The next hour flew by unnoticed. Despite his circumstances, Bill knew almost nothing about the "Marines" and didn't even suspect that his father was the commander of this base.
He was a Commodore!
That explained why Oliver recognized Bill and why his mother took such good care of him. In fact, once Bill realized that Oliver recognized him, he inferred that his father was a high-ranking officer.
As they continued to descend to the second level, Bill kept asking Oliver questions about the navy and the Marines.
Bill: "So, in each of the four Blues, there's only one vice admiral in charge of security?"
Oliver: "As far as the Marines go, that's about right. You see, each Blue has its own Kingdoms, and usually, the fleet from those Kingdoms patrols their shores."
Depending on the "Blue," there can be stronger or weaker kingdoms, as well as stronger or weaker threats, and accordingly, the Marines have to fill that gap."
Looking at Oliver, an idea struck Bill: "So is there a difference between the navy and the Marines? And if so, who is in charge of the Marines?"
Shrugging, Oliver replied, "It's true, the words 'navy' and 'Marines' are sometimes used interchangeably, but in reality, the Marines serve the World Government, while any individual kingdom may or may not have its own fleet."
Hearing about this for the first time, the concept of the "World Government" made Bill uneasy. Although he knew he was in a different world, he was still an American at heart who believed in self-determination. Like many of his generation, he was suspicious of large governmental structures.
Without revealing his feelings, Bill continued asking, "What is the World Government?"
Oliver: "Huh? You don't know? That's strange, kid! Haha, judging by the way you talk, I thought you'd been taught this from the age of two!
Well, look, the World Government is an organization consisting of more than 170 kingdoms."
Bill: "So does the World Government rule the entire world?"
Shrugging again, Oliver continued, "Sort of, but that doesn't mean the kingdoms don't have their own authorities. The main kings gather from time to time to address important issues.
But honestly, I don't know all the details of how it works. I only know that I joined the Marines to protect people and hold pirates and other villains accountable."
This seemed strange, but now that Oliver mentioned it, Bill had never considered the possibility of pirates appearing in a world like this. Now that he thought about it, the idea seemed obvious. Pirates or anyone else could easily hide in the open ocean.
Without satellites and radars, finding a specific ship in a world made up of oceans would be like searching for a needle in a haystack.
Bill: "Wait, how many pirates are there here anyway?"
Now it was Oliver's turn to be surprised before realizing something.
In a restrained tone, Oliver simply replied, "They are a problem, but, kid, don't worry about that. Look, there's a ramp leading to the first level. Let's not talk about this anymore. I'm sure your father will tell you everything you need to know in the future."
Deciding not to press the young man, Bill agreed to change the subject. The rest of the day passed slower than the walk down. It didn't take long for Bill to get used to the sights, and although he was genuinely interested when Oliver talked about ships and crews and even showed him the "Communication Snail," Bill decided he needed to learn more about the world.
Heading back to the hospital, Bill looked up at the palace atop the fortress. Perhaps Oliver was right in suggesting he go there from the start.
"William, don't go back to Headquarters anymore, you spend too much time there."
Since his mother could reliably feed herself, breakfast at the table had become a daily routine.
Putting down his fork, Bill asked, "Why? I'm not bothering anyone; they probably don't even notice me. Besides, the last time I went to the docks, Dad threw Rear Admiral Lacroix a kilometer into the ocean"
Lacroix was the first real giant Bill had ever seen. From his lessons, he knew that giants existed, but the primal fear of encountering a person big enough to eat him in one bite made Bill immediately turn around and run away.
At first, he felt ashamed, but upon reflection, he decided there was nothing shameful about it. After all, many people would be scared seeing a dog running off-leash, and almost everyone would panic if they saw a bear. When Bill saw the rear admiral, it was the first time he had encountered an eighteen-meter-tall humanoid.
Bill knew that his mind had somehow changed due to regaining youth because everyone treated him like a child, and he couldn't change their opinion of him due to the fact it took him more than six years to learn to speak fluently, and even now he could barely write.
He was no longer the same person he used to be, but at the same time, his mind was not so young and impressionable. So, regaining his determination, he restored his courage and faced his fear once more.