Cudius's blue eyes seemed to pierce right into Dr. Clover's soul, making the old schor feel unnerved. Cudius's smile had a disarming quality, but Dr. Clover could sehe threat behind it. Steeling himself, he responded, "I don't quite uand what you're implying, Lord Cudius. Ohara has the ability to safeguard what we hold here."

  "No, Doctor. You don't," Cudius replied softly, his tone almost gentle, yet unmistakably firm. "You don't even have the strength to protect yourselves, let alohe 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 chew?"

  Dr. Clover fell silent for a moment, sensing the gravity of Cudius's words. "What exactly are you saying, Lord Cudius?" he asked cautiously.

  Cudius chuckled, the sound almost mog. "Haven't you ever wondered why, in the eight hundred years sihe Void tury, no one from Ohara's long line of schors has dared to dig as deep as you have into aexts 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 Cudius's words sank iried to force a smile, but it was strained. "Researg aexts and history has been forbidden by the Wover. For turies, we've obeyed the w."

  Cudius waved a hand dismissively. "Spare me the denials, Doctor. I didn't e 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 ched his fists, uanding now that Cudius eaking the truth. It was all too clear, Ohara's fate had already been decided by the Wover. They were seen as criminals, aribution was on its way.

  "Lord Cudius…" Dr. Clan, his voice heavy with resignation, "Allow me to go and make preparations."

  As he turo leave, Stussy, dressed in her pristine white suit, pced 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 be very unfiving."

  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. Armed, he stammered, "What are you pnning 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 approag uhe dire of Cudius's head servant, Nia.

  "Yhness!" Nia greeted, awaiting orders.

  Cudius gave a casual wave. "Get the men ready, Nia. Help Dr. Clather the books from the Tree of Knowledge. And be careful—those books are valuable. I don't want anything damaged."

  "Yes, Yhness!" 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 fred in Dr. Clover's eyes. He looked at Cudius, his voice trembling. "Lord Cudius, please… is all of this true?"

  Cudius g him with a hint of impatience. "Are you really askihat, Doctor? Deep down, you know the answer, don't you?"

  The old schor looked down, anguish flickering across his face. "So the Wover… they really see us as criminals? All because we dared to seek the truth?"

  Cudius's expression softened for a moment, but his voice remaieady. "Yes, Doctor. Did you really think the Wover wouldn't notice? Your schors 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 ss of hurried whispers among the townspeople, rumors of Marine warships spotted approag 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 we move forward if we 't front the truths of our past? If we keep running from it, we're doomed to repeat the same mistakes."

  Cudius regarded him carefully. "You're right, Doctor. Uanding history is important. But you're na?ve if you think that knowledge doesn't e with a price. I believe in looking at things from all angles, Doctor. Sure, your iions may be i, 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 Cudius was implying. "We are schors! We hold no power to harm anyone. ossible threat could we be?"

  "That's precisely the issue, Doctor," Cudius 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 es along? What if Kaid 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 A on? Could you bear the sequences?"

  Dr. Clover faltered, uo answer. He knew, in his heart, that Ohara's schors would be defenseless against the evils of the world. "But we don't seek the A ons… we only want to uand our past…"

  Cudius sighed, cutting him off. "It doesn't matter what you seek, Doctor. What matters is the risk you pose. You try expining 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. sider it your final tribution to humanity."

  Dr. Clover's shoulders slumped, the fight leaving him as he looked into Cudius's pierg gaze. "So, there really is no way to save Ohara, is there?"

  Cudius looked at him with a hint of sympathy. "History will repeat itself, Doctor. But humanity… humanity ever turn back time."

  Dr. Clover took in Cudius's words, his eyes misting over as he whispered to himself, "Humanity ot 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."

  Cudius gestured to Stussy, who released her grip on Dr. Clover's shoulder. "Go on, Doctor. Do what you , while you still have time."

  With o weary gnce, Dr. Clover nodded and walked away, his steps heavy as he prepared to assist Cudius's men in transp Ohara's precious knowledge.

  ***

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