Chapter 11 — Little Teacher
When Zephyr returned home, Yoriichi was still sitting on the long veranda, his head tilted back to watch the star-flecked sky.
Zephyr's footsteps drew near; Yoriichi rose and smiled. "Teacher Zephyr, you're back."
"Oh?" Zephyr called, stopping a few paces away. "Yoriichi—you haven't slept yet?"
Moonlight pooled among the stars and half-lit Yoriichi's face. Zephyr softened for a moment as he looked at that boyish expression, then steadied himself and spoke.
"I don't sleep that early, really."
Zephyr nodded, hesitated, and after a brief pause said, "Yoriichi, you are my disciple now."
"But I'm the Naval Academy's chief instructor. My time is limited—because of regulations you won't be able to shadow me around the clock."
"Yoriichi—can you read?"
The question seemed to spring to Zephyr's mind suddenly.
"Should be able to," Yoriichi replied uncertainly—he had never seen the written language of this pirate world before.
"Good. I'll bring you some books on seamanship and navigation. Read them on your own; if you don't understand something, ask me when I return."
"I'll make time to teach you as well. To be a marine, you must first learn charts and navigation, and come to understand this world."
"As for combat training, I already have plans—we'll advance that gradually. For now, the priority is knowledge."
"Get some rest tonight. Tomorrow I'll try to find a teacher to help you."
Zephyr patted Yoriichi's shoulder with a weighty, caring look that made the boy feel a warmth he had not felt in decades.
"All right, Teacher Zephyr."
Zephyr turned and left. Yoriichi watched his retreating figure long after he'd gone.
Black-Armed Zephyr—the admiral who refused to kill. There was something about the man's presence that made one instinctively trust and lean on him.
As Zephyr walked away, his face grew heavy. He worried the boy's talent would be wasted under the navy's system.
"I must… think of another way," he murmured to himself.
At dawn a thin blue mist shrouded Marineford.
Half asleep, Yoriichi suddenly sensed noise outside and opened his eyes. He grabbed the long sword by his bed and pushed open the door.
What he saw startled him.
Before the sun had fully risen, craftsmen had already arrived at Zephyr's home. The yard before his room was piled high with timber. Zephyr stood on the veranda, arms folded, supervising.
"Teacher Zephyr—what are you doing?" Yoriichi called.
Zephyr turned, smiling at the sleep-blurred boy. "Oh—you're awake. I'm having a small dojo built here—reworking that empty room."
"I want you to train in the dojo in your spare time, alongside your studies."
"And I brought some books—move them to your room later."
He pointed to the stack at his feet.
"So many?"
Yoriichi glanced at the pile—almost a meter high. How long would it take him to get through all that? It wasn't that he feared study; he simply hadn't realized becoming a marine required learning so much. If one truly had to master all this to be a marine, Yoriichi thought wryly, there probably wouldn't be many marines left in the whole pirate world.
"Teacher, are you sure this is right? You really expect me to learn all of this?!"
He picked up a volume titled World History and flipped through it. A few pages in, he switched to The Celestial Dragons' Contributions, skimmed that, and put it back down. Bending to read the titles, he felt his eyelids twitch—these books were not what he'd pictured.
He had assumed he'd study navigation, seamanship, military knowledge; instead, the stack consisted mostly of histories and treatises on various "contributions."
Just reading the titles drained his interest.
"Oh, that's only the first batch—step by step," Zephyr said. "Start with these. If there are characters you don't know, or if you have thoughts, tell me."
There was a hint of irritation in his voice. These books weren't Zephyr's choice—they'd been selected by Fleet Admiral Kong. Zephyr knew exactly what Kong intended.
Originally Zephyr had wanted Yoriichi to begin with charts and basic seamanship to orient him to the world. Kong had overridden that plan—what could Zephyr do but bring the books home.
Still, Zephyr had resolved: if Yoriichi was willing, let him read; if not, the books would at least serve as material for learning characters.
"All right—I'll read them," Yoriichi said.
He heard the edge in Zephyr's tone and understood it wasn't directed at him. After a moment's thought, he accepted the situation.
Clearly the navy's leadership hadn't yet fully trusted this boy of unknown origin—no surprise. Trust takes time to build.
Zephyr gave some final instructions to the craftsmen, handed Yoriichi some coin, and went off to his duties. The chief instructor's responsibilities left little idle time.
Yoriichi didn't meddle with the construction work. This was Zephyr's home, not his, and he knew his place.
Back in his room, he set the books down and thought to himself, "Looks like I won't be learning Haki any time soon. For now, I'll focus on strengthening my body."
He opened World History and, scowling at first, forced himself to read. Before long, his resistance waned—the book, though written from the World Government's "justice" perspective, did help him understand the broader world.
As he read deeper, he gained a clearer sense of the chaotic political landscape here.
"Clang, clang, clang."
Outside, the craftsmen's hammers rang. As they worked, they cast occasional curious glances toward the quiet youth seated in the shade. None had ever seen children living in Admiral Zephyr's house; the story of Zephyr's bereavement was known to them, and that only made them more inquisitive about Yoriichi.
"Is the master at home?"
"Which one of you is Tsugikuni Yoriichi?"
While Yoriichi read, voices broke out by the gate. A blond youth strode into the courtyard unannounced and, after surveying the workers, fixed his gaze on the lad by the veranda.
"Red hair… flame-shaped birthmark. That's him," he thought, then approached and called out, "Hello, Tsugikuni Yoriichi!"
Leaning close, the newcomer lowered his voice. "I'm Rosinante. Admiral Zephyr asked me to come."
He straightened and extended his hand with a bright smile. "Very pleased to meet you! I've been assigned as your 'teacher.' I'll be taking care of you."
Rosinante's blond hair shone in the morning light. Though his features were not delicate, his tall, lean frame and earnest grin gave him an easy charm. He wore a plain sailor uniform, but his posture made him appear strikingly composed.
Yoriichi looked up at the nearly two-meter figure, slightly surprised. Then he smiled and shook Rosinante's hand.
"Hello. Pleased to meet you. I look forward to learning from you."
(End of Chapter)