A quiet yet vibrant forest.
A house deep within the forest, its brick walls covered in evergreen vines.
A garden where flowers and plants grew freely.
Yellowed stone table and chairs beneath a pergola.
Two elderly individuals.
Law stood at the wooden gate of the garden, looking at the house that hadn't changed a bit over the years, and sighed emotionally, "Still the same as ever."
Machi couldn't quite understand Law's sentiment, but she looked around at the surroundings and felt a flicker of fondness.
Over the past seven days, her injuries had healed. Fortunately, she had dodged in time back then, not taking the full force of Botobai's [Shock Fist] head-on.
Otherwise, she might have been seriously injured or even killed.
Tap, tap.
Slightly hurried footsteps came from the end of the winding path.
A man with graying hair and beard, dressed in a black suit, walked over quickly. It was Linne's butler, Shachmono.
He arrived at the gate, opened the wooden door, and said respectfully, "Sir, you've arrived."
He noticed Machi, who had come with Law, but didn't ask any questions. The reason was simple: she was brought by Law.
Hearing this, Law said helplessly, "No need for honorifics."
Shachmono smiled upon hearing this but didn't comment. Instead, he stepped aside and gestured for them to enter.
Law shook his head slightly and led Machi onto the winding path towards the main entrance of the house.
Familiar with the place, Law opened the main door and entered the first-floor hall, which was rich with an antique atmosphere.
Law glanced back at Shachmono and asked, "Where's Linne?"
Shachmono replied, "On the second-floor balcony."
Law nodded and led Machi up the mottled staircase, which creaked under their feet.
The second-floor balcony where Linne often stayed was located on the opposite side of the house from the main entrance.
Soon, the two reached the second floor.
Passing through a corridor, they saw Linne sitting in a high-backed chair, her back to them.
"Sit."
Hearing the sounds, Linne slowly opened her eyes and gestured towards the chairs prepared beside her.
On the round table in the middle, two cups of fragrant hot tea had already been poured.
Law and Machi walked over and sat down.
Machi recognized Linne and didn't feel constrained.
Linne quietly observed the changes in Law. There were many things she wanted to say and ask, but after a moment, she simply said, "It's good that you're back."
Law smiled slightly, took a long stone box from Kuro's space, and gently placed it on the round table.
"This is?"
Linne turned her chair slightly to look at the stone box.
"Nitro Rice." Law stated the name of the item inside the box.
Linne's eyes narrowed to slits. She was familiar with the known Five Great Hopes and knew that Nitro Rice was a longevity food coveted by countless people.
"Although it's only half a plant, the effect remains." Law said, opening the box.
Linne looked at the golden rice inside the stone box, surprised that the true form of the longevity food growing in the swamp region was golden rice.
She raised her eyes to look at Law, then pushed the stone box forward and said flatly, "I don't need it."
"No, you do." Law pushed the box back, his attitude firm.
Machi didn't know what Nitro Rice was. Watching the two push the box back and forth, she found it rather strange.
Seeing that Linne showed no intention of accepting it, Law said earnestly, "I will go to the Dark Continent again. I don't know when I'll set off, nor when I'll return."
"If you still hold any hope in your heart, accept it properly."
Linne fell silent upon hearing this. She understood Law's meaning: he was worried that by the time he returned a second time, she might have died of old age at home, her lifespan having reached its limit.
After a moment, she stopped refusing and said, "Something so many people dream of, and you're so generous."
Law said with a light smile, "If it's needed, I'll go get more."
A casual statement like that, to those who knew the truth, sounded incredibly arrogant.
Linne stared blankly at Law. For some reason, a sense of loss welled up in her heart.
'If I had been more resolute back then, would I now, in my old age, still be clinging to hope, even relying on a junior?'
Time lost could never be recovered, no matter what.
Sensing Linne's regret, Law silently closed the stone box. Then, he took out ingredients from Kuro's space and placed them on the round table, immediately crowding out the teacups.
A fresh red fruit, looking like a budding flower.
A section of translucent bamboo shoot mushroom with snow-like patterns.
A piece of meat, half emerald green, half snow-white, shaped like a mahjong tile.
A basket of rock-covered stone clams the size of basketballs.
Besides these, there were also a few Fire Pattern Eggs.
These were the ingredients Law had selected from among many.
They weren't necessarily the best, but they were ones that could fully retain their flavor on their own.
Before returning, he had specifically gone to the core area of the underground world, hoping to hunt a Burning Feather. However, repeatedly forced back by magma waves, he never found any trace of the Burning Feather and had to give up.
After taking out these ingredients, Law smiled and said, "All ingredients brought back from the Dark Continent."
Linne looked at these highly distinctive ingredients, her body trembling slightly.
When Law had pushed the longevity food towards her, she hadn't reacted much.
But when Law placed the ingredients from the Dark Continent before her, she lost her composure.
Countless days and nights, even in her dreams, she had wanted to personally prepare and taste ingredients from the Dark Continent.
She rose from her chair, stretched out her trembling old hand, and gently touched the ingredients.
Unconsciously, tears streamed down her aged face.
Law watched Linne's loss of composure, able to empathize with the feeling of having a regret fulfilled.
Whether it was the Nitro Rice or the specially selected ingredients he brought back, they were Law's way of repaying her.
He had always been like this. It wasn't about repaying a drop of kindness with a fountain, but towards those he considered his own, he was never stingy.
After Linne calmed her excited emotions, she didn't immediately cook the ingredients. She wanted to make complete preparations first, showing the utmost importance.
It was worth noting that since Linne had advanced in age, few people outside had tasted her cooking.
Only old friends like Netero and Maha had the chance to taste it once every year or two.
Cooking ingredients from Dark Continent was likely one of the most important moments in Linne's life. Before making preparations, she would also invite her old friends.
She shared Law's view: the true essence of fine food lay in sharing.
That day, Law and Machi stayed overnight. Whether intentionally arranged by Linne or not, she stated that the extra rooms were used for storing sundries, so only one room was available.
Thus, Law and Machi had to share a room and a bed.
A characteristic of Linne's house was that the rooms were large, and correspondingly, the beds were also large.
The night was deep. Listening carefully, one could hear the faint chirping of insects outside.
On the large bed, Law lay on the left side, Machi on the right.
"These past few years, you went to the Dark Continent?" Machi had gathered from listening during the day that Law might have gone to a place called the Dark Continent.
"Yes."
Law stared at the ceiling, able to feel her gaze from the side. He couldn't help but recall the days when Machi had first taken him in.
Machi looked at Law's profile in silence.
Then, Law suddenly turned onto his side, meeting Machi's gaze. He said teasingly, "Machi, there's something I have to confess to you. Even though I've refused to admit it until now."
"What?" Machi also turned onto her side, puzzled.
"I admit, that night, it really was me who accidentally pulled your clothes off," Law said seriously.
Under the covers, Machi suddenly kicked out, but Law caught her foot with his hand.
"Let go," Machi said, her heartbeat involuntarily quickening.
This night, they might, perhaps, possibly... grow up?