"Master Rowan..."
Tsuru, usually the picture of resourcefulness and unshakable calm, stood frozen. She murmured his name, her lips trembling as she tried to speak, yet finding herself at a total loss for words.
Suddenly, a peach-colored blur streaked past her. Driven by what seemed like endless grievance and longing, the figure lunged straight at Rowan.
"Waaaaah! Mr. Rowan, why did it take you so long to come back?!"
A heart-wrenching sob erupted against his chest. Rowan looked down at Gion, who was hugging him with such desperate strength it was as if she feared he would vanish if she loosened her grip even by a fraction. He couldn't help but let out a long, helpless sigh.
In truth, when she first charged at him, Rowan's initial instinct had been to dodge. With his current reflexes, evading her pounce would have been child's play. But when he saw the tears shimmering in her eyes and the raw vulnerability on her face, his heart softened, and he stood his ground.
Nearby, young Marines passing through the harbor stopped in their tracks, eyes wide with shock. They began to frantically speculate on the identity of the white-haired old man.
After all, their Vice Admiral Momousagi was not only a legendary beauty with a perfect figure, but also the youngest officer to reach the rank of Vice Admiral in decades. This gave her an aura of untouchable distance in the hearts of the average soldier.
For years, the only person in the entire Navy who dared to openly pursue her was Vice Admiral Tokikake (Chaton), who, like her, was a candidate for Admiral. Yet, Momousagi had rejected him without a second thought. Rumor had it she had turned him down over a hundred times.
And yet, here was this "Ice Goddess," throwing herself into an old man's arms in broad daylight, weeping like a broken-hearted child.
What's more, accompanying this old man was the former Admiral and current Chief Instructor, Zephyr. Even the Great Staff Officer Tsuru was acting out of character.
Who... just who is he?
"Alright, alright, girl. Stop the crying. Hasn't the Old Man returned?" Ignoring the prying eyes of the soldiers, Rowan gently patted Gion's back, whispering comforts.
"Twenty years! A full twenty years! Do you have any idea how much I've missed you? How could you be so heartless, staying away for twenty years..." Her voice was muffled against his chest, her sobs enough to make anyone's heart ache.
Because her face was buried in his shirt, her tears and—admittedly—a bit of a runny nose were being wiped all over Rowan's clothes. Feeling the dampness soak through his thin garment, Rowan felt a complicated mix of emotions rise within him.
Still, he didn't mind. He continued to stroke her back, hushing her gently. He sighed inwardly. Though twenty years had passed and the little tag-along of his memories had grown into a graceful, stunning woman—a Vice Admiral of the Headquarters with the title Momousagi—to him, she was still that little girl who used to cling to his heels every single day.
It took a considerable amount of patience before he managed to stabilize her emotions. Even after she pulled her head away, her arms remained locked around his left arm. She looked so tense that it seemed she believed he might sprout wings and fly away the moment she let go.
Seeing this, Rowan said with a wry smile, "Girl, be good. Let go now. The Old Man isn't going to fly off."
But the more Rowan tried to nudge her away, the tighter she held on. "I won't! You've been 'flown away' for twenty years. I'm not letting it happen again."
Faced with her stubbornness, Rowan eventually gave up the struggle. He cast a pleading "save me" look at Zephyr, but the former Admiral only responded with a face full of schadenfreude. Rowan shot the brat a fierce glare.
Shaking his head, Rowan began to walk down the gangplank, with Momousagi clinging tightly to his side like a permanent shadow.
Behind them, Ain's eyes were darting back and forth, her expression a mix of fascination and shock. She had assumed that even if they were close, it would be a big hug at most. She never imagined Vice Admiral Momousagi would be this affectionate—to the point of refusing to let go of his hand upon first meeting.
How was anyone supposed to deal with this? This was happening in public, in the busiest harbor of Marineford! Their Momousagi was famous for being a cold, aloof goddess. But in front of Grand-Master Rowan? The "cold" act had vanished entirely. She looked like she wanted to merge into his very skin.
Ain had finally witnessed the true "charisma" of the Old Man.
"Tsuru-chan, long time no see," Rowan said as he reached Tsuru. He reached out and gently wiped a tear from the corner of her eye, his voice tender.
Rowan knew Tsuru's personality; she wasn't as impulsive as Gion. Despite the storm of emotions in her heart, she wouldn't cling to his arm in public.
However, seeing her now, Rowan noted that her once-supple, water-blue hair had turned grey, and her beautiful face was now etched with lines of age. Rowan remembered clearly that when she first joined the Navy, she was called the "Number One Beauty of Marine Headquarters," with a line of suitors following her everywhere.
Is this the Master Rowan Grandma always talks about? He doesn't look that charming to me... Behind Tsuru, a tall young woman—as striking as Momousagi—secretly scrutinized Rowan.
"Master."
The weight of twenty years didn't manifest as a flood of tears for Tsuru. Instead, it condensed into a high, gentle arch of her lips. Though she had missed him terribly, the joy of finally seeing him outweighed the sadness of the passing years. There was no need for gloom now that they were reunited.
Wiping away the last of her tears with her sleeve, Tsuru smiled warmly. "What brings you back to the headquarters so suddenly? You didn't even notify me; I haven't prepared anything..."
Rowan chuckled. "Don't bother with all that. We'll have plenty of time from now on."
"Plenty of time?" Tsuru's sharp mind instantly caught the implication. It seemed he didn't plan on leaving anytime soon.
But Rowan's next sentence made her expression freeze. He gave her a confident, spirited smile and said with a touch of his old-era vigor:
"The Old Man's first goal for coming to the headquarters this time... is to become an Admiral."