Upon hearing the obvious logical flaw, Ricky was ready to blurt something out, but noticing this, Bill continued, "Oh, yes, that makes sense. Who can fight wrapped in a blanket?"
With a sense of victory, Sasha looked at Bill, then at Ricky, and said, "See, Ricky, even Bill understands. He's not confused. Are you still confused?"
Defeated by this, Ricky could do nothing but respond, "No, now I'm not confused, just worried that you'll get robbed by the bears."
Before Sasha could respond to Ricky's obvious sarcasm, Bill laughed and then asked, "So how much time do you have left before you leave, and how long will you be gone?"
Sasha: "We are leaving very soon; the trip should only take a few months. My dad said he saved up his vacation especially for this."
Bill: "Are you sailing on a Marine ship?"
Shaking her head slightly, Sasha had already returned to her normal state, and Ricky moved from behind Bill to his side.
Sasha: "My grandfather is sending a ship to pick us up."
Ricky: "Are you sailing straight there, or do you plan on stopping somewhere else?"
In this world of archipelagos, it was rare for ships to travel directly between two destinations. Bill wasn't sure about the Grand Line routes, but he knew that in the Blue Sea, routes usually followed standard trade paths.
On one hand, these trade routes attracted pirates. On the other, sailing on the open ocean was extremely dangerous. Sea Kings, though rarer and smaller than those on the Grand Line, still existed in the Blue Seas. Moreover, dangers lurked beyond the water as well.
According to what Bill had read, weather conditions in this world could be unpredictable. Without proper preparation, sailing in open waters was almost a guaranteed disaster.
Sasha: "I know we'll be stopping for a couple of days at Centaur, but that's about halfway to the kingdom of Roshwan, so I don't think we'll stop anywhere else."
Nodding in response to her plan, Bill asked, "Will your grandfather's ship have an escort?"
Whether it was because of her age or her stubbornness, Sasha was absolutely sure: "Pft! Why would we need an escort when my dad is sailing with us? After all, he's not a captain for nothing! And besides, with Commodore Aramaki around, what pirates are even left?!"
Deciding it wasn't worth continuing this conversation with a nine-year-old girl, Bill just chose to trust that the adults knew what they were doing.
In the end, although his father was incredibly strong, he couldn't be everywhere at once. He certainly hadn't rid the South Blue of all pirates.
Bill: "Alright then, let me grab my things, and I'll be back."
With these words, Bill went to fetch his belongings and decided to spend the rest of the day with Sasha and Ricky until she left.
After some time, the boys walked her home, said their goodbyes to Captain Zima, and waited until the family set off on their journey. Although it wasn't a Marine ship, the vessel could still dock at the base since it belonged to a nation allied with the World Government.
It was Bill's first time seeing a non-military ship. It was smaller and, interestingly, had a copper-plated hull.
As Sasha boarded the ship, Bill and Ricky waved goodbye to her.
Seeing Ricky, who was crying, Bill said, "She'll be back before we know it. Hey, want to go for a swim?"
Luckily, with this suggestion, Ricky wiped the snot running from his nose.
Still feeling down about the farewell, Ricky quietly said, "Well, I can't keep up with you..."
Bill: "Don't worry, I'll swim slower. Besides, you're really fast! I'd even bet you'll be as fast as me if you try."
Shaking his head, Ricky replied, "You've become too fast. I used to be quicker than you, but now it's not even fair!"
Seeing Ricky's spirits lift with each passing second, Bill laughed and said, "I told you and Sasha to swim with me, she did sometimes, but you only a couple of times! Hey, I've got an idea—why don't you train while she's gone? Then, when she comes back, you might outswim her, if not something else! Ha-ha."
Inspired by Bill's logic, Ricky enthusiastically responded, "Yeah! By the time she returns, she won't be able to catch up with me!"
Bill: "Alright, let's race to the beach!"
As soon as he said this, Bill dashed off, and Ricky shouted after him, saying he was tricked.
Tomorrow, Bill would meet with Captain Trapan, but today he'd spend the day with Ricky and show him the routine he'd been following for the past six months.
Crawling out of bed with a long "STTRREEETTCHH," the young man woke up.
"Darn, it's nice to stretch without fearing muscle cramps," Bill thought, smiling.
In a month, Bill would turn ten. It would be the day he'd finally be allowed to leave the base and explore the city.
Sitting back on the bed, Bill looked at his body and reflected on the past few months. First of all, Sasha still hadn't returned. Her journey, which was supposed to take about three months, ended up lasting twice as long.