"Seraphim?"
Caesar looked utterly confused. "Didn't Vegapunk work on the Pacifistas? Seraphim should be a later-stage project, right? I've heard that thing is extremely expensive.
A single Pacifista costs about the same as a battleship, and a Seraphim is supposedly ten times that. Honestly, compared to Seraphim, my Death Kingdom is far more practical."
"I completely agree. After all, Mr. Caesar, you're the true expert in weapons of mass slaughter," Ron replied with a troubled expression. "But… well, how should I put it—there are people above me who make the final call."
"…Alright, alright, I get it. I'll do it."
Caesar looked displeased, but still agreed to Ron's request.
"Isn't it just consolidating data related to the Seraphim? As long as Vegapunk's lab has information on it, I can tidy up it for you."
He agreed readily. In truth, he had a bit of interest in Vegapunk's research himself.
Absolutely not because he was worried Vegapunk's level surpassed his—absolutely not!
"Then I'll leave it to you."
In the original storyline, Seraphim were an important plot element. But for now, Ron had no intention of forcing anything—this was simply preparation for the future.
After briefly explaining his needs to Caesar and checking on the artificial Devil Fruit plantations, Ron left Punk Hazard to look for Nojiko.
The team's current base had been set up on Angel Island.
Compared to the uninhabited Upper Yard, no one disliked a place with people and proper living facilities.
After all, humans were social, communal creatures.
During his inspection, however, Ron ran into a small incident.
At a street corner ahead of him, a familiar-looking father and daughter had stopped in their tracks.
"Hm?"
"Y–You're… Lord Ron!?"
Conis, standing in front, covered her mouth in surprise, her beautiful eyes widening.
"Conis, he—"
Her elderly father, looking nervous, grabbed her sleeve and instinctively pulled her back while lowering his voice.
"He's the one who kidnapped you last time…"
"I know,"
Conis gently pried her father's hand away and pointed at Ron reassuringly. "Father, don't be nervous. I've told you many times already.
Even though I was kidnapped back then, Mr. Ron and his companions are good people."
At that moment, Ron also recognized her.
This angel-like Skypiea beauty was Conis—the girl he had once kidnapped—and her father, who had been unable to protect her and had cried bitterly at the time.
Their reactions were completely opposite.
After a moment's thought, Ron apologized, "It was me. I'm sorry about what happened before. Enel could monitor the entire island.
If we hadn't gone all the way with the act, it would've been easy for him to see through it and cause unforeseen consequences."
"I understand. God Gan Fall explained it to me afterward.
It was all just an act to avoid Enel's detection. You used me to put on a show.
I don't hold any resentment or dissatisfaction."
Conis's eyes shimmered as she stared at Ron's face, a faint blush rising on her delicate cheeks.
Her father, however, was still hesitant.
"Conis, I taught you to be a good person, but isn't this a bit—"
The old man hesitated, still looking at Ron with caution.
"Enough, Father. I know what happened back then had a huge impact on you.
You even started trying to become a Skypiea warrior because of it.
But we can't deny a good deed just because of one mistake!"
Conis refuted him seriously, then softened her gaze and reached out.
"Honestly, I really want to thank you for helping us.
You freed Angel Island from Enel's clutches, so we no longer had to betray our own kindness by hurting others.
If it weren't for your arrival, we might never have escaped that nightmare.
From this point of view, you are a good person—a benefactor to all of us."
She spoke with genuine conviction.
Even her father's attitude softened as he listened.
Indeed—
For kind-hearted people, Enel's rule had been unbearably cruel.
Even if the methods used were a bit… extreme, the result was undeniably good.
The current Divine Kingdom was far better than before.
Especially now that the Shandians had also integrated into this big family.
"I had my own goals. I didn't come purely to liberate you," Ron said after some thought. "But—I'll accept your thanks."
He reached out and shook Conis's hand.
Then—
The angel girl made an unexpected invitation.
"So… would you come to our home as a guest?"
Her cheeks flushed as she tightened her grip on Ron's hand. "I want to thank you properly.
And also… how should I put it… I don't really know how to say it."
Hm?
Ron looked at Conis's blushing face and her hesitant, inviting expression.
Two words popped into his mind immediately.
Throwing herself at me?
This was a first.
Before he could respond, the air temperature suddenly rose.
A streak of fire approached from afar, and Nojiko emerged from the flames, interrupting Conis's invitation.
"That won't do. He's mine today."
The blue-haired beauty stepped out of the fire, startling nearby Skypieans into scattering—
But once they recognized her, they relaxed immediately.
"Hey, it's the Guardian—Miss Nojiko!"
"Isn't that Conis and her father over there?"
"Wait, that man—he's the benefactor the gods talked about!"
The situation escalated suddenly.
A crowd of Angel Island residents gathered as if they'd spotted a celebrity.
Their enthusiasm was… intense.
"This is—"
Ron narrowed his eyes. His first instinct was that something was wrong.
Yet Conis looked delighted, as if thinking, They feel the same way I do.
Her father also relaxed, speaking in a low voice.
"Looks like they think so too."
"Gratitude, huh…"
As Ron hesitated, the corner was already completely surrounded.
However—
When the excited Skypieans looked again, Ron was gone.
Turning around, Nojiko was gone as well.
"Huh? Where'd they go?"
"Looks like they left."
Conis said, "Aren't people from the Blue Sea supposed to have amazing abilities?"
"What a shame. I wanted to thank him properly."
"Thanks to him, Enel's rule finally ended."
"Yeah, otherwise God Gan Fall wouldn't have returned."
The Skypieans chatted animatedly, piecing things together, their faces filled with regret.
Elsewhere—
Invisible and withdrawn to a higher vantage point, Ron watched the dispersing crowd thoughtfully.
Footsteps sounded behind him as Nojiko landed beside him.
"What, you don't like that kind of scene?"
She stepped closer and naturally hooked her arm around his, teasing. "Or do you prefer calling yourself a villain?"
"I'm not some kind of masochist," Ron replied calmly. "It's just that, most of the time, calling myself a villain is more convenient.
A 'good person' can do a thousand good deeds, and one bad one ruins everything.
But a 'villain' only needs to do one good deed to change how people see them."
He wrapped an arm around her slim waist, smoothing her slightly messy blue hair with the other. "So what's going on here?"
"Public relations," Nojiko said softly, resting her head against him. "Gan Fall's idea.
Before, for convenience, we framed things as a mercenary arrangement.
But we're outsiders, and we occupy Upper Yard. Some Skypieans were uneasy.
Urouge noticed that and reported it. Gan Fall and I reached an agreement.
We still need this base, and the construction of the Punishment needs shipyards and manpower.
So Gan Fall publicly explained everything.
It damaged his personal authority a bit, but he is Skypiea's god.
And in return, we gained the gratitude of many Skypieans, making things much easier for us here.
That's also why we moved our base here."
"So that's how it is."
Ron nodded in realization. "Looks like handing administrative matters to you was the right call."
"More like I'm the only one who can do it," Nojiko rolled her eyes.
"Nami's busy with meteorology. Urouge's working the grassroots for intel.
Zoro handles intimidation—at this point, even the Lord of the Sky is practically his follower.
As for Cavendish, you seem to have plans for him, so I didn't interfere. He's already quite popular on Angel Island.
If Robin were back, I'd finally have time to do my own things.
Watching all of you grow stronger step by step… sometimes it feels like I'm being left behind."
She didn't mention Ron—because from the very beginning, this crew's captain had been a hands-off leader.
Ron set the direction; everything else he left alone.
In fact, Ron himself was crucial too.
"It's fine. That's about to begin. We'll all take a big step forward soon."
Ron comforted her, then took out a Devil Fruit and handed it to her.
"As for strength… there's no need to worry. I've already prepared this for you."
"A Devil Fruit?"
Nojiko recognized the distinctive pattern immediately. She'd asked Vivi about such things before.
"Strictly speaking, it's an artificial Devil Fruit—but not the same as the Punk Hazard ones."
Ron briefly explained its effects.
"That powerful… wouldn't eating it give someone the potential to become a Yonko!?"
Nojiko's eyes widened. Her first reaction, however, was—
"I don't want it. Haven't you still not eaten a Devil Fruit yourself?
This one has lightning, fire, and wind powers—it actually suits you better.
Your lightning system and fire system… don't they need an integration channel?"
Unexpectedly, her first instinct was to refuse.
She firmly placed her hand in front of the Devil Fruit.
"Honestly, I can work hard on my own. Even if I don't end up very strong, I don't think that's a problem.
If I can't keep up with you… then I'll just be logistics support.
After all—"
She blinked her beautiful eyes and said with complete sincerity,
"I'm already yours, aren't I?"