In the end, under the pressure of Admiral Sengoku,

Admiral Akainu still retreated.

I was also brought back to The Whitebeard Pirates' territorial waters for treatment.

Almost at the same time that Akainu retreated,

I fainted the moment I let go of that tight string.

I was unconscious for a full three days.

The rest was told to me by Marco and the AI.

According to Marco, I was seriously injured this time. Large areas of burns were caused by the lava,

And an unavoidable infection.

Almost all of the ship's medical supplies were used up before I was barely pulled back from the brink of death.

Marco's Phoenix Flame.

It didn't seem to work well on other people.

So in the end, Ace went out to sea alone to bring back the medicine to treat burns.

"Well, that's about it." Marco handed the crushed herbs to the nurse.

"Corilla Flower from the Iberian Mountains,

Has a miraculous effect on burns. You can apply it on her back. Don't forget to thank Ace, Leah. "

The pretty nurse from the medical class carefully lifted the gauze on my back.

She dipped a cotton pad full of medicine into it.

She gently touched the large and small burns on my body.

I hissed in pain.

I hurriedly sent a message to the AI in my mind, asking it to cut off my pain.

"Can't you just bear with it?" The AI said coldly.

"I can't bear it!

Hurry up and f * cking cut it off! "I cursed in pain.

"… Can't you learn from Luffy and Ace's spirit of being reckless even with a hole in your stomach?"

That being said, the AI still obediently cut off my pain. I felt much better now.

My tense back also relaxed.

I could only feel the cool medicine slowly seeping into my wounds.

"Get out of here.

I'm a delicate, weak, and beautiful girl.

How can I compare to those rough pirates? "I secretly rolled my eyes.

"Besides, you didn't give me Luffy's recovery ability, did you?

He had a hole in his stomach by the Sand Crocodile, and he could continue to drink some water. His teeth were knocked out by Sanji, and he could make up for it with a bottle of milk … Why don't you give me a good physique that can't be solved with a meal? "

After complaining about the AI, I cut off the conversation with it, not giving it any chance to complain back.

I carefully raised my arm and shook Marco's finger.

"Is Ace … okay?" I pursed my lips. "I saw that his arm … seems to be scalded too."

Marco paused and raised his hand to rub my head. Since his hand was blocking my line of sight, I couldn't see his expression. I could only hear the helplessness in his laughter.

"Don't worry, that kid is sturdy."

He shook the medicine roller in his hand. "There's still some medicine left. I'll apply it on him in a while. I promise I'll give you a whole Ace, okay?"

The words "give you back" made me embarrassed. I buried my face in the pillow, not wanting anyone to see my blushing cheeks.

However, my attempt to cover it up only made it more conspicuous. The nurse giggled and Marco rubbed my head again.

"But Leah, you deliberately didn't look for Ace at that time, right?"

Hearing that, I stiffened a little.

I hesitated for a moment, then nodded gently.

"Why?" Marco asked patiently.

"… That bastard old man will kill him," I replied in a low voice.

"And Ace, that guy … He will never run away from the enemy. If he saw that I was injured … Even if that bastard old man killed him, he would never run away."

So at that time, even if all five cards were destroyed, I didn't run away from Akainu.

If it was just to run away, I could have used Rider · Medusa to escape.

Her relic, Hero's Rein, could summon a Fantasy Breed, Pegasus, and fly to a high altitude that Akainu's Magma Fist couldn't reach.

At that time, the Navy's warship wasn't far from the island where Ace was. I could have used this move to escape to the island.

Why didn't it work?

I couldn't let him go to the island. I couldn't let him see Ace. Hold on a little longer. Dad will be here soon … At that time, my mind was completely occupied by this thought.

There were several times when I almost couldn't hold on, but I relied on this thought to hold on.

Now that I think about it … Seriously, isn't that the same as Ace, that idiot?

It's not that I don't want to run away, but I don't want the enemy in front of me to run away … No matter what, it's something that only an idiot would do.

Probably because it sounded really stupid, Marco and the nurse's hands paused. Then, Marco's hand pressed heavily on my head. His tone sounded even more helpless.

"Ace is very angry, Leah." There was no trace of intimidation in his tone. "You have to think of a way to coax him.

A boy's self-esteem is very fragile. "

"Hey, hey, hey. Why!" I suddenly raised my head. "Why, why is he angry!"

Only Ace's brain could sense that I deliberately didn't ask him for help … No!

The one who couldn't sense it was Luffy!

Unlike Luffy, who was so dense that his nerves were like cables, Ace was super sensitive!

He must have figured it out as soon as he saw me lying there!

It's over, it's over, it's over … Ace must be mad now … Even if he found me medicine, he must be mad …

"Figured it out?"

Marco probably read my mind from my stiff body. He laughed. "Really … Two idiots who grew up together."

Boohoo …

Marco knocked my head again, then got up and walked outside.

"I'm going to apply medicine for Ace. You two can have a good chat … It'll be fine after you talk things out."

"Wait …" I tried to grab Marco. "I, I'm not mentally prepared yet!"

Seeing Ace's angry face or something like that … Boohoo, don't!

I haven't filled up my courage enough yet!

"It's okay."

The nurse who was applying medicine touched my head affectionately. "Ace is very concerned about you.

Corilla flowers only grow on the top of the Villa Mountain Range in the Andes Islands. That island is famous for being a dangerous place even in the New World. It's hard to climb the snow mountain, and it's shrouded in snowstorms all year round … Ace is a Flame-Flame Fruit metahuman, so he doesn't fit in with the snow mountain.

Even so, he still brought you Corilla flowers … He really cares about you, Leah. "

The nurse's words stunned me for a moment. Then, I asked Marco to leave the room.

Ten minutes later, Ace, who was bandaged up like a mummy, walked in.

I was stunned by his disguise.

The nurse picked up the tools and said, "I'll come back in the afternoon to change your bandages." Then, she left the room, leaving only the two of us in the room.

Silence. The awkward silence lingered for a long time.

I lay on the bed and peeked at Ace's expression.

The black-haired young man revealed a gloomy expression that I hadn't seen for a long time. For a moment, I felt like I was seeing the boy from many years ago.

Irritable, gloomy, and hostile to the world that was hostile to him, a young boy.

He had always been like this. He was like a little beast that grew up in malice. The more fragile and injured he was, the fiercer he became.

When faced with unprecedented warmth and love, his first reaction would always be to reject.

What's more, I really did hurt him this time.

For Ace, who valued his companions more than anything else, who would rather die than run away for his companions … My behavior was the worst form of distrust.

If I didn't do something, I would really lose him.

"Ace …" I called him softly and reached out my hand.

Ace stood there in silence.

It was such a fearful silence.

If it were the old me, I would have retracted my hand timidly.

In some ways, I was the same as this young man.

No, I was even more timid than him.

I didn't even have the courage to glare back at him. I only dared to retract my hand timidly and curl up in silence.

My past experiences were still lingering in my body, making me fearful of rejection from others.

So before I was rejected, I used a timid attitude to reject others.

As for looking at someone's angry face, I didn't even dare to think about it.

I would rather die than reach out my hand to a friend who rejected me.

But now …

I stretched my hand forward again, to the point where I could feel the wound on my back tearing open.

Seeing me like this, Ace was so anxious that he forgot to be angry. He quickly took a step forward and held my hand tightly.

"You bastard …" His tone was flustered and exasperated, "Don't you know to be careful of your wound?!"

I held his hand firmly, cautiously peeking at his face.

"Um, Ace, you … don't be angry at me." I shook his hand to appease him, "I'm sorry, okay?"

Ace tightened his grip on my hand.

He lowered his head and looked at me. His black eyes seemed to be suppressing a torrent. His gaze changed for a while before he spoke.

"I'm not angry at you."

His tone was tense. It didn't sound like he wasn't angry at all. "But, Leah … Why didn't you come to me back then?"

I bit my lip.

To protect you?

To prevent Akainu from discovering your identity?

To prevent you from going up against someone you couldn't win against?

No … It really wasn't like that.

I actually knew the real answer long ago.

I didn't need any revelation or anyone to tell me. I knew it long ago in my heart.

"… Because I like you."

Even before Marco and the others found out.

Even before you liked me.