"Darren-nii, can I marry you when I grow up?"
Laughter rippled through the onlookers—good-natured, indulgent. Only Vinsmoke Judge stood rigid, veins ticking at his temples, fighting to keep his composure. He hadn't forgotten the Marine's audacious title—King of the North Blue—or the humiliation he'd suffered at Darren's hands years ago.
Judge, who should have uplifted the Vinsmoke name and restored Germa 66's glory, had been forced to bow to this brat's "tyranny." For the past two years, Germa—once proud—had served as the North Blue Fleet's largest ammunition supplier.
For Vinsmoke Judge, it was the bitterest disgrace of his life.
Now a mercenary power, Germa 66 waged constant war across the seas, honing its edge. Profit was the mask; training, the marrow. Judge's ambition hadn't shifted an inch: dominate the North Blue. All of it was preparation for a future clash with Darren's formidable, opaque North Blue Fleet—Germa's primary hypothetical enemy.
His soldiers, refined by Lineage Factor technology, were living weapons and his greatest hope.
Only a monster can defeat a monster. The lesson had been seared into him the day Darren put him down.
And now his own daughter had taken a natural liking to Darren?
The sweet, milky scent of the little girl's hair made Darren chuckle. He scooped Reiju up with one arm, pinched her rosy cheeks, and teased, smiling, "Not yet, Little Reiju. You'll have to grow faster, or big brother Darren will turn into an old man."
"No way!" Reiju clung tighter around his neck, eyes bright with innocent certainty. "Even if you get old, Darren-nii, you'll still be handsome!"
Tokikake watched, despairing, clutching his head like a mourner. "That fiend… he won't even spare children…"
Despite the commotion, the banter took the edge off the air.
"Honored guests, our apologies for the wait…"
Turtle-drawn carriages rolled into view. Minister Turtle hurried down, beaming, hands clasped in welcome. "The ceremony is about to begin. Please board for Ryugu Palace—His Majesty Neptune awaits."
---
Ryugu Palace's banquet hall blazed with celebration. Lanterns, ribbons, and balloons drifted under crystal chandeliers; a young mermaid singer's voice wove spell-soft through the crowd. Rows of platters lined both walls, a lavish buffet of rare deep-sea delicacies Fish-Man Island had in cheerful abundance. A crimson carpet arrowed down the hall toward a circular dais.
"Understated, considering…" Darren murmured, ignoring Judge's murderous glare. With Reiju balanced on one arm, he followed Minister Turtle's eager lead in and took in the simple elegance—an early measure of Queen Otohime's unadorned nature.
"Hey, Darren! This stuff's amazing!" Kuzan called. Darren looked back to see him waving a porcelain plate stacked with grilled meats and sashimi.
So he really came just to eat.
Not just him. Behind Kuzan, Garp and Tokikake were already raiding the buffet with equal fervor, waiters scrambling to keep pace.
…
Darren shook his head, snagged a small cake for Reiju, and found a quiet seat to wait for the ceremony.
Less than two minutes later, the music softened and the lights dimmed. Neptune, the Great Knight of the Sea, appeared on the dais.
Whoosh—
A spotlight cut the darkness and speared the hall's grand doors.
To a tender swell of melody, the doors eased open. A gentle figure stood framed there in a pure white gown. Golden hair swept up in a refined chignon; sea-blue eyes shone beneath the light. The crown hairpin was regal but restrained; the gown's clean lines lengthened her silhouette, the train gliding behind like a graceful tail as it rippled over the red carpet.
"So beautiful…"
"They say Queen Otohime is a great beauty—seeing her today, there's no doubt…"
"Such noble poise…"
A soft, collective sigh moved through the hall. Even the most competitive consorts and noble ladies—so keen to outshine—found genuine smiles as they offered their blessings.
"Queen Otohime still carries herself with such grace…" Tokikake mumbled, suddenly at Darren's elbow, mouth stuffed.
Darren eyed the mountain of raw oysters piled on Tokikake's plate and rolled his eyes.
Tokikake jabbed him with an elbow, dropped his voice to a whisper, eyes shifting shiftily. "Hey, Darren… the size difference between Neptune and Otohime—think Her Majesty can handle it?"
Darren started to retort, then something clicked. A knowing smile curved his mouth. "She'll be fine."
"How can you be so—" Tokikake began, but his gaze snagged on that smile, and he froze. The earlier debacle flashed through his head.
"I'm done eating!" he spat, slamming an oyster back onto the plate.
Darren chuckled, eyes narrowing in amusement.
"…Next, we would like to invite someone of profound importance to Fish-Man Island to serve as the marriage witness for King Neptune and Queen Otohime!"
Minister Turtle's voice rang from the stage, bright with excitement.
"Please welcome Vice Admiral Rogers Darren of Marine Headquarters!"
To be continued...