Bright put away the Den Den Mushi, stood up, and stretched. "Well then, I'll be going first."
"He really does seem like an interesting guy."
Otherwise, Shyarly said, Bright would not have been looking forward to it so much.
"He is pretty interesting."
Bright smiled and nodded. "So, Shyarly, do you want to come along?"
"Not interested."
Miss Shyarly shook her head.
"Huh?"
Bright sounded a little helpless. "I'm going to fight that guy, you know. Don't you want to cheer for me, Shyarly? I'd really like to hear you cheering while I fight the enemy."
"But the Bright I know would never lose, right?"
Shyarly was languid, like clouds drifting slowly across an afternoon sky—drowsy and soft enough to make one want to hold her. She said, "No matter what kind of enemy you face, all I need to do is make coffee here and wait for you to come back."
"Isn't that right?"
She raised her head, her voice very gentle.
It was like a feather brushing Bright's ear. His ear itched, and that itch traveled through his ear canal into his heart, making him want to scratch his chest.
"Honestly."
Bright sighed. "I just can't do anything about you, Shyarly."
What else could he say? Of course, he could only carry her expectations with him as he set out to face a powerful enemy.
Well, that guy did not really count as a powerful enemy.
In any case, Bright set off.
Since he had promised Rayleigh, he had to see it through.
Ace, my little brother, don't blame me.
With Seastone shackles on him, Ace had almost completely lost his ability to move. Escorted by fish-men, he lay sprawled across the back of a sea beast as it drifted into Fish-Man Island.
Although he had now