Chapter 29: Aftermath

Claudius turned around and prepared to leave, deciding it was best to distance himself from the scene before things got worse. His group quickly followed him, while Rothschild, now left alone and leaderless, stood looking lost and confused.

His "servants" were all knocked out cold from the earlier events. After seeing what had transpired, he finally understood there were people in this world who didn't care about his status as a Celestial Dragon. Fear crept into his heart. Realizing he'd be safer sticking with Claudius, he shamelessly decided to tag along.

"Wait for me! Claudius, wait up!" Rothschild yelled, waddling after them as fast as his short legs would allow.

Claudius heard him, but he didn't bother to turn around or acknowledge him. He couldn't care less. If Rothschild wanted to follow them, fine. One more didn't make a difference.

The Sabaody Archipelago wasn't far from Mariejois on the Red Line, and before long, Claudius and his crew arrived at the port of Mariejois.

By this time, Rothschild seemed to have had a change of heart. Not only was he no longer resentful over the slap Claudius had given him earlier, but he also stuck to Claudius like glue, pestering him with questions.

"Is Devil Fruit delicious? You can't swim anymore, right? Doesn't that feel weird?"

"I heard you just came back from Naval Headquarters! What were you doing there? Was it fun?"

"Who were those pirates back on the island? Why weren't they afraid of us Celestial Dragons?"

Claudius, preoccupied with his own thoughts, grew increasingly irritated by Rothschild's incessant chatter. Finally, he snapped.

"Can you shut up for a second, you idiot? Don't you have your own ship back on Sabaody? Your servants are still there, right? What are you doing following me?"

Rothschild, seemingly oblivious to Claudius's growing annoyance, simply shrugged. It was as if the earlier slap had knocked some sense into him or knocked it out, perhaps. He certainly didn't seem to care about being insulted now.

"Those guys are so boring. I only went to Sabaody because things were too dull here in Mariejois. But you seem to be having a lot more fun." Rothschild said casually.

Claudius looked at him in disbelief. "I slapped you, called you an idiot, and insulted you in front of everyone. Don't you feel the least bit angry? You're a Celestial Dragon, aren't you?"

Rothschild rubbed his face, contemplating for a moment. "You know, my father never hit me, and no one's ever called me an idiot before. But maybe that's why I find you interesting! You're not like the rest of us. I remember you being different before, too. I'm curious what happened to you?"

Claudius stared at him in disbelief, thinking, Is this guy for real? Does he actually have Stockholm syndrome?

With a sigh of frustration, Claudius shot Rothschild a disgusted look. "Can you just leave me alone? I'm not interested in talking to you."

"Why not? Aren't we both Celestial Dragons?" Rothschild asked innocently.

"You're of no use to me. Unless you're willing to be my subordinate, I've got nothing to say to you," Claudius replied coldly.

He figured that would be enough to get Rothschild off his back. After all, who in their right mind would willingly become someone else's subordinate especially a fellow Celestial Dragon?

But to his shock, Rothschild immediately responded, "Fine, I'll be your subordinate!"

Claudius froze for a moment, utterly stunned. "Rothschild, you're more than ten years older than me, and you're a Celestial Dragon. Have some dignity!"

There was no way Claudius could casually accept someone like Rothschild as his lackey. Not only was he a fellow Celestial Dragon, but Claudius was also trying to keep a low profile. Drawing unnecessary attention by taking in Rothschild as a subordinate would only create more problems back at Mariejois. He didn't need the extra scrutiny right now.

Moreover, Rothschild was a total liability. If Claudius accepted him, he'd likely have to clean up after Rothschild's messes, and the last thing he needed was to be dragged into even more trouble.

Still, the situation wasn't without its advantages. Claudius realized that Rothschild might be useful later. As he moved up the ranks within Mariejois, there would come a time when having someone like Rothschild in his corner might prove beneficial. He just needed to bide his time.

With that thought in mind, Claudius softened his tone slightly, no longer treating Rothschild with the same disgust.

Before long, their ship docked at the port of Mariejois. As they disembarked, Claudius noticed a commotion nearby. A large group of Celestial Dragons was arguing with a few lower-ranking officials.

Claudius squinted, recognizing one of the figures in the crowd. It was his cousin Doflamingo, whom he hadn't seen in three months.

Ignoring Rothschild, who was still struggling to get off the ship, Claudius quickly made his way over to where the argument was taking place.

"You can't just come back now, Homing! You left for North Blue on your own. You've been stripped of your Celestial Dragon status!" one of the Celestial Dragons shouted angrily.

Homing looked worn and defeated, his face lined with stress. "I understand that," he pleaded, "but at least let my two sons stay in Mariejois…"

Standing beside him were Doflamingo and Rosinante, both of them dirty and disheveled. It was clear they hadn't had an easy time during their absence.

Claudius couldn't spot Homing's wife anywhere. Perhaps she had passed away in North Blue, or maybe she was still on the ship. Either way, it didn't look good.

The Celestial Dragons refused Homing's request. They weren't about to let Doflamingo and Rosinante stay, fearing that the boys would grow up harboring resentment for how their father had been treated.

Just as the argument was reaching a boiling point, Claudius finally arrived. "Doffy, why are you back?" he called out.

At the sound of his voice, Doflamingo's aggressive demeanor crumbled. The moment he saw his cousin, tears welled up in his eyes. All the anger and frustration he had been holding back came rushing out.

"Cousin!" Doflamingo cried, running toward Claudius with a loud wail. "I've had such a miserable time!"

Without hesitation, Claudius embraced Doflamingo, allowing the boy to cry and wipe his tears on him. Despite the dirt and grime, Claudius didn't push him away. He listened as Doflamingo poured out his grievances how he had fallen from the privileged life of a Celestial Dragon to being persecuted and bullied by the very people he once looked down upon. He even shared how his mother had passed away due to the hardships they had endured.

As Claudius listened, he began to understand the situation more clearly. During their journey to North Blue, Doflamingo's mother had fallen ill. After they settled down, their identity as former Celestial Dragons was exposed. The once "untouchable" masses had quickly turned into a vengeful mob, looting their wealth and tormenting them. Doflamingo's mother hadn't survived the ordeal.

In the end, Homing had no choice but to return to Mariejois with his sons, abandoning their failed attempt at living outside the protected bubble of the Celestial Dragons.

Claudius did some quick math. In the three months since they'd left, they had likely only spent about a week in North Blue before fleeing back. And in that short time, they had been utterly broken by the harsh realities of the outside world. It made Claudius rethink his own situation he needed to be cautious about any future steps.

Claudius glanced at Doflamingo and Rosinante, feeling a pang of sympathy for the two boys. Not only were they dealing with their mother's death and their father's failed ambitions, but now they had to carry the burden of his grand proclamations as well.

No wonder, in the future, Celestial Dragons would still refuse to let Doflamingo and Rosinante return, even after Homing's death. Claudius had always wondered why the Donquixote family had been so thoroughly rejected. But now it made sense now, even if he died, the stigma he left behind would prevent Doflamingo and Rosinante from ever being accepted back into Mariejois.

Homing, clearly overwhelmed by frustration, dragged his sons away without another word. As they passed by, he glanced at Claudius, his expression filled with helplessness and defeat. He tugged Doflamingo along, and the boy reluctantly let go of Claudius, his tear-streaked face still looking back at his cousin.

Claudius sighed deeply as he watched them walk away. He quickly instructed his butler, Nia, to gather all the money they had on hand. Stepping forward, he shoved the small pouch of Bailey into Doflamingo's arms.

"Doffy, this is all I can do for you right now. Use the money to take care of yourselves. I'll send someone to help you in secret once things calm down. Just… live well, alright?"

Doflamingo looked up at his cousin, his eyes filled with gratitude. He nodded, wanting to say something more, but before he could speak, Homing tugged him away again, pulling him and Rosinante back toward their ship.