"At last, I'm back."
Sitting on Laboon's back, Barn gazed at the Sabaody Archipelago as it came into view. Mixed emotions filled his eyes, and he murmured with a bitter expression.
"I wonder if I'll ever have another chance..."
Just as Barn was sinking into his melancholy, a loud boom snapped him back to reality.
"Hm?"
For an instant, Barn froze, thinking the Marines had found him here. His hand even instinctively gripped the sword hilt at his waist. But as he raised his head, his furrowed brow slowly relaxed, and a smile took its place.
"I really am jumping at shadows... Still, Sabaody seems a little different today."
The boom had not been cannon fire from a Marine warship, but a ceremonial salute from the Sabaody Archipelago. The islands were livelier than ever. Multicolored balloons mingled with the soap bubbles that always filled the skies, and laughter drifted over from time to time. It looked as though some grand occasion was underway...
"Adam, do you think Master will come?"
Sitting at a dressing table, Lia looked at the woman in the mirror, who hardly resembled her usual self, and spoke with a slight pout.
Behind her, a bearded man slowly approached. He had traded his usual burgundy suit for a particularly solemn black formal suit. Resting his large, rough hands on Lia's shoulders, he lowered his head and brushed his beard against her cheek as he said with a smile.
"As far as I remember, you haven't called him Master since we came back from the East Blue."
At Adam's words, Lia smiled and swatted his arms off her shoulders, protesting coquettishly.
"Oh, come on! Today is different, isn't it?"
Adam smiled at her reply and shamelessly put his hands back, saying.
"Yes, yes. Even our Little Lion Lia