"You... don't call me by my title..."
With Daren lifting her chin so playfully and using "Commander Gion" like that, a flush of shame rose in Gion's chest for no reason she could name.
"Oh? But this is your private office in the training camp. If I don't call you by your title... what should I call you instead?"
Daren looked at the woman in his arms with interest. The usually cool and aloof Gion now wore a shy, dazed expression. That contrast made it hard for him to stop, and he grinned with a half-teasing tone.
"You know this is an office! You bastard!!"
Gion, catching the mischievous glint in his eyes, angrily bit down on Daren's shoulder—but didn't even leave a mark. All she got was an aching tooth.
As if someone with a "steel body" could be bruised that easily. What a joke.
"I know this is the office. That's exactly why I couldn't wait. My bad, my bad."
Daren chuckled, fully embracing his role as a shameless scoundrel.
"But you clearly enjoyed it too, didn't you..."
Gion shot him a glare.
This pervert had locked the door the second he came in and didn't even hesitate to grab her.
What made it worse was that—for some reason, maybe it was the setting—she'd felt more... sensitive than usual.
The thrill of possibly getting caught made her heart race, and every touch of his skin against hers sparked like electricity—tingling, ticklish, impossible to ignore.
"Bastard!"
She muttered reluctantly, unwilling to admit the truth even to herself.
Daren just smiled and reached out to gently smooth her sweat-damp hair, then murmured with genuine admiration,
"Gion, you're beautiful."
That elegant, mature air of hers... the pale blush lingering on her cheeks... her breath soft and fragrant... the weariness in her eyes mixing with a lazy warmth... that proud nature tinged with a hint of rare shyness—right now, Gion had a charm all her own.
"Hmph!"
Gion gave a dismissive snort, slapped his hand away, and tilted her chin defiantly, showing off her long, fair neck like a swan.
But Daren caught it—the tiny, almost imperceptible curve at the corner of her lips.
What a tsundere little thing...
"Haven't seen me in a while. Did you miss me?"
Daren exhaled a stream of smoke, wrapping an arm around her slender waist. His voice was low and gentle.
"No!"
Gion turned away, refusing to look at him.
Daren sighed dramatically, faking disappointment.
"What a shame. And here I brought you a present."
"Really!?"
Gion instantly turned back, eyes bright with surprise—only to meet his teasing gaze. Her face flushed red again.
Trying to cover up her excitement, she stammered,
"I-I wasn't looking forward to your gift or anything..."
Daren chuckled and, as if performing a trick, revealed a coin between his fingers.
"A coin?" Gion blinked, confused.
"It's not just any coin. It's a souvenir from my last mission—one of the coins from Coin Island."
Daren smiled, full of confidence.
"Be patient."
Blue arcs of electricity crackled faintly between his fingers.
And then, something strange began to happen.
Before Gion's widening eyes, the coin in Daren's hand seemed to melt, writhing as if alive.
It elongated and shifted, becoming like threads spun by a craftsman, or ripples in still water. The liquid metal twisted and wove into itself—until it bloomed into a delicate, flawless rose.
A pale golden flower.
In Gion's eyes, it was as if a rose made of gold leaf had blossomed right there, in the hands of a Marine Rear Admiral.
Daren let out a slow breath, unaware that a sheen of sweat had formed on his forehead.
If it weren't for the many battles that had pushed his mastery of the Jiki Jiki no Mi further, he wouldn't have been able to pull this off six months ago.
Reconstructing a coin into a rose of gold leaf—such intricate precision was incredibly difficult. It required absolute control over the Devil Fruit's powers.
"I figured Coin Island didn't have any real specialties, so I came up with this idea. From now on, whenever I'm out on a mission, I'll take a coin from that country and turn it into a rose for you..."
Before he could finish the sentence, warm lips silenced him.
A deep, passionate kiss.
It lasted a full ten seconds before they finally pulled apart.
Daren stared at Gion, her eyes shimmering with tears, cheeks tinged red. He smiled and asked,
"Do you like the gift?"
Gion didn't dare meet his eyes. She just nodded, face still flushed.
Looking at the delicate golden rose in her hand, she couldn't stop the corners of her mouth from lifting into a smile.
There were plenty of people across the seas who courted her—
Young talents from major merchant guilds, princes of allied nations, elite Marines, brilliant nobles...
They had all tried different methods to win her favor.
Lavish wealth enough for a lifetime, Meito swords tailored to her tastes, rare and exotic treasures—love letters and bouquets that could fill rooms.
But no one had ever given her a gift so "cheap" yet so "precious."
Coins were everywhere on Coin Island, countless in number.
And yet, that was the very island where Daren had used those same coins to effortlessly annihilate the legendary Golden Lion Shiki's invincible fleet.
That single coin now carried a unique meaning.
More than anything, unlike anyone else, Daren had used his Devil Fruit ability to personally reshape it—adding his own heartfelt touch to the gift.
How could she not like something so one-of-a-kind?
"So... did you miss me while I was gone?"
Seeing Gion's bashful expression only fueled Daren's urge to tease.
Gion bit her lower lip and shot him a fierce glare.
Daren burst out laughing and pulled her waist tightly into his arms.
Again?
Gion's eyes widened in alarm.
"You... your injury..."
"It's nothing." Daren brushed it off.
"Wait... let me go... y-you bastard..."
"But weren't you enjoying it too?"
"How... how could I possibly... something like that—"
"Tekkai."
"Mm..."
A soft, sultry moan echoed through the empty office.
...
Pleasant moments always passed too quickly.
It was a full two hours before Daren finally emerged from Gion's office, fully content.
Now that he'd mastered a special application of "Tekkai," he felt completely transformed—unstoppable.
As for Gion...
She was prideful to the core. Even though she clearly relished it, she still acted reserved and uptight.
But that very contradiction made the whole process of breaking her in all the more interesting.
"Time to head home."
Daren rubbed his chin, straightened out his messy clothes a little, then walked confidently toward the family quarters.