The night was always mysterious, especially on Fish-Man Island, where the mystery was tinged with an intoxicating charm.
The Mermaid Cafe was now empty. After leaving Queen Otohime's banquet, Doflamingo had made a beeline for the cafe, where his mermaid was waiting for him. After a brief, affectionate reunion, they left the cafe and headed to Shyarly's private residence to spend the night together.
"Did your chat with Queen Otohime go well?" Shyarly asked, her voice soft as she gently massaged Doflamingo's shoulders. She was just trying to break the silence.
"Don't you think asking that kind of question in this atmosphere is a bit of a mood killer?" Doflamingo said, grabbing her hand and pulling her into his lap.
"Ah!"
Caught off guard, Shyarly was startled by his rough move. But as she settled into his warm embrace, her heart began to beat faster, and she felt a sense of warmth and security.
"Then what kind of question should I be asking?" Shyarly pressed her impressive assets against him and gave him a bewitching smile.
"What kind of question? Don't you know?" Doflamingo said, tilting her chin up and giving her a light kiss.
"I don't. Why don't you ask?" she said with a flirtatious laugh, pretending to be innocent.
"Then I'll have to ask you properly."
With that, Doflamingo swiftly rose from the sofa, sweeping her up into his arms.
"Oh my," she laughed joyfully, which only served to stoke the fire within him.
"You're the one who asked for it."
"Mmm."
Soon, their joyous laughter grew even louder.
At the Ryugu Palace, having received Doflamingo's affirmation, Queen Otohime's conviction had grown even stronger. The young Shirahoshi was inseparable from her, clinging to her mother's side.
"Are you sure this is the right thing to do?" Neptune asked his wife with concern.
Otohime gave him a reassuring smile. "Where there's a will, there's a way, isn't there? Besides, it's rare to find a human who doesn't discriminate against us. Shouldn't we seize this opportunity?"
"But... will Doflamingo agree? It's a lot to ask of him. And he is, after all, a pirate," Neptune said, still unconvinced and worried.
"But this is a rare chance, isn't it? A chance for Fish-Man Island to take a step forward," Otohime reasoned.
Shirahoshi blinked her large eyes, looking curiously at her parents, not understanding their conversation.
"Have you really made up your mind?" Neptune asked again.
"I'm certain that more and more people will come to understand each other," Otohime said with unwavering determination.
"Alright," Neptune conceded. Seeing his wife's resolve, how could he not support her dream?
It turned out that after the banquet, an idea had sparked in Otohime's mind. She wanted to hold a grand assembly to promote her ideals, and Doflamingo's presence would be the perfect testament to her cause.
A naive idea, from a naive person, for a naive cause.
The next day, when Queen Otohime personally went to Doflamingo to explain her idea, he was taken aback. He couldn't for the life of him figure out why this woman would have such a thought. But... it was a great thing for him. It would save him a lot of trouble when he eventually took over the island. With Otohime's endorsement, the residents of Fish-Man Island would likely not be hostile toward him in the future. After all, the Queen's influence was immense.
Doflamingo pondered for a moment, not immediately responding to Otohime's expectant gaze, though inwardly he was ecstatic. It was as if someone had handed him a pillow just as he was getting sleepy.
Seeing him in deep thought, Otohime grew anxious, afraid he would refuse. She glanced at Shyarly, of whom she had heard much. Otohime gave her a meaningful look, and Shyarly immediately understood. For the sake of Fish-Man Island, she would spare no effort—and she had certainly put in a lot of effort the night before.
"Doffy, why don't we help Her Majesty?" Shyarly asked tentatively, her face full of expectation.
"Well..." Doflamingo looked from Otohime to Shyarly, still feigning hesitation.
"This is a truly meaningful cause, Mr. Doflamingo," Otohime urged. "You will become the most respected guest of Fish-Man Island, loved by all its citizens."
"That's right, Doffy! This isn't just about helping Her Majesty; it's about helping Fish-Man Island! You wouldn't want to see my home face disaster, would you?" Shyarly added, her voice full of pitiful appeal.
You're the ones begging me for this. I really have you to thank, Doflamingo thought to himself.
"Alright," he finally "surrendered" under the persuasion of the two women.
Otohime and Shyarly exchanged a happy smile.
After the Queen left, Doflamingo said to Shyarly with a sigh, "It seems my journey will be delayed for a few more days."
"What's wrong? Don't you like Fish-Man Island?" she asked, finding his reaction strange.
"It's precisely because it's so beautiful that I must press forward, to protect this beauty," he said, gazing into the distance.
Shyarly looked at the man whose simple words held such a powerful undertone, and for a moment, she was completely captivated, her heart filled with emotion.
A few days later, a grand assembly was held in the Gyoncorde Plaza. The stars of the show were, of course, Queen Otohime and Doflamingo.
The plaza was teeming with fish-men and merfolk of all kinds. The Donquixote Pirates were also in attendance.
"What a large fan meeting," Doflamingo remarked, looking at the massive crowd.
"What's a fan, Young Master?" Baby 5 asked, popping her head out from behind his waist.
"Nothing. And it's definitely not something to eat," he teased.
"Really, Young Master? But it sounds like you're talking about food," she retorted.
"You little glutton," Doflamingo said with a headache. His maid had traded one strange habit for another. Still, it was probably for the best.
"Haha, Young Master, you just don't understand the world of a foodie," Monet joked.
"You're right, Monet," Doflamingo nodded in agreement.
"Hmph! I'm not a glutton!" Baby 5 said indignantly.
"Hahaha!" No one believed her, and they all laughed heartily.
While the Donquixote Pirates were having a good time, Queen Otohime began her speech. She was a great orator, and it was through this unique charisma that she had won the trust of her people. Of course, her sincerity in working for the good of the island was also a major factor.
However, not everyone was moved by her speech or willing to accept her ideals. The residents of the Fish-Man District, in particular, scoffed at her words, believing that they held the true path to salvation.
"Humans and fish-men can understand each other! We can live together in peace!" Otohime declared passionately to the crowd. "Just a few days ago, I received the understanding of a human. He believes that all people are equal, whether they are fish-men, merfolk, or humans!"
Her words caused an immediate uproar in the crowd.
"How is that possible? I trust Her Majesty, but how could humans so easily live in peace with us?"
"That's right! Aren't humans all arrogant? Would they really see us as equals?"
"Maybe the human deceived Queen Otohime."
All sorts of opinions were voiced, and the plaza became a cacophony of noise.
Seeing this, Doflamingo knew it was his time to take the stage. He flashed a wicked grin. Time for me to make my appearance, I suppose. Yes, that's right. Everyone is waiting for you.
Just as the crowd was at its most boisterous, a clap of thunder echoed through the plaza, striking the ground not far from the Queen. The sound silenced the crowd, and all eyes turned to Doflamingo. Otohime gave him a benevolent look, eagerly awaiting his next words.
"Hello, everyone. I am the human Queen Otohime spoke of," Doflamingo said calmly. "I, too, have no respect for those who are arrogant and believe themselves superior. Everyone is equal, whether you are a fish-man, a human, or any other race."
"Is that true? I can't believe I'm hearing such words from a human." The fish-men were in disbelief.
"Of course it's true! Mr. Doflamingo is not like other humans!" Arlong's voice boomed, reaching the ears of the questioning fish-men.
"Arlong! You..."
The law-abiding citizens of the island recognized the infamous thug from the Fish-Man District. The people from that area hated humans even more than they did. For them to speak well of this human... he must truly be extraordinary.
"I understand the shackles you bear," Doflamingo continued. "There is not much I can do, but I will help you when you need it. There will always be people who understand you, who are willing to treat you as equals. Do not give up hope."
His words were met with a wave of applause.
"Thank you, Mr. Doflamingo, our eternal guest of Fish-Man Island."
Guest? I have no desire to be a guest. A guest is always a guest. It's much better to be the master, Doflamingo thought to himself, but his face was wreathed in a warm, friendly smile that made him seem approachable. Even the young Shirahoshi felt a sense of goodwill toward him.
All in all, he had maxed out his favorability points today. For Doflamingo, this trip was well worth it.