Without hesitation or doubt, Doflamingo decisively manipulated Spandine, unilaterally igniting the world-shaking Ohara Buster Call Incident.
The World Government was too wary of someone like Roger seeking out the history of the Void Century and giving birth to the next Pirate King. They were also too wary of someone obtaining ancient weapons by translating the Poneglyphs. And they desperately needed a measure to deter the current turbulent and out-of-control situation.
Thus, the holy land of scholars, Ohara, endured continuous bombardments. Thus, tens of thousands of innocent civilians were massacred. And thus, Doflamingo acquired one of the only two people in the world who could read the ancient language.
On the Flamingo.
"Child... A child?" Giolla stared in astonishment at Doflamingo, who had been gone for over a month and had now abruptly returned home with a little girl. Her increasingly plump face contorted oddly as she lowered her voice. "Young Master, this wouldn't happen to be your illegitimate daughter, would it? Oh my! Should I be happy, or... Young Master, you should send her away quickly. What if Young Mistress gets upset? Wouldn't that cause family discord..."
"What nonsense are you spouting? She's a new member of the family," Doflamingo sighed, roughly tossing the girl he was carrying in his arm onto the deck. He thought for a moment, then added, "An important member. Take good care of her."
Giolla exaggeratedly let out a sigh of relief. She re-examined the large-eyed girl with long black hair, then compared her to Doflamingo's sharp, predatory gaze, and chuckled, "Oh~ hohohoho~~ What a cute little one! I like her! Tell me your name, little one."
"Nico... Robin," Robin said, tears welling up as she rubbed her sore bottom from the fall, not daring to cry aloud. During her abduction by Doflamingo from Ohara and her return to the Flamingo, she had already experienced Doflamingo's malicious nature. He would never show pity or accommodate her tears; he would only mock and tease her with sharp words.
Doflamingo sat on a beach chair, looking around. "Where are Smoothie and the others?"
"Oh, there was a troublemaker among the people who signed up for the fighting tournament today, so she went to deal with him," Giolla said, busying herself with finding a washbasin and towel to clean up the dusty Robin, all while chattering, "Those fools, I really don't know if they have brains. A few drinks and they forget who they are, completely forgetting the double flags of Young Master and Shiki, and Shiki's subordinates watching the grounds, and the dried human warnings hanging outside the island that Young Mistress made. How dare they still cause trouble!"
Doflamingo curled his lip. "Fufufufu~ People, you know! They always like to prove their uniqueness."
"Oh~ hohoho~ Robin-chan, don't worry, cheer up! You'll have a playmate soon," Giolla's attention shifted back to Robin. She was becoming more and more like the family's professional nanny.
Doflamingo took off his glasses, closed his eyes, and wiped them. "Forget it, Giolla! Don't let Robin play with Weevil. With Weevil's intellect..."
"Not Weevil, oh! I haven't reported yet," Giolla paused. "It's another kid! The descendant of a pirate. His father and his father's crew all died in the New World. He ended up here and wants to participate in the fighting tournament, but he's too young, only eleven. But he has some skills, so I adopted him. If you think it's not suitable, just kick him out."
"Gladius?" Doflamingo's lips curved slightly. "No problem, I trust your judgment, fufufufu~ Our Momma Giolla."
"You called me Miss World? Oh, you're so annoying, absolutely annoying!" Giolla's auditory hallucination flared up, her face blushing.
Doflamingo: "..."
"That kid is quite capable," Giolla returned to normal, chattering. "He's a born fighter, with a cold and violent personality. He knows how to obey, and he's very serious and rigid. He reminds me of Vergo."
Doflamingo rested his chin on one hand. "Fufufufu~ Then train him well."
They chatted idly, off and on.
Not long after.
"Doffy? You're back!" Smoothie paused in surprise.
Doflamingo opened his arms. "Yes, my dear."
He embraced Smoothie, who returned like a swallow to its nest, but his eyes remained fixed on the ship's rail. Of course, he wasn't looking at Diamante, Weevil, or Urouge; he was looking at two new faces.
Wearing goggles, a mask, and with spiky hair, the tightly wrapped young man, Gladius, holding a short sword, subconsciously straightened his back upon seeing Doflamingo. His serious and rigid demeanor, just as Giolla had described, was quite similar to Vergo's when he was young.
And the other person, seeing Doflamingo, raised his thick arms, his mouth wide open. "Wiiihahaha~ You're Sea Scourge Doflamingo? Finally meeting you in person!"
Over three meters tall, with bulging muscles that almost burst his clothes, and a disproportionate upper and lower body, he was clearly a brawler. His head was covered by a hood, making him look exactly like King Kong, albeit with a bruised and swollen face.
"Don't get carried away, Burgess, you idiot! You must respect Doffy," Smoothie snorted coldly.
Burgess sheepishly shrunk his neck, unconsciously touching his swollen cheek, and awkwardly said, "I am Jesus Burgess, drawn by your reputation, wiiihahaha~ Master."
"Fufufufu~ Oh? So you're the troublemaker? You actually could have chosen a different way to meet me in person. Why suffer a needless beating?" Doflamingo clapped his hands. "Welcome, Burgess! And you too, Gladius."
Giolla covered her forehead, muttering, "The family's appearance rating, which we painstakingly improved, has been lowered again..."
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