The boy, who looked very young, spoke in surprise. Then again, Golden Lion's Flying Pirates were so large that few people paid any attention to an insignificant boy like him.
"Hmm?"
Barn seemed to pick up on the surprise in the boy's voice and asked curiously.
The boy smiled shyly, awkwardly scratching the back of his head as he spoke.
"Ah, you're the first person to ask my name. Everyone in the crew has always called me 'Little Guy.'"
"Heh."
Barn forced a faint smile despite his exhausted state and asked,
"How old are you?"
"I'm nine! I'll be ten in thirty-four days. The captain said he'd take me out to sea when I turn ten!"
The boy spoke with a broad smile, then looked at Barn with a puzzled expression and asked,
"What about you, big brother? How old are you?"
Being called big brother made the corners of Barn's mouth lift. He struggled to roll onto his side and face the boy. Though he couldn't see, he still tried to meet the boy's eyes.
"Heh, what do you think? How old do I look?"
Though his severe injuries had left him pale, Barn still looked so young. Ah, that absurdly powerful Life Fruit.
Jig studied Barn for a while, then solemnly pressed his index finger to his lips and said,
"Hmm... you must be eighteen, big brother."
His innocent expression was truly endearing. Unfortunately, Barn couldn't see it, but Jig's answer alone was enough to make him happy. His smile deepened as he said,
"Wrong. I'm already thirty-six."
Barn spoke with a smile, but Jig pouted angrily when he heard that and said,
"You're lying, big brother! You don't look thirty-six at all. Uncle Sammi is only thirty-one, and he looks much older than you."
Barn's smile grew