"Hahahaha, don't get so worked up. If you end up dead, this world would be a lot less iing," Cudius ughed as he spoke.

  Dragon muttered a few curses oher end before saying, "Alright, enough. we get back to the main point now? Where exactly are you?"

  "Prehistorid, Little Garden. I'm almost there," Cudius said, smiling.

  "Little Garden?" Dragon's voice carried a hint of surprise. "What are you going there for? There's nothing there but gias."

  "I told you, it's a vacation. Why do you care so much? Is it se that I'd want to catch a couple of dinosaurs as pets?" Cudius replied, feigning annoyance.

  "The st time you said you were on 'vacation,' you ended up capturing Gol D. Roger. I'm not buying it!" Dragoed without hesitation.

  "This time, I swear it's just a vacation," Cudius said, slightly embarrassed.

  "Alright, whatever you say. I'm not too far from there myself, so I'll send someone your way soon," Dragon said after a brief pause.

  "If there's nothing else, I'm going to hang up now. I'm trying to read, you know. Books are the dder to human progress. Are you deliberately trying to hold me back? Is my being too powerful troubling you?" Cudius teased.

  Dragon sighed, as if resisting the urge to snap back. Finally, he said, "Actually, there's one more thing I need your help with."

  "Oh?" Cudius raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

  "Ahem, well, let me start with some good news. I have a son," Dragon said, his tone revealing a rare hint of joy.

  Cudius paused for a moment, doing the mental math. It did seem about the right time. "gratutions," he said dryly. "But what does that have to do with me?"

  "Hahaha, well, I'm quite busy with my duties, and I don't have time to look after him. I thought that if you, my dear brother, could spare the time, you could help take care of him. Maybe even be his godfather?" Dragon said, chug.

  "No way. I'm not ied. Goodbye," Cudius said ftly, hanging up the phohout hesitation.

  On the deck of his ship, Dragon stared at the Den Den Mushi in disbelief. "Is he serious? Is babysitting that much trouble?" he muttered, venting his frustration at Cudius. After a moment of silent deliberation, he sighed, resigned, and picked up the phone again. This time, he dialed a hat stirred up memories aions.

  The voi the other end was as gruff as ever. "Dragon? You sdrel! Do you know what you're doing? Starting a Revolutionary Army? That's treason!"

  Dragon pulled the phone away slightly, sighing. "I have news, old man. You have a grandson."

  "What did you just say?" Garp's voice lost all its usual bluster. "Repeat that!"

  "I said, you have a grandson," Dragon replied, this time with a smile.

  Meanwhile, ba the Prometheus, Cudius put down the phone and muttered a few choice words. "Do they both think I'm running a daycare or something?" It was almost ical how simir Garp and Dragon were in that regard—both thinking Cudius would drop everything to py caretaker.

  "Monkey D. Luffy," Cudius murmured, shaking his head with a half-smile. Taking care of Ace was already enough of a challenge; he didn't o add Luffy to the mix, especially sidering Luffy's future. The kid was a walking mag for chaos, and Cudius didn't want to deal with that.

  If he got involved now, what would happen when Luffy iably became a pirate? How would Cudius hahat situation? The thought alone made his head ache. It was better to stay detached, so that if the time came, he could act decisively. He'd spare him farp's and Dragon's sake, maybe even lock him up in Impel Down to keep him out of trouble. But for now, he'd rather not get involved.

  With his reading interrupted by Dragon, Cudius's i in his book waned. Looking around, his eyes fell otle girl sitting oeps of the library.

  It was Nico Robin. Ihree years sihe fall of Ohara, Robin had begun to heal, at least outwardly. She wasn't as haunted by sadness as she had been when she first came aboard. Now, she sat leaning on the handrail, engrossed in a book.

  During these years, Robin had rarely left the Prometheus, evehey docked at Mariejois. She preferred the soce of the ship's grand library. It was so well-stocked that one could spend a lifetime reading without running out of material.

  "What are you reading, Robin?" Cudius asked with a smile.

  Robin looked up at him, her dark eyes calm. "The history of Abasta," she replied.

  "Really? Looks like we're on the same page," Cudius said, surprised.

  "You have the first volume, right? I fihat one a few days ago. I'm reading the sed volume now," Robin said softly.

  In these years, Robin had essentially bee a walking index for the Prometheus library. If Cudius ever needed a specific book, she could locate it in no time.

  Robin didn't hate Cudius, per se. She uood that he hadn't been responsible for Ohara's destru; he had only sought to preserve its knowledge. But she held a deep-seated rese for the Wover, whievitably colored her feelings toward him.

  Cudius could sense her flicted emotions, but he ried to expin himself. What would be the point? Telling her he was a reformer at heart would sound hollow. Time would be the ultimate judge of his iions.

  Before Cudius could tihe versation, his personal Den Den Mushi rang again. Gng at it, he saw it was from Spandane.

  "Odd timing," Cudius muttered before answering.

  "Yhness Cudius," Spandine's voice came through, dripping with his usual obsequiousness.

  Cudius chuckled. "What's the matter, Spandine?"

  "We've located Dougs Bullet, Yhness. CP-X agents and Marielligence have pinpointed his position. It seems Marine is preparing to make a move as well. Should we join in?" Spandine asked.

  Before Cudius could answer, ered holding the Wover's official phone. "Yhness, Marine Fleet Admiral Kong is on the lihey're requesting CP-X's assistan a covert operation, with authorization from the Five Elders."

  Cudius sighed, realizing he couldn't avoid this one. "Looks like I don't have a choice, Spandine. Get ready."

  "Yes, Yhness!" Spandine replied eagerly.

  With a smile, Cudius put down the phone. "Just when I thought I'd have a quiet day."

  ***

  Bonus chapter

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