Inside his office at Marine Headquarters, Lloyd reclined in his chair, swirling a glass of red wine. Ever since awakening the powers of the Vampire Fruit, he had developed an unmistakable fondness for red liquids.
Now an Admiral, his permanent residence had moved from the G1 Branch to Marineford. Yet, he still held the post of G1 Base Commander concurrently, much like Kamui; he could appear at either location at will. The G1 Branch, now under Momonga's supervision, was more than capable of handling most pirate threats. If something truly formidable appeared, all they needed was to alert Lloyd.
Lloyd had just taken a slow sip of wine when a knock sounded at the door.
Sengoku stepped in, gently pulling a small boy by the hand. The boy was short, fair-skinned, and kept his golden hair long, partially obscuring his eyes. He clutched Sengoku's hand tightly, visibly nervous.
With just a glance, Lloyd recognized the boy immediately: Donquixote Rosinante.
Feigning ignorance, Lloyd pointed at him and asked, "And this is?"
Sengoku patted Rosinante on the head, smiling warmly. "This is the child I adopted, Rosinante."
Rosinante peered shyly from behind his hair, his large eyes studying Lloyd. Sengoku nudged him forward. "Rosinante, didn't you say you wanted to meet the Black Dragon Admiral? Why are you shy now?"
Lloyd lowered himself to the boy's level, gently lifting the hair from his face. "Hello," he said softly.
Rosinante's cheeks flushed crimson. Clasping his hands at his abdomen, he quickly bowed. "H-Hello, Black Dragon Admiral… I-I am Rosinante!"
Observing the boy, Lloyd reflected silently: born of the same parents, Doflamingo and Rosinante shared blond hair, yet their personalities could not be more different. Still, considering Garling and Gulando, Lloyd felt some measure of relief.
Reaching out to pat Rosinante's head, Lloyd smiled. "You don't need to call me Black Dragon Admiral. How old are you this year?"
"Eleven…"
"Ah, then I'm not much older than you. You can call me Lloyd from now on."
Rosinante glanced at Sengoku, who nodded subtly. At that signal, a genuine smile bloomed across Rosinante's face. "Lloyd," he said, a hint of pride in his voice.
Sengoku chuckled, placing a hand on Rosinante's head. "Lloyd, this child truly admires you. He's been pestering me to bring him here. Sorry for troubling you."
"Not at all," Lloyd replied smoothly. "He seems very kind, and I like him as well."
Sengoku's gaze softened with affection. "Yes… he is a good child. One who can make your heart ache."
Seizing the moment, Lloyd asked, "And what of his biological parents?"
The mention of his family made Rosinante instantly lower his head, the earlier brightness gone. Sengoku sighed softly, recounting the boy's tragic story. In his view, there was no shame in the truth. The Rosinante family had relinquished their Celestial Dragons status long ago; the World Government had washed its hands of them, leaving the boy to fend for himself. Now, he was simply an ordinary orphan.
Lloyd looked at Rosinante with a touch of mock surprise. "I didn't expect this child to be a Celestial Dragon… he doesn't look like one at all!"
"Rosinante grew up in Mary Geoise," Sengoku explained, "yet his personality remains as innocent as any ordinary child. Truly rare. In contrast, his brother…"
Rosinante reached out, tugging gently at Sengoku's trouser leg. "Please… don't say anymore, Mr. Sengoku."
Though his eyes were hidden, his trembling body spoke volumes: witnessing his own brother kill their father was a cruelty no child should bear. Lloyd quietly noted that much of Rosinante's unwavering goodness later in life could be credited to Sengoku's guidance.
As for Doflamingo, the boy's older brother now operated in the underworld. In recent years, he had even paid respects to Lloyd, though Lloyd refused the gesture; money and influence held no interest for him. Lloyd's intent in taking Doflamingo under his observation had never been humble — it was to cultivate a discreet intermediary in the underworld for future purposes.
In Doflamingo's heart, Lloyd now held a position similar to Kaido's in the original story: a mixture of fear and respect forged since childhood. The prestige of the Figarland family in the Holy Land made betrayal a remote possibility.
Rosinante remained lost in painful memories. Lloyd extended a finger, tapping gently on his forehead. "Don't dwell on it anymore. From now on, the Navy is your home."
Rosinante wiped his tears, nodding fiercely. "I will become an excellent member of the Navy, just like Mr. Sengoku… and Lloyd!"
Sengoku's expression softened in relief. He thought silently: bringing Rosinante to meet Lloyd had been the right choice. Sometimes the influence of a revered figure could surpass that of a biological parent, especially for an adopted child.
Suddenly, Lloyd's sharp tone cut through the moment. "Admiral Sengoku, have you given Rosinante a Devil Fruit?"
Sengoku blinked in surprise. "No… why ask?"
Lloyd exhaled lightly. "Nothing. Just curious. One should never give a Devil Fruit blindly."
In his opinion, the Calm-Calm Fruit in the original story had held Rosinante back. It was a tool only for narrative convenience.
After all, Rosinante was Doflamingo's younger brother. Even accounting for talent differences, it wouldn't have been significant. They were similar in size growing up. Perhaps Sengoku hadn't had the time to train him fully, or Rosinante hadn't received extensive guidance. With proper Devil Fruit training and Lloyd's tutelage, Rosinante could become a formidable force within the Navy.
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