Koshiro bowed deeply to Roy, bending at an angle almost parallel to the ground.
The emotions that had been suppressed all the way finally burst forth when he opened his mouth.
"Thank you for saving my daughter."
If it weren't for you, Kuina would be...
He is probably no longer alive.
Roy didn't turn around. He picked up the sake pot, poured another cup, and pushed it towards Koshiro.
"Sit."
Koshiro straightened up and sat opposite Roy, slumping down as if all his strength had been drained, his fingers still trembling slightly as he held up the wine glass.
He would never forget those brief moments in the warehouse.
"Just doing it on a whim."
Roy picked up his glass, took a sip, and spoke calmly.
"But Master Koshiro, I saved her today, but what about tomorrow? What about the day after?"
"If one day this temple really can't stop her from wanting to go to sea, what do you plan to do?"
Koshiro's body stiffened.
Roy put down his wine glass and looked at Koshiro's face, which appeared exceptionally aged under the lamplight.
The tone contained no hint of sarcasm, yet carried an undeniable sharpness.
"How many years have you been suppressing her dreams with statements like 'girls can't become Great Swordsman '?"
You know in your heart that this is not true, you know it better than anyone else.
Big Mom, Empress Hancock, the emperors of Amazon Lily —aren't they all women?
Whose achievements are inferior to those of any male emperor on this vast sea?
Koshiro didn't reply, but just lowered his head, looking at his distorted reflection in the wine glass.
"I know what you think as a father."
Roy's voice softened slightly, but it still went straight to the point.
You feel sorry for her, you don't want her to risk her life on the high seas, and you don't want to see news of her death in the newspaper one day and have nowhere to collect her body.
But Koshiro —the more you pressure her, the more resentful she becomes. Do you think today's events were an accident?"
Koshiro raised his head, his eyes filled with complex emotions that were difficult to discern.
"It wasn't an accident."
Roy said,
"After that argument with you, she was holding back a lot of energy, determined to prove herself to you."
So even on rainy days, I had to run to the warehouse to get the whetstone, which is why I slipped on the stairs.
As long as you continue to deny her dreams, this kind of accident will happen again sooner or later.
Koshiro's hand tightened suddenly, causing the wine in the glass to spill out.
"So--"
Roy placed his glass back on the table, his voice soft but carrying an undeniable certainty.
" Master Shimotsuki, I have a suggestion—let me take Kuina to Hachinosu."
Koshiro suddenly raised his head, his eyes behind his glasses widening instantly.
" Hachinosu has the best swordsmanship instructor on this vast sea."
Roy didn't give him time to refuse, his tone as calm as stating a fact.
" Dracule Mihawk, the World's Greatest Swordsman, is on my island. You know your daughter's talent better than I do."
She has already reached a bottleneck in this training ground; staying any longer would only waste her talent.
"Only by letting her learn swordsmanship from Hawk Eyes will she have a real chance to reach the pinnacle."
Koshiro's lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but Roy raised his hand to stop him.
"You don't need to worry about safety. Hachinosu is the safest island in the New World, bar none."
The navy can't break in, the World Government can't touch it, your daughter is there, no one can harm a single hair on her head. And you also know—
The resources, training, and opponents she has access to on Hachinosu are something the East Blue could never provide in hundreds of lifetimes.
Koshiro fell silent. He remained silent for a long time.
The rain was still falling outside the window, the sound of rain pattering against the tiles, and the tea had gone cold.
He knew that every word Roy said was true, and it was precisely because it was true that he couldn't refute it.
"Let me... think about it."
Koshiro could only utter these few words in the end.
Roy nodded, not pressing him.
She simply stood up and walked to the window, watching the rain gradually lessen outside. Behind her, Koshiro stood up and was about to walk towards the door when the paper door of the guest room was gently pushed open.
Kuina stood in the doorway.
She changed into dry clothes; her hair wasn't completely dry, and her eyes were slightly red, but her gaze had regained its composure.
She entered the room, bowed to her father first, then turned to face Roy and bowed deeply in return.
"Mr. Roy."
Her voice was soft, yet surprisingly steady.
"I overheard everything you and my father were saying outside the door."
Thank you for saving me, and thank you for giving me this opportunity.
She raised her head and looked at Koshiro.
The unwavering light in those eyes made Koshiro's shoulders tremble slightly.
"Father."
Kuina knelt before Koshiro, her forehead gently touching the ground.
Please let me go to Hachinosu.
I want to learn the most advanced swordsmanship; I want to become the World's Greatest Swordsman.
I assure you—I will not let you regret your decision today, never."
Koshiro looked down at his daughter's hunched figure, watching her wet hair cling to her face.
The way she knelt at his feet was exactly the same as when he was young and begged his father to let him go to sea.
He suddenly understood.
There's no escaping it.
If someone truly wants to go somewhere, no one can stop them.
"Get up."
Koshiro reached out and helped his daughter up, wiping away the tears from the corners of her eyes with his fingertips, looking into the unwavering light deep within her eyes.
He let out a long sigh, and after he did, he felt a little more relaxed.
"Take good care of yourself."
It took him most of his life to utter those four simple words.
Kuina's tears finally welled up, and she threw herself into her father's arms, struggling with all her might to hold back her sobs.
Holding his daughter, Koshiro watched the rain gradually stop outside the window, and the weight that had been hanging over his heart for many years finally lifted.
Perhaps it won't be stable, but at least he no longer has to confine himself to the identity of a father and deny everything about her.
Roy leaned against the window, watching the father and daughter reconcile, a hint of relief in his smile.
However, despite his relief, a familiar slyness flashed in his eyes the next second.
"Alright, since your father has agreed—"
Roy walked up to the two of them, crossed his arms, and under Koshiro's slightly complicated gaze, slowly added a sentence.
"Next, let's talk about how to make your death announcement seem more believable."
The father and daughter looked up at the same time, both with the same blank expression on their faces.
The rain has stopped.
The bamboo grove outside the window was still dripping with water, and the wind chimes under the eaves tinkled in the night breeze.
In the guest room of the temple, three people sat around a low table, and an oil lamp cast their shadows on the paper door, flickering back and forth.
Koshiro's expression changed from being moved to a complex mix of emotions, while Kuina frowned and looked at Roy with extreme surprise.
Roy remained completely unmoved, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and remained as calm as could be.
"The fake death plan."