Chapter 10: Toasts and Regrets
"Come on! Let's drink this bastard under the table—how dare he get married without inviting us!"
"Yeah! For almost letting those pirates escape—let's toast to his near disgrace!"
"No, no! A toast to Eiger—the man who captured a 60-million-Beli pirate!"
"Wrong again! We're drinking to another poor brother falling into the grave called marriage! Damn it, how'd this guy manage to marry such a gorgeous woman?"
"Cheers!"
With that final shout, the entire banquet erupted into laughter and applause.
It wasn't a simple dinner anymore—it had become a full-blown celebration, the whole village joining in to toast Eiger's marriage. Even the villagers who had just attended his "engagement party" last night were back for round two.
Eiger sighed inwardly.
What's with this world? Every problem ends with a banquet.
Even poor Nico—who had been quietly roasting meat for dinner—was dragged into the chaos, holding a half-cooked skewer in one hand as she was surrounded by villagers insisting she eat and drink.
"Ha ha ha! I thought you came back from the Navy to retire in peace," said Colonel Enchi, slamming down a mug of beer and throwing his arm around Eiger's shoulders. "Didn't think it was to get married! And to such a beautiful woman too—unforgivable!"
He leaned forward, squinting curiously at Nico. "Though… she looks familiar. Have we met before?"
At that, the room went silent for half a second.
Eiger: "…"
Nico: "…"
Eiger's stomach tightened. He had a feeling where this was going.
As for Nico—her body went rigid. She didn't know why, but something inside her recoiled at the sight of the Marine uniform. A cold, instinctive fear. It wasn't just discomfort—she was afraid of being recognized.
Her fingers trembled under the table until she felt the warmth of Eiger's hand closing around hers.
The fear melted away, replaced by an unexpected calm that flowed through her chest like warmth after winter rain. She turned to him—his reassuring gaze meeting hers—and smiled faintly.
"Hey, hey, hey!" Colonel Enchi barked, slamming the table. "None of that lovey-dovey nonsense in front of your comrades! This is a banquet! Keep the flirting for the honeymoon!"
Laughter rippled through the room.
"I'm serious!" Enchi continued, pointing at Nico. "I swear I've seen her somewhere before."
Eiger's eyes twitched. He was just about to steer the conversation away when one of the Marines cut in—
"Ha! The colonel says that about every beautiful woman he sees!"
"That's right! This is like the fifth time this month!"
"I'm telling your wife, sir! Wait till she hears you were flirting with Eiger's missus!"
"Report him! Report him! The colonel's a menace—cheers to our rotten superior officer!"
"Cheers!"
Enchi nearly spat out his drink. "You brats! I'm telling the truth this time!" he barked—but soon gave up, shaking his head and laughing loudly. "Ah, forget it. Drink!"
He raised his mug again, and everyone followed.
After another round, his cheeks flushed red and his speech grew louder. "Oi, Eiger, where's your wife gone off to?"
"She said the drinks were running low," Eiger replied casually. "Went to have more brought over."
"Ha! Thoughtful and beautiful! You lucky bastard!"
One Marine smirked. "I'm telling your wife, Colonel! You said Eiger's wife is more considerate than yours!"
"You little traitor!" Enchi roared, glaring at him. "You'll be peeling potatoes for a month when we get back! Don't forget—I'm your commanding officer!"
The Marines burst into laughter again, and Enchi, red-faced but grinning, slammed back another mug of beer.
"Ah, forget it," he said, draping an arm around Eiger's shoulders again. "Let's talk about something else. I never thought you'd settle down so soon, kid. Tell me the truth—don't you plan to come back to the 315th Division? Everyone's been waiting for you!"
Eiger smiled faintly, his gaze distant.
"It's been too long," he said quietly. "I've let that dream go."
For a moment, the lively banquet seemed to quiet around him. The laughter, the clinking of mugs, even the music—all seemed far away.
There was a time he'd dreamed of the Navy Headquarters… of proving himself among the elite. But somewhere between endless battles, blood, and the quiet peace of this village, that fire had cooled.
He had fought for the world once.
Now, perhaps, it was enough to protect this small corner of it.
At this point, returning to the Navy—or not—didn't matter anymore.
The Headquarters might still have the complete Six Styles and Life Return, but beyond that? There was little left they could teach him.
Eiger's strength no longer came from ordinary drills or structured training—it had long surpassed that.
Still, if he ever got the chance, he would like to master the full Navy Six Styles and Life Return techniques.
The West Blue's 315th Branch never had complete instruction on those arts. Even after fifteen years of service, he'd only grasped fragments—enough to fight, but not to transcend.
Though he'd chosen retirement and had no plans to roam the seas again, Eiger knew one truth remained constant: strength mattered, no matter where you lived.
He stared into his mug for a moment, then looked up at Colonel Enchi, half a thought on his tongue—he wanted to ask if there was any way to learn the full techniques through him.
But seeing the colonel already drunk, laughing loudly, mug in hand and arm slung around a fellow officer, Eiger could only sigh helplessly.
Tomorrow, he decided. I'll ask him tomorrow.
Just then, he saw Nico walking toward him through the crowd. Her slender figure, framed by the firelight, drew his focus at once.
"Darling," she said softly, "what are you doing over here?"
"Forget about those idiots," Eiger muttered. With a faint smirk, he took the beer mug from her hands—and promptly tossed it straight toward Enchi's group.
"Hey! You bastard!" the colonel roared, spluttering as ale splashed across his face, earning laughter from the surrounding Marines.
Amid the chaos, Eiger clasped Nico's hand tightly. "Come on," he said. "Let's go home."
She giggled, letting him pull her away. "You're awful, you know that, darling?"
Behind them, the Marines shouted and fought over spilled drinks while the villagers cheered, but Nico didn't look back. Her laughter, quiet and warm, drifted through the night air.
Truthfully, she'd felt uneasy all evening.
Every time her eyes landed on a Marine uniform, something deep within her recoiled. She didn't understand it—but her instincts told her to stay away.
And yet, as his fiancée, she couldn't just walk off rudely in the middle of a celebration. So she'd smiled, endured, and waited.
Now, as they walked side by side under the moonlight, silence stretched between them.
When their house finally came into view, Eiger noticed the quiet tension still lingering in her posture. "What's wrong?" he asked evenly. "You've been silent the whole way. Did you remember something?"
Nico shook her head. "No… but…"
A small, helpless smile curved her lips as she hesitated, voice dropping to a whisper. "Darling, I… I don't think I'm a good person."
Her gaze lowered, eyes shadowed with confusion. "I felt so uneasy around those Marines. I think… I might hate them."
Eiger chuckled softly, surprising her. "Funny. I'm not a good person either."
He said it without hesitation. "And I don't like the Navy much myself."
If not for his lack of strength, he might've rebelled long ago—taken to the seas, defied the World Government, and made a name drenched in blood and salt.
But reality had bound him here. His power, for now, wasn't enough to shake the world.
Still, hearing him say that so bluntly made something inside Nico light up. Her confusion dissolved; warmth bloomed in her chest.
That warmth was new—soft, steady. It felt like finding an anchor after drifting in endless seas.
Her fingers intertwined with his as she tilted her head playfully.
"Then it seems we're both terrible people, aren't we, darling?"
Before he could reply, she leaned forward.
A fleeting brush of her lips against his cheek—warm, teasing, gone in an instant.
Then, lifting her right hand, she traced the golden ring that now gleamed softly in the moonlight, her cheeks tinged pink.
Grasping his hand, she pressed closer, her breath brushing against his ear as her voice turned low and silky, almost a whisper—
"Darling… should we try out that new bathtub together?"
Eiger's entire body stiffened.
"...!!!"