One Piece: The sky is azure, I just time-traveled today.

Page 19

Chapter 18 Ace's Birth

Time slips away silently underground.

Rouge's belly grew larger and larger, making it increasingly difficult for her to move around. She spent most of her time quietly in the shelter, either sitting or lying down, minimizing activity to conserve her energy. But the burden of delayed childbirth still etched deeper and deeper weariness onto her face.

Liu Jiu went out for shorter periods and less frequently. He spent most of his time guarding the shelter, ensuring its safety, or simply staying quietly in a corner, like a silent guardian stone.

That day, Liu Jiu went out again, and when he returned, he brought back a small bundle carefully wrapped in clean cotton cloth.

He placed the bundle on the low coffee table and unfolded it layer by layer.

Inside were several sterilized and sharpened knives and scissors, clean white gauze, soft cotton strips, some dried herbs with hemostatic and anti-inflammatory properties, and even a small bottle of strong liquor.

These are all tools and items needed for childbirth.

He checked each item one by one and arranged them neatly. His movements were practiced and steady, as if he had done it countless times.

Rouge sat on the edge of the bed, watching his movements, her heart pounding involuntarily. She understood what this meant.

Preparing these things means... time is almost up.

Her hand, which was placed on her abdomen, tightened slightly.

Liu Jiu folded the last piece of gauze, raised his head, and looked at Lu Jiu.

His gaze was calm, direct, and unwavering.

"almost."

He spoke, his voice still monotone, but every word clearly reached Rouge's ears.

"You can give birth to the baby now."

Rouge's breath hitched.

Despite being mentally prepared, when those words actually came out of someone else's mouth, the complex emotions of anticipation, fear, and resolve instantly overwhelmed her.

She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but found her throat too dry to make a sound.

Liu Jiu paused, noticing her instantly pale face and slightly trembling shoulders, before continuing:

“Outside, the Navy’s search efforts are decreasing.”

He described what he had observed.

"Garp... came to the nearby waters, and then left."

Upon hearing the name "Garp," Rouge's body trembled violently. The Navy hero… He came? Was it for Roger's child?

Liu Jiu didn't explain why Garp left, but looked into her eyes and said the last, and most important, sentence:

"I have everything."

Simple and direct.

There were no flowery words or impassioned promises.

Just like him, he is plain, even a little boring.

But these four words, like a heavy and reliable foundation, suddenly pressed down on Rouge's heart ship, which was tossed about in the stormy seas.

It means, he'll be there to deliver the baby.

He's in charge of safety.

He handled the follow-up.

He bore all the unknown risks and fears.

Lu Jiu stared blankly at him, at his calm and expressionless face, at his eyes that revealed no emotion yet inexplicably gave people a sense of security.

The strength I had been holding onto crumbled at this moment.

Tears welled up again, but this time, they were not tears of despair and fear, but rather a kind of... release after unloading a heavy burden.

She nodded vigorously, her voice choked with emotion, yet her response was crystal clear:

"……it is good."

Liu Jiu said no more.

He left the shelter again.

When she returned, the things she brought back made Rouge feel that same sense of being carefully cared for once again.

A sturdy wooden bed with a thick, soft mattress. Beside it, there is even a similarly well-made crib with guardrails, filled with clean, soft swaddling clothes that smell of sunshine.

In addition, there were more clean cotton cloths, hot water, and even some light but nutritious food.

He checked and sterilized the tools needed for the delivery again, placing them neatly within easy reach. Then, he made up the new bed and gestured for Rouge to lie down.

everything's ready.

The vents were adjusted to the optimal angle to ensure airflow without blowing directly on the vents. The grease lamp was set to a suitable brightness, providing sufficient light without being too glaring.

Everything was orderly, quiet, and efficient.

Lu Jiu lay on the adjusted bed, fine beads of sweat appearing on her forehead. The contractions had begun, one after another, each wave stronger than the last. She bit her lower lip hard, trying not to make a sound, her hands gripping the sheets beneath her so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

Liu Jiu washed his hands and walked to the bedside. His face remained expressionless, but his eyes were focused and calm. He checked Lu Jiu's condition and gave her instructions in a steady voice:

"Breathe, slow down."

"When you need to exert force, grab this."

He stuffed a clean roll of cloth into Rouge's hand.

Rouge did as she was told, trying to regulate her breathing and focusing all her attention on fighting the pain and following instructions. In this isolated underground place, before this silent man, she had no choice but to entrust everything to him.

Time passed slowly amidst pain and endurance.

Liu Jiu's movements were precise and steady; his hands were firm, without the slightest tremor. Wiping away sweat, adjusting his posture, observing progress... every step carried an almost cold-blooded skill, yet revealed a subtle and imperceptible thoughtfulness.

When the most intense contractions came and Rouge almost fainted, she felt a pair of steady and strong hands support her shoulders, and heard his still calm voice in her ear:

"the last time."

Rouge used her last bit of strength to let out a suppressed groan.

Immediately afterwards, a faint yet exceptionally clear cry of a baby broke the silence of the basement!

"Wow--!"

The crying wasn't loud, but it was full of vitality.

Rouge collapsed, exhausted, panting heavily, her hair and clothes soaked with sweat.

Liu Jiu handled the aftermath quickly and carefully. He cut the umbilical cord with a sterilized knife and wiped the sticky vernix caseosa off the newborn with warm water and a soft cloth, his movements so gentle that they were completely different from his usual demeanor.

Then, he wrapped the tiny, wrinkled baby, who was still waving his little fists and crying, in a piece of the softest cotton cloth he had prepared.

He carried the baby to the bedside, bent down, and gently placed the swaddled baby next to Rouge's pillow.

Rouge turned her head to look at the child so close to her, the child she had given birth to at the cost of her life.

He had sparse, dark baby hair, a rosy face, and his eyes were tightly closed. His cries gradually weakened and turned into soft sobs.

This is... Roger's child.

Her child with Roger.

Tears blurred my vision again, but this time, they were tears of joy and relief.

She reached out her trembling hand and carefully touched the baby's warm cheek.

The little one seemed to feel its mother's touch, its little mouth moved, and it made a few muffled sounds.

Liu Jiu stood aside, quietly watching this scene.

His gaze lingered on the baby for a moment.

This child, who came into the world ahead of schedule, arrived a little earlier than his original destiny had dictated.

Portcas D. Ace.

In this hidden underground sanctuary where he personally delivered babies.

There were no cheers, no celebrations.

Only the mother's tired yet satisfied tears and the midwife's silent gaze.

And a future destined to be anything but peaceful.

Chapter 19 The Fake Death Plan

A month passed quietly amidst the tranquility underground and the tense standoff above ground.

Rouge's body was slowly recovering, and Ace was growing up day by day, no longer the wrinkled baby he was at birth. Roger's features were faintly visible in his eyes and brows. The little guy was quiet, sleeping most of the time, occasionally waking up to curiously observe the dark but safe underground world with his big, dark eyes.

Liu Jiu went out even less often, but every time he returned, the news he brought back made Lu Jiu's heart sink.

"The Navy has intensified its searches."

"Several women and children who had just given birth were arrested today."

His tone remained calm, but Rouge could imagine how dire the situation was outside. The navy was scrutinizing the island like a comb, preferring to kill the innocent rather than let the guilty go free.

That day, when Liu Jiu returned to the shelter, Rouge was holding Ace, softly humming an off-key lullaby. The gentle glow of the grease lamp enveloped the mother and child.

Liu Jiu did not sit down immediately as usual, but walked to the bedside and looked at Ace, who was sleeping soundly in Rouge's arms.

The little guy's face looked especially tender in the dim light.

“Child, you can’t stay underground forever,” Liu Jiu suddenly said, his voice unusually clear in the silence.

Rouge's singing stopped abruptly. She looked up at Liu Jiu, her eyes instantly filled with fear and wariness. She instinctively hugged Ace tighter.

"What do you mean?"

Liu Jiu shifted his gaze from Ace's face and met Rouge's tense eyes.

“It’s not good for him to be away from sunlight,” he stated the facts. “The Navy won’t keep searching forever, but they won’t give up easily either.”

Rouge's lips trembled: "Then... what should we do?"

Liu Jiu remained silent for a moment, seemingly organizing his thoughts.