Chapter 11: A Home of His Own
He had settled down.
When Eiger woke the next morning and turned to see Nico sleeping soundly beside him, the thought struck him with quiet certainty—
He had finally built himself a home.
A wry smile tugged at his lips.
Too bad I didn't unlock some kind of "Married Life System."
He sighed softly, then slipped out of bed, careful not to wake her. The breeze outside carried a crisp whisper of autumn through the window.
Enchi had mentioned last night that they'd be sailing back to the 315th Division this morning.
Eiger got dressed quickly, then turned back to the bed—
Nico's bare legs peeked out from under the sheets, smooth and pale, the memory of last night's warmth flashing through his mind.
He exhaled through his nose, half amused, half frustrated, and gently pulled the blanket back over her.
With that done, he stepped outside, letting the cool wind clear his head.
It wasn't spring anymore—but even autumn in this village smelled alive.
What he didn't notice, as the door clicked shut behind him, was that Nico's long lashes fluttered open.
Her cheeks glowed faintly pink as her eyes softened with complex emotion. For a moment, a quiet voice deep inside whispered something—
You'll regret this.
But she shook it off almost instantly.
Regret? For what?
It was already decided. What was done, was done.
Turning onto her side, she pressed her face against the blanket that still held Eiger's warmth and scent, and a tiny smile curved her lips.
From today onward, she thought, I have a home too.
---
Down by the docks, the early sun shimmered off the water.
Colonel Enchi exhaled a plume of smoke, squinting at Eiger, who had jogged up looking energetic as ever. "I thought you said you'd settled down already," he said dryly. "Didn't expect it to happen this fast though."
Eiger scratched the back of his neck, not bothering to respond.
The colonel smirked, pulling another cigarette from his case and lighting it with lazy familiarity. "You know, I really didn't think you'd be the type to start a family."
He chuckled under his breath. "When you first joined the 315th, you were all fire and ambition. Talking big about challenging admirals and emperors of the sea—hah, you were a real piece of work. I figured the West Blue was about to produce another legend."
Enchi's eyes softened slightly, a mix of pride and disappointment. "You were destined to either become a pillar of the Navy Headquarters… or one hell of a dangerous pirate."
He took a long drag and blew out a stream of smoke.
"And yet here you are—retired and married."
"Pity, though," he continued. "You sure you don't want to come back? You can still be a Marine even with a family. I do it all the time. Stable pay, housing, pension—hell, if you ever wanted to transfer to Headquarters, you could bring your wife with you."
Eiger's expression barely shifted.
Go to Navy Headquarters now?
That would be like walking into his own cage.
He shook his head with a sigh. "I've already retired. No point going back."
"Bah! Retirement's just a word. They'd take you back in a heartbeat."
"Let's drop it," Eiger said, cutting him off. His tone lowered, more serious. "What I want to know is—can you get me access to the full Six Styles and Life Return techniques?"
Enchi blinked, surprised by the sudden change of topic—then grinned, tapping ash from his cigarette.
"Sure can."
Eiger's eyes lit up—until Enchi added, "Join the Navy Headquarters."
"…"
Eiger stared at him flatly. "Is there any other way that doesn't involve crawling back into uniform?"
"Hmm," Enchi mused, smoke curling around his head. "The Six Styles are official Headquarters combat doctrines. Teaching them privately's against regulations—but not everyone cares about that. Otherwise, you wouldn't see pirates using them."
He flicked the ash into the sea and continued, "I only know Iron Body and Finger Gun myself—can't teach you the rest. If you want the full set, your options are: one, enlist in Headquarters training; two, buy them on the black market. But the black market versions are… let's say unreliable. Half the time, they're fakes—or worse, modified in ways that'll cripple you."
"As for Life Return…" Enchi frowned, scratching the back of his head. "That one's trickier. It's not something you can really learn. It's something people just… awaken into, unconsciously. Only real prodigies ever figure it out."
He finished his cigarette, flicked the butt into the waves, and let out a long breath.
"Well, considering you saved my daughter that one time," he said, smirking faintly, "I'll see what I can do for you, kid."
Eiger's lips curved into a rare smile.
"Appreciate it, old man."
The wind shifted then, carrying the scent of salt and morning sun—
and somewhere, faintly, the sound of laughter drifting from the village.
For the first time in a long while, Eiger felt something he hadn't known he was missing.
A purpose.
And a home.
"Alright," Colonel Enchi said, waving a hand toward the sailors behind him. "It's getting late—we're heading back!"
He didn't linger. With his usual blunt decisiveness, he turned on his heel and strode away toward the waiting warship, his coat fluttering behind him.
Eiger didn't mind. He simply smiled and raised a hand in farewell, watching as the Marine vessel slowly pulled away from the dock.
The sea breeze rolled in, carrying the sound of creaking wood and churning waves. The ship grew smaller, the white sails fading into the horizon—until suddenly, a thought struck him.
"Wait!" Eiger cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted after them, voice echoing across the bay.
"Hey! Don't forget to send me the bounty for the Giant Bear Pirates!"
Aboard the ship, Colonel Enchi froze mid-step, his good mood evaporating in an instant.
"This damn brat…" he muttered, face darkening as the crew stifled laughter. "He's always giving me a headache. Why did I even bother getting sentimental?"
"Colonel," one of his subordinates asked hesitantly, "why didn't you tell Eiger about Admiral Kuzan's inquiry? If he knew a Headquarters admiral took interest in him, he might've reconsidered returning."
"Reconsidered?" Enchi barked out a laugh, lighting another cigarette. "That brat once complained about how he still couldn't split Sakazuki in half with one swing. You really think he'd be flattered by an admiral's attention?"
He exhaled smoke through his nose and added in a lower, firmer tone, "And keep that to yourself. No one breathes a word about Kuzan looking into him—understood?"
"Yes, sir!"
The colonel turned his gaze toward the sea, his brows furrowing. Even now, he still didn't understand what Kuzan's real purpose had been that day.
Could it really have been just coincidence?
That the admiral "happened to pass by," joined a village wedding, and requested Eiger's file afterward?
Impossible. Admirals didn't have time for casual curiosity.
Taking another drag, Enchi's expression grew complicated. "Let's just hope," he murmured, "nothing bad comes of it."
---
When Eiger returned home, the scent of freshly cooked food greeted him at the door.
"I'm back," he called out as he stepped inside.
"Welcome home, darling," Nico's voice chimed from the dining room.
She was already up—hair loosely tied back, sleeves rolled to her elbows. A simple lunch was set on the table, and beside her sat an open notebook filled with neat, looping handwriting.
As Eiger leaned over her shoulder, curiosity flickered in his eyes. "What's this?" he asked, reading aloud. "Green Grape—Fermentation Process?"
He blinked, baffled. "What are you planning to do?"
Nico smiled sheepishly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Yesterday, when I saw how the merchants lowered the buying price, I… don't know why, but something came to me."
Her eyes lit up as she continued, "If we can ferment the green grapes into wine, we might be able to sell it for a much higher price."
Eiger stared at her for a long second, caught off guard by how earnest she looked—
then noticed the hesitation creeping into her gaze.
"Do you… think it's a bad idea?" she asked softly.
He blinked once, then smiled—a rare, genuine curve of his lips.
"No," he said. "I think it's a brilliant idea."
Nico's face brightened instantly, her smile warm and relieved.
Meanwhile, in his head, Eiger couldn't help muttering to himself:
So this is my grand new life after retirement, huh?
A war hero turned rural entrepreneur—revitalizing the local economy one grape at a time.
He sighed inwardly, suppressing a laugh.
Guess I really have become a man of the people.