CHAPTER 632: CHAPTER 151: HOW SHOULD I PUNISH YOU?

"W-What on earth is going on here?!"

Stussy reeled as if lightning-struck. Her eyes flew wide; color drained from her lips until they were bloodless.

"N-no... impossible..."

She swallowed hard, blinking fast as if she could force the scene to blur into a dream—but it held, pitilessly clear.

Donquixote Doflamingo—the arrogant upstart who sneered at the Gorosei; who brazenly plundered the Heavenly Tribute and made a mockery of the World Government; who strutted through the New World’s underworld promising to devour it whole—

—was kneeling to Darren, head bowed, kissing the back of his hand.

The highest rite of the Mafia.

A Godfather? How could that be?

Doflamingo was a Celestial Dragon. Even stripped of residence in Mary Geoise, the blood of the World Nobles still ran in his veins—on this sea, he was supposed to be untouchable.

Otherwise, how could he have dared to thumb his nose at the Government—at the Gorosei themselves?

And yet...

That "god" was kneeling before a Marine, calling him "Godfather."

What had that bastard Rogers Darren done to break the pride of a man as perverse and unyielding as Donquixote Doflamingo?

A Celestial Dragon acknowledging a mere human as his father—it sounded like a joke no one would believe.

Darren chuckled softly.

"Oh, right. I forgot to introduce you earlier, Stussy."

He turned, amusement tugging at his mouth.

"I took in a godson back in the North Blue. Hm... he didn’t look like much at the time, so I didn’t mention him around."

"But lately the brat’s been working hard. He even made Shichibukai. Warms a godfather’s heart."

He tapped his forehead, all easy apology.

"See? My memory isn’t what it used to be."

"You must have heard, though. You did so much to help him secure that seat..."

Stussy flinched again, her cheeks flooding red before bleaching out. Her breath hitched.

"Y-you... you..."

His pleasant tone cut like a knife. She bit her lower lip until a bead of blood bloomed.

"Now then, Doffy—let me reintroduce you." Darren lifted Doflamingo to his feet with a casual hand and smiled. "You two have crossed paths in business, but this is different."

"This is Stussy, Queen of the Pleasure District—and a very dear friend of mine."

Doflamingo smiled, bowing with courtly grace. "Heh-heh-heh... a pleasure to see you again, Queen Stussy."

"And we owe her thanks," Darren added, all honey. "Without this lavish banquet she arranged, we wouldn’t have had such a lovely chance to catch up."

Stussy went rigid. She stared at the hall—the towering chandeliers, the curated delicacies, the careful program of kabuki and dance.

Doflamingo’s Shichibukai title. The risk she’d taken with the Gorosei. The hours of hair and wardrobe; the custom gown’s obscene price.

A fever dream.

Her vision wavered; her pupils lost focus.

Everything seemed to lean in and laugh at her.

"Impossible..." she breathed. "Absolutely impossible..."

Then came the memory of her own smug smile—and humiliation slammed into her. The ten crystal-clear toes peeking from her peep-toe heels curled hard against the insole.

"Completely possible," Darren sighed, sounding almost contrite. "I am, after all, a compassionate man."

"And as everyone knows, I’m very good at making friends."

"Marines, pirates, bureaucrats, even Celestial Dragons—everyone loves being my friend."

He tilted his head, gave her a wink.

"Otherwise you and I wouldn’t be such close, friendly... partners. I mean friends, right?"

Fury flickered across her face.

"So this was your plan from the start?!" she snapped, hands fisting. She swung on Doflamingo, killing intent rolling off her in waves. "And you—did you use me and my plan to play along?"

Doflamingo spread his arms, laughing that grating heh heh heh. "Don’t blame me. You were the one who came to me first."

Stussy froze.

She opened her mouth, found no words. It was true.

All her careful schemes, all that grand ambition—reduced to a clown’s act in Darren’s eyes, a farce he’d steered with two fingers.

"Then... you manipulated him into stealing the Heavenly Tribute too?" she demanded, disbelieving.

Darren shrugged. "Had to. The Gorosei didn’t want Doffy on the list, so I resorted to extremes." A beat. "You know me—I’m a peaceable guy."

Understanding slid coldly into place.

What an act.

He’d fooled everyone—not just her, but the Marines, the Government, the Gorosei. All of them danced in the palm of his hand.

The realization hollowed her out. Darkness unspooled through her chest and settled, heavy and hopeless.

Darren watched her stillness and smiled inwardly. Time to collect.

"Doffy, you can go," he said, eyes bright with amusement. "I’ve things to discuss with Ms. Stussy—at length."

Doflamingo glanced between them, smirked, and nodded. "Yes, Godfather."

Hands in his pockets, he sauntered out. The doors boomed shut.

The gold-trimmed hall held only two figures now, staring across the void at each other.

"W-what do you want?" Stussy stammered. Her heart hammered as the Marine closed the distance. A faint flush rose beneath the pallor.

She backed until the table pressed into her hips, accentuating every line. A broad, rough hand slipped around her waist.

Her breath caught—his heat and scent flooded her senses. A fingertip tipped her chin.

"So... it seems I won our little wager."

"Now... what kind of punishment should I give you?"

Amusement and mockery gleamed in his dark eyes as his palm traced a lazy ripple over violet silk.

"...My Queen."

To be continued...