Oran's words left Zephyr speechless. Zephyr disliked lying and was a man who placed immense importance on principles.
In the original timeline, even after his wife and child were murdered, he had restrained the grief and fury in his heart. He had not killed those pirates, instead throwing them back into prison.
Now, someone was asking him face-to-face to violate his principles. No matter how he answered, it felt wrong.
"This..."
"Just a joke. It was only a small favor; I wouldn't make things so difficult for you, Admiral Zephyr.
Since you're back, we won't delay your family reunion any longer. Franky, let's go."
After waving goodbye to Zephyr's son, Oran called for Frankenstein and left the hospital room.
Seeing the smile on his son's face, some of the sorrow in Zephyr's heart faded, but he did not feel much more at ease.
He owed an enormous debt of gratitude. Judging by this, repaying it would not be easy.
"Father, what do you want him to do for you?"
Following behind Oran, Frankenstein asked with some curiosity.
"I haven't thought of anything yet. There's no rush. A favor is no different from a debt, and Zephyr is someone who values principles immensely. If we handle it properly, it will be very useful in the future."
Bringing it up every day and using kindness to demand repayment was not a wise choice. It would breed resentment and, over time, might even nurture hatred. Oran wanted to use this opportunity to build a network of connections with Zephyr.
No matter what, Zephyr was currently one of the sea's top combatants.
On this sea, one's spirit was an extremely important factor. Once it collapsed, weight gain and a drastic drop in strength would follow one after another.
The current Zephyr was not the