Hancock and her sisters were enjoying their meal.
Claudius, however, had already finished eating earlier. Originally, he had planned to dine with them to build rapport, but he realized that rushing things might not be the best approach. It was better to let them get used to the place on their own for a bit, so he had been giving them space for the past couple of days.
The morning had been a whirlwind for Claudius. The phone calls from the transponder snail seemed endless.
First, there was a call from Dragon. The revolutionary leader reminded Claudius about the promise of lending him an old tome. Claudius had casually agreed to this a while back, and now he felt a bit embarrassed for not following through sooner. Despite thinking that Dragon's endeavors were bound to fail, Claudius appreciated that the man was persistent. Thus, they arranged a time for Dragon to come by and borrow the book.
Not long after, Doflamingo reached out. The flamboyant pirate had seen Crocodile become one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea and was clearly eager to claim such a title for himself. His voice over the transponder snail was animated as he inquired, "Hey, cousin, what's the plan? When do I get my turn as one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea?"
Claudius could hear the impatience in Doflamingo's tone. He knew his cousin had vested interests in the underworld and needed that legitimacy to keep the World Government off his back. Despite wearing the uniform of a CP agent, Doflamingo was heavily involved in arms dealing and other illicit trades. This made the title of Warlord even more valuable.
"Don't rush, Doffy," Claudius said, sipping his juice. "Are you really planning to head to Dressrosa this early?"
Doflamingo chuckled. "I hadn't intended to go so soon, but securing the Warlord title earlier would speed up my plans and expand the influence of the Donquixote pirates. So, cousin, can you make it happen?"
Claudius smiled, understanding the urgency. "It'll happen soon enough. But we need to let the world process the recent changes. Be patient."
There was a brief silence on the line before Doflamingo spoke again. "If anyone else told me to wait, I'd demand an explanation. But since it's you, cousin, I'll trust you. I can wait."
"Hahaha, good. It won't be too long," Claudius assured him.
"By the way..." Doflamingo's voice trailed off, as though he was hesitating.
"What is it?" Claudius asked, intrigued.
"Rosinante has come back," Doflamingo said, his voice wavering. "He's joined up with me. I've made him a senior officer of the Donquixote family."
"Rosinante?" Claudius was surprised. "And what about Uncle Homing?"
"The old man's dream was always to wander the world and experience life. He's been doing just that, sending us the occasional letter. Rosinante and I send him money when we can, so there's no need to worry about him," Doflamingo replied, his tone growing softer.
Claudius listened carefully. He knew that Doflamingo once harbored deep resentment toward their father, who had cast them out from the privilege of the Celestial Dragons' world into the harsh reality of ordinary life. But it seemed time had eroded some of that bitterness, leaving behind only a trace of nostalgia.
Claudius chose not to comment on their father. It was better to leave some things unsaid.
"So, how's Rosinante?" Claudius asked, trying to steer the conversation to safer ground.
Doflamingo sighed, the sound heavy and regretful. "Even though he's my brother, I'm starting to doubt him. I think he might not be as trustworthy as he once was..."
"What do you mean?" Claudius asked, an uneasy suspicion forming in his mind.
"I've found traces of information he tried to hide from me. If my hunch is correct, Rosinante has become a Marine at some point. Now, he's rejoined me as a pirate. You understand what that implies, right, cousin?" Doflamingo's voice had a bitter edge.
Claudius's eyes narrowed. "A Marine, huh?"
"Claudius's tone grew colder as the pieces fell into place. He had a cordial relationship with Sengoku and shared mutual respect with Marshal Kong, so the notion that they'd send an agent to infiltrate Doflamingo's ranks felt off. They wouldn't take such a risk unless their hands were forced.
The only ones who could override their judgment were the Five Elders.
"Five Elders," Claudius whispered, his voice filled with realization.
"So you think the same, cousin?" Doflamingo said, letting out a hollow laugh. "The Five Elders must have pushed for this. I can't see Sengoku or Kong taking such a step willingly. They wouldn't want to jeopardize their standing with you."
Claudius agreed. "Yes, if Rosinante is indeed working for the Marines, it's likely that Sengoku and Kong were pressured into it. If it were purely up to them, they'd never risk damaging our relationship. They'd have no way to explain it if I found out."
Their theory was accurate. Sengoku and Kong hadn't wanted any part in sending Rosinante as an undercover operative. But the Five Elders had insisted, forcing them to comply. The choice had been between disobeying the highest authority or risking Claudius's wrath. In the end, they'd chosen the path with the least immediate consequence.
"I've been careful and low-profile," Doflamingo said with a hint of sarcasm. "But the Five Elders are still wary of me, even though I'm a Celestial Dragon. They must think I'm plotting something against them."
Claudius gave a thoughtful hum. "If I were in their shoes, I might be cautious too."
"Still, they bypassed you, cousin. They didn't want you to know. They're probably afraid you'd be deceived by me," Doflamingo said with a wry smile.
"But they don't know that we've always been on the same side," Claudius said, his voice carrying a note of amusement.
The Five Elders' suspicion of Doflamingo made sense, but they hadn't anticipated Claudius being involved. After all, as an upper-ranked Celestial Dragon, it seemed inconceivable that he would align himself so closely with Doflamingo's ambitions. This operation was meant to protect Claudius, not to undermine him.
"This will need some patience," Claudius finally said.
"Understood," Doflamingo replied, the tension easing from his voice.
Claudius knew it wasn't his place to suggest Doflamingo take drastic measures against his own brother, no matter the circumstances. For now, it was enough for Doflamingo to keep an eye on Rosinante and not take any public action against the World Government.
Besides, Claudius was confident that while Rosinante might be the perfect spy to infiltrate the Donquixote family, he was also too compassionate. The World Government might find that their clever plan would backfire one day.
And when that day came, Claudius would be waiting, ready to watch the Five Elders grapple with their miscalculated scheme.
***
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