Twelve years later.
Click.
The Lamp Shell switch clicked, and a soft, warm yellow light spread across the room. Aside from two beds and a wooden wardrobe, there was only a desk by the window, piled high with blueprints.
A man walked in across the wooden floorboards, carrying a four- or five-year-old child on each side.
The little girl had a cute head of short orange hair, and her bright eyes seemed to hold the most brilliant starlight. She wore a pure white nightdress.
The boy, meanwhile, had a neat head of blond hair and wore thin black-rimmed glasses, giving him the air of a calm, composed little adult.
"It's time for our delightful bedtime story again."
Lina smiled gently. She set the two children on the bed and propped her chin in her hand.
"Now, now, what story should I tell you tonight?"
"I want to hear the story of the Pirate King!"
The little girl cried out excitedly and immediately sprang up, clinging to Lina again. Her eyes were full of anticipation.
"Did Straw Hat Kid accept Red-Haired Shanks's Poneglyph? Did you go to Laugh Tale after leaving Elbaf? And, and, what exactly is the legendary Greatest Treasure?"
"Looks like I'll have to tell you all about your old dad's adventures again tonight. Back under the covers, Krista."
Lina pulled back the blanket and tucked her daughter in, then turned to the boy.
"And you too, Carl."
"No way."
Little Carl turned his face away. Acting far too mature for his age, he solemnly adjusted his glasses and said, "I'm too old to need stories to fall asleep. Besides, these are just made-up adventures for little kids. Only an immature dreamer like Krista, who's always thinking about becoming a pirate, would believe them."
"Is that so? Because I heard your mom found a Franky-style robot figure under your bed while she was cleaning."
Lina gave him a disdainful look.
"T-That... That was...!"
Carl's face instantly flushed. He scrambled to defend himself. "I only bought it because I'm studying mechanical design, and I thought its structure was well designed."
"What about the Straw Hat just like the Pirate King's? Or the one-to-one replica of the world's greatest swordsman Roronoa's Wado Ichimonji?"
Lina smirked and teased him. "What, were you hoping to learn about weaving and blacksmithing too?"
"Hee-hee-hee. Maybe! Carl's a bookworm, after all."
Krista covered her mouth and giggled along.
At that, Carl immediately shouted in exasperation, "Who are you calling a bookworm, you violent girl!"
"What did you say?!"
Krista was so mad that she sprang right out of bed, grabbed Carl by the hair, and pounced on him.
"Call me big sister!"
"Why would I call an idiot like you big sister? I was born first!"
Even with his arms pinned down, Carl still argued defiantly.
"Quit whining! Of course the stronger one gets to decide!"
"That's not how it works! Let go of me, you violent girl!"
Lina: "..."
So much for the delightful bedtime story.
Watching the two squabbling children, Lina shook her head and smiled helplessly.
The twins were, of course, her and Nami's children. Carl was technically the older one, and just like Krista said, he was a bookworm through and through.
It was rather amusing that two pirates had a child who dreamed of becoming a scientist. Though he claimed not to care for pirates, he was just like other little boys in his admiration of heroes—and, in private, he was a devoted fan of the Straw Hat Pirates.
Krista, on the other hand, had inherited Lina's powerful physique and Nami's lively personality in equal measure. Ever since she started listening to Lina's stories, she'd dreamed of the freedom of a pirate's life, often saying she'd set sail when she grew up.
More than once, Krista had begged Lina to go get Luffy's straw hat for her, so she could inherit it and become the third Pirate King.
After a while, once the two little ones had nearly worn themselves out, Lina separated them and picked them up, one in each hand, like a couple of chicks.
"All right, all right, time for bed. When your mom comes to check on you, don't get me in trouble."
As she spoke, Lina tossed each of them onto their own bed.
"Wait, Dad! You haven't told us a story yet."
"That's right! I'm not that interested, but grown-ups should keep their promises."
Krista and Carl both called out to stop her from leaving.
"Fine, fine. You two are impossible."
Lina sighed and sat on the corner of the bed. She gathered her thoughts for a moment, then said, "After we left Elbaf, we went to Laugh Tale and found the Greatest Treasure. There. Story over."
"That's way too perfunctory!" they shouted in unison.
Carl and Krista immediately jumped up on the bed, baring their teeth and yelling their complaints at her.
"Well, that's actually how it happened. Your Aunt Robin deciphered the four Road Poneglyphs and figured out where Laugh Tale was, so we headed straight there."
Lina shrugged and added, "We ran into some truly dangerous weather along the way, but with your mom's knowledge and my skills, the Going Merry crossed it without much trouble."
"I mean, sure, but..."
Krista trailed off, clearly unwilling to let the adventure story she'd heard all her life end so uneventfully.
She wanted to ask more, but didn't know where to begin. She felt strangely empty, as if something was missing.
"Then what about the Greatest Treasure?! Dad, you found it, right?"
Seeing Lina getting ready to leave, Carl hurriedly pressed her for an answer.
Lina nodded. "Of course."
"Then what exactly is the Greatest Treasure?"
"Hah? Why would we tell you about something we worked so hard to find, idiot?"
Lina picked at her ear with her little finger, looking at him disdainfully.
"If you want to know, go find it yourself."
"Wait, Dad. Do you mean you didn't take the Greatest Treasure when you found it?"
Krista looked puzzled.
"We didn't."
"Why not?"
"That's a secret."
Lina smiled mysteriously.
At that, Carl narrowed his eyes. "Dad, you're not making this up, are you? There isn't really any Greatest Treasure, right?"
Though he disliked violence, Carl had been sharp-minded since birth and could remain calm in any situation—much like Lina and Nami.
"Wrong. The Greatest Treasure is real."
Lina smiled warmly.
"The Greatest Treasure absolutely exists, and anyone who sees it would consider it incredibly precious."
"I could tell you right now if you really want me to—if you've already decided you don't want to find it yourself someday."
"I don't want to!"
Krista immediately shouted her refusal and crossed her arms in an X.
"I don't want to know yet. When I'm grown up, I'm going to set sail and find it myself!"
"That's my girl. I have high hopes for you."
"Mm-hmm! I'll put together a pirate crew even stronger than yours, Dad. We'll sail to the ends of the sea, and I'll become the first Pirate Queen!"
Krista stood proudly on her pillow with her hands on her hips, then turned to face Carl.
"You can be my navigator, shipwright, chef, and errand boy."
"Why would I ever be your subordinate?!"
Carl shouted angrily. "And one person can't do all those jobs!"
"True, that would be a little hard. How about I reward you by making you my first mate too?"
"Isn't that just adding another job?!"
Carl snapped back angrily.
Lina: "..."
That was her and Nami's daughter, all right. Even at such a young age, she was already so good at making others work for her.
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