At Marine Headquarters, in the residential district, inside the courtyard of the Ortoren family.
Zephyr was speaking with Rouge.
"You didn't even let Ortoren know?" Zephyr asked curiously, a cigar clamped between his teeth.
Standing by the courtyard gate, Rouge carried her packed luggage in one hand and held the sleeping Ace in her arms. With a gentle smile, she replied, "I was planning to give him a surprise."
"Seems your longing's gotten the better of you. That Ortoren fellow—ever since he went to G-5, he's been gone for so long. Looks like he won't be reassigned back to Headquarters anytime soon either. You being here alone with the child isn't right. Ace is already three. At this stage, he really needs to grow up with his father..." Zephyr said with a sigh.
After a pause, he asked, "What about Robin-chan and Lucci?"
"I'm going with Auntie Rouge!" Robin piped up before Zephyr could say more. She stepped out of the house carrying a small suitcase, her face full of excitement.
Before Zephyr could respond, Robin proudly declared, "I've already completed my basic education as the top of my class! The teachers said there's nothing more they can teach me. Once I'm old enough, I'll enlist myself. When I do, I'll apply for Grandpa Zephyr's training camp!"
Seeing her spirited expression, Zephyr's face softened into a kind smile. He reached out and ruffled Robin's hair. "Is that so? Our Robin-chan is so smart and sensible. Grandpa Zephyr will be proud to have you in my camp. In the future, you might even become a pillar of the Navy, like Chief of Staff Tsuru. So you must keep working hard!"
"I will!" Robin promised firmly.
Robin's talent for learning was extraordinary, and her intelligence even more so. Though the normal curriculum was meant to take eight years, she had finished everything in just three, graduating early and at the top of her class.
If not for the fact she was only ten years old—too young to enlist—Zephyr would have already brought her under his direct tutelage.
At that moment, Lucci stepped out of the house, looking reluctantly at Rouge and Robin. "You're both leaving? Am I supposed to stay here all by myself?"
"If you leave too, then I'll really be the one left alone," Zephyr shot back, giving him a sharp glance.
Although Lucci hadn't officially joined the Marines, he had been under Zephyr's guidance for years. At only eleven, his knowledge and abilities already surpassed many naval officers.
As a famed instructor, Zephyr had drawn out Lucci's natural talent to its fullest, training him according to his strengths and giving him plenty of room to grow.
These years spent together, combined with Zephyr's loss of his own son and Lucci being an orphan, had forged a bond between them akin to family. Zephyr regarded Lucci as his grandson, and Lucci treated Zephyr as his grandfather.
Ortoren was the one who had originally brought Lucci into the Marines and entrusted Zephyr with his upbringing, yet in truth, he hadn't spent much time with the boy. Even so, Lucci was deeply grateful and respectful toward Ortoren, whom he regarded as the man who had changed his life.
Living close by also meant Lucci grew close with Rouge and Robin, treating Robin like a sister and Ace like a younger brother.
This trip to G-5 had been Rouge's plan for a long time. But Lucci would not be going with them—he would stay by Zephyr's side, continuing his training and education, while keeping him company. One day, he too would become a pillar of the Navy.
The reason Rouge had waited until now was because, earlier, it hadn't been convenient for her to go to G-5. After all, Garp—who knew the truth—was still hanging around headquarters, slacking off as usual.
From Garp's perspective, Ortoren not returning to headquarters was perfectly normal. That was how the appearance of conflict needed to build. After another year or two, when the timing was right, Rouge could use the situation to bring up divorce or something along those lines. Then, Ortoren would finally be free.
This was what had been agreed upon from the start.
But Garp had never expected that after becoming a mother, Rouge's mindset would shift so drastically. Ever since, she had been trying to change the course that was set at the beginning.
With Garp stationed at Headquarters, however, she hadn't been able to act. Take today's plan to visit Ortoren at G-5—if Garp were around, he would certainly find it suspicious, maybe even secretly stop her.
Now, with Garp tricked by Sengoku and Ortoren into chasing Mihawk into the New World, everyone at Marine Headquarters who knew her true situation was gone.
Seizing this chance, she declared she was going to G-5 to reunite with her husband Ortoren, taking their child along as well. Within the Marines, no one found anything strange about it.
Even Zephyr thought it perfectly reasonable. Before, Ace had been too small to travel far. A child that young needed the support of Headquarters' full medical facilities, so staying behind had been only natural.
Now, while Ace was still young, he was no longer fragile. For Rouge, as both wife and mother, to take her child and reunite with her husband was the most reasonable thing in the world.
"Conditions at G-5 aren't the same as here. If you find it difficult to adjust, come back right away, understand?" Zephyr didn't try to dissuade her, only gave a heartfelt reminder.
As he spoke, Zephyr suddenly broke into a cough. Rouge frowned, stepped closer, rose on her toes, and plucked the cigar from his mouth.
"Zephyr-sensei, stop smoking these cigars. They're bad for your health. We've told you this so many times already..."
Zephyr looked down with a pang as Rouge tossed the cigar to the ground and stamped it out. Then, as if remembering something, he smiled, pulled a small box of medicine from his coat, and said, "Actually, things have been improving lately. Thanks to that Ortoren kid. He went all the way to Punk Hazard to see Dr. Vegapunk, gave him a sample of his own blood, and had him make some medicine for me. That boy..."
As a Marine Admiral, Zephyr understood the weight behind Ortoren's decision. Handing over his blood to a mad genius like Vegapunk couldn't have been easy.
Borsalino had mentioned it too, when he came back to Headquarters to visit. At first, Ortoren had refused. But the moment Vegapunk said it could help with Zephyr's illness, Ortoren agreed without hesitation.
Indeed, thanks to Ortoren, Zephyr's relationship with Borsalino hadn't grown stiff despite their clashing ideals. Now Borsalino respected his teacher deeply. Zephyr still gave him the occasional reminder, but he no longer tried to force him to change.
After hearing the details from Borsalino, Zephyr felt even more gratitude toward Ortoren. Thinking about it, the boy called him on the Den Den Mushi every few days, always checking in, always concerned. He heard Ortoren didn't even contact Rouge, his own wife, as often.
If it had been anyone else, Zephyr might have suspected it was just flattery.
But Ortoren had no need for that. His ties with Sengoku were already strong, and he had high prestige within Headquarters. His classmates and colleagues were rising to high positions, and he himself was a central figure in the Navy's power structure. There was nothing he needed Zephyr's help for.
So Zephyr never once thought of Ortoren's concern as scheming. At first, he hadn't noticed, but now it felt like the bond between them was becoming almost father and son.
It was a unique situation. In terms of career, Ortoren's connection with Sengoku was closer—they had a tacit understanding.
But in personal life, Sengoku rarely mixed with Ortoren's family. Zephyr, on the other hand, had grown close to Rouge, Ace, Robin, and Lucci. He looked after them like family, like an elder watching over his children in Marineford.
"I've already arranged a warship for you. Coincidentally, one of my students is heading to G-5 today. That kid's a troublemaker, but by chance Ortoren took a liking to him and brought him in. You can travel together—it'll be safer, and you'll have someone to look out for you..."
Zephyr chuckled. "If something does happen, don't act rashly. Just say you're the family of G-5 Marine Benn Ortoren. I doubt anyone in the New World would dare touch Ortoren's family now, hahahaha..."
Looking at the kind and gentle Zephyr, Rouge's eyes filled with reluctant emotion.
"Zephyr-sensei, please take care of yourself..."
She reached out and gently ruffled Lucci's hair, speaking tenderly.
"Lucci, while we're away from Headquarters, I'm leaving sensei in your care. Make sure he smokes less, don't let his illness get worse..."
"I understand, Aunt Rouge..." Lucci nodded, his voice tinged with the same reluctance.