There was no doubt that Doflamingo was a smart man.
When Caesar finished informing him about the person he was looking for and shifted his attention back to Baby 5, Doflamingo tactfully excused himself.
Assessing the situation was the most crucial diplomatic skill for someone like him, often referred to as being "savvy."
"Master, are we really just handing Baby 5 over to that guy?"
"Fufufu… What else can we do?"
Doflamingo strode ahead confidently: "Once something is lost, there's no point in dwelling on it. Instead of regretting, it's better to find ways to compensate elsewhere. Think about the weaklings we've plundered before, Diamante. You should have understood this principle long ago."
"My apologies, Master."
Diamante felt a bit embarrassed.
Doflamingo was right. The law of the jungle was something he understood well, but he had always been on the side of the strong.
Now, his position had shifted from the strong to the weak, and though it was hard to accept, he knew that bowing to an overwhelming force was the wisest course of action, just as the weak had once bowed to them.
"Tell the underlings to be smart and not provoke that man."
Doflamingo warned: "Fools are expendable, but if they give him a reason to act against us, that's a scenario we absolutely don't want to see, fufufu…"
"Yes!"
Diamante felt a chill and quickly agreed.
Doflamingo wasn't foolish. He could see that Caesar's compromise was only temporary.
Caesar needed the Devil Fruit and his intelligence network, which was the only reason he could preserve himself in front of Caesar.
But what if he lost that value?
Unlike the gluttonous Big Mom or the violence-driven Kaidou, Caesar, like him, was a businessman by origin, fully capable and with the resources to devour everything he had!
This was what made Caesar most formidable in his eyes.
"Darling~"
Baby 5 clung to Caesar, acting like a doting wife: "You still haven't told me what you like to eat~"
"I personally prefer spicy food and dislike bland dishes, but my girlfriend is the opposite. She loves oden and can't handle spicy food."
Pulling Baby 5 into his arms, Caesar leaned back on the soft couch, the girl in his embrace gazing at him with increasingly sparkling eyes.
"What do you like to eat?"
Baby 5 smiled sweetly: "Whatever you like, I'll like too. I'll also work hard to learn how to make oden, so I can win Sister's favor!"
"You have no sense of self at all…"
Caesar gently pinched her soft, pale chin: "Is Doflamingo not lying to me? Will you really do anything I ask?"
"Yes~"
Baby 5's eyes showed no hesitation, staring at Caesar with adoration: "As long as you need me to…"
"Then…"
"Hmm?"
"Could you…"
"Yes!"
"Live for yourself?"
"Huh?"
As Caesar's words fell, Baby 5's expression froze.
"To be honest, you're very beautiful, and I value your abilities greatly. I also have a good impression of you…"
Admiring her clean and pretty face, Caesar spoke in a gentle tone.
"But if you could be more independent and self-reliant, I'm afraid I would fall for you hopelessly!"
"Independent, self-reliant..."
Baby 5 was stunned, seemingly struggling to comprehend.
"That's right. Don't worry about whether you're needed or not. As long as you remain loyal to me, I will always need you."
Caesar let go and gently stroked the girl's jet-black hair. "You can be like other girls, wear the dresses you like, savor the foods you enjoy, without the need to please others. Whether you chase your dreams or choose to be my personal maid, it's entirely up to you."
"Oh!"
Baby 5 pursed her lips.
Then, visibly, the sweet smile on her lips suddenly drooped, and her eyes instantly filled with tears.
Her fair arms tightly wrapped around Caesar's waist, and she looked up at him with teary eyes, like a kitten who had suffered a great injustice. "I wasn't needed by my mother!"
"Perhaps that's true."
Caesar nodded. "But there will always be someone who needs you, like me."
"Mhm!"
The girl nodded vigorously, lowering her head to nuzzle against Caesar's shoulder, softly sobbing.
Gradually, her cries grew louder, from sobs to wails, as if she wanted to vent all the grievances she had accumulated over the years in one go.
Caesar gently patted Baby 5's back. After a long while, she finally stopped crying, her eyes red as she looked at him.
Staring at his handsome face, Baby 5 suddenly blushed, cupping her cheeks and turning away.
"(//▽//) I must have embarrassed myself in front of you, dear~"
"Not at all?"
Caesar chuckled softly, then once again pinched her delicate chin, leaning in slightly. Under the expectant gaze of her bright eyes, he leisurely savored the fruits of his labor.
After a long while, amidst a series of wet gasps, Caesar finally let go of the girl in his arms, whose eyes were now as soft as water. A lingering, crystal-like thread connected their lips.
"Dear~"
Baby 5 leaned affectionately against Caesar's shoulder, her eyes filled with an unshakable sweetness. "I've made up my mind about my dream."
"Tell me?"
Caesar didn't think that a single session of verbal guidance could completely heal Baby 5's psychological scars. But judging from her reaction earlier, it wasn't without effect—in fact, it was much more effective than he had anticipated!
Baby 5's eyes sparkled. "I want to be with you forever and ever, as your exclusive maid~"
"Are you sure about that?"
Caesar encircled her slender waist. "I did rather shamelessly exploit your psychological issues, you know."
Baby 5 didn't mind at all. "But if that were the case, you wouldn't have needed to guide me, right?"
Caesar nodded, adding, "That's true. After all, you're going to be my woman from now on. You mustn't listen to others, especially men!"
"Is this what they call possessiveness?"
Baby 5 blushed again, cupping her face, her expression brimming with happiness. "Oh my~"
Caesar: "..."
This lovestruck state of hers was quite similar to the Empress in the story.
But being lovestruck wasn't so bad, especially since it was him, Caesar, she was lovestruck over.
He quite liked Baby 5—she was beautiful, had a mature charm, was easy to fool, and, most importantly, she wasn't weak in terms of strength.
The potential of the Arms-Arms Fruit was undeniable. In theory, as long as Baby 5 had enough stamina, she could transform into any existence that could be defined as a weapon.
Judging from the plot where her limbs could freely turn into guns and cannons, it wouldn't be too difficult for her to develop abilities like laser guns or electromagnetic cannons if she trained properly.
"By the way, can your Devil Fruit ability transform you into a battleship?"
"No!"
Baby 5 answered without hesitation, then immediately looked at Caesar with a worried expression. "Am I too useless?"
"Not at all. I was just asking."
Caesar shook his head slightly. Indeed, theory was one thing, but there were bound to be limitations in practical application.
--Support me in Patreon for more chapters 35+ chapters in there
patreon.com/GoddessTL
Thanks!