Margaret did not understand why she felt different from the others in his heart.
It was not just simple companionship.
If Kalifa or Carina reached out to him, he would probably take their hands, because they might need help.
But the hand in front of him now belonged to Margaret.
Seeing Luffy hesitate, Margaret puffed her cheeks slightly.
"What? No… is it not allowed?"
Luffy scratched his head with his right hand before finally reaching out and taking her slender hand.
The moment her small hand was wrapped in his, Margaret felt a wave of happiness fill her completely.
Luffy, on the other hand, looked a little flustered. Margaret was a warrior of Amazon Lily, yet her hand felt unexpectedly soft.
Holding her hand, he even forgot to think.
For a brief moment, he simply wanted to keep holding it.
As for why she wanted him to do so, he did not think too deeply about it.
The two stood side by side at the edge of the cliff, hands joined. As dusk settled, stars and the moon began to appear in the sky.
Insects chirped from the jungle, and fireflies drifted around them like tiny lanterns.
Neither of them showed any intention of letting go.
At first, Margaret stood shoulder to shoulder with him, but slowly, she leaned her head against his shoulder.
Luffy glanced at her but did not stop her. She was his companion.
Though it was not just because of that.
What neither of them noticed was that not far away, atop a large tree, two figures were quietly watching.
"Hahaha, that brat is not completely hopeless after all."
"Vice Admiral Garp, you are his grandfather, yet you are spying on him. Have some shame."
"Mind your business. This is about the future of the Monkey family. How can I not care? Rolan, your Devil Fruit ability is quite useful."
The two figures were Rolan and Garp.
Earlier that afternoon, after leaving, Garp had found Rolan and dragged him along to keep an eye on Luffy's situation.
Rolan had plenty of experience dealing with women, and his relationships somehow remained stable. Garp believed that if anyone could guide Luffy in this area, it would be him.
He did not expect Luffy to have countless partners, but at the very least, he needed one.
When Garp saw Margaret earlier, he had already decided she was the perfect candidate.
Now, watching the two holding hands, his long-standing worries eased slightly.
Beside him, Rolan looked at Luffy with a rare hint of surprise.
In his understanding, Luffy only cared about becoming the Pirate King. When it came to relationships, he was completely clueless.
Yet now, he had taken Margaret's hand on his own.
That alone was unexpected.
If Luffy were ever to have a partner, it would not be Nami, Vivi, Hancock, or Shirahoshi.
It would be Margaret, the quiet warrior of Amazon Lily.
She had the looks, the personality, and the natural connection with him.
And now, things were already moving in that direction.
Rolan slightly reinforced the electromagnetic barrier around them, ensuring Luffy's Observation Haki would not pick up their presence.
From this distance, they could only watch.
Garp crossed his arms and snorted.
"That brat probably does not even understand what this means."
Rolan glanced at him. "You think he will not figure it out?"
Garp laughed loudly.
"Hahaha, I know my grandson. He might feel something, but he does not understand love yet."
Rolan shifted his gaze back to Luffy and Margaret, then nodded.
"So, this is your responsibility now," Garp continued. "If I stay away from Marineford too long, those people will drag me back."
Rolan replied casually, "Luffy is my disciple. I will handle it. Maybe next time you visit, you will be holding a great-grandchild."
Garp burst into laughter.
"Hahaha, that would be perfect!"
After that, he took one last look at Luffy before turning and leaving.
Rolan watched his figure disappear, a faint smirk on his face.
Even in this world, elders still tried to arrange relationships.
His gaze returned to the pair below.
They were still leaning against each other, completely absorbed in their own world.
Rolan did not think he needed to interfere.
It would happen naturally.
With that thought, his figure vanished from the treetop.
…
New World, aboard the Moby Dick.
When Ace and Yamato walked onto the deck hand in hand, the entire crew froze.
Every single person stared at them in disbelief.
Marco looked between the two before speaking.
"Ace… what is going on here?"
The rest of the crew quickly gathered, all eyes fixed on them.
Even Whitebeard paused, pulling his hand away from the nurse beside him as he looked over with interest.
Under everyone's gaze, Yamato's face turned red.
Ace scratched his cheek, clearly uncomfortable.
"This is… this is Yamato. She is my wife."
Silence lasted for half a second.
Then chaos erupted.
"What?!"
"You are kidding!"
"Ace, we agreed to stay single!"
"That is unfair!"
"Captain Ace, your wife is beautiful!"
"They look perfect together!"
Even Whitebeard looked surprised.
"Gurararara, well done, Ace."
Marco frowned slightly. "When did this happen? Why did we not know?"
Vista stepped forward. "Ace, introduce her properly."
Ace nodded and turned to Yamato, his expression softening.
"This is Yamato, Kaido's daughter, and the current General of Wano."
The moment those words fell, the deck exploded again.
"What?!"