Mariejois was unusually noisy today, especially within the Celestial Dragons' residential district commonly referred to as the "House of the Gods."
The source of the commotion? None other than Claudius himself.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs didn't dare keep a Celestial Dragon like Claudius waiting for the three days he had allotted. In just a day and a half, they delivered a comprehensive list of all slaves in Mariejois originating from Fish-Man Island to Claudius' palace.
With the list in hand, Claudius gathered a large entourage and began his self-proclaimed mission to "clean up" Mariejois.
Walking down one of the grand avenues of the Domain of the Gods, Claudius held the list in one hand, a pen in the other. Having just left a Celestial Dragon's estate, he crossed a name off the list with a flick of his pen.
Trailing behind him was a frail fish-woman, her body scarred and her spirit broken, moving like a lifeless puppet. She followed Claudius' group in silence, a stark reminder of the system he was now challenging.
"Who's next on the list?" Claudius muttered, scanning the names. Then, with a slight smirk, he said, "Well, well, well, Rosward. Let's see what you've been hiding."
The list showed that Saint Rosward's household held four fish-women as slaves.
"Tch, unbelievable. I only have two mermaids in my house, and that bastard dares to keep four? Disgusting." Claudius clicked his tongue in irritation.
Without looking back, he waved his hand and declared, "Turn around. We're heading to Rosward's place."
As the words left his mouth, a familiar voice called out behind him.
"Your Highness, what's all this commotion about? Making such a scene?"
Claudius turned, and his expression brightened as he recognized the speaker. "Well, if it isn't Stussy. Long time no see."
It was indeed Stussy. She looked as youthful and radiant as ever, her appearance unchanged despite the years.
"You haven't aged a day," Claudius said with a grin. "Still as stunning as always."
A faint blush crept onto Stussy's face as she rolled her eyes. "Oh, stop it. I'm barely over twenty, what's supposed to change?"
Claudius chuckled but didn't press the topic further. For all the years they'd known each other, Stussy had never revealed her real age. It didn't matter to him, she was beautiful, and that was enough. (T/N: Once again don't forget that this fic was written back in 2020)
Thanks to Stussy's influence, even Nia, his ever-efficient butler, had maintained a near-ageless appearance over the years. What sort of tricks these two women used to maintain their looks was a mystery to Claudius, but he wasn't particularly concerned. If he ever stumbled upon a way to prolong his own life, whether through "pure gold" or the Ope-Ope Fruit—he'd gladly seize the opportunity.
"Hahaha, just got back today?" Claudius asked, changing the subject.
Stussy nodded. "That's right. I only just returned to Mariejois and thought I'd come see what you were up to. As soon as I entered the Domain of the Gods, I could tell something was off, the atmosphere was strange. I asked around and found out you're on some kind of mission. Care to explain?"
"Hah, it's simple enough," Claudius replied with a laugh. "I'm raiding houses."
Stussy blinked in disbelief. "Raiding houses? You're raiding Celestial Dragons' homes?"
"Why not?" Claudius shrugged as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Your Highness, isn't that going a bit too far? What if this backfires? Can you handle the consequences?" Stussy asked, her tone laced with concern.
Her worries weren't unfounded. Even though Claudius held a special status and was valued by the Five Elders, openly antagonizing other Celestial Dragons could create enormous pressure, pressure that even he might struggle to withstand.
Claudius understood her concerns perfectly. His reputation as a "wild card" among the Celestial Dragons allowed him to act freely in many ways, but it wasn't without its risks. This entire "clean-up" operation was bound to offend the majority of Mariejois' elite families.
And once it was over, Claudius would have no choice but to lean even harder on the Five Elders for protection. Without their support, the backlash could be overwhelming.
But Claudius didn't care.
Outside of his own Donquixote family, the rest of the Celestial Dragons meant nothing to him. In his eyes, they were just parasites. This world wasn't big enough for all of them to coexist forever. Eventually, there would be only one family standing at the top, and he intended for it to be the Donquixote family.
Even the Five Elders posed a dilemma for Claudius. Initially, he'd viewed them as the root of the World Government's problems. But over time, as he interacted with them more, he began to see them in a different light.
Unlike most Celestial Dragons, the Five Elders genuinely seemed to care about the world's stability and development. They understood that a strong, orderly world would make the World Government stronger. They worked tirelessly to suppress piracy and maintain peace, and they fought back against the Revolutionary Army because it threatened the established order.
Of course, they had their flaws, power-hungry and self-serving as they were but who didn't? Claudius hadn't yet uncovered any deep, unforgivable secrets about them. For now, he could only speculate about their darker side.
What troubled him more was how well the Five Elders treated him. Despite occasionally setting him up to take the fall for various schemes, they had otherwise supported him wholeheartedly, even going so far as to groom him for greater responsibilities.
Sometimes, Claudius couldn't help but wonder: were they preparing him to succeed them one day?
This thought made him hesitate. If the Five Elders continued treating him with such generosity, would he even have the heart to eliminate them when the time came?
For now, though, these were questions for the future. As long as they maintained this mutually beneficial relationship, there was no harm in letting things play out. If they could accept his leadership down the line, Claudius might even consider sparing them.
But as for the rest of the Celestial Dragons? They were irrelevant to him. He wasn't afraid to offend them, if anything, they'd likely hate him even more after today's events. And if they wanted to complain, they could take it up with the Five Elders.
"Don't worry, Stussy," Claudius said confidently. "If this operation creates any trouble, there are people above me who can handle it. If the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up."
With that, Claudius handed Stussy a royal order from the Five Elders, granting him full authority over the operation.
Stussy skimmed the document, her eyes widening slightly. She couldn't help but smile. "I see. You're carrying out the higher-ups' orders. Well, I suppose that makes things easier."
As they talked, Claudius' group reached the gates of Saint Rosward's estate. The gates were shut tight, as if to ward off Claudius' intrusion.
Looking at the grand, ornate palace, Claudius smirked. "Ah, how welcoming. Locking me out, are they? Well, no matter."
Without hesitation, he turned to his men and ordered, "Break the door down. Let's see what treasures they're hiding inside."
***
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