their meals without a care in the world. When Fukaboshi noticed her looking, he raised a chicken leg toward her and said through a mouthful,
"Mother, want a piece?"
Otohime sighed quietly but smiled, handing him her dessert instead.
"Eat more, you're still growing."
"Okay!" he replied cheerfully.
After the banquet ended, Shirahoshi happily accompanied Chiga for a walk around Fish-Man Island. They soon reached Fish-Man Street — once the base of Hody Jones and his followers. Now, the place was completely transformed.
Under Jinbe's management, the formerly lawless slum had become clean and orderly. His influence among the Fish-Men remained unmatched, especially after the downfall of Hody Jones and the extremists.
What surprised Chiga most was the sight of humans walking freely among the Fish-Men. Such a scene would've been unimaginable years ago.
Eventually, they arrived at Fish-Man Bay, the gathering place for merfolk. The view was breathtaking — countless mermaids with shimmering tails swam gracefully through the crystal-blue water.
But as soon as Chiga and Shirahoshi appeared, excitement swept through the crowd. Dozens of mermaids swarmed around them, their laughter and voices merging into a sea of sound.
"Chiga-sama! Over here!"
"Look! It's Shirahoshi-sama!"
The two were quickly surrounded by the overwhelming enthusiasm of the mermaids. Shirahoshi gripped Chiga's hand tightly, trying not to get swept away.
Amused, Chiga simply smiled. In the next instant, a golden light shimmered around them — and both vanished from sight.
A heartbeat later, they reappeared inside Shirahoshi's room. The princess clutched her chest and exhaled in relief.
"That was so scary! I thought we'd get separated!"
Chiga chuckled softly and guided her toward the massive coral bed. She seemed exhausted from the walk; the moment she lay down, she relaxed completely, curling beside him as though it were the most natural thing in the world.
She pouted slightly and murmured,
"Chiga-sama will be leaving soon, won't you? I don't know when we'll meet again…"
Chiga reached out and playfully flicked her nose.
"It's not difficult to see me again. Didn't I give you a golden kunai? You can use that to contact me anytime."
"Mhm… but I don't want to be apart from Chiga-sama," she whispered, her big blue eyes gazing at him longingly.
Chiga lay back beside her. The moment he did, Shirahoshi instinctively wrapped her arm around his waist, pressing against him in a way that made her intentions more obvious than words could.
Looking up at the giant crystal chandelier above them, Chiga spoke casually,
"Shirahoshi, you've probably never been outside the island, have you?"
"Mm-hmm," she said softly. "I've lived here my whole life. I've never gone anywhere else."
"Then don't you want to see the world? The sea is vast — far greater than you can imagine."
"Of course I do! But Father says it's dangerous. He thinks that if I leave, I'll be targeted by bad humans."
Chiga nodded slightly.
"Your father's right. You're… quite the temptation to most human men."
Shirahoshi blinked innocently, then asked in a small voice,
"Then what about you, Chiga? Do I have that kind of… effect on you too?"
Their eyes met. For a brief moment, silence hung between them — until Shirahoshi's heart took over. She closed her eyes and pressed her lips softly against his.
The kiss was quick and shy, but it made her cheeks glow crimson. She immediately buried her face in the sheets, too flustered to look at him.
Chiga couldn't help but laugh quietly. He nudged her lightly and teased,
"So, you ambushed me… and now you're pretending to be an ostrich?"
Her muffled voice came through the pillow.
"I—I'm sorry, Chiga-sama! I don't know what came over me. Please forgive me…"
A mischievous grin formed on Chiga's face. He slipped an arm around her slender waist and pulled her into his chest.
Shirahoshi gasped, covering her face with both hands. Chiga leaned close to her ear and whispered teasingly,
"It's too late to hide now. I'll have to make you take responsibility."
Her flustered protest was cut short by his deep chuckle.
Moments later, the room fell quiet again. Shirahoshi lay against his chest, tracing small circles with her finger as her blush lingered.
Chiga brushed a strand of pink hair from her face and said gently,
"I won't be returning with the fleet later."
She lifted her head in surprise.
"Huh? Then… does that mean Chiga-sama is staying here tonight?"
Chiga nodded.
"I can stay for one night. But tomorrow, I have somewhere else to go. Would you like to come with me?"
Her eyes sparkled instantly. She nodded so hard her hair swayed.
"Yes! I'd love to!"
Chiga smirked playfully.
"Then I'll sell you off. A Mermaid Princess should fetch a few mountains of gold."
Shirahoshi laughed, leaning close enough for her breath to brush against his neck.
"I don't believe that. Chiga doesn't care about money. But a Mermaid Princess… there's only one of those in the world."
He raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised.
"Oh? And who taught you to talk like that?"
Shirahoshi froze the moment she realized what she'd said. Her voice turned sheepish.
"U-Um… some of the older sisters at Fish-Man Bay…"
Because of Chiga, she had been freed from the Hard Shell Tower early. The freedom had made her more confident, more open — no longer the timid girl who once hid from the world.
Chiga smiled warmly and patted her head twice.
"Alright then, go tell your parents. It's your first real journey, after all."
"Okay! I'll tell them right away! I can't wait!" she said with a grin, her excitement filling the room.
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