Hearing Doflamingo's self-introduction, Dragon raised an eyebrow in mild curiosity.
After a brief moment of thought, he asked, "The Donquixote Family from the North Blue—the one that built its empire on smuggling?"
"Exactly," Doflamingo replied with a nod.
Dragon pondered for a moment before adding, "And you're the former Celestial Dragon?"
"So, my identity as a 'former Celestial Dragon' is that well-known, huh?" Doflamingo quipped with a faint hint of self-deprecation.
Dragon chuckled lightly. "Those who need to know, know."
After a brief pause, Dragon asked, "Why are you here?"
Despite the short conversation, Doflamingo didn't detect any hostility in Dragon's tone toward him, despite his reputation as a scoundrel. On the contrary, Dragon seemed approachable.
Relaxing slightly, Doflamingo teased, "You make it sound like someone like me shouldn't—or couldn't—be here."
Dragon blinked in surprise before earnestly replying, "You're right. Knowledge should be equal to all. My apologies for being rude."
Doflamingo didn't press the matter and instead spoke with a tone tinged with reflection. "As for why I'm here… I suppose it's because I feel lost."
"Lost?" Dragon's gaze grew distant for a moment before he asked, "Why do you feel lost?"
"I suppose… it's because the world is becoming increasingly difficult for me to understand," Doflamingo mused, then added, "You know, I used to be a Celestial Dragon, living in Mariejois as if I were a god. I had everything I wanted and believed that such a life was my birthright. I never considered the deeper truths of this world."
Dragon chuckled at that. "To be honest, most Celestial Dragons I've known of fit that description."
"Fufufufu, no doubt about it," Doflamingo laughed in agreement.
He continued, "But over the past ten years since leaving Mariejois, I've experienced things most people could never imagine. And the more I experience, the more I reflect. Recently, I realized that the world shouldn't be this way."
Dragon's eyes lit up with interest. "And how do you think the world should be?"
Doflamingo shot him a glance that suggested he thought Dragon was naive. "If I knew the answer, would I still feel lost?"
In truth, Doflamingo wasn't lost, nor did he particularly care about philosophical musings on how the world should be. For him, the answer was simple: the world should be the way I, Donquixote Doflamingo, want it to be.
A world that didn't align with his desires wasn't worth pondering. He didn't like this current world, where he wasn't king, where he had been cast out of Mariejois. That was why he sought to turn this world upside down and reshape it to his liking.
But the reason he said these words now was simple: it might resonate with Dragon.
Dragon, nodding thoughtfully, replied with a faint smile, "True. If the answer were clear, there would be no sense of being lost."
"And you?" Doflamingo asked naturally. "Why are you here?"
"Perhaps, like you, I feel lost about this world and wish to find answers in the wisdom of those who came before us," Dragon said after a moment of thought.
He paused briefly before adding with a smile, "To be honest, I've been here for quite some time. I've read through many of the books on this level."
Doflamingo recalled that in the original story, Dragon had laid flowers in tribute to Ohara after its destruction, mourning Dr. Clover and the other scholars. It seemed their connection began during this period.
However, it was also possible that Dragon and Clover didn't share a personal bond and merely had a "meeting of minds."
"And have you found your answers?" Doflamingo asked.
At this point, Dragon wasn't yet the leader of the Revolutionary Army. Instead, he was part of a group known as the Self-Defense Forces—a civilian militia formed in response to the Marines inability to counter the rampant piracy of the time.
If Doflamingo's memory served him correctly, Dragon had a brief stint in the Marines before leaving to join the Self-Defense Forces. After the destruction of Ohara, his ideals became more radical, eventually leading him to establish the Revolutionary Army.
In a sense, the Self-Defense Forces could be seen as the precursor to the Revolutionary Army.
Dragon shook his head with a wry smile. "Of course not."
He glanced at the skylight above, where moonlight streamed through. His expression softened as he gazed upward. "But my time here has given me some clarity. I've realized that the wisdom of those who came before us doesn't hold all the answers. It serves more as a guiding light, illuminating the path ahead. And the true answers… they're always out there, in the vastness of the sea."
"The true answers are in the sea…" Doflamingo raised an eyebrow. "Are you saying that understanding comes from action?"
"From action?" Dragon repeated, stunned for a moment before clapping his hands in realization. "Exactly! That's precisely it. To find the answers, one must seek them on the seas."
Initially, Dragon hadn't thought much of Doflamingo, considering their encounter a mere coincidence. But after a short exchange, Dragon found himself deeply impressed. This so-called former Celestial Dragon and self-proclaimed scoundrel from the North Blue had a way of sparking new ideas and illuminating his thoughts.
And indeed, Doflamingo had a knack for grandstanding and philosophical banter, weaving elaborate and lofty ideas out of thin air.
The two continued their conversation for over two hours, talking until their mouths were dry. Dragon, energized by their exchange, felt as though he had gained tremendous insight.
As the hour grew late, Doflamingo finally stopped and said, "It's getting late. I should head back to rest."
"But wait!" Dragon protested. "You mentioned earlier that 'productive forces determine relations of production.' I haven't fully grasped that yet…"
"Ahem," Doflamingo cleared his throat theatrically and said, "Dragon, we're surrounded by the vast ocean of knowledge within the Tree of Knowledge. Surely you understand that knowledge is a precious resource."
"...Huh?" Dragon blinked, furrowing his brow. "Are you saying I need to pay you?"
Before Doflamingo could respond, Dragon laughed and said generously, "Fine, name your price! I'll use my father's salary to fund you!"
Doflamingo froze momentarily, internally amused. This kid is really something. No wonder we're hitting it off.
But outwardly, he waved it off. "Knowledge is priceless. So I propose an exchange instead."
"What do you want?" Dragon asked.
With a serious expression, Doflamingo replied, "I've been frail since childhood. I'd like to learn some martial arts to strengthen my body."