The last rays of sunset spilled across the courtyard. Ann's small hands tightly clutched the hem of her dress as she stared at the ornate flintlock pistol. Then she suddenly started shaking her head frantically. She stepped back twice, hiding behind Rhett, and Rhett could feel her entire body rejecting the weapon.
Rhett was stunned. "Ann? You don't like this gun?"
Ace looked at Ann, then at the flintlock, and suddenly straightened his back. "Then... give that gun to me too!" He puffed out his chest. "I'm the man who's going to become the Pirate King! I'll carry on Father's expectations! What's two weapons to me?!"
"BAM!"
"You stupid Rhett! Why did you hit me?!" Ace shouted at Rhett.
Rhett picked his nose, flicked his finger, and answered casually, "Your name is Ace, not Roger. Roger's expectations only gave you a direction! Just live your own life, alright? You're so young, why do you want to carry expectations already? Isn't that tiring?! No one's forcing you to become anyone in particular. Don't be so stubborn!!"
"You stupid Rhett! I challenge you to a fight! You hit my head and then do that gross thing with your nose!"
"You should be glad I picked my nose after hitting you."
"You stupid!!"
Rouge watched the two of them bickering. She crouched down and gently stroked Ann's hair. "What's wrong? Tell Mommy."
Ann bit her lip. After a long pause, she said quietly, "...Don't want to use a gun." She pointed at the Black Tide Greatsword at Rhett's waist. "Want to learn that."
Rhett kicked the little pipsqueak Ace aside and had a sudden realization. "So that's it!" He crouched down to look Ann in the eyes. "But Ann, guns are really strong too, you know? Your uncle here —"
"BANG!"
A gunshot suddenly rang out, startling everyone. Ace had somehow picked up the flintlock, smoke still curling from the barrel. An apple on a distant tree fell to the ground.
"See? So easy!" Ace waved the gun proudly. "Not hard at all!"
But Ann shook her head even more forcefully. Her small hand tightly gripped Rhett's finger.
Rhett looked at Ann thoughtfully. "No problem. Tomorrow we'll go to the Goa Kingdom and buy you a heavy sword. Once you become a skilled swordmaster, I'll take you to Sword Forging Island to make a new one. You know, my sword was upgraded there too..."
Ace's eyes went wide. "Hey! That's not fair!"
"Shut up, you little brat. The Ace sword is a famous blade. There are only a few in the world." Rhett flicked Ace's forehead. "Like I just said, your father used a sword too. This 'Ace' was his personal blade."
He solemnly handed the longsword to Ace. "Take good care of that name."
Ace took the weapon. He slung Ann onto his back and gripped the hilt of the Ace sword with both hands, Ann riding behind him. "I... I definitely will..."
Under the setting sun, one child wobbled under the weight of a longsword taller than himself, while the other carefully cradled a miniature version of the Black Tide Greatsword. Rouge stood at the doorway, her eyes shimmering with a gentle, watery light.
"Big sister," Rhett walked to her side and said softly, "don't worry. I'll teach them well."
Rouge nodded, then suddenly reached out and twisted his ear. "How could you hand a gun to a child who's never touched one before? With the safety off? And gunpowder loaded? That's so dangerous!"
"Ow, ow, ow! That was an accident! An accident, big sister!"
---
The morning mist had not yet cleared.
Rhett held Ann's hand with one hand and dragged a still-yawning Ace with the other, walking leisurely toward the gates of the Goa Kingdom.
Ace grumbled sleepily, "Why are we going so early..."
Rhett teased, "Oh? Weren't you the one waking me up at dawn begging me to teach you moves?"
"Halt!" The gate guard crossed his spears, looking at them with disgust. "You trash from the Gray Terminal dare use the main gate? Get lost —"
Before he could finish, the captain of the guard delivered a flying kick that sent the guard flying three meters away.
"You idiot!" The captain turned around and dropped to his knees with a thud, his forehead pressed to the ground. "Welcome, Lord Mist Lord, to our humble little kingdom!"
"The Goa Kingdom is the most beautiful country in the East Blue. The King is..." His voice trembled with excitement, as well as abundant fear. He immediately corrected himself, "King Omal II is rushing here as fast as he can. To see you would be the greatest honor of his life!"
Rhett raised an eyebrow. "You know who I am?"
The captain remained kneeling, cold sweat dripping down his face. "Lord Mist Lord, you are an Emperor of the Sea. A renowned figure across the entire ocean..." He sneaked a glance at the Black Tide Greatsword at Rhett's waist. Blood mist was faintly coiling around the blade. "For you to grace our small country is our greatest honor..."
"BANG!"
Another gunshot rang out. Everyone turned around. Ace had somehow pulled out that flintlock again, smoke rising from the barrel pointed at the sky.
He grinned. "That's so cool, so cool! Every time we came here before, they'd chase us away and call us trash. We had to sneak into the city, just the two of us. Hmph!"
The captain: "..." (His face turned green with fear.)
Ann silently let go of Rhett's hand, walked up to Ace, and slapped her small hand on his forehead. Then she pointed at the gun, pointed at the ground, and made a "no" gesture.
Ace: "..." (He put the gun away, looking pitiful.)
King Omal II arrived in a hurry with a large group of nobles, just in time to hear Ace's words:
"Every time we came here before, they'd chase us away."
The plump king's face turned deathly pale. His legs gave out, and he dropped straight to his knees.
"I-I didn't know the little princess and little prince were visiting!" King Omal II's voice trembled. Sweat dripped continuously from his forehead. "If I had known they were Lord Mist Lord's family, I would never have..."
Behind him, the gorgeously dressed nobles also dropped to their knees in unison. A few of the more timid ones even started trembling. Rhett watched these people coldly. A faint wisp of blood mist drifted around him.
"Get up," Rhett said flatly. "I'm just here today to buy some things for the kids."
The king looked as if he had been granted a reprieve. He scrambled to his feet, but his legs were still too weak to steady him. "Of course, of course! The finest shops in the entire Goa Kingdom are open to you!" He turned and shouted at the attendants behind him, "Well? Hurry up and prepare! Clear out the best weapon shop!"
Rhett watched these people grovel. The corner of his mouth curled into a cold smirk. He knew very well how these nobles usually treated commoners, so he certainly wasn't going to give them any pleasantries.
Rhett's gaze fell on a blond boy among the nobles. The child's eyes sparkled with unwillingness and doubt, and he was staring stubbornly at Rhett — wasn't this young Sabo?
Rhett smirked playfully. "Hey kid, were you just glaring at me?"
Sabo froze, then quickly lowered his head.
"You can lower your head, but I still know it's you," Rhett said slowly. Blood mist coiled around his fingertips.