The afternoon on Gold Crown Island felt relaxed and luxurious.
After finishing their patrol of the pier, the trio returned to their quarters.
"Since we have to wait until tomorrow to start the mission, why don't we go for a walk?"
Aiden stood in front of the giant floor-to-ceiling window, looking down at the busy commercial street. He turned back and invited Gion, who was currently cleaning her sword.
"We'll be heading back to Marineford soon. Since it's been a while, I want to buy some souvenirs for a few friends from my time in the training camp. And..."
Aiden smiled and pointed out the window. "That old fox Nelson is definitely watching us right now. If we go out for a walk, it'll help lower his guard."
Hearing this, Gion paused, then sheathed her sword.
"Fine." She stood up and smoothed out a few wrinkles from the hem of her clothes. "As your 'supervisor,' I really can't let you wander the streets alone."
Although she called it "supervision," her tone carried a faint lightness that was hard to notice.
If anyone else had made such an obvious invitation for a date, this Commodore, famous for being cold and distant, probably wouldn't have even blinked. But when it came to Aiden, she suddenly couldn't find the urge to refuse. Being with him always gave her a sense of ease she had not felt in a long time.
"Smoker, coming with us?" Aiden turned toward the corner and tossed out a token invitation.
Hearing this, Smoker raised his eyelids. His gaze moved between Aiden's half-smiling face and Gion, who was quietly waiting nearby without saying a word.
Even with his usually blunt mind, he seemed to understand the subtle atmosphere in the air. At a time like this, if he actually nodded and agreed, it felt like something terrible might happen.
"I'm not going."
Smoker looked away. "I've never been interested in shopping."
Aiden didn't push it. He smiled and walked out of the suite with Gion.
Fifteen minutes later, on Gold Crown Island's busiest street, Royal Avenue.
The first stop for the two of them was the most high-end clothing store in the area.
Because Gion had only brought stiff military uniforms for this mission, Aiden used the excuse that wearing uniforms was too conspicuous and firmly dragged the Commodore into the store.
Aiden had already changed into a casual black shirt and trousers. His sleeves were rolled up loosely, making him look tall and striking. He wasn't trying to show off, but the confidence and ease that came from absolute strength gave him a natural charm that was hard to ignore.
He was the first to step out of the dressing room and stood by the door waiting.
Then Gion stepped out.
When she emerged from the dressing room of that high-end store, Aiden's eyes lit up slightly.
She had changed into a deep red, high-slit long dress. The cut fit her tall figure perfectly, and a white fringed shawl rested loosely over her shoulders.
With her long hair, usually tied up, now pinned back more casually, she had lost some of her sharp military edge and looked more elegant and mature.
"Is it strange?"
Seeing Aiden staring at her, Gion felt a little uncomfortable and tugged at her shawl. Her cheeks turned slightly red.
"I always wear uniforms at Headquarters. Dressing like this all of a sudden... is it inappropriate?"
"No, it fits you perfectly."
"These clothes really suit your personality. Both dangerous and charming..."
Aiden looked into her eyes and said it without hesitation.
Gion was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter. It was the kind of joy that came from being sincerely appreciated.
"Even if it sounds a little unlucky, I'll take it as a compliment."
Just as the two of them were about to leave, Gion suddenly remembered something. She walked to the counter, lowered her voice, and took out her wallet.
"Put that gentleman's bill on mine as well."
She knew very well what a Headquarters Sergeant's salary looked like. This was the top clothing store on Gold Crown Island. The casual outfit Aiden was wearing looked simple, but it probably cost more than all the allowances he had earned since joining the Marines.
To stop this boy, who always acted so composed, from being embarrassed at the register, she quietly decided to protect his pride.
However, the clerk paused for a moment, then offered her a professional smile.
"Ma'am, that gentleman has already paid for both of you."
"He paid for both?" Gion was so shocked that her wallet nearly slipped from her hand.
She instinctively looked down at the high-end custom dress she was wearing. She had secretly checked the price tag earlier. That outrageous number was enough to make even a Commodore like her feel the pain in her wallet. She had hesitated for a long time before deciding to buy it.
That amount was a fortune a Sergeant could not save in ten years, even if he spent nothing at all.
She immediately turned toward the door. Aiden was standing there with his back to her, looking out at the street. He didn't look at all like someone who had just spent an absurd amount of money.
Gion quickly walked out and stopped beside him. Her eyes were full of disbelief and suspicion.
"Aiden." Gion lowered her voice, sounding almost urgent. "That dress of mine cost a fortune. Can you really afford that? Where did you get so much money?"
Faced with the Commodore's questioning, Aiden remained calm.
He straightened his cuffs and said casually, "Of course. It was all 'sponsored' by the pirates in Mock Town."
After saying that, he held out his arm like a gentleman, silently asking her to take it.
"That's confiscated loot!"
Gion's brow furrowed. Her professional instinct as a Marine officer made her want to start lecturing him on the spot. According to regulations, seized pirate assets should be registered and handed over. Using them privately was a disciplinary violation.
"Even if it was confiscated, you still can't..."
She got halfway through the sentence and suddenly stopped.
The afternoon sunlight fell over Aiden. His fitted black clothes outlined his tall frame and cold, sharp presence perfectly. His slightly open collar gave him a hint of rebelliousness. Just standing there, without doing anything at all, he looked like the kind of man people couldn't help staring at.
Gion looked at his handsome face, then at the clothes that fit him as if they had been made just for him.
The lecture about discipline and turning things in rose to her throat, but in the end, she forced herself to swallow it.
"Never mind."
Gion cleared her throat and looked away awkwardly. Then she stepped forward and took his arm.
"Anyway... those pirates won't be filing a complaint. Let's just leave it at that."
"Wise choice, Commodore."
The two walked side by side down the street. The combination of a handsome man and a beautiful woman instantly drew the attention of countless passersby.
They wandered around until dusk, when they arrived at a high-end seaside restaurant.
It was the best restaurant on Gold Crown Island. From the terrace, one could see the entire busy port and the ocean beyond.
As the sun set, golden light spread across the sea, coating the seemingly perfect city in a warm glow.
On the streets, people moved in a steady stream. Well-dressed gentlemen and ladies walked leisurely by, children ran around happily with balloons in their hands, and farther away, street performers played cheerful music.
If not for the darkness hidden underground, this place really did deserve to be called a paradise.
Gion swirled the red wine in her glass. Her gaze settled on a family of three sitting on a bench outside, talking about their day. Their faces were full of happiness and contentment. That kind of peace wasn't fake.
"Aiden."
Gion suddenly spoke, her voice a little low. "Do you think... the people living here are happy?"
Aiden followed her gaze and answered calmly, "They probably are. No pirate attacks, a wealthy life, and tight security. In this chaotic Great Pirate Era, this really is a rare safe haven."
"Yes, a safe haven..."
Gion let out a bitter laugh and finished the wine in her glass. She rubbed a finger along the rim, a trace of confusion in her eyes.
"If we ignore the price behind it, then yes, that's exactly what it is."
She turned to look at Aiden.
"If we win tomorrow and tear down the protection here, we'll also destroy the order this sea relies on to survive."
"Once they lose the Crystal Duke's protection, this busiest Golden Route in the first half of the Grand Line will attract greedy pirates like sharks smelling blood."
"When that happens, the people laughing out there right now might lose their homes, or even their lives."
Gion's voice trembled slightly. "We destroy the evil here for the sake of justice, but we might end up bringing disaster to even more people. Is this... the price of justice?"
Aiden looked at Gion, who had fallen into self-doubt, and stayed silent for a moment. Then he picked up the wine bottle and refilled her glass.
"Commodore, what you think you're seeing is happiness."
Aiden's voice was calm and firm, going straight to the heart of it. "But prosperity built on compromise and weakness, the more beautiful it looks, the more tragic it will be when it falls apart."
A cold light flashed through Aiden's eyes. "As for what comes after... if pirates come, then kill them all. If order breaks down, then rebuild it."
"If we allow present evil to keep existing because we're afraid of future chaos, then what do we even need the Marines for?"
Aiden's lips curled into a confident smile. He looked into Gion's eyes and said softly, "If that so-called Crystal Duke can keep the pirates of this sea in line by himself..."
A quiet but overwhelming confidence rose from him.
"Then why can't I do the same?"
Gion stared at the young man sitting across from her.
The final light of sunset fell across his profile. That natural confidence and strength left her dazed for a moment. In that instant, all of her worries about the future suddenly seemed meaningless.
Gion took a deep breath, and a smile returned to her face. She raised her glass.
"Well said. For justice."
"For justice."
The two glasses met softly in midair with a crisp sound.
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Note: when the time comes, there will also be an 18+ version