Claudius's blue eyes seemed to pierce right into Dr. Clover's soul, making the old scholar feel unnerved. Claudius's smile had a disarming quality, but Dr. Clover could sense the threat behind it. Steeling himself, he responded, "I don't quite understand what you're implying, Lord Claudius. Ohara has the ability to safeguard what we hold here."
"No, Doctor. You don't," Claudius replied softly, his tone almost gentle, yet unmistakably firm. "You don't even have the strength to protect yourselves, let alone the knowledge you guard. You've lived a long life, haven't you, Doctor? Haven't you learned by now that one should never bite off more than one can chew?"
Dr. Clover fell silent for a moment, sensing the gravity of Claudius's words. "What exactly are you saying, Lord Claudius?" he asked cautiously.
Claudius chuckled, the sound almost mocking. "Haven't you ever wondered why, in the eight hundred years since the Void Century, no one from Ohara's long line of scholars has dared to dig as deep as you have into ancient texts and forbidden history? Do you think they never had the same curiosity? Or is it that they knew better than to pursue it?"
Dr. Clover's face stiffened as the weight of Claudius's words sank in. He tried to force a smile, but it was strained. "Researching ancient texts and history has been forbidden by the World Government. For centuries, we've obeyed the law."
Claudius waved a hand dismissively. "Spare me the denials, Doctor. I didn't come here to judge you. That's not my role. Save that speech for the Marines or the CP agents who might actually care to listen. Me? I simply don't want to see the treasures of the Tree of Knowledge destroyed. So, Doctor, why don't you help me transport all the books to my ship? That way, at least they'll be preserved."
Dr. Clover clenched his fists, understanding now that Claudius was speaking the truth. It was all too clear, Ohara's fate had already been decided by the World Government. They were seen as criminals, and retribution was on its way.
"Lord Claudius…" Dr. Clover began, his voice heavy with resignation, "Allow me to go and make preparations."
As he turned to leave, Stussy, dressed in her pristine white suit, placed a firm hand on his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. "I'm afraid refusal isn't an option, Doctor," she said softly, though her words held a quiet menace. "We're extending you a rare courtesy here. His Highness is being quite generous, but I… I can be very unforgiving."
Her grip on Dr. Clover's shoulder was deceptively gentle, yet he could tell he wouldn't be able to pull away if he tried. Alarmed, he stammered, "What are you planning to do?"
"What does it look like?" Stussy replied smoothly. "We're going to help you transfer every single book from the Tree of Knowledge to His Highness's ship."
"Impossible! The Tree of Knowledge—" Dr. Clover protested, only to notice a group of soldiers approaching under the direction of Claudius's head servant, Nia.
"Your Highness!" Nia greeted, awaiting orders.
Claudius gave a casual wave. "Get the men ready, Nia. Help Dr. Clover gather the books from the Tree of Knowledge. And be careful—those books are valuable. I don't want anything damaged."
"Yes, Your Highness!" Nia responded crisply. He gestured to the soldiers behind him, and they began making their way toward the massive tree that housed Ohara's vast repository of knowledge.
Desperation flared in Dr. Clover's eyes. He looked at Claudius, his voice trembling. "Lord Claudius, please… is all of this true?"
Claudius glanced at him with a hint of impatience. "Are you really asking me that, Doctor? Deep down, you know the answer, don't you?"
The old scholar looked down, anguish flickering across his face. "So the World Government… they really see us as criminals? All because we dared to seek the truth?"
Claudius's expression softened for a moment, but his voice remained steady. "Yes, Doctor. Did you really think the World Government wouldn't notice? Your scholars have been stirring up trouble on the seas for years now. They warned you to stop, time and again, but you didn't listen. You mistook tolerance for weakness. But before you could bring real harm to this world, they decided it was time to act."
Nearby, Dr. Clover caught snippets of hurried whispers among the townspeople, rumors of Marine warships spotted approaching Ohara. His heart sank further.
"Why is it a crime to study history?" Dr. Clover asked, his voice a mixture of sorrow and defiance. "Our past defines us, shapes us. How can we move forward if we can't confront the truths of our past? If we keep running from it, we're doomed to repeat the same mistakes."
Claudius regarded him carefully. "You're right, Doctor. Understanding history is important. But you're naïve if you think that knowledge doesn't come with a price. I believe in looking at things from all angles, Doctor. Sure, your intentions may be innocent, but the impact of what you uncover could put the entire world in danger. And as you so wisely said, history does have a way of repeating itself."
"Danger?" Dr. Clover repeated, struggling to grasp the full scope of what Claudius was implying. "We are scholars! We hold no power to harm anyone. What possible threat could we be?"
"That's precisely the issue, Doctor," Claudius replied, his tone firm. "You don't have the power to protect yourselves. Ohara may be the first to unlock these secrets, but what if someone more dangerous comes along? What if Kaido or Big Mom, or any other pirate with an insatiable lust for power, found out what you've discovered? What if they got their hands on an Ancient Weapon? Could you bear the consequences?"
Dr. Clover faltered, unable to answer. He knew, in his heart, that Ohara's scholars would be defenseless against the evils of the world. "But we don't seek the Ancient Weapons… we only want to understand our past…"
Claudius sighed, cutting him off. "It doesn't matter what you seek, Doctor. What matters is the risk you pose. You can try explaining that to the Marines or the CP agents if it makes you feel better, but my advice? Help us secure these books. At least that way, something of Ohara might survive. Consider it your final contribution to humanity."
Dr. Clover's shoulders slumped, the fight leaving him as he looked into Claudius's piercing gaze. "So, there really is no way to save Ohara, is there?"
Claudius looked at him with a hint of sympathy. "History will repeat itself, Doctor. But humanity… humanity can never turn back time."
Dr. Clover took in Claudius's words, his eyes misting over as he whispered to himself, "Humanity cannot turn back time…" He gave a sad, resigned smile, seeming to finally accept his fate. "I see it now. This is the end… and I have led Ohara to its death."
Claudius gestured to Stussy, who released her grip on Dr. Clover's shoulder. "Go on, Doctor. Do what you can, while you still have time."
With one last weary glance, Dr. Clover nodded and walked away, his steps heavy as he prepared to assist Claudius's men in transporting Ohara's precious knowledge.
***
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