The two of them lay on the ground, and when their eyes met, Ginny's face flushed deeper and deeper until Lloyd gently patted her waist; she slowly straightened. With a soft pop, their lips parted, yet Ginny didn't move away from Lloyd; her long legs spread in a wide "eight" shape as she stayed seated on him, giving the posture an ambiguous intimacy.
She lowered her head and stared fixedly at Lloyd below, then asked quietly, "Lloyd, just now… how did you feel?"
"Not bad, It was soft, very soft," he replied.
"Oh!"
Ginny leapt up in embarrassment, covered her face with her hands, and fled — she ran until she was out of sight.
Lloyd smacked his lips, rose to his feet, and watched her run off with a gentle smile. Having lived two lives, how could he not understand what Ginny meant? It was just that he felt it wasn't the right time yet. At the very least, he had to wait until after graduating from Navy School — by then he would only just be eighteen years old.
…
In the days that followed, Ginny's attitude toward Lloyd remained the same as before, except that she now "accidentally" brushed against him more often, under the guise of clumsy movements. Each time, Lloyd accepted her touches with no change in expression. How could Ginny — tender as a fragile sapling — stand against him, a stubborn old ox? Each time her cheeks would burn red, and she would dash off in a flurry of embarrassment.
Of course, it was not all childish play between them. Most of their time was still devoted to training. Although Ginny's natural talent could not compare to someone as monstrous as Lloyd, remember her trait as a big eater: she consumed huge amounts of food yet never seemed to gain weight. In the world of pirates under Berries and Devil Fruits, people with that kind of constitution were rarely weak.
Because she ate so much each day, her physical strength increased rapidly. Combined with systematic training and professional guidance at the Navy School, after several months, she had become the strongest among the female cadets. Her cheerful and generous personality made her often step in to help her sisters deal with male cadets who talked too much — subtly turning into a big-sister figure.
However, in front of Lloyd she remained the soft sister from next door, always being lightly teased by him…
One day, after running several laps around the training ground, Ginny collapsed to the ground, exhausted. She traced aimless circles in the dirt with her finger. A few female cadets — good friends of hers — gathered around. Among them, a young cadet with short blond hair and a determined look gently patted her shoulder.
"Ginny," she said softly, "why have you been so listless these past days? This isn't like you."
Ginny puffed at her pink bangs and pouted. "I'm fine, Jessica. When do you think Lloyd-san and the others will return?"
Jessica sighed. Putting her hands on her hips, she said with exasperation, "Just as I thought! You have Lloyd on your mind all day; he left only a few days ago and you are already like this? Have some ambition, will you, my big sister Ginny!"
Other girls joined in teasingly:
"Yeah, Ginny, Lloyd and the others are with Zephyr-sama, so they'll be fine. You are acting too dramatic."
"True, Lloyd is amazing. He's just been here a short while, and Zephyr already takes him on missions."
"You know, if it weren't for you, I bet half the girls here would try to get close to him — even m…"
The last girl stopped mid-sentence when Ginny pinched her face and stared at her with wide eyes. "What exactly are you trying to say?"
"Nothing! I'm a loyal Ginny supporter!"
Jessica grabbed Ginny's ear and said crossly, "Fine, we're not stealing your Lloyd-san; don't be a little mother hen protecting her chick!"
Ginny spun around, wrapped her arms around Jessica, and spoke tearfully, "Jessica-san, I haven't been away from Lloyd-san since we met. I miss him so much."
She pressed her face against Jessica's stomach, making Jessica shiver a little. Jessica stroked Ginny's pink head gently, comforting her like an older sister.
Meanwhile, a few male cadets — including Squirrel — were sparring nearby while chatting.
"I wonder how Sakazuki and the others are doing. I really want to go out to sea with them and see the world," one said.
Another replied with a sigh, "Who doesn't? The sea isn't safe right now. Without the strength of those four, even with Zephyr-sama on their side, it's dangerous."
A third added, "Let's just train hard!"
As they spoke, a tall, striking figure suddenly appeared at the entrance of the training ground. Her black hair was pulled into a high ponytail. Light makeup accentuated her delicate features; a small beauty mark dotted the corner of her mouth. She wore a peach-colored short-sleeved top and dark shorts, revealing fair thighs marked by a spider-shaped tattoo. A beautifully curved sword hung at her waist.
The moment she appeared, many male cadets turned to stare. Even the female cadets cast their eyes downward in shame at her presence — after all, her chest was notably prominent. Jessica tugged at Ginny's shirt and pointed toward the newcomer. "Ginny, look — that girl is really pretty. Is she new?" she whispered.
Ginny only glanced briefly and withdrew her gaze. Her mind was filled with thoughts of Lloyd's return; she had no interest in anything else right now.
The girl's gaze scanned the training ground, then she walked in with graceful steps. She approached Squirrel and the other male cadets, offering a sweet smile that left them entirely mesmerized, then she spoke softly, "Hello — is there a cadet named Lloyd here?"
At her question, the faces around immediately fell. Huoshaoshan stepped forward and said politely, "Lloyd, Sakazuki and the others were taken on a mission by Zephyr-sama. May I ask who you are?"
The girl looked slightly surprised. She touched her lips and said, "My name is Gion. You said Lloyd went on a mission? I thought he was still a cadet?"
"Yes," Huoshaoshan affirmed. "He's very strong. Zephyr-sama believes he is already capable of going out to sea on missions."
"Oh," Gion murmured, pinching her chin thoughtfully. "No wonder Tsuru-nee mentioned his name to me before…"
Just then, a fair, gentle hand touched her shoulder. Gion turned to find Ginny standing there. Ginny eyed her suspiciously and asked, "Hello, my name is Ginny. I heard you were looking for Lloyd-san. Do you need something from him?"
______
Happy New Year!
The number of power stones I get is pretty low lately, which is kind of funny in its own way.
If you'd like to read ahead (about 60 to 90 chapters in advance) you can find early access on my Patreon.
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