Sabaody Archipelago, Grove 23 harbor.
Sunlight filtered through the gaps between the mangroves, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow. Bubbles drifted lightly through the air, reflecting a rainbow of colors.
Suddenly, bubbles rose from the calm sea, followed by a coated warship surfacing from beneath the water.
The bubble coating around the warship burst the moment it met the air, giving a soft pop.
"We're back!" Lipo stood at the bow, holding a faintly shimmering Pearl Carrot, a satisfied smile lighting up her face.
"Gern, look! The Pearl Carrot Queen Otohime gave me sparkles even more than it did on Fish-Man Island!"
She excitedly waved the ornament in her hand. In the sunlight aboveground, its pearl refracted an even more dazzling array of colors than it had on Fish-Man Island.
"Yes, it's beautiful." Gern smiled slightly, sweeping his gaze across the harbor as his brow creased almost imperceptibly.
Nearby, Tesoro stood holding an exquisite shell gift box filled with specialties from Fish-Man Island.
There were singing shells, jewelry carved from fluorescent coral, and a rare black pearl.
He gently stroked the gift box he had so carefully prepared, the corners of his lips rising as he imagined Stella's delighted expression when she received it.
"Stella will definitely love these," he murmured to himself.
Lipo's ears twitched. She leaned over and asked curiously, "Tesoro, what did you get for Stella? Let me see!"
Seeing Lipo poking her head over, Tesoro immediately hid the gift box behind his back and said sternly, "No. You already ruined one of my gift boxes on the way here!"
"Stingy! That bow you tied was just too complicated." Lipo pouted, then immediately turned to complain to Gern.
"Gern, Tesoro's bullying me! Hurry up and treat him to a shrimp drop to the seabed!"
Tesoro said,