... it's been thirteen years. The war was two years ago.

[ it must seem strange. it is strange, for him too.

and then cora is asking what he assumed would be asked, eventually; he just hoped he'd have had more time to think of how to answer. ]

Yes, the former fleet admiral. He resigned after the war. He —

[ and here he falters, the calm, matter-of-fact retelling of events shifting into something more unsure and personal. ]

He... came to see me. In Dressrosa, after everything was over. And —

[ why is finding the right words so hard? law's voice is quieter, almost like he's hesitant of the reaction to what he's about to say. ]

He asked... about Minion Island. About why you took the break from your mission, and the exact reason why you died. [ a breath. ] I told him we... we meant to escape together. And that I'm forever indebted to you for what you did. And he said the one thing we could do in your memory... was to remember you.

[ is he resolutely staring at the floor? why yes. ]