Chapter 19: Getting Ready to Leave
The moment Luo Lin saw Robin, every ounce of exhaustion vanished. His mood instantly turned sunny.
He tossed the two huge bags aside, dashed forward, scooped Robin up, spun her around, and planted a big "mua" on her cheek.
"Did you miss me?"
He hugged her tight, savoring the feeling.
Yep—perfect! Only 15, but thanks to his excellent care, she was already on the verge of joining the "D-clan"!
"Nope. Just worried you got eaten by sea monsters."
Luo Lin: …
Fine. Not gonna argue with the little gremlin.
He let her go to grab the presents—then heard her tiny mumble (his Observation Haki barely caught it):
"…I missed you every single day."
The corners of his mouth shot straight to the sun.
"Come here, come here! I brought you tons of gifts!"
He forced his grin down a notch, crouched, and started digging through the bags.
"Ooh? What is it?"
Robin squatted beside him, eyes sparkling.
"Only the good stuff! Ta-da! Pastries! Fish-Man Island specialties! Hope they didn't spoil!"
He checked the sandwiches—still perfect—and handed one over.
Robin took a bite.
"Mmm! So good! Way better than anything before!"
Her eyes lit up. One sandwich disappeared in seconds.
"No rush! There's more!"
He opened the bag fully and laid out cakes, breads, panna cottas, egg tarts—basically a dessert mountain.
Everything was still fresh. Fish-Man Island must've used special preservation.
Robin's face glowed with pure happiness.
Ever since they started living together, Luo Lin never came home empty-handed—books, clothes, toys, and especially food.
"Growing girls need the best fuel!"—his words.
"Luo Lin, you eat too!"
She shoved a cream cake into his mouth. Cream everywhere.
"Mmph!"
He swallowed it whole.
Robin, meanwhile, stayed perfectly clean and elegant.
Unacceptable.
"Ambush!"
He kissed her cheek, smearing cream all over her face.
"Kyaa! Luo Lin!!"
"Hehehe!"
They play-fought until Luo Lin surrendered.
After washing up, they went back to the yard to keep eating.
"There's still so much!"
Robin rubbed her slightly bloated belly—she usually stopped when full, but these were too good.
"No problem! We have a fridge! Store them and eat slowly!"
(Yes, One Piece has refrigerators—Luffy's ship has a huge one.)
"What's in that other bag?"
"Money!"
"Oh."
Robin lost interest instantly. She never cared where money came from—it always ended up spent on the two of them anyway.
"Ahem! Actually, the pastries aren't the real gift. I brought something you'll love even more!"
"Huh? What?"
He smirked mysteriously.
"Not telling!"
"Hmph! Then I'll find it myself!"
She dove into the second bag and soon pulled out a fist-sized (actually bigger than her fist) glowing pearl.
"Waaah! It's huge! For me?"
"Of course!"
"Thank you! You're the best, Luo Lin!"
She kissed his forehead with a loud "boop!"
Luo Lin: (∗❛ั﹃❛ั∗) Bliss.
"But that's still not the main gift!"
"There's more?"
"Yep!"
"What is it?"
She couldn't find anything else in the bags—he'd kept the real prize on his person the whole time in case the rubbings got damaged.
Luo Lin's eyes spun mischievously.
He'd planned to trade the Poneglyph rubbings for kisses, but one pearl already scored him one.
Robin had become way more cheerful and open thanks to him changing her childhood.
She saw the evil glint in his eye, rolled hers, and immediately hugged his arm, pressing her cheek against it.
"Tell meeee!"
He nearly melted.
He racked his brain for a good demand—nothing too shameless. They were still young. He was old enough, but Robin was only 15. He could wait.
Their future together was already set in stone—no need to rush.
Finally he sighed, about to give in… then genius struck.
"Ahem! Call me 'husband' once and I'll tell you!"
Evil grin.
Robin's face turned bright red.
They'd lived together for over ten years, but she'd never called him that!
In the end—she caved.
Under his extremely satisfied expression, she stammered:
"H-husband…"
Luo Lin: (∗❛ั﹃❛ั∗) hehehehe (pervert laugh)
"Stupid Luo Lin! I said it! Gift! Now!"
"Don't worry—this husband call was 1000% worth it!"
He reached inside his shirt and pulled out the carefully protected Poneglyph rubbings.
"Here."
"What is it?"
"Poneglyph rubbings! Like it?"
"Wh… what?"
"Poneglyph rubbings. I found some at Fish-Man Island and made copies for you."
She thought she misheard—asked again—he repeated.
She frantically opened them, eyes growing wider and wider.
He'd brought her books before, but never Poneglyph rubbings.
After triple-checking the ancient text, she threw herself into his arms and started crying softly.
She hadn't cried in years.
"Thank you… sniff"
Life with Luo Lin had been happy, but she never forgot who she was—the last scholar of Ohara, carrying the hopes of Dr. Clover, her mother Olvia, and everyone else.
Uncovering the Void Century was her lifelong mission.
Seeing her cry broke his heart a little.
He just held her until she calmed down, then gently wiped her tears.
"No 'thank you' between us, okay? I'll take you to every Poneglyph myself. We'll uncover that hundred years together.
So no more crying! You're a big girl now. Keep crying and I'll call Nami to come laugh at you!"
Half comfort, half threat—worked like a charm.
"Mhm!"
She wiped her eyes and smiled again.
"You study this one. I'll take you to the rest later."
"Okay!"
And just like that, Robin was lost in research mode—sometimes she didn't even hear him calling her.
While she was occupied, Luo Lin packed some Fish-Man Island pastries and headed to Bell-mere's house.
7-year-old Nojiko opened the door.
"Luo Lin-nii! You're back!"
"Yep! Where's Bell-mere and Nami?"
"They're at the orchard! Come in!"
Nojiko ushered him inside, served tea like a pro—poor kids grow up fast.
She sat across from him, cheeks in hands.
"Last time I came looking for you, Robin-nee said you were out. Nami got mad—she says you never tell her when you leave and she wastes trips!"
"Hahaha! Don't worry, I brought gifts!"
He set the pastry box on the table.
Nojiko's eyes sparkled—she'd been eyeing it the whole time.
She opened it and nearly drooled—pure dessert heaven.
Right then, Bell-mere and Nami walked in.
"Luo Lin! You're back!"
Nami's excited shout came first—then she crossed her arms and pouted like he'd wronged her.
"Afternoon, Bell-mere, Nami!"
"Nami was just complaining about you!"
Bell-mere laughed. Years of friendship made teasing totally fair game.
"I was not!"
Nami flushed.
"Brought you girls treats!"
"Where?!"
Nami's fake anger vanished instantly.
Luo Lin revealed the box.
Everyone laughed.
"That's not fair! Mean old man Luo Lin!"
"Hey! You call me 'old man,' Nojiko calls me 'big brother'—the generations are all messed up!"
"Don't care! You're a stinky old man!"
Bell-mere just shrugged—kids, right?
…
While the girls were distracted by sweets, Luo Lin pulled Bell-mere outside to the forest edge.
"What's up?"
He handed her two Devil Fruits.
"These are…?"
Devil Fruit users were rare in the East Blue—no one here recognized them.
"Devil Fruits."
"The legendary fruits that give powers but make the sea hate you?"
"Exactly."
"But… these are priceless!"
"They are, but useless to me. Robin's already a user."
"I can't accept—"
"Listen first!"
"Robin and I will leave the village eventually. We've lived here for years—we care about everyone. While I'm here, nothing can touch this place.
But once we're gone, if strong pirates show up… I need you to protect the village. These fruits will give you the power."
(He left out the part about Arlong—it'd be awkward if he was around when the fish-man arrived.)
"You're leaving? When? Why?"
"Don't know when, but we will. Might be a long time before we're back. Reason's simple—Robin wants to research history. Can't do that staying here forever."
"Oh… but—"
"No buts. I don't need them, don't need the money. It's decided.
Also—one more favor."
"What?"
"You know Haki?"
"Yeah, but I can't use it."
"Want me to teach you?"
"Yes! But what's the favor?"
"If a Fish-Man pirate named Arlong ever comes here—pretend you can't beat him. Don't let him kill anyone, do whatever else he says. If needed, drop my name."
"…Okay."
Bell-mere was confused but agreed.
Luo Lin couldn't explain the full plot, so he made up a half-truth: "It's to toughen Nami up. I'll take her on a big adventure later. Don't worry!"
He was working overtime to keep the protagonist crew intact—even though he was the one who almost broke it.
Poor little Nami—soon to be "betrayed" by her mom and Luo Lin.
Hope she doesn't murder him when she learns the truth.
"Pick one fruit for yourself, give the other to Nojiko. Starting tonight, come here every evening—I'll teach you Haki."
"Got it!"
He explained the two fruits and let her choose.
…
For the next three years, unless he was away, Luo Lin trained Bell-mere every night in the forest.
She now had basic Observation and Armament Haki—combined with a Devil Fruit, more than enough to handle Arlong.
"That's it for today—and forever. You've mastered the basics. From now on, only real battles will make you stronger."
"Okay… Thank you—for these three years."
"No need. See ya!"
He strolled home.
Robin was still in her room reading.
"Done teaching?"
"Yep!"
She hadn't known at first, but when he started disappearing every evening she asked. He told her everything.
Luo Lin hugged her from behind.
At 18, Robin had officially joined—and was about to surpass—the D-clan.
"Hey, Robin baby… question."
"Shoot."
"We've lived here for years. Ever thought about living somewhere else?"
"Why? Isn't it good here?"
"We're grown up now! Time to explore! We stayed because we were kids. Now we can sail the Grand Line. Don't you want to find all the Poneglyphs?"
"I do!"
Instant answer.
But truthfully—she'd miss this place. This house, this village, these people.
"Feeling reluctant? We'll come back and settle down after we find them all!"
"Okay! As long as you're with me, anywhere is home."
Robin wasn't the type to hesitate.
After a moment's thought, she knew it was time.
And like he said—they'd come back someday.
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