"I won't be back for six months. Don't push yourself too hard."
Bellemere had been back in Cocoyashi Village for about two weeks when a ship appeared offshore to pick her up. Her leave was over.
"Six months, huh? That's pretty long this time."
"Golden Lion Shiki escaped from Impel Down, so things are getting crazy busy."
"Should you be telling me that?"
"Dark King Rayleigh's probably gonna send you a letter about it anyway, right? Might as well hear it from me. As expected of the Dark King."
Silvers Rayleigh, former vice-captain of the Roger Pirates. I'd only been with Roger's crew for about three years, but he felt like a father figure to me. Once I called him "Papa Rayleigh," which made him turn bright red. Captain Roger burst out laughing, and they got into a huge fight.
After that, we had a party to make up, but during it Captain Roger asked me to call Rayleigh father. Rayleigh blushed and protested, but Captain Roger bowed his head and begged me, so I agreed. Ever since then, I've called him "Papa Rayleigh."
Papa Rayleigh had sent me a letter recently about Ohara, giving me the full details of what happened when the island vanished from the sea.
Ohara was an island of scholars where everyone researched something together. This year, two sisters—eight and six years old—passed their doctoral exams and became archaeologists.
The older sister was named Nico Ruby, and the younger was Nico Robin.
Nico Robin's name felt familiar... It was probably connected to my mostly forgotten memories from my previous life.
When the sisters became archaeologists, they attracted the Marines' attention. The Marines realized what the people of Ohara were researching and launched a Buster Call to erase the island.
What they were researching was forbidden—something the Marines and World Government couldn't ignore, Papa Rayleigh had written.
They used the Buster Call to erase everyone from Ohara regardless of age or gender, and now they were doing political damage control by keeping it secret. Soon they'd announce Ohara as a demon island.
They were also planning to register and announce the survivors as wanted criminals, but Papa Rayleigh wrote that those survivors were the genius sisters, which surprised me.
Apparently Aokiji—Marine Vice Admiral Kuzan—was involved in how the sisters survived.
That's what the letter said, but... I really wondered where Papa Rayleigh got his information.
"I asked Genzo and Dr. Nako to look after you and Shu. Don't be shy about putting them to work."
"Thanks. By the way, Bellemere? Is that ship offshore... Garp's?"
"Oh, you figured it out? Actually, when I was coming back to Cocoyashi Village, Vice Admiral Garp said he was heading back to Foosha Village in the same East Blue, so I hitched a ride. His ship's faster than mine."
"Using the Hero Garp as transportation... You haven't changed, Bellemere."
"Hahaha! Pretty woman privilege!"
She winked as she said it, making me sigh at my friend.
Hero Monkey D. Garp. The Marine hero, rank of Vice Admiral. He had the skills and record to become Admiral or Fleet Admiral, but apparently he kept refusing promotions.
He turned them down because becoming Admiral or Fleet Admiral would mean more responsibility and less freedom to move around. He'd been my commanding officer when I was in the Marines.
Garp had been Captain Roger's rival since Roger's unknown days—their history ran deep. I only knew secondhand from Papa Rayleigh, but as an individual fighter, he was one of the world's strongest alongside Whitebeard and Golden Lion.
And he could match them with just his fists, no Devil Fruit powers. He was a real monster. I was amazed Captain Roger and Papa Rayleigh kept surviving their encounters with Vice Admiral Garp.
Well, to me Captain Roger and Papa Rayleigh were monsters too.
"Anyway, I'm heading out. Really, don't push yourself, Akari."
"You too, Bellemere. The Grand Line's full of people with no limits on their power, so don't go charging in alone... cough, cough"
"Look, Dr. Nako said it's not uncommon for women who lose strength from childbirth to just die like that. You really need to be careful."
"I know."
This world had Marines and pirates fighting year-round, so surgical techniques were pretty advanced. Without the medical equipment and testing devices of my previous life's modern medicine, doctors had to rely on their own knowledge, diagnostic skills, and surgical expertise.
On the flip side, internal medicine was more period-appropriate. Diseases that could be completely cured in my previous life were often fatal here. Though thanks to the noble and Celestial Dragon privileged classes, certain... other types of medicine were well-developed...
"Why are you suddenly turning red, Akari?"
"I-it's nothing."
"Hmm... Suspicious."
"I was just thinking about doctors, how surgical techniques are advanced but internal medicine isn't... and how certain medicines are well-stocked..."
Bellemere tilted her head.
"Surgery treats injuries and stuff, right? And internal medicine is about drugs? What's there to blush about?"
"Well, those medicines I mentioned... the, um, those kinds of medicines are really well-developed..."
"Hmm... And which kinds would those be?"
Bellemere grinned as she asked, clearly knowing the answer.
"You know what I mean! Stop making me say it!"
"Hahaha! You're still so innocent about weird stuff, Akari!"
People in this world, where life was lost more easily than in my previous one, seemed generally more proactive about things. Of course there were people with modesty, but they seemed to be the minority.
"What's wrong with that? Thanks to it, I caught a wonderful husband and had a child."
"Are you picking a fight with me? When you're feeling better, I'll take you on anytime."
"With over a year of rust, I don't think I could beat you, so I'll pass."
"Ha! You won eight out of ten sparring matches when we were in the Marines."
"That was with Devil Fruit powers and Haki. I can't win on skill alone."
"In real combat, anything goes. If you can't win with everything available, there's no point."
This was just our usual banter—trying to hide the sadness before departure by joking around. Time to send off my friend properly.
"Have a safe trip, Bellemere."
"I'm off, Akari."
With those words, she turned on her heel. I watched her go. Sailors always departed with smiles—it was proper etiquette.
"She's gone."
The ship carrying my friend sailed away with full sails. Even though it was commanded by a hero, I prayed for safe passage. After seeing her off, I returned to Bellemere's house where I was staying.
"Hehe, sleeping so peacefully."
In the crib that Genzo had asked the village carpenter to make, my son Shu slept contentedly while I watched.
"Bellemere mentioned it before, but this child really doesn't cry much..."
My son only cried when he was hungry or needed his diaper changed. He was such a good baby, but I wished he'd act a little more spoiled sometimes.
"Shu? It's okay to be more demanding, you know."
As I said this, I gently poked his soft cheek. He squirmed a little, then grabbed my finger with his tiny hand and went back to sleep peacefully. My face melted at my child's cuteness.
"So cute!"
I made a fist with my free hand and quietly expressed my joy. This was a mother's privilege! For this child, I'd pick a fight with Whitebeard himself! Not that I planned to.
While grinning, I looked at my adorable son's face again. He had my wavy purple hair and purple eyes, but his narrow eyes and straight nose were probably like his.
As I petted my peacefully sleeping child's head, I thought about these things.
"I'd hoped for a wonderful boyfriend, but I never thought I'd become a mother too..."
My previous life's memories were almost completely gone now, but I still knew one thing: I'd never felt emotions this happy in my past life.
"I've only lived about twenty years, but it's been eventful and fun."
With that murmur, I reflected on my life in this world.