Mihawk agreed without hesitation, and Austin was not particularly surprised.
After all, they had known each other for over ten years. They had been together since they were both young.
Austin still remembered how, not long after Captain Roger's execution, that grim-faced young man had come to the Red-Light District with a blade to challenge him.
They could be considered close friends.
As Mihawk and Austin chatted, little Perona floated over when she saw Uncle Mihawk, who was always so cold and aloof, actually showing a hint of a smile.
"Who is it? Who is it?"
She hugged her little doll and curiously looked at the Den Den Mushi before her.
"Hm?"
Hearing a female voice all of a sudden, Austin froze for a moment. Then the Den Den Mushi took on an adorable expression that looked somewhat familiar to him.
"Are you... little Perona?"
Austin raised a brow. He had not expected Mihawk, so serious and proper on the surface, to have secretly taken little Perona home.
"Who would've thought? You started raising a kid so early, Little Hawk~"
Austin wore a teasing expression, his eyes practically begging to be punched. Mihawk's temples throbbed with veins.
"Wasn't this something you agreed to for me back then?"
"You were the one who made Moria agree, yet you never took care of her for even a single day!!!"
Austin merely played dumb and laughed it off.
In the end, Austin only greeted little Perona before Mihawk hung up on him.
Then came Little Sand.
"Austin?"
When the Den Den Mushi answered, a scar running across its face appeared, its eyes filled with gloom. Only upon seeing that it was Austin did its expression ease somewhat.
"What did you call for?"
"Well... it's nothing much. I just wanted to let you know