Michael and Ivankov had always been close, but even so, he could never understand why Ivankov chose to become an okama…
And with such a gigantic head on top of that!
What he really couldn't understand was…
This unlucky jud Momonosuke actually wanted to seek out Ivankov to become an okama and change his gender?
If Momonosuke were only the annoying little kid from the original story, he could have ignored it…
But now, this little gremlin had become his own grandson-in-law!
That made the nature of the matter completely different…
And most importantly, if he really took Momonosuke straight to Baltigo to let Ivankov perform a gender transition…
Kozuki Toki might very well grab Enma and Ame-no-Habakiri and murder him on the spot.
After all, no matter how you looked at her, Kozuki Toki had perfectly inherited his explosive temper…
"Damn, you've really handed me a tough one."
Michael folded his arms, staring at Momonosuke—who was kneeling far too skillfully, clearly very practiced—and sighed.
"Tell me at least this… why do you want Ivankov to give you a gender change and turn you into a woman?"
"I…"
Momonosuke lifted his head, opened his mouth, but in the end said nothing.
Judging from his face, he seemed a bit ashamed.
"If you can't even muster the courage to confess honestly to me, how am I supposed to stand firm before your mother?"
"Uh… sigh!" Momonosuke exhaled heavily, then abruptly straightened his back.
"Grandpa! Listen to me—carefully—!"
"Don't you dare put on that theatrical tone!"
Michael smacked the back of his head with a heavy slap.
"If you're going to talk, talk!"
"Hiss—!"
Michael had used a bit of strength in that slap, instantly folding the already three-meter-tall adult Momonosuke into a squatting, head-hugging defensive position.
But the posture didn't last long. Soon after, Momonosuke rubbed his head and began explaining.
"Grandpa, you might not know this, but ever since I was little, my biggest dream has been to go out to sea and become a seafaring warrior like Whitebeard!"
"And why would you have such a dream?"
Michael crossed his arms again, looking at him critically.
"Don't tell me it's just because you happened to be born on Whitebeard's Moby Dick and it planted a dream in you?"
"Isn't that reason enough?"
"Your sister was also born on the Moby Dick… why doesn't she have that dream then? So no, that reason is not sufficient."
Michael shook his head.
"What I want is your real reason."
At this point, the small amount of intellect Momonosuke possessed was already nearly spent.
His expression made it clear he had no choice but to speak the full truth.
And just as Michael expected, Momonosuke finally spoke honestly.
"I really do want to become a seafaring warrior like Whitebeard… but as the heir to the shogun of Wano, I'm afraid I'll never have the chance to truly become one."
"Is that really it?"
Michael's wings quietly unfurled.
"Do you truly want to become a seafaring warrior… or do you want to escape the burden of being the shogun's heir?"
The moment Michael said this, Momonosuke shot his head up.
There was a hint of shame in his eyes…
But even more relief.
"You're right… I mainly want to be free of the shogun's throne."
Momonosuke looked at his own hands.
"I don't believe I have the ability to govern a country… Instead of becoming a useless shogun, it's better that I become a woman, so Father and Mother can try again while they're still young and have a suitable heir…"
As he spoke, he raised his head again, his eyes now filled only with sincerity.
"But becoming a seafaring warrior like Whitebeard is also my dream… and for me, fulfilling that dream as a woman is honestly the best path."
Michael stared at the Momonosuke before him…
This kid's brain circuits were unreal!
He didn't get it, but he was deeply impressed!
But putting himself in the kid's shoes for a moment…
In a certain sense, Momonosuke was actually being responsible.
He knew he was useless at governing, so he simply chose not to hold the position.
He also happened to dream of adventuring at sea.
And he didn't want the Kozuki bloodline to end, so he opted to sacrifice himself to give his parents time to start a fresh save file…
Every step was insane, but Michael…
Thought this might actually be workable!
How to put it…
If Wano—a heavily isolated and overly feudal country—lost its only official heir…
Then transforming it into a constitutional monarchy like Alabasta…
Would meet far fewer obstacles.
And from Michael's personal perspective…
He was genuinely curious what kind of expression Kozuki Oden would make upon seeing Momonosuke turn into a woman.
This counted as one of Michael's rare guilty pleasures.
"This matter… I can agree to it, but only after we resolve everything happening in Wano."
"Great!!"
Momonosuke cheered—then suddenly froze.
"Eh? Resolve what's happening in Wano? Something is happening to Wano?"
"Eh? Didn't I mention it at the banquet?"
Michael blinked, then smirked coldly.
"There are some people… eyeing Wano again."
"Eyeing Wano!?"
Momonosuke jumped to his feet, expression instantly turning grim.
Even if he didn't want to be the next shogun, that didn't mean he'd tolerate threats to his homeland.
"Exactly. And the one preparing to move against Wano… happens to be an old acquaintance."
"Old acquaintance…"
Momonosuke muttered, then suddenly realized something. Terror flashed across his eyes.
"K-Kaido!?"
"That's right. The same 'Hundred Beasts' Kaido who once joined forces with Kurozumi Orochi to enslave all of Wano. This time, he's returning with an even stronger Beast Pirates crew and a circle of corrupt allies."
"Then I have to tell Father immediately!"
Momonosuke shouted, jumped off the roof in panic, and ran.
Michael didn't stop him.
He'd planned to tell Kozuki Oden anyway.
Though perhaps Momonosuke had forgotten something… namely that Oden was still knocked out cold by his wonderfully irresponsible father-in-law—Michael himself.
Sure enough, Momonosuke dashed toward his parents' room in a hurry…
And two minutes later, Toki's signature Lion Roar echoed across the estate.
When Michael slowly returned to the guest room Toki had prepared for them, he saw Momonosuke—sporting a massive lump on his head—hanging from a streetlamp.
Hands in his pockets, Michael sighed.
"I taught her that move too?"
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Fanfic is finished. 583 chapters in total on p@treon/tambeerg