>16< Catch Them Young

Chapter 16: Catch Them Young

Three days later, the maintenance of the ship was complete.

Colonel Rhodes didn't delay and promptly bid farewell to the Syrup couple. As the highest-ranking officer of the 153rd Branch, he couldn't stay away for too long.

Just as Reon and Fullbody were preparing to leave with the Colonel, he suddenly called them over with a serious expression: "Reon, Fullbody, you two stay here."

"Huh?"

Question marks seemed to float above their heads.

Colonel Rhodes handed Reon a small Transponder Snail and instructed seriously, "For the next three months, your task is to ensure Miss Kaya's safety. If you encounter any crisis that you can't handle, immediately call for help from the branch!"

"Yes, Colonel Rhodes!"

Both of them responded loudly, standing tall.

As sailors, their primary duty was to obey orders, any questions would have to be asked later in private.

After watching Colonel Rhodes depart, the two exchanged glances.

"Brother Dy, have we been reduced to bodyguards?"

"That seems to be the case."

Fullbody patted Reon on the shoulder, a hint of envy in his voice. "Good job, buddy! Colonel Rhodes is paving the way for you."

"That's true," Reon agreed.

It was hard to believe that such a good opportunity would be given to just the two of them. If there wasn't something fishy about it, he wouldn't have believed it himself.

Fullbody was going to the headquarters soon, and his connections in the East Blue wouldn't be of much use to him anymore. So this task was likely designed with him in mind. It was a rare chance to spend time with such a wealthy family.

As for why he was selected…

In terms of the assignment, no one in the branch was more suitable than him, and good students often got preferential treatment. Reon could sense that Colonel Rhodes favored him.

Before long, the butler, Merry, found the two of them and humbly said, "Mr. Reon, Mr. Fullbody, please come with me."

"Sure," they both replied.

As they followed Merry, he took the opportunity to explain the situation.

In simple terms, with Kaya growing older, her health had improved significantly from when she was younger, and she wanted to go out and see the world.

Considering Kaya's feelings, the Syrup couple decided to take her to nearby towns for sightseeing over the next three months.

And their main job was to ensure the safety of Miss Kaya during this time.

The three of them arrived at the storage room behind the mansion.

After opening the door, Merry smiled and stepped aside, making a gesture to invite them in. "Please take a look. If you don't find anything suitable, I can arrange custom items for you."

"What is this...?"

The two of them stepped into the storage room, and their eyes widened in amazement at the sight of the myriad of swords and firearms lining the walls.

It was a weapons storage!

Reon picked up a shotgun, running his hands lovingly over the barrel. "Mr. Merry, can we really take these freely?"

"Of course, they're all for the protection of the lady," Merry smiled and nodded.

The two of them were currently equipped with rather shabby gear; even their standard-issue swords were chipping paint. For the sake of Kaya's safety, it was necessary to have better weapons.

Before long, Reon and Fullbody had changed into denim outfits, strapped shotguns to their backs, holstered lead pistols on each side of their waists, and carried high-quality knives in their hands.

They looked like an unbeatable duo.

"With us around, no one better think of harming Miss Kaya!"

.....

Around two o'clock in the afternoon, Kaya woke up from her nap.

Looking out at the scenery beyond the window, the girl could no longer contain her desire to go outside. She cautiously got out of bed.

"Father has allowed me to go out; it's fine!"

Kaya clenched her little fists, motivating herself as she paced around her room several times before finally gathering the courage to proceed.

When she eagerly opened the door, ready to sneak out of the mansion, she was met by two fully armed cowboys standing on either side of the door. Hearing the noise behind them, they turned and glared menacingly.

"Eek?"

The girl was so startled that her mind went blank, her body swaying uncertainly.

Who were these strange people?

Thud!

"Oh no, Miss Kaya has fainted!"

"Pinch her! Quick, pinch her!"

Half an hour later.

Kaya's eyelashes trembled slightly as she slowly opened her eyes.

The familiar ceiling greeted her.

She was in her own bed.

Strange, what just happened?

Kaya propped herself up on her hands, her head still feeling a bit foggy, and she couldn't help but wonder if it was her imagination, but her lips were very sore.

"Miss, are you okay?"

A familiar voice of concern reached her ears.

Kaya turned her head to see Merry, looking anxious, and she forced a gentle smile. "I'm fine, Merry."

Actually, her lips really hurt.

"I'm glad to hear that!"

Merry sighed in relief.

"Hmm!"

Kaya looked at Reon and Fullbody standing behind Merry. Their exaggerated cowboy outfits made her recall some unpleasant memories.

It seemed like they were the ones from earlier...

Well, nothing happened.

Kaya playfully stuck her tongue out at Reon, refraining from saying anything, and hopped out of bed with excitement, clasping her hands together.

"Merry, I want to take a walk in the village."

"But, Miss, you just..."

Merry hesitated.

Kaya placed her hands on her hips, trying to appear more robust as she firmly argued, "See? I really am fine."

"Well, if that's the case..."

Merry could tell that Kaya truly wasn't just putting up a brave front; she seemed to have a good spirit. Reluctantly, he said, "I'll accompany you."

"No!"

Kaya puffed up her cheeks in annoyance. "I just want to walk around the village by myself. You all don't need to follow me every time."

"That's out of the question!"

Merry replied, a bit flustered.

The outside world was so dangerous; if anything happened to Miss Kaya, how would he explain it to her father?

"I don't care! I don't care!"

Kaya covered her ears. She wanted to go out for a walk by herself, but if Merry followed her, it would feel no different than being at home.

"How about I accompany the Miss instead?"

Reon stepped forward, suggesting, "The village is safe; I can protect Miss Kaya by myself. This way, she won't feel too pressured."

"Hmm…"

Merry hesitated to refuse.

But remembering how Colonel Rhodes praised Reon's capabilities and considering that there wasn't much to worry about in the village, he relented.

"Very well, Mr. Reon. Please take good care of Miss Kaya!"

"Don't worry."

Reon tossed all his miscellaneous weapons to Fullbody, lightening his load, and gestured invitingly toward Miss Kaya.

"Hmph!"

Kaya huffed lightly, begrudgingly leading the way. She understood that this was the limit of Merry's concession.

The two walked one behind the other along the main road into the village. Everything sparked Kaya's curiosity, displaying a childlike innocence.

"Wow, this is really nice."

Reon admired Kaya's playful spirit. Although she was only twelve, he could already see the beauty she would grow into.

She fit the image of a good wife and mother in his mind.

Looking back, girls in this world seemed to mature quickly; he recalled Vivi, Shirahoshi, Rebecca, and Nami, all of whom were already fully developed at just sixteen.

In three more years, Kaya would be too.

Hmm, a wife should be groomed from a young age!