One Piece: King Of The World

Mariejois is vast.

At this moment, Claudius was strolling through the Social Square of Pangaea Castle. This square was primarily used for hosting emissaries from various nations and served as a place of interaction during the World Summit, held every four years. It was where the royal families from across the globe gathered to communicate with one another.

After passing through Pangaea Castle, one would see an imposing high wall. This high wall faced the main entrance of the castle and was guarded by heavily armed soldiers. The gate in this wall was called the Gate of the Celestial Dragons. Once you passed through the Gate, you've entered the sacred residence of the Celestial Dragons in Mariejois, also referred to as the "land of the gods."

This area was strictly off-limits to anyone except Celestial Dragons, their slaves, and their immediate families. It was often regarded as the heart of Mariejois and was sometimes called the "House of God."

Within this divine abode, all kinds of facilities were available: top-tier hospitals, world-class opera houses, and even a Colosseum where slaves fought for the amusement of the nobles. Essentially, one could live here for an entire year without ever feeling the need to leave.

"Has Zephyr ever visited the House of god?" Claudius asked with a casual smile as they walked.

Zephyr shook his head and replied, "I've been to Mariejois many times, but I've never set foot in the House of god. It's a place reserved for you Celestial Dragons. Only those summoned by you can enter. Most of us don't have that privilege."

"Hahaha, 'god's own land'? That's the first time I've heard it called that!" Claudius laughed heartily. After a short pause, he added, "god or not, it's all just talk. If we were truly gods, I wouldn't have nearly died out there in the New World. But since Zephyr has never been inside, how about you come visit my home now? I really appreciate all the care you've shown me during this time."

Zephyr was surprised. He had assumed his duty would end once Claudius was safely delivered to Mariejois, but with this personal invitation from a Celestial Dragon, it would be impolite to decline. Nodding, he said, "Since you've extended the invitation, it would be an honor to see it with my own eyes."

As they approached the Gate, the guards stationed there looked uncertain at first, recognizing Claudius but hesitant to confirm his identity. Then, one of the servants trailing the group shouted, "Saint Claudius has returned! Open the gate!"

Immediately, the guards verified Claudius's identity, and the Gate swung open. No one dared stop Zephyr or Kuzan from entering alongside Claudius.

Led by Claudius, Zephyr and Kuzan entered the House of god for the first time. As they walked, they took in the opulent surroundings, a testament to the wealth and privilege that came with being a Celestial Dragon. After a brief journey, they finally arrived at Claudius's palace.

Despite Claudius's youth, the palace he lived in was massive. It was originally the residence of the Donquixote family patriarch. When Homing became the head of the family, he didn't move in, nor did he relocate Claudius to another home. So, Claudius had always lived here, and for now, he had no plans to move out.

"Go inform the house officer to send me a new butler," Claudius instructed an attendant nearby.

The attendant quickly nodded and left to carry out the order.

Once seated in the grand living room, Claudius, Zephyr, and Kuzan began to chat. Just as Claudius was curious about the outside world, Zephyr and Kuzan couldn't help but be intrigued by the inner workings of the Celestial Dragons' lives. Though they wouldn't openly admit it, the luxury and mystery of the House of God sparked their curiosity.

Their conversation flowed easily, and after a while, Zephyr handed over his Den Den Mushi contact number to one of Claudius's attendants. This way, Claudius could reach out whenever he had questions or needed advice. Zephyr also handed over the basic training methods he had compiled during the journey, ensuring that Claudius could continue his exercises after returning to Mariejois.

With that, Zephyr and Kuzan prepared to take their leave.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay for dinner? I'm not exaggerating our food here is truly excellent," Claudius said with a smile.

Zephyr waved his hand and declined politely. "No, thank you, Saint Claudius. After your long journey, you must be tired. Get some rest, and we'll be on our way."

Just then, an attendant walked in respectfully and announced, "Your Highness, Saint Homing and Saint Doflamingo have come to visit you."

Claudius smiled. "It seems dinner will have to wait. Zephyr, Kuzan, we'll catch up another time."

Zephyr nodded. "We'll let you get back to your family matters."

Claudius gestured toward another attendant and instructed, "Escort Zephyr and Kuzan out through the side door. I'd rather they not run into my... troublesome cousin. Things might get awkward. I consider these two my esteemed guests, so make sure nothing goes wrong. Understood?"

"Yes, Saint Claudius!" the attendant responded promptly.

"Thank you for your hospitality, Your Highness," Zephyr said, grateful for the considerate gesture.

With that, Zephyr and Kuzan quietly exited through the side door, led by the attendant. Not long after, a commotion could be heard at the front entrance, making its way into Claudius's ears.

"You idiots! My cousin's been missing for two weeks, and none of you thought to report it to my father?!"

A young boy with short blond hair, wearing small orange sunglasses and dressed in lavish clothes, marched into the living room, berating the attendants as he entered with an air of arrogance.

Trailing behind him was a middle-aged man with a kindly face, smiling warmly. 

There was no mistaking them: the first was Claudius's cousin, Donquixote Doflamingo, and the second was Patriarch Homing of the Donquixote family.

Doflamingo, even as a young boy, was already domineering. Given that Claudius's former self had also been an arrogant troublemaker, it wasn't surprising that the two cousins had been thick as thieves, causing havoc wherever they went. They had been quite close.

"Cousin! I'm so glad you're alright! If something had happened to you, I wouldn't have anyone to play with. Rosinante is no fun at all; he's always getting in my way. You treat me better!" Doflamingo shouted excitedly as he rushed toward Claudius.

Watching the scene, Claudius felt a bit exasperated. Every time Doflamingo called him "cousin," Claudius had the urge to call him something far less polite. He couldn't help but think to himself, My predecessor was really a fool to be so close to you. Rosinante may be a bit shy, but he's a genuinely good person. You, on the other hand, are a brat with no trace of your parents' kindness.

"Claudius, are you alright? You've lost weight. You must've suffered out there, huh? I've already had plenty of supplements sent over to help you recover," Homing said with a gentle smile.

Judging by his expression, Claudius realized that Homing still had no idea what had truly happened, probably thinking it was nothing more than an unfortunate shipwreck.

Claudius didn't want to drag things out or bring up past grievances, so he smiled and replied, "Thank you for your concern, Uncle Homing."

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Claudius quickly grew tired of talking to Homing, whose unrealistic ideals grated on him. Meanwhile, Doflamingo kept boasting about his recent exploits, including a new slave he'd acquired a captain, no less—whom he wanted Claudius to watch fight in the Colosseum.

Claudius could only groan internally.

"I'm glad you made it back safely," Homing said, his tone turning serious. "There's something I want to tell you. I've made up my mind to leave Mariejois. Regarding the Donquixote family, your father and I..."

Before he could finish, Claudius interrupted him.

"Uncle Homing, I have no intention of becoming the head of the Donquixote family," Claudius said flatly.

Homing was taken aback. "What are you saying? You're the most legitimate heir to the Donquixote family..."

"I think being the patriarch is too much work and no fun at all. I'd rather leave it to someone else," Claudius said, playing the role of a capricious child. He rambled off a string of excuses, but the message was clear: I won't be the patriarch.

Homing, ever the simple and kind-hearted man, finally sighed and relented. "If that's how you feel... Well, there were some who opposed the idea anyway. I'll give the position to Lancelot instead."

"Great! That works for me!" Claudius replied quickly.

Donquixote Lancelot was a much more competent and clever individual than Homing, at least in Claudius's eyes. If the Donquixote family were to be handed over to Lancelot, perhaps the family could thrive in the future. And if that were the case, Claudius could still benefit from it without the burdens of leadership.

Doflamingo, however, didn't seem pleased. "Why do we have to go live down in the Lower Realms? I don't want to live among those filthy commoners..." he muttered, his tone full of disdain.

Homing, ever the optimist, smiled warmly at his son and said, "Doffy, living with your mother, father, and younger brother will be a wonderful experience. Trust me, it'll be interesting."

For now, Doflamingo fell silent. He was still too young to fully understand what was in store for him. At this age, he still believed his father's words and thought that living in the Lower Realms wouldn't be all that different from life in Mariejois.

Little did he know, his time in the Lower Realms would expose him to the harsh realities of the world struggles and suffering that would shape the monster he would later become.

After a few more exchanges, Doflamingo insisted that Claudius join him in watching the slave fights at the Colosseum in a few days. Apparently, he had acquired a fresh batch of slaves, including a captain, and was eager to show them off. Claudius, tired of his cousin's antics, agreed just to get through the conversation.

"Well, I'm glad you made it back safely," Homing said, smiling softly. "There's something else I wanted to talk to you about..."

Claudius, not interested in rehashing the past, waved his hand dismissively. "Uncle Homing, I really don't care about all that. Let's leave it at that."

After sending away the naïve and sweet Homing, Claudius finally felt a sense of relief.

"Now that I've declined the role of family head and Lancelot's likely to take over, I shouldn't have to worry about internal threats anymore," Claudius murmured to himself. "That should settle most of the mess in Mariejois."

After thinking for a moment, Claudius raised his voice and spoke to the empty room, "Bring me the best world map you can find and hang it right there on that wall."

His voice had barely finished echoing when an attendant standing outside the door quickly responded, "Yes, Saint Claudius!"