One Piece: Crown of Darkness

Leaning back on the sofa, Doflamingo crossed his legs and adjusted himself into a more comfortable position. His flamboyant sunglasses glinted continuously with the sunlight streaming through the window.

He seemed to be considering, weighing, and plotting, silent but exuding an invisible authority that suppressed the family members in the lounge. They dared not breathe too loudly, obediently falling silent.

After a long while.

"Why are you all staring at me? Fufufufu~" Doflamingo snapped out of his thoughts, spreading his hands in a gesture of confusion.

Trebol opened his mouth, which felt stiff, and said with difficulty, "N-nothing, behehehe~ It's just..." His small eyes darted around as he flattered, "It's just seeing Doffy chatting and laughing with a great figure like the 'Golden Lion'! It's quite moving! As expected of Doffy, as expected of the man destined to become King, truly charismatic!"

"Only saying what sounds good," Doflamingo tapped the armrest of the sofa. Changing the subject, he admonished everyone, "We are the Donquixote Family, and you are my family, representing my honor! Fufufufu~ So, no matter what happens, please stop making such a fuss. Be calm, be composed, and be fearless in the face of danger! If you can't handle it, I'm here."

Diamante carefully tried to explain, "We're not you, after all, Doffy. We don't have your courage! News as shocking as the 'Pirate King' being arrested would surprise anyone, let alone the truth hidden behind it~"

Diamante's voice grew quieter and quieter as Doflamingo kept staring at him.

"You have a point, but you need to try to get used to it, even become numb to it. In our business, there's a specific trade in scarce intelligence. As far as you know, has any merchant ever been so scared by their own goods that they lost their composure?" Doflamingo kneaded his brow, sighing inwardly more than once: They're useless for anything significant.

Giolla, sensing the bad atmosphere, tried to smooth things over. "Young Master, I've prepared pasta and grilled steak for lunch. Are you satisfied? Oh~ hohohoho~"

"I grew up eating your cooking, Giolla, fufufufu~ My taste buds have long depended on your dishes. As long as it's your cooking, how could I be unsatisfied?" For Giolla, who had tirelessly played the role of a mother, caring for his daily life for years, Doflamingo never lacked praise, and his attitude towards her was far better than towards Trebol and the others. He had almost never lost his temper with Giolla.

Giolla's heart blossomed with joy, and she cupped her face. "Oh~ hohohoho~ Are you saying I'm Miss World? Oh, you're just terrible, absolutely terrible~~~"

"..." Doflamingo thought: This is the only bad part.

Giolla happily went back to being busy in the kitchen. She didn't care whether the 'Pirate King' was arrested or dead. Her only concern was that Doflamingo was satisfied with today's meal, which was very simple and pure.

Pica also didn't care whether the 'Pirate King' was arrested or dead. He didn't even like to talk much, let alone ramble. He quietly went into the Flamingo's training room and dedicated himself to hard practice.

Meanwhile, Trebol and Diamante looked at each other, both falling silent and lowering their heads.

"Do you want to talk about why I helped the 'Golden Lion' instead of letting him walk into the Marine Headquarters' trap?"

Trebol and Diamante's small thoughts couldn't escape Doflamingo. They didn't dare to ask directly, so he took the initiative.

Trebol gave an awkward, dry laugh, uglier than crying, and said against his will, "Behehehe~ You have your reasons."

The 'Golden Lion' was their nightmare. Even with the passage of time, they remembered him vividly and wished he would die quickly. This nightmare was almost over, but then Doflamingo intervened...

Doflamingo said calmly, "It's not time for the 'Golden Lion's legend' to end. His remaining value is extremely high! I need him to continue being active, and I need him to balance the chaotic situation that's not far off in the future. More importantly, I need to use his power to pressure Big Mom! You don't think I can just rest easy now that I've married her daughter, do you? That crazy old hag is a monster who eats people whole!"

"In short! Your vision, knowledge, and minds are far from mine. You don't understand what I'm planning," Doflamingo pointed to his temple, his sharp edge showing. "Don't ask so many questions; asking will only bring you trouble! Just obediently follow my orders, don't think, and don't you dare think, and then you'll discover that we effortlessly gained everything!"

Trebol and Diamante had no choice but to accept it. This was reality.

"How long do we estimate it will take to cross Reverse Mountain and reach Loguetown in the East Blue?" Doflamingo lit a cigar and exhaled smoke. He wasn't a heavy smoker, only having one occasionally.

Diamante checked the sea chart for a moment. "If we don't encounter bad weather, by the end of August, we'll arrive just in time for the 'Pirate King's' public execution."

"By mid-August, late August at the latest! We must reach Loguetown in the East Blue," Doflamingo commanded.

Diamante instinctively wanted to ask why, but Trebol pulled him back.

"'Don't ask so many questions; asking will only bring you trouble,' behehehehe~" Trebol muttered repeatedly.

Doflamingo ignored Trebol and Diamante, and continued to read his book. He had recently developed a preference for medical texts.

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