"Well…"
Since his mother had said that, there was no need for him to be mysterious anymore. Nao gave an awkward laugh and honestly held up two fingers.
"Twenty???"
Yukika's eyes went wide in shock. "Or… two hundred…?"
"What are you thinking, Mom?"
Nao's face was full of exasperation. "Two! Only two! You can even say something as outrageous as two hundred? Do you really think I'm the kind of guy who flirts with every flower he sees?"
"Are you sure it's only two?"
Yukika frowned, half-believing, half-doubting.
"Of course."
Nao sighed. "When I told you this morning to prepare for three times the workload, that's what I meant. I only love those three, and I don't want to let any of them down. So I plan to hold the wedding together, so no one gets left out…"
"How touching…"
Yukika shot him a sideways glance, her voice dry. "So this is the last shred of conscience in a man with no bottom line in matters of love?"
"…Mom, I'm your son. At a time like this, can't you be on my side? Being sarcastic isn't going to help anything."
"Well, Belle-Mère is my daughter too, you know. I don't want to see her get pushed around by you like this."
Yukika gave a cold snort and held out her palm. "You got pictures of those two girls? Let me see them."
"I do. Wait here."
Nao nodded and hurried upstairs, coming back with the photo he'd taken with Gion and Shia.
Yukika's gaze was instantly drawn to it. As she flipped through them, Nao leaned in and quietly introduced the two girls.
"So…"
After quietly listening to the end, Yukika fell silent for a few seconds, then looked up.
"One's a princess from a World Government member nation, status higher than gold. The other's the Headquarters' No.1 beauty—nicknamed the Ice Queen—and used to be your direct superior…"
She gave him a half-smile, half-smirk. "You've got pretty high standards, huh?"
"Of course." Nao said humbly. "It's all thanks to the excellent genes I inherited from Dad."
"Stop with the flattery."
Yukika kicked him lightly. "Your dad didn't have half the schemes you do… Well, not that he had your… advantages either."
That's mostly because he doesn't have the guts to do it in front of you…
Nao muttered silently in his heart as Yukika put the photos down, rubbing her temples with a headache.
"Although I still feel a little indignant for that girl Belle-mère, since things have gotten to this point, I can't let you just abandon them…"
She tapped the surface of the photos on the coffee table with her fingertip.
"You said that those two girls will also be returning to Headquarters soon, right?"
"Yes."
"Then why did you bring Belle-mère here at this time?"
Yukika looked at him with a worried expression. "You should know that with Belle-mère's temper, and those two girls' personalities, none of them will accept sharing their lover with others…"
"Wait a minute."
She suddenly realized something and frowned. "Are you doing this on purpose?"
"Yeah. If I want to get married, I can't keep hiding it forever. I really don't want to drag this out anymore."
Nao nodded calmly.
"You already have a plan?"
Yukika looked him. She knew her son—though he was careless and laid-back at home, when it came down to it he was meticulous and reliable.
"Sort of."
Nao thought for a moment, then added, "But nothing in life's a hundred-percent guarantee. If something goes wrong in the end… I might need you to help me smooth things over with Belle-Mère."
"Don't worry. If Belle-mère wants to pull out a knife to stab you, I'll help her sharpen it beforehand."
Yukika's said flatly, then leaned back on the sofa and began to carefully examine the photos of Shia and Gion.
Nao could clearly see a faint, joyful light in her eyes, and a smile that was hard for outsiders to notice appeared on her lips.
"…I'll take that as a yes."
There was no response.
Nao pouted, got up from the sofa, left the living room, and took Nojiko upstairs to play.
On the way back from their shopping trip, he had bought a bunch of toys. One of them was similar to a screaming rubby chicken from Earth, but shaped like a Den Den Mushi. It quickly made Nojiko giggle nonstop.
Nao also enjoyed this rare moment of peace.
There was no escaping the inevitable conflict. He was already prepared to face it.
But no matter how many worries or troubles he had, in front of his soft and adorable daughters, they were nothing. They would all be easily dissolved and melted away.
...
That night.
The family enjoyed dinner together. Nao finally got to taste Mom's cooking again—her classic beef-and-potato stew, still the same flavor as always. He ate until he was sweating, praising it the whole time.
During dinner, Garp, who had just finished eating, was trimming flowers and plants in the yard. Seeing the lively atmosphere, he came over with Ace to visit, which made his dad incredibly excited.
When his dad found out that Garp lived right next door, his expression was like he had just won the lottery. He was ecstatic and couldn't calm down for a long time.
Nao found it a little funny, but he could understand his dad's state of mind.
After all, for his generation, Garp's name was louder than anyone else's. He was an absolute idol in the hearts of every Marine from that generation.
Fortunately, Garp's nature was rough and free-spirited, and he never cared about the superior-subordinate relationship.
Under his influence, old Natsuya also gradually relaxed and lost his initial stiffness. He even went and brought out a bottle of good wine that he had been saving for years to entertain him.
By the time the night deepened, the two old drunks were already sitting side by side at the dinner table, with their arms around each other's shoulders, like old friends.
During that time, Garp also noticed Belle-mère.
The old man had lived for half a lifetime and had seen every kind of situation. Nao didn't need to explain anything. With just one look, he immediately noticed the unusual relationship between the girl, who was very respectful in front of him, and Nao.
This was interesting.
He had no intention of meddling in the younger generation's love life, but he did have plenty of interest in watching the drama unfold.
And since he'd probably heard from Tsuru that Gion would be arriving at Headquarters soon, he gave Nao a pat on the shoulder before leaving, grinning with schadenfreude.
As for Ace…
After the New Year, the little guy had grown a year older and no longer needed Garp to hold him. He could now run around happily on his own two feet.
His speech was also becoming clearer. When he saw Nao, he would even stand up straight and politely say, "Uncle Nao."
—It wasn't like he was always so well-behaved.
At the end of last year, the mischievous kid had secretly snuck into Nao's yard, broke a bunch of flowers and plants to feed the Den Den Mushi, and even drew a scary face on the door with crayons.
When he came back the next day, Nao caught him red-handed and hung him up for a spanking.
He cried so hard that his butt was red. He went to complain to Garp that night, but the old man beat him again with his "fist of love." From then on, whenever he saw Nao, he would become especially well-behaved and adorable.
This time, coming over with Garp, Ace's attention was immediately drawn to Nojiko and her pile of weird toys.
Especially the toys.
In front of a younger boy, Nojiko actually showed her big-sister side, generously sharing them.
The two little ones—close in age—quickly started playing together, running inside and outside for a good hour or two without tiring, full of joy.
When Garp said it was time to go home, Ace was still clinging to Nojiko's shirt with teary eyes, unwilling to leave.
"Silly kid, you're going to grow up together as neighbors from now on—you'll have plenty of time to play. Now it's time for bed."
Like picking up a kitten, Garp grabbed Ace by the back of the neck and hauled him off, laughing heartily at the door:
"These two little ones seem to get along pretty well! Hey, Nao—give it ten years and maybe we'll be in-laws!"
"Absolutely no chance."
Nao had a dark expression on his face as he saw the old man out the door.
He looked back at Nojiko. The little girl wasn't thinking about Ace at all and was already playing with the toys by herself. He felt a strange sense of relief.
Well.
Even though he was only in his early twenties, he was already beginning to fully understand the feeling that fathers from his previous life on Earth felt when they were constantly on guard against the pig who was trying to get their cabbage…
....
Morning.
Sunlight streamed in through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Deep asleep, Nao slowly opened his eyes, reaching for his alarm clock—only to grab at empty air.
The next second, a ticklish sensation brushed his nose.
"Achoo!"
Even with a body different from ordinary humans, and that kind of tickle meaning nothing to him, Nao still played along with a huge sneeze.
Sitting up, he looked around in confusion.
Nojiko, crouched and hiding by the bed, couldn't hold back her laughter anymore. She jumped up, stuck out her tongue, and giggled.
"Nao-san is a dummy~!"
"Oh? So it was you, you little rascal!"
Nao pretended to be angry, snatched the feather quill from her hands, and launched a counterattack—tickling her neck and underarms until she laughed uncontrollably and begged for mercy.
"Why are you up so early?"
When the play fight ended, Nao tossed the feather aside and lifted Nojiko high into the air with both hands, smiling. "Where are Belle-Mère and Nami?"
"Nami is a little sleepyhead; she's still sleeping."
Nojiko pointed downstairs. "Mom went with Grandma to the market. She said they'll make breakfast when they get back."
That early?
Nao scratched his head. He was used to waking up at five-thirty, but today he was apparently the last one in the house to get up.
And…
He glanced back at the pillow. A few strands of chestnut-red hair were still there, and the quilt still carried the faint, citrus-blossom fragrance of a young woman.
Belle-Mère had been more exhausted than him last night… how could she be up earlier?
"Oh, right."
Something occurred to him. He turned to Nojiko, puzzled. "Back in the East Blue, you still called Belle-Mère by her name, right? When did you start calling her Mom?"
"…On the way here. She told me to."
Nojiko stuck out her tongue again.
"Then why can't you change how you call me too?"
Nao crossed his arms, feigning a little anger. "If you keep calling me Nao-san, I won't take you shopping these next few days."
"…." Nojiko blinked, hesitated, but under his expectant gaze, she shyly lowered her head and whispered:
"Da… Dad…"
"Eh."
Nao's serious face collapsed instantly, replaced by a big grin. He laughed heartily and lifted the little one up and spun her around, then got out of bed and put on his clothes to go and wash up.
As soon as he entered the bathroom, he saw that his mouthwash cup on the sink was already filled with water, and toothpaste had been squeezed onto his toothbrush.
Did Belle-mère do it, or Mom?
Nao was slightly stunned. He then saw Nojiko at the staircase in the distance, running away with a look of both pride and shyness, and he suddenly understood.
His daughter had prepared it for him…
A wave of warmth rushed into his heart. Nao looked at himself in the mirror, smiled silently, and began to brush his teeth seriously.
The warmth of family was often more important than anything else.
He loved this feeling.
...
Time slipped away in this kind of warm daily life.
In the blink of an eye, a week had gone by.
Nao's leave had long ended, but that didn't affect his schedule. By day, he worked through the usual stack of documents; mornings and evenings, he spent with his family.
And at night, after Belle-Mère fell asleep, he'd head out alone under the stars and moonlight, training hard through the night as always.
This morning, in the training room behind the Headquarters fortress—
Nao sat cross-legged, looking at the status panel in front of him, his eyes thoughtful.
Behind him, in the corner of the wall, a stick of incense that only he could see was burning silently.
"I didn't expect to make a breakthrough in my Observation Haki through meditation before I even reached the threshold of my swordsmanship…"
He scanned the status bar, raised an eyebrow, and said softly to himself.
Name: Natsuya Nao
Age: 20
Strength: 33 (1,000,000 points per +1 at current stage)
Agility: 31 (+3) (500,000 points per +1)
Stamina: 34 (2,000,000 points per +1)
Intelligence: 12 (500,000 points per +1)
Charm: 19 (1,000,000 points per +1)
Current Points: 826,500
General Skills: Dual-Sword Style (Advanced), Rokushiki (Advanced), Firearms Proficiency (Advanced), Close Combat (Advanced), Self-Discipline (Master), Armament Haki (Advanced), Observation Haki (Advanced), Painting (Advanced), Fishing (Master), Swimming (Master), Sweet Talker (Advanced)
Innate Skills: Conqueror's Haki, Adamantine Body, Voice of All Things, Radiance Smile, Craftsman's Spirit, Wind Barrier (Advanced), Thick-Skinned (Advanced), Iron Head (Advanced), Limb Regeneration, Amphibious Breathing