"Monkey D. Dragon, is it?"
Olvia nodded, then looked at Saul.
Saul tilted his head and spread his hands, voicing no objections.
"Since I've shown you the way, there's something I'd like to discuss with you next." Michael pointed at Robin, who was nearly laughing to tears and said with a smile.
"Leave Robin to me. I'll make her a Marine—the finest Marine there is."
There wasn't an ounce of exaggeration in Michael's words.
Marines were typically brawny, but those with brains were few and far between.
Otherwise, Grandma Tsuru wouldn't have risen to become the Chief of Staff, second only to the Fleet Admiral.
That was the advantage of having brains and Robin clearly possessed the high intelligence needed to achieve such heights.
"Become... a Marine?"
Olvia couldn't possibly be unmoved by this proposal.
It would undoubtedly guarantee her daughter's safety to the greatest extent.
But at the same time, once her daughter grew up, she would have to face the ruthless pirates of the Grand Line.
"Hey, Olvia, there's nothing to worry about. Sure, as a Marine, she'll have to face pirates, but isn't that better than growing up only to be hunted by the World Government when they uncover her identity as a survivor of Ohara?" Michael shrugged.
"Besides, look at Garp—he's practically itching to take your daughter home with him like some weird grandpa. Robin will probably become the second biggest nepotism case in the Marines after me."
There was one thing Michael didn't say outright: The attitude of Ohara's residents, including Olvia's own younger brother, towards Robin.
Olvia must have seen it too.
Despite the successful relocation of all of Ohara to a new island, she was in such a hurry to leave, not even wanting to catch up with her family.
Aside from fearing her identity might bring trouble to Ohara, it also showed that Olvia harbored reservations towards the people of Ohara.
If even her own brother was like that, the other residents were no better.
Rather than letting Robin stay here to endure their scorn or follow her down a difficult path, it was better to entrust her to this young Marine.
At least with him, Robin would be much safer.
Though Michael had said Olvia wasn't a good mother, he only meant her actions as a mother—never denying her love for little Robin.
No mother in this world doesn't love her child.
A mother's love can move mountains and overturn seas, even the very beliefs she once held dear.
"Alright, Michael-san... then I leave Robin in your care."
Michael nodded, then seemed to remember something.
"Oh, right—send my regards to Dragon-san... and tell him he has a little sister named Rouge." Michael flashed a mischievous grin.
"Make sure he doesn't forget."
"Faster! Grandpa Garp, run faster!"
"Faster? Watch this!"
Garp and Robin were having the time of their lives.
Dust flew, rocks scattered—they were all over the place!
"Hey! Old man Garp! That's enough! We need to get going!" Michael stood on the deck, shouting toward Garp in the distance.
Finally, Garp took a running leap and landed right on the warship.
"Bwahahaha! How about that! That was one heck of a jump!" Still brimming with energy, he lifted Robin off his shoulders.
"Tsk tsk, old man Garp, you're having quite a bit of fun yourself, aren't you? To those who know, it's clear you're just entertaining a child. But to those who don't, it looks like a big kid leading a little kid in some crazy antics."
Garp paid no mind to Michael's teasing words—he'd always been thick-skinned.
Michael knew his words had no effect on Garp anyway, so he turned his attention to Robin instead.
"Robin, just like I told you before, come back with me and become a Marine!"
"...A Marine?" Robin blinked, clearly recalling the earlier suggestion that had sounded almost like a joke.
She glanced at Garp beside her—tall, broad-shouldered, draped in the mantle of justice, radiating immense strength.
Then she looked back at the handsome and kind-hearted Michael before her.
Her clear eyes shimmered with longing.
But... in the end, her gaze returned to Olvia.
This Robin had not experienced the destruction of Ohara, nor witnessed the deaths of her mother and Saul before her eyes.
Thus, she had not yet forged the grand ambition to uncover the truth of the Void Century.
She was merely instinctively clinging to the warmth of her mother's embrace.
No matter how kind Garp and Michael were to her, they could never replace the presence of a mother.
For an eight-year-old girl, this choice was far too difficult.
This mother and daughter were destined to spend more time apart than together.
Even if fate had undergone some subtle changes, the general course of events remained unaltered.
A child couldn't make such a choice, but there were adults who could make the difficult decisions.
Olvia tightly embraced her daughter.
She stroked Robin black hair, feeling the surge of longing within that small body.
"Robin, go—become a Marine! By staying with Vice Admiral Garp and Michael-san, you'll learn invaluable knowledge and see a much broader world… Go and do what you love!"
Though Olvia's tone was light, her eyes were already brimming with tears.
"After all, your mother is now a notorious wanted criminal… My dear little Marine, you must go easy on me in the future, alright?"
Michael's lips twitched.
Damn, so it's a chase where she flees but can't escape, huh?
Michael had come to realize that in this world, you could only max out either intelligence or emotional intelligence.
These high-IQ individuals all seemed to speak a little too bluntly.
The child had been fine just a moment ago, but after one sentence, she immediately burst into loud sobs.
Robin's wails sent Olvia into a panic as well.
She held her daughter, whispering soothing words for a long time before finally calming her down.
Then, Robin wriggled out of Olvia's arms.
The dust she'd gotten from running wild with Garp had mixed with her tears, smearing her face into a messy state.
Yet, her small face bore an unprecedented determination.
"When I grow up! I'll become an outstanding Marine!" she declared.
"I'll definitely capture Mom and bring her back to my side!"
Nearby, Saul couldn't help but slap his thigh and laugh.
"Dereshishishishi! What a strange pair of mother and daughter you are!"
But in his eyes, there was a hint of relief.
The reunion of this mother and daughter before him felt like a partial redemption for the guilt and self-blame in his heart.