Twelve years later.
Click.
With a press of the Lamp Dial switch, warm yellow light spread through the room. Aside from two beds and a wooden wardrobe, there was only a desk by the window piled high with blueprints.
A man stepped across the wooden floorboards, carrying two four- or five-year-old twins, one on each side.
The little girl had adorable short orange hair and bright eyes that seemed to hold the most brilliant starlight. She wore a pure white nightgown.
The boy, meanwhile, had neatly styled blond hair and black, thin-rimmed glasses, giving him the composed, cool-headed air of a little adult.
"Time for our delightful bedtime story session again."
Reiner smiled gently as he placed the two children on their beds, resting his chin on one hand.
"Oh my, let me think. What story should I tell today?"
"I want to hear the Pirate King's story!"
The little girl immediately cried out excitedly, jumping up and clinging to Reiner again, her eyes full of anticipation.
"Did Straw Hat Boy accept Red-Haired Shanks's Poneglyph? Did you go to Laugh Tale after leaving Elbaf? And, and, what exactly is the legendary Great Treasure?"
"Looks like I'll have to brag properly about your dad's adventures again tonight. Go lie down, Krista."
Reiner lifted the blanket and tucked his daughter in, then turned to look at the boy.
"And you too, Carl."
"No way."
Little Carl turned his face aside. Pretending to be mature, he adjusted his glasses and said calmly,
"I'm already past the age of needing stories to sleep, especially childish adventure tales made to fool kids. Only an immature brat like Krista, who spends all day thinking about becoming a pirate, would believe them."
"Really? Then why did I hear your mom found a Franky-style mecha figurine under your