Thrown out by Rouge, Michael could only sheepishly take a seat on the sofa.
Of course, he was already scheming in his mind about when to play a serious prank on these two old geezers.
However, right now, both he and the two old men were trembling under Luffy's wails.
None of them wanted to face Rouge's wrath that resembled a demonic yaksha again.
Only when the crying gradually subsided and silence returned did Michael and the two elders finally exhale in relief.
When Rouge emerged from the bedroom again, she had returned to her usual gentle demeanor.
"Ah, it's almost dinner time."
"Oh, speaking of dinner," Garp suddenly remembered something, "Sweetie, there'll be several particularly big eaters joining us for dinner tonight."
"Particularly big eaters?"
"Yeah, Borsalino, Sakazuki, Kuzan... oh right, and Tsuru and Zephyr too." Garp continued counting on his fingers, completely oblivious to the mood.
With each name, Rouge's previously calm expression grew increasingly terrifying.
"Hey you old geezer! Shut your mouth already!"
"Can't you read the room, you idiot!"
Michael and Sengoku kept signaling Garp with their eyes, but he remained utterly oblivious.
"Hehe, so many guests. We don't have enough ingredients at home. Father dear, would you mind going to the market to buy some more?"
Her voice was sweet as honey, but the door slam was deafening!
"BAM!"
The next moment, two of the Marine's highest authorities and the commander of the secret special forces found themselves unceremoniously kicked out.
"Uh, so... are we being kicked out of our own home now?"
"It's your home," Michael rolled his eyes. "You're the father who went too far. Be careful when you get older—your daughter might pull your oxygen tube with her grandchildren watching."
"Actually, the oxygen tube isn't the main issue... Why did Mom kick me out too?"
Ace stood beside Michael with a pitiful look on his little face, feeling utterly wronged.
Grandfather's misdeeds, grandson's also got punished!
Michael had figured it out—in this three-generation household, Rouge was the undisputed ruler.
In every sense, she was a formidable woman.
"Alright, let's get going," Sengoku sighed. "I don't think Rouge was joking with us. If we don't bring back the ingredients, the worst that'll happen to us is getting glared at, but you, dear father, might not live to see tomorrow."
"Ahahaha, it's not that exaggerated. My daughter is super gentle."
"I might actually believe you if your voice wasn't trembling so much."
*****
Walking along a small path in Marineford, Ace kept pestering Michael with endless questions.
"Uncle Michael, are those wings real? Or just decorations?"
"I've heard there are lots of weirdly dressed people on the seas—are you one of them too?"
"And and, is the sea really as full of dangerous strong people as Grandpa says?"
Ace's little mouth fired off questions at Michael like a machine gun.
A four-year-old—the age even dogs find annoying.
(Ace born normally so he is one year older than in canon if you guys forget)
Yet Michael patiently answered every one of Ace's questions.
After all, he had promised to take care of this child in exchange for that Supreme Grade Sword.
Moreover... Ace was a crucial piece in Michael's grand plan.
A pivotal move against the pirate factions.
The descendant of the Pirate King becoming a Marine would send shockwaves through the pirate world.
After all, ever since Roger made that declaration on the execution platform, he'd become the spiritual icon of all pirates.
This applied not just to common pirates, but even to the so-called "Emperors."
This was precisely why Michael hadn't stopped Roger from making that declaration.
Before that moment, pirates had been a completely disorganized group—extremely difficult to eradicate on a large scale.
But once united under a common symbol, things became different.
Rather than defeating them one at a time, it was better to gather them for one decisive strike.
Using a child for this purpose did weigh on Michael's conscience.
Yet no amount of guilt would make him hesitate to execute his plan.
At most, he'd compensate Ace more generously.
His first act of compensation? Freeing Ace from that ill-fated Flame-Flame Fruit and letting Ginny consume it instead—a solution beneficial to both parties.
Meanwhile, Michael was searching for other suitable Devil Fruits for Ace.
Looking down at the four-year-old Ace—who was already as sturdy as a young bull—Michael smiled faintly.
"You've grown up well, Ace."
"Uncle Michael, why say something so embarrassing all of a sudden...?"
"...Have you thought about what you want to do in the future?"
"The future?" Young Ace's face showed momentary confusion, but excitement quickly took over.
"Gramps keeps dragging me off to train, saying I should become an outstanding Marine. But I like Gramps, so being a Marine sounds fine... Oh! And I'll protect Luffy too! He's my little brother after all!"
"Is that so... As long as you won't regret it."
*****
Watching Michael and the boisterous Ace in the distance, Sengoku finally sighed.
"...Garp, how long did you and Michael plan to keep this from me?"
"Hah? Keep what from you?" Garp's face was the picture of bewilderment. "...Wait, you're not talking about that time we ate your limited edition rice crackers hidden in the filing cabinet, are you?"
"Don't change the subject. Your lying act is so natural—if I weren't intimately familiar with you, I'd never spot it."
Sengoku snorted coldly.
His gaze towards Garp turned cold.
Garp's feigned confusion and awkward grin vanished instantly, replaced by solemnity.
The two men stood in heavy silence.
After a long pause, Garp finally spoke with a sigh.
"Ah, can't hide anything from you." Garp shrugged, his entire demeanor relaxing. "Though it's troublesome you found out, keeping this secret all these years was exhausting."
Hearing Garp's admission, Sengoku laughed aloud.
It was the bitter laugh of a man pushed to his limits.
"You and Michael have some nerve, actually using this method to hide the whereabouts of Roger's widow, even bringing her to Marineford to gave birth here!? Hiding in plain sight was a brilliant move. How long did it take Michael to convince you?"
"Uh, twenty seconds? Or maybe fifteen."
"Hmph! Then you'd better keep this secret forever."
"...What do you mean? You're not planning to deal with Ace and Rouge?"
Sengoku pointed at Ace, who was clinging to Michael in the distance, and said with a bitter smile.
"Look at that. How am I supposed to deal with him?"
"Seems like you've gone soft too."
Sengoku swiftly punched Garp in the back of the head.
"I'm not going soft!"
"It's just that I trust you..."
"And I trust Michael."
"He will lead the Marines—no, the entire world—into a new era."
"So, I believe in him."
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