February, Sea Circle Calendar 1469
Totto Land – Cake Island
It had been months since reclamation. Since that day the sea turned silent under the Edwards' flag, Cake Island had become something else entirely.
No longer just a bizarre world of spongecake cliffs and whipped-cream rivers, it had evolved into a fortified jewel in the heart of the New World—a city-fortress standing proud against the tides, both natural and political. Engineers carved stone through syrup, architects raised watchtowers from frosting. The impossible had become daily routine.
And at its peak stood a castle of alabaster and gold, perched high above sugar-frosted valleys. It was here Argus made his throne. But this day, he wasn't a king. He wasn't even a pirate. He was simply a man. And his queen was in labor.
---
"Doctor! Doctor—this way!"
Panic and urgency flooded the halls. Serena's pregnancy had reached its climax, and the midwives—well-trained but visibly strained—hustled through the grand corridors. The medicinal wing buzzed with overlapping commands, trays of sterilized steel clinking, herbs being boiled, medics running.
Dr. Kureha was the calm in the storm. Old. Sharp. Ruthless. She'd raised a few eyebrows when Argus brought her in as Chief Doctor, but now? No one dared question her.
She'd arrived like a tempest, flicking her long coat and lighting cigars during checkups. She'd poked Newgate with syringes and threatened Argus with scalpels if he refused regular rest.
And Serena? Serena liked her. "At least she doesn't lie," she had once said. "She treats royalty like livestock and pirates like infants. It's oddly reassuring."
---
Earlier that week...
"Lift your shirt. No whining." Kureha jabbed a needle into Newgate's arm.
"Damn hag," he grumbled, though his face twitched with a grin.
She turned to Sally, inspecting her swollen belly. "You're carrying high. Means restless. Probably a boy. And you," she pointed to Shella, "You're too tense. The baby's fine, but your nerves aren't. Meditate. Or punch someone. Both work."
Then she turned to Argus.
"You," she said, narrowing her eyes. "Need sleep. Real sleep. Not power naps on a desk. And for god's sake, don't faint during delivery. That'd be humiliating."
Argus said nothing. He simply nodded. She knew. They all knew. This was the beginning of something monumental.
---
Now, in the corridor outside the birthing chamber, the tension was unbearable. The other wives sat—some on ornate cushions, others pacing quietly. Sharon, the fiery dancer from West Blue, was whispering a mantra. Mina, the scholarly type, clutched a scroll she wasn't reading. Wendy stared at the door like it might open if she just wished hard enough.
"She's strong," Donna said aloud. "Serena. She'll make it."
Shella nodded silently. Her hands rested on her belly. Sally, uncharacteristically quiet, stood beside her, fingers twitching.
Inside, Serena's cry echoed. Argus flinched.
Newgate appeared, unusually quiet. "You good?"
Argus managed a nod. "So far, no complications."
"She's strong," Newgate said. "She's got your fire." He smirked. "Though thank god she didn't get your stubborn jaw."
Argus almost laughed.
Newgate dug out a cigar. "Come. Step out. I brought smokes."
"I don't smoke."
"Neither do I. But I also don't pace like a panicked rooster."
Outside, under the moonlight, they stood in silence. The stars above Totto Land shone bright. The wind carried a faint scent of caramel and citrus.
Argus took a drag. Coughed. Then breathed.
"This isn't just a child," Newgate said after a moment. "This is the start."
Argus looked up. "Start of what?"
"Of everything."
---
Elsewhere, Jozu was standing at the edge of Cake Island's outer cliffs, marveling at the soda seas.
"...This place is nuts," he said.
Doma laughed. "Better than Drum, that's for sure."
Hiroshi crossed his arms. "Still doesn't feel real. First we're nobodies. Then pirates. Now? We're walking into a damn fairytale."
Newgate approached with a Den Den Mushi in hand.
"You three," he said. "What are your plans?"
Jozu blinked. "Plans?"
"Yeah," Newgate said, crouching slightly. "Life plans. Future plans."
The teen hesitated. Then slowly...
"To get strong. Real strong. Like you and Argus."
Newgate grinned.
"You got the guts for it. And the heart. Say the word, boy. Be my son."
Jozu straightened. "Yeah. I will. I want to."
Newgate stood, eyes gleaming. "Then it's done. Welcome to the family."
---
Back in the castle, a sharp cry pierced the halls. Then silence. Then a wail.
The door opened slowly.
Kureha emerged, coat stained, mask down. She looked at Argus, and for once, she smiled.
"It's a girl. Both mother and daughter are fine."
Argus didn't breathe. Then—
He moved.
To the room. To Serena. To his daughter.
There, nestled in her arms, was the future of the Edward Family.
Tiny. Wrinkled. Screaming like a banshee.
And perfect.
Argus knelt beside the bed. Serena looked exhausted, radiant, proud.
"We did it," she whispered.
Argus took the child's tiny hand in his.
"Welcome home," he murmured.
And with that, the empire had its first heir.
Not a pirate's child. Not a war orphan. But a child born of vision, will, and unbreakable blood.
The next generation had begun.
(CHAPTER END)