Monet didn't know what hidden power the World Government possessed, but she did know how much potential Arton held. If given enough time, perhaps Arton could even trample the World Government underfoot. Thus, for the Donquixote Family's sake, she was determined to find Arton. Still, her answer only deepened Doflamingo's frown.
"Monet, this is the first time you've disobeyed my orders," he said. "Does Arton really mean that much to you? Don't tell me you're just like Viola—hiding feelings for that man?"
At that, Monet's voice grew noticeably uneasy.
"N-no, that's not it, Young Master… I'm only doing this for the family."
Doflamingo shook his head.
"If that's the case, then return immediately. I don't want anyone discovering you've got ties to Arton—it'll reflect poorly on me. End of story."
He hung up before Monet could reply, clearly displeased with her response.
"Young Master, can't you let my sister keep searching for Arton?"
"She must have her reasons for doing all this," Sugar ventured, frowning slightly at Doflamingo.
"Is that so? How do you know?" he asked, turning his gaze downward to meet Sugar's.
"I… well, I trust my sister," Sugar murmured, hesitating. She, too, knew enough about Arton to realize how powerful he could become. However, if Monet had failed to persuade Doflamingo, then Sugar's own words were unlikely to change his mind.
"Fuffuffuffu… You're still just a child, Sugar," Doflamingo said, shaking his head and rising from his seat. He strode out of the room, followed eventually by Pica, Trebol, and the other executives, leaving Sugar alone, looking conflicted.
"Doffy, Monet's reaction was pretty weird," Trebol said, walking behind Doflamingo. "She's never gone against your orders before. You think she's… you know, sweet on Arton?"
Doflamingo: "…"
At that moment, Doflamingo felt as if a bright shade of green had sprouted over his head.
…
Meanwhile, Monet glanced at her Den Den Mushi, then at the floating Diary Copy next to her, feeling torn.
"Arton won't be beaten so easily. Even if he attacked a World Noble, the World Government can't just nab him without a fight. He knows the past and the future—has the Diary system—he's the scariest force in this entire world. If Viola actually finds Arton and enlists his help against us, then the Donquixote Family is doomed…"
Monet clenched her fists, trembling in worry. In that distracted state, she didn't even notice a small boat drawing near until it was too late.
"Well, well… I never expected to run into another woman with a Diary Copy here," came a mature voice. "Care to tell me your name and your purpose?"
Startled, Monet whirled around to see a red-haired woman wearing a black formal dress that accented her stunning figure. The woman smiled, but what truly caught Monet's eye was the floating Diary Copy beside her.
"Baccarat? You're that woman from the Golden Emperor's side? So he sent you to look for Arton?" Monet asked, furrowing her brow once she spotted "Arton's Diary (Baccarat's Copy)" displayed near the woman.
"And you're Monet, right? The one who works for the Warlord Doflamingo," the redhead said with a light laugh, glancing at the "Arton's Diary (Monet's Copy)" hovering near Monet.
"So, Doflamingo's dispatching you to Arton?" Baccarat asked curiously.
Monet fell silent.
"From that look on your face," Baccarat ventured, "I'd guess the Heavenly Yaksha already knows Arton killed a World Noble, and now he wants no involvement—doesn't want you anywhere near Arton, for fear it'll bring trouble to his Donquixote Family?"
Baccarat's keen mind allowed her to deduce Monet's situation almost immediately. It was no surprise: while Monet was typically calm and shrewd, she was upset and conflicted because of Doflamingo's order and her concern over Arton's power. Her eyes gave away her thoughts. Working alongside the Golden Emperor, Baccarat had honed a near-flawless intuition for reading people.
"What about you?" Monet asked quietly. "Did Tesoro command you to find Arton?"
"Hehe, unlike you, Monet," Baccarat said, "I left the Golden Emperor entirely. Compared to him, Arton is the far better option."
Then she suddenly extended an invitation.
"So how about it, Miss Monet—join me? You must know Arton's true power. So what if he killed a World Noble? Neither the Navy nor the World Government can do a thing. He's untouchable."
Monet frowned. She herself knew there was a strong chance Arton could handle whatever the Government threw at him. Still, thinking of Doflamingo's recent command made her hesitate.
"Why invite me, Miss Baccarat?" Monet asked, taking a breath.
"I'm just a powerless woman all on my own," Baccarat replied with a slight shrug. "Traveling so far to find Arton is tough. Tesoro's men already came after me, and though I beat them back, that little scuffle told me I could use a partner—or two. Preferably someone strong. Better yet if she's a fellow Diary Copy holder."
Baccarat gave Monet a slow once-over and continued, "I never thought my luck would be so good. The idea had only just occurred to me, and here I run into you—a beauty whose name Arton has personally mentioned. If we team up, even if by the time we find Arton he's surrounded by women, he might still be willing to accept the two of us."
Like Whitey Bay and others, Baccarat had realized that the longer they waited, the harder it would be for latecomers like them to attract Arton's attention. If his crew got crowded with too many women, he might decide not to grant them precious character templates. Since Baccarat had left the Golden Emperor's side specifically for Arton, if she couldn't win him over, Tesoro would surely exact revenge later. So she was dead set on boarding Arton's ship, even if it meant teaming up with others.
"You mean to say you're not under Tesoro's orders at all… you're hunting Arton on your own!" Monet murmured, frowning.
"Fufu, what's the Golden Emperor next to Arton?" Baccarat quipped with a laugh, eyeing Monet once more. "Think of yourself, Miss Monet. The Heavenly Yaksha may want no more dealings with Arton, but are you truly willing to give up so easily? Don't you want to see for yourself the man who's about to become the center of everything? If you became one of Arton's women, you could accomplish whatever goal you have in mind."
Monet's heart skipped a beat.
"Hitching my wagon to Arton to achieve my purpose…"
She bit her lip, then suddenly nodded to Baccarat.
"You're right. I've got a goal I must fulfill. So… I accept your invitation."
Baccarat's lips curled in a smile.
"Pleased to meet you, Miss Monet."
Monet gave a small nod, opened her Friend interface, found Sugar's name, and left her a message that she was continuing to pursue Arton.
"I mustn't let Viola obtain Arton's power," Monet thought firmly. "Protecting the Donquixote Family—that's my real aim."
…
Over time, rumors about Arton abducting a World Noble gradually spread through the underworld thanks to Morgans. Many underworld bosses and major pirate factions began paying closer attention to Arton. Of course, a good number of people still doubted the story's authenticity. But none of that concerned Arton much at the moment.
Because of Carina's proposal, Arton was now almost never alone. They were intent on preventing him from casually revealing his location or destination in the Diary, letting the Navy or the World Government ambush them. Even Kaya had to go all out. At that moment, Arton lay comfortably with his head resting against two soft cushions—on Kaya's lap, to be precise—drowsily enjoying a massage.
Because of this rather distracting arrangement, he'd been dissuaded from recording anything in his Diary for quite some time. He was just starting to drift off when Tashigi came by the infirmary to check on the still-unconscious Hina—and to plead her case before Arton.
"Tashigi, what did you say just now? Sorry, I didn't catch it," Arton asked with a slight smirk, piqued by her earnest expression.
"C-Captain Arton," Tashigi began, "I… I want to ask you to spare Captain Hina. If you promise to let her go, I—I'll do anything you want…"
She twisted the hem of her shirt in her hands, head down and face flushed.
...
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