"Young man."
Zeff's voice steadied again, but the gravity in his eyes remained.
"Are you from Marine Headquarters?"
"Marine Headquarters Rear Admiral Lorne."
Lorne made no particular effort to hide it.
"I was passing by today and only came in for a meal."
"Rear Admiral..."
Zeff repeated the rank, looking at Lorne's young face before shaking his head with a wry smile.
"To reach rear admiral at your age, and have Conqueror's Haki too."
"When did Marine Headquarters tuck away someone like you?"
"Your cooking really is worth a special trip."
Lorne did not answer directly, his gaze settling on the beef tongue braised in red wine that Patty had brought out again.
"This plate is perfect."
"Remarkable kid."
Zeff turned away and walked over to Sanji.
"Did you see that clearly?"
Sanji nodded, his eyes still on Lorne.
"Crappy old man... I want to get stronger."
Sanji's voice was quiet, but exceptionally firm.
"With my legs."
Zeff said nothing. He simply reached out and gave Sanji's shoulder a heavy pat.
An hour later, Lorne settled the bill and left a generous tip on top of it to cover the restaurant's repairs.
Masha, thoroughly satisfied with her meal, held Kuina's hand all the way to the small boat moored beside the deck, chattering about how perfectly the pan-seared sablefish had been cooked.
Kuina walked beside Masha with a smile on her face.
But her right hand stayed on Wado Ichimonji's hilt.
Today, she had drawn her blade against a living person for the first time in the restaurant, and her fingertips still retained the sensation of the tendons in his hand snapping.
That had been real combat.
It was completely different from sparring with bamboo swords in the dojo.
"Kuina."
Lorne spoke from the front without looking back.
"Your performance