18
Survival Day Eighteen: Are You Doubting Me?
Law did not disclose Corazon’s secret conversation to Doflamingo.
Considering that Corazon hadn’t exposed him when he stabbed Corazon earlier, Law decided to return the favor and kept quiet.
However… he never expected Corazon to abruptly take him out to sea, claiming to search for a cure for him.
His own father was a doctor, and he had studied numerous medical texts since childhood—didn’t he know better than anyone whether Plumbum Disease was curable? This kind of behavior was utterly redundant!
Law rejected such blind actions. With only a year left to live, he wanted to spend his final days exacting revenge on the world. He couldn’t comprehend Corazon’s motives and had no intention of cooperating.
While Corazon dragged him around the world seeking medical treatment and Law screamed for help, cursing Corazon as a kidnapper, the Donquixote Family was equally baffled by Corazon’s actions.
“…What on earth is that guy thinking?” Even though Corazon was his own younger brother, Doflamingo found it hard to understand.
“They seemed to have a terrible relationship, yet Corazon is so dedicated…” some executives remarked in amazement.
Wendy was also taken aback by the news. She had assumed Corazon took Law away to silence him and prevent him from revealing any secrets, and she found the action understandable.
As a result, she remained the calmest among them.
Doflamingo noticed this and looked over at her. “Wendy, do you know something?”
“It’s not hard to understand,” Wendy said matter-of-factly. “Law is sick, so Corazon took him to seek treatment.”
Everyone else: “…” It sounded like a logical statement, but it was essentially meaningless.
Doflamingo: “…” He almost forgot—this woman’s thought process was just as incomprehensible.
Corazon’s sudden departure didn’t cause much commotion. After all, he had been absent three years prior as well.
However… everyone was surprised to find that after Corazon left, the relentless pursuit by the Marines—who had always seemed to catch up with them immediately—suddenly ceased.
The timing was too suspicious, and everyone couldn’t help but grow suspicious.
Half a year after Corazon’s departure, Doflamingo convened an executive meeting, and the group began discussing the matter.
Although Wendy wasn’t an executive, her status was equivalent to one. Moreover, Doflamingo trusted her, so she attended every executive meeting.
Still, she rarely contributed anything useful. Instead, she often made irrelevant remarks that had nothing to do with the topic at hand. As a result, she was more like a meeting mascot—decorative and there to boost the group’s average appearance.
While everyone else was discussing matters, Wendy was busy examining her yet-to-be-unlocked Tech Tree, staring blankly at the list of items under her personal tech and sighing.
It wasn’t that she couldn’t try to become a War God, but doing so would require crafting various Soul Potions to buff Abigail… However, the main ingredient for Soul Potions was [Mourning Glory].
This material requires finding those lost soul Little Shivers, helping them search for toys, and then these little souls will give something like Ghost Flowers as gifts in return.
Wendy had previously spotted the graveyard with gleaming eyes, eagerly rushing over to investigate, only to return empty-handed without finding any ghosts.
When others grew curious about her behavior and asked, she honestly told them the reason: she was looking for ghosts, specifically ones that resembled her older sister.
Others: Understood, looking for your own kind, right?
Although they didn’t understand how Wendy’s sister had become a ghost hovering around her… having such a Devil Fruit ability wasn’t entirely unacceptable.
They just didn’t know whether Wendy herself possessed the ability to turn others into souls to use as fighters, or if she simply wanted to find playmates.
So they asked.
Wendy answered with her usual honesty: [I want to be friends with them, help them fulfill their wishes, and then have them give me rewards.]
Others: […]
Though they didn’t understand, they could respect it, but they were genuinely curious about what kind of rewards Wendy actually wanted.
In any case, Wendy’s honest Q&A was dismissed as yet another of her eccentric behaviors, brushed off with noncommittal nods and vague sounds of agreement.
Wendy felt regretful about this—apparently, this graveyard didn’t produce many Little Shivers, or perhaps these people simply couldn’t see what only she could see.
However, Doflamingo did tell her that among Devil Fruits, there was a Ghost Fruit that could summon small ghosts. Though they wouldn’t be like her sister Abigail, capable of dealing actual damage to living people in a fight.
Wendy listened with shining eyes and concluded that this must be the way to obtain Mourning Glory in this world—all she needed to do was find the Ghost Fruit ability user and help them find toys!
But this world was vast, and Devil Fruit ability users were numerous. Even the Donquixote Family, who had long been involved in underground dealings and were relatively well-informed, currently had no leads on the Ghost Fruit ability user.
Thinking this, Wendy sighed again.
Her expression was too obvious, and everyone noticed her.
Diamante looked over: “Wendy, you often spend time with Corazon. Do you know something?”
Wendy glanced up at him, sensing ill intent, and frowned: “Are you suspecting me?”
“Of course not! I’m just asking!” Diamante felt utterly wronged.
Wendy pointed out another issue sharply: “I spend more time with Doffy.”
Diamante: “…” Though it was true! He really hadn’t meant to suspect Wendy!
“Enough, Wendy never involves herself in these matters. There’s no need to suspect her.” Doflamingo spoke up, settling the matter with finality. He frowned, then gradually broke into a chilling smile. “As for Corazon… I hope it’s just a coincidence. After all, he’s my only younger brother.”
Once Doflamingo said these words, it meant the seed of suspicion had already begun to grow wildly.
Wendy looked over curiously, while Doflamingo walked up beside her. As if to soothe her after the earlier suspicion from Diamante, he reached out and gently ruffled her hair, bringing up another matter: “There’s news about the Op-Op Fruit.”
Wendy froze upon hearing this, then a smile spread across her face: “Does that mean Law’s illness can be cured? Is the Op-Op Fruit for Law to eat?”
This way, she could invite Law to become her little companion! She wondered if the main storyline would update because of this?
“Law is still too young. Let Corazon eat it.” Doflamingo said with a smile, “As an executive, it won’t do for him to still not be a Devil Fruit user until now… And such a high-value fruit should naturally go to my most trusted younger brother.”
Wendy tilted her head and frowned.
She knew that Corazon was already a Devil Fruit ability user, and that a person couldn’t eat two Devil Fruits at once or they would die… Whatever, there would surely be a solution when the time came. Probably Corazon would let Law eat the fruit anyway.
After making this deduction, Wendy relaxed her brow and stopped worrying about the matter.
Seeing her attitude, Doflamingo didn’t keep her any longer and declared the meeting over. Wendy immediately cheered “Yay!”, grabbed her walking stick and quickly left without any hesitation.
The other executives were somewhat speechless seeing her like this – indeed, Wendy seemed the least likely to be a spy. She always lived in her own little world, seemingly unconcerned about anything else in this world.
Doflamingo had never suspected her either.
His current suspicion was directed at Corazon, since the evidence was clearly laid out before him.
The Op-Op Fruit was the perfect bait… If the other party took it and proved to be clean, then everyone would be happy.
But if the other party had problems…
He picked up the Den Den Mushi, made a call, informed Corazon about the news of the Op-Op Fruit, and requested that he bring Law along to have him eat the Op-Op Fruit to cure his illness.
After putting down the Den Den Mushi, Trebol quietly approached and whispered: “Doffy, besides Corazon… we should also keep an eye on Wendy.”
“…Hmm?” Doflamingo glanced over, his tone carrying some pressure, “You know such accusations require evidence, right?”
“I don’t want to believe it either… After all, Wendy has been with us for so long and doesn’t seem like someone who would betray us… But if Corazon really has problems, she might be deceived by him.” Trebol said, taking out a letter and handing it over, “Señor found this in Wendy’s package.”
Although the package was convenient, sometimes when changing into new clothes, Wendy would leave the unsightly package behind for photo opportunities. After all, she had her system’s built-in toolbar to store things.
Doflamingo looked at the letter, took it, and opened it.
It was in Wendy’s handwriting, only half-written, with the opening address reading [To Uncle Garp].