Five minutes passed.
Kaya's sobs softened into uneven breaths, her fingers loosening their grip as exhaustion finally claimed her. Her body grew lighter in Cry's arms, the tension she had carried for so long easing at last.
She had fallen asleep.
Cry noticed immediately.
With careful movements—almost instinctive—she adjusted her hold and lifted Kaya effortlessly, cradling her as if she weighed nothing at all. She carried her to the nearby sofa and sat down slowly, making sure not to disturb her rest. Kaya was laid gently beside her, her head settling naturally onto Cry's lap, as though it had always belonged there.
Cry's hand rested lightly in Kaya's hair.
No one spoke.
The room remained still, filled only with the soft rhythm of breathing… and the quiet crunching sounds of Luffy eating in the corner, unaware of the sacredness of the moment.
Merry turned his head away, pressing a hand to his face. The maids stood frozen where they were, tears slipping freely down their cheeks. They understood—perhaps better than anyone—what they were witnessing.
They knew how much Kaya had lost.
They knew how hard she had tried to smile.
How she greeted each day pretending nothing was wrong.
How she carried grief silently, politely, so no one else would worry.
And now—
For the first time since her parents' deaths, she had someone to lean on.
Someone who did not ask questions.
Someone who did not demand strength.
Someone who simply held her and said, without words—
It's alright.
Silence wrapped the room like a blanket.
No one moved. No one dared to interrupt.
They only watched as two women—strangers just moments ago—sat together, bound by something deeper than explanation. Not mistress and guest. Not patient and healer.
But sisters, meeting for the first time.
Kaya slept peacefully.
Her face was calm, untouched by sorrow, her breathing steady and warm. It was the deepest sleep she had known in years—free of pain, free of fear. Wrapped in safety. Wrapped in warmth.
And Cry remained there, unmoving, humming softly once more, as sunlight continued to pour in through the window—gentle, forgiving, and kind.
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The next morning, Kaya slowly opened her eyes.
For a moment, she was confused.
The ceiling above her was unfamiliar. The light felt different. Softer. She wasn't in her bed.
She shifted slightly and realized she was lying on a sofa.
Then she looked up.
Cry was there.
Seated beside her, calm and still, her sea-colored eyes watching over her with quiet warmth. There was no surprise in her gaze—only reassurance, as if she had been there the entire night and never once thought of leaving.
Kaya stared at her for a long moment.
The room was silent.
"…Thank you," Kaya said softly, her voice barely above a breath.
Cry didn't speak. She simply nodded.
Then, gently, she leaned down and placed a slow, careful kiss on Kaya's forehead—a gesture full of care, instinctive and pure. Not something learned, but something felt.
Kaya smiled.
It was small, but real.
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Outside the villa, near the entrance, Usopp stood with Luffy and Zoro.
His usual loud confidence was nowhere to be found.
After Kaya had fallen asleep the night before, Usopp had rushed back to the villa, panic driving his feet faster than his thoughts. He had heard dangerous news—something he shouldn't have heard, something that made his chest tighten with fear.
But when he arrived…
He saw her.
Peaceful. Resting. Finally free, if only for a moment.
And Usopp couldn't bring himself to say the words.
He knew Kaya too well. Better than anyone. He knew how much she had suffered, how much she pretended, how hard she tried to smile for everyone else. All Usopp had ever done was tell her stories—to make her laugh, to keep her spirits up.
So he swallowed the truth.
Instead, he gathered his courage and did the only thing he could think of.
He asked for help.
He didn't care that they were pirates. Didn't care how strong they were. He just needed someone—anyone—to protect the villa while he confronted the threat on his own.
When Luffy, Zoro, and Nami heard his words, something shifted.
They didn't shout.
They didn't question him.
Anger rose quietly, heavy and burning, like magma building beneath the earth.
Merry noticed their expressions and stepped forward, explaining everything—the sickness, the loneliness, the lies, the danger Kaya had lived with for so long. By the time he finished, the air itself felt tense.
So this was what she had endured.
And just when she had finally found peace—
Someone dared to take it away.
None of them spoke.
They didn't need to.
This was something they would settle themselves.
That was how Usopp and Luffy truly came to understand each other—not through boasts or lies, but through resolve. Zoro stood beside them, silent but ready. And Nami remained behind, watching over Kaya like a vigilant guardian.
That afternoon, they moved.
"Let's go," Usopp said, his voice steady.
Luffy grinned.
Zoro rolled his shoulders.
"Yeah," Luffy said. "Let's show them what real pirates are."
The three of them walked forward together, the setting sun stretching their shadows across the ground—long, sharp, and unyielding—as if the light itself was guiding them toward the fight waiting ahead.
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To be continued