The medical room smelled of disinfectant alcohol, its pungent odour stinging under the dim yellow light.
Monet looked pale and weary as Jake asked softly.
"Monet, how are you feeling? I'm sorry for making you eat that Devil Fruit in the end."
Monet shook her head and smiled faintly.
"It tasted awful, but Devil Fruits are rare treasures worth a hundred million Berries—especially a Logia-type, the rarest of them all. I should be thanking you, Why are you apologizing to me?"
"I just didn't know how else to show concern. But by your logic, you owe me a hundred million Berries now."
At Jake's words, Monet practically leaped off the bed, her beautiful golden eyes wide with disbelief.
Seeing this, Jake quickly clarified.
"I'm just joking. Sit back down—you're still weak."
Listening to Jake's words, Monet rolled her eyes at him before lying back down with a sense of relief.
Gazing at the damp ceiling, a dazed expression crossed her gaunt face as she murmured.
"We escaped from that place, didn't we?"
"Mhm. But your sister..."
Jake's voice grew slightly heavier at this point, yet Monet simply shook her head gently.
Looking at him, she spoke softly.
"You don't need to blame yourself, Jake. You did your best. If not for you, I might have died there. Those who are saved have no right to demand more. Without you, I wouldn't have obtained that Devil Fruit either. At least we're alive now and we have the potential to grow stronger. That's more than enough hope, isn't it?"
Monet voice was tender and Jake had to admit her reaction surprised him.
He'd expected her to wake up downcast or perhaps filled with regret and sorrow over failing to save her sister.
But Monet's mindset seemed far more resilient than he'd anticipated, which eased his worries considerably.
Had her spirits been lower, it would have posed significant obstacles to what he planned to propose next.
That's right—Jake wanted Monet to join the Marines.
With the Logia-type Snow-Snow Fruit, she was practically guaranteed a future position as at least a Vice Admiral at Marine Headquarters.
To forsake such a promising path and instead become some undercover agent for the Donquixote Family? Jake wouldn't let that happen again.
"Mhm. At least there's still hope of saving your sister, Monet. What do you plan to do from now on?"
At Jake's question, Monet propped herself up slightly with her hands.
The oversized clothes slipped from her shoulders, revealing a glimpse of her pale skin.
Jake glanced briefly before immediately looking away, while Monet blushed and quickly adjusted her garments.
Then she said to him.
"I'm not sure. Before being captured on that slave ship, my sister Sugar and I just lived normally in our town. I barely know anything about this world. If possible... I'd like to keep following you. After all... you're pretty much the only person in this world I can trust now."
"Then let's join the Marines together. I've already calculated this—joining the Marines is the most beneficial choice for both of us. They have comprehensive training systems, powerful teachers and reliable backing. Not to mention it'll undoubtedly give us the best chance of finding your sister. We could—"
Before Jake could finish, Monet interrupted him.
She simply smiled gently and said.
"Mhm. I'll follow your lead."
Witnessing how smoothly things were progressing—far more easily than he'd expected—Jake found himself torn between laughter and exasperation.
"You trust me that easily? Aren't you worried I might betray you?"
"You wouldn't. I'm not worth a hundred million Berries—not even ten million."
****
Leaving the room, Jake felt the sea breeze in the corridor and patted his slightly flushed face.
Damn it, the impact of that was still too strong!
He looked out the window, a bit lost in thought.
The view was stunning, but there was an edge of danger to it.
His heart raced as he spotted a huge fish, easily seven meters long, breaking the surface.
A chill run down his spine.
In no time, a bright blue flash lit up the night.
With a loud squelch, the massive fish was sliced apart, pieces dropping onto the deck.
Soldiers with lanterns moved in to clean up, packing the fish remains to take them to the kitchen freezer.
Though being woken at midnight to haul meat wasn't ideal, the thought of feasting on Sea King meat the next day—and having narrowly escaped being swallowed whole—filled the soldiers with gratitude.
They scrubbed the deck with mops and buckets, washing away the blood.
After a few rounds, the last bits of mess were gone.
Throughout all this, it was eerily quiet, not a single sound broke the stillness of the night.
Efficient, orderly and silent—this was how a proper military should operate.
***
The next day, as the sun began to rise over the horizon, Sun light shined through the window, falling on Jake's face.
He blinked slowly, only to be greeted by the sight of a terrifying skeletal face, though the voice was incredibly gentle.
"Jake, are you awake? If you're still feeling unwell, take some more time to rest. Only return to duty once you've fully recovered."
"It's alright, Lieutenant Commander T-Bone. I'm completely fine now. But before duty, I'd like to work with Ms. Elibam to treat the wounded on board. The leading cause of death at sea is untreated wounds, wouldn't you agree?"
T-Bone nodded, then smiled at Jake and said.
"You'll definetely become an outstanding Marine in the future!"