Children and Grandchildren All

Twelve years later.

Click.

Pressing the shell-lamp switch, warm yellow light filled the room. Besides two beds and a wooden wardrobe, there was only a desk piled with blueprints by the window.

A man walked in, carrying two four or five-year-old twins, one on each arm.

The little girl had cute, short orange hair and bright eyes that seemed to hold the most brilliant starlight, wearing a pure white nightgown.

The boy had neatly styled golden hair and wore thin black-rimmed glasses, giving him the appearance of a calm and mature little adult.

"It's time for the happy bedtime story segment again."

Lina said with a gentle smile, placing the two children on the bed. He rested his chin on his hand.

"Oh my, let me think about what story to tell tonight."

"I want to hear the story of the Pirate King!"

The little girl immediately exclaimed excitedly, jumping up and clinging to Lina again, her eyes full of anticipation.

"Did the Straw Hat Kid get the Poneglyph from Red-Haired Shanks? Did you go to Laugh Tale after leaving Elbaf? And, and, what is the legendary Greatest Treasure?"

"It seems I'll have to tell you about my adventures back in the day again tonight. Go lie down, Krista."

Lina lifted the covers and tucked his daughter in, then turned to the boy.

"And Karl too."

"No way."

Little Karl turned his face away. Being young but acting wise, he adjusted his glasses with a pretend serious air and said dismissively, "I'm too old for bedtime stories now. Besides, these are the kind of fantasy adventure stories that only a childish fool like Krista, who dreams of being a pirate all day, would believe."

"Is that so? Why do I hear from your mother that she found a Gundam figure, just like Franky's, under your bed when she was cleaning?"

Lina gave him a look of disdain.

"Th-that's...!"

Hearing this, Karl's face turned red, and he tried desperately to defend himself.

"I've been studying mechanical design lately, and I thought its structural design was good, so I bought it for study."

"What about the Straw Hat, the same one as the Pirate King's? And Roronoa's sword, the Wado Ichimonji, a one-to-one replica of the world's greatest swordsman?"

Lina's mouth curved upwards, and he said with a sarcastic smile, "What, are you planning to study weaving and forging while you're at it?"

"Hee hee hee, maybe! After all, Karl is a bookworm."

Krista covered her mouth and giggled along.

Hearing this, Karl immediately shouted in exasperation, "Who are you calling a bookworm, you violent girl!"

"What did you say!"

Krista jumped out of the covers in anger, grabbed Karl's hair, and pounced on him.

"You have to call me 'sister'!"

"Who wants to call you 'idiot sister'? I was born first!"

Even though his hands were pinned down, Karl retorted stubbornly.

"Shut up! When it comes to things like this, it's whoever is stronger who decides!"

"How can that be the way to settle it! Let go of me, you violent girl!"

Lina: "..."

It seemed the happy bedtime story segment had come to an end.

Looking at the two squabbling children before him, Lina shook his head and smiled helplessly.

These twins were naturally his and Nami's children. Karl was technically the older brother, and just as Krista said, he was a true bookworm.

It was quite interesting for two pirates to have a child who dreamed of becoming a scientist. Although he outwardly showed no interest in pirates, like other little boys, he yearned for heroism and was a loyal fan of the Straw Hat Pirates in private.

As for Krista, she perfectly inherited his strong physique and Nami's lively personality. Ever since she started listening to his stories, she had longed for the uninhibited freedom of pirates and often talked about going out to sea when she grew up.

Krista had asked him more than once to get Luffy's straw hat, intending to inherit it and become the third Pirate King.

After a while, seeing that the two children were tired from playing, Lina finally separated them, lifting them up like little chickens, one in each hand.

"Alright, alright, it's time for bed. Don't get me in trouble if your mother comes to check."

Saying that, Lina tossed them back onto their respective beds, one on each side.

"Wait, Dad, you haven't told us a story yet."

"That's right, that's right. Although I'm not that interested, a promise is a promise."

Krista and Karl both spoke to stop him from leaving.

"Alright, alright, I can't do anything about you two."

Lina sighed, sat down at the corner of the bed, organized his thoughts, and then spoke to the two of them:

"After we left Elbaf, we went to Laugh Tale and found the Greatest Treasure. That's it, the story's over."

"That's too perfunctory!!" x2

Karl and Krista immediately jumped up, standing on the bed and baring their teeth at him as they complained.

"Well, that's how it was back then. Your Aunt Robin deciphered four Poneglyphs, got the location of Laugh Tale, and we went straight there."

Lina shrugged and added, "Although we encountered very dangerous and harsh weather along the way, with your mom's knowledge and my methods, the Going Merry easily sailed through it."

"That's what you say, but..."

Krista trailed off, clearly unwilling for the adventure story she had heard since childhood to end so uneventfully.

She wanted to ask more but didn't know where to start. Her heart felt empty, as if something was missing.

"What about the Greatest Treasure?! Dad, you got the Greatest Treasure, right?"

Seeing him about to leave, Karl quickly asked again.

Lina nodded, "Yes, of course."

"Then what exactly is the Greatest Treasure?"

"Huh? Why would I tell you something we worked so hard to get, you idiot."

Lina dug at his ear with his little finger, a look of disdain on his face.

"If you want to know, you have to find it yourself."

"Wait, Dad, do you mean you didn't take the Greatest Treasure back then?"

Krista's eyes were confused.

"No."

"Why?"

"That's a secret."

Lina smiled mysteriously.

Hearing this, Karl's eyes narrowed. "Dad, you're not lying, are you? There's actually no Greatest Treasure, right?"

Although he disliked violence, Karl was naturally meticulous and could maintain a calm mindset in any situation, much like Lina and Nami.

"You guessed wrong, the Greatest Treasure is real."

Lina smiled gently.

"The Greatest Treasure truly exists, and it's something anyone would find incredibly precious upon seeing it."

"If you insist on me telling you now, I can. Only if you've decided you don't plan on finding it yourself later."

"I don't want to!"

Krista immediately refused loudly, crossing her arms. "I don't want to know now. I want to wait until I grow up and go find it myself!"

"My daughter indeed. I have high hopes for you."

"Hmph, I'll definitely form a pirate crew even more powerful than yours, adventure to the ends of the sea, and become the first Pirate Queen!"

Krista stood proudly on the pillow, hands on her hips, and turned to face Karl.

"You'll be my navigator, shipwright, chef, and general handyman."

"How could I possibly be your subordinate!"

Karl yelled back indignantly. "Besides, one person can't do all those things!"

"It is a bit tough, I admit. How about I reward you by making you my first mate?"

"That's just adding another job!!"

Karl retorted angrily.

Lina: "..."

She was truly his and Nami's daughter. At such a young age, she was already so good at exploiting others.