Today's sunlight was exceptionally bright. The sky was washed clean, a pure blue without a trace of impurity, and the air was so clear that visibility stretched far into the distance.
Looking up, one could see clouds rolling like a vast sea, with countless busy figures faintly visible atop them.
Ever since cloud roads and cloud rivers had been built between the islands, the once tranquil and peaceful atmosphere had gradually been replaced by lively bustle and the warmth of daily life.
After the initial novelty of moving here faded, the residents slowly returned to their usual rhythms.
The only difference from before was that among the pedestrians coming and going along the village streets, there were now many figures with wings mounted on their backs.
Near noon, in the orange grove at the western end of the village.
Belle-Mère was bent over, pruning the branches of the orange trees while humming an unfamiliar tune under her breath.
She was wearing a green-and-white plaid shirt paired with fitted jeans, giving her a crisp, capable look.
However, the cigarette clamped between her lips, combined with her shaved-side, unruly hairstyle, completely transformed her aura.
She looked roguish and carefree, with a devil-may-care swagger.
Letting out a long breath, Belle-Mère straightened up and rolled her neck.
Just as she was about to move on to the next tree, Genzo's voice called out from afar.
"Belle-Mère, time to eat!"
She glanced up at the white-clad figure waving at her in the distance, marked the spot she was working on, then turned and left.
"What did you bring?" she asked casually as she walked over, blowing out a puff of smoke while eyeing the bag in her man's hand.
"Garlic-steamed shrimp. Your favorite. I saw some being sold on the way back and bought a portion."
Ever since tasting it once at the temple, Belle-Mère had fallen in love with the flavor and often thought about it. Genzo had remembered it well.
And honestly, Skypiea's specialty fish were far fresher than anything from the Blue Sea.
Hearing it was steamed shrimp, Belle-Mère's eyes lit up, saliva unconsciously welling in her mouth.
She shot Genzo an approving look, then walked home with him, asking as they went,
"So, anything happen in the village today?"
"Nope. You know how quiet it usually is around here."
"Other than that group of pirates that showed up out of nowhere a while back!"
As the captain of the village guard, his daily job was to lead patrols and maintain order. If anything happened, he'd know immediately.
Now, aside from the guard force originally established by Leno, each individual island in Skypiea also had its own guard squad.
And as a rare Devil Fruit user, plus the added status of being Aileen's father, Genzo naturally became the captain.
The island guards were all equipped with standardized gear and uniforms, making them instantly recognizable.
Genzo's current outfit—a white camouflage uniform paired with a beret—was the guard's signature look.
Though he looked a bit older than his age, the uniform made him appear energetic and spirited.
Back when Leno left, he had wanted their whole family to move into the temple.
But they had refused, saying they were used to village life and didn't want to be separated from everyone.
Besides, Cocoyasi Village wasn't far from the temple anyway. They could go there anytime.
"Damn pirates. They really get everywhere!"
"We're ten thousand meters up in the sky—how on earth did they get here?"
Mentioning pirates made Belle-Mère grit her teeth.
They had already fled to such heights, yet they still ran into those scum. Truly haunting.
At the same time, she couldn't help wondering how those guys even reached such an altitude. Surely they couldn't all fly like Leno.
Belle-Mère looked around inside and out, and when she didn't see the figure she was expecting, she turned to Genzo with a puzzled look.
"Where's Aileen? Why isn't she home?"
"Oh, her? She said she's staying at the temple today and won't be back~"
Genzo replied helplessly as he set the table.
With a daughter who was rarely home, even he didn't know what to do. He couldn't hit her, couldn't scold her.
If he spoke too harshly even once, she'd run off to the temple without looking back.
Belle-Mère rubbed her temples with a headache. That little devil Aileen was getting harder and harder to control.
She missed the days when she was taking care of Nami and Nojiko.
Those two were so well-behaved that she barely had to worry about them.
Unlike Aileen now—she worried herself sick over her, and the girl was gone from home every few days.
She wanted to discipline her, but couldn't bring herself to be harsh. After all, she was her own flesh and blood~
She had never imagined that being a mother could be this exhausting!
Seeing his wife's helpless expression, Genzo smiled and comforted her.
"Forget it. She's grown up and has her own ideas now."
"As long as she's safe and happy, let her do what she wants."
As he spoke, he handed the chopsticks to Belle-Mère, then looked at her teasingly.
"Besides, isn't she like this because she takes after you? Don't you remember what you were like as a kid?"
"Bastard, what did you say?! Was I that wild when I was young?"
Belle-Mère slammed the chopsticks onto the table, her face flushing red as she glared at Genzo, dissatisfaction spilling from her eyes.
Sure, she'd been lively as a child, but she hadn't made her family worry this much, okay?
Compared to Aileen, who was like a little monkey, she'd practically been a model child!
Just look at what that girl usually did—if she wasn't fighting, she was brawling.
After beating all the kids in her own village into submission, she gathered a group and went to fight kids from other islands, arrogantly declaring, "I am the God Maiden, destined to suppress all enemies under heaven!"
That kind of cringe proclamation clearly showed how badly she'd been influenced by Leno from a young age.
Yes—the God Maiden!
Ever since people learned that the girl was Leno's sister, and since she had formed the "God's Squad," Aileen's name had spread like wildfire across Skypiea.
At some point, everyone began calling her by the title "God Maiden."
To that end, they even specially crafted a set of golden armor for Aileen, including a breastplate, shoulder guards, a skirted cuirass, and greaves that wrapped around her calves and ankles.
On the day of the coronation, ribbons fluttered across the temple plaza, and the crowd was packed shoulder to shoulder. All eyes burned with fervor as they stared at that golden figure.
They cheered, shouted, and danced with excitement, thrilled to witness the birth of the "God Maiden"!
Surrounded by her squad members, Aileen arrived at the plaza and climbed upward step by step, her face flushed with excitement.
At the top of the stairs stood a throne inlaid with gems of every color.
This was the closest seat to the divine throne!
When Aileen, clad in battle armor, slowly sat down, the atmosphere in the plaza instantly boiled over. A tsunami of cheers roared into the clouds.
Looking at the surging crowd below, Aileen was visibly moved.
She glanced down at the golden armor on her body, her small hand unconsciously tracing the armrest of the throne. Her trembling voice carried a hint of helplessness.
"You guys… you've really made things hard for me."