In the days leading up to Dofmingo's departure, Cudius had eased up on some of his strict routines. After all, oningo left, it was likely that their paths would diverge in ways that would be difficult to recile. Cudius couldn't help but feel a bit seal about it.
So, in the days that followed, whenever Dofmingo came to him, Cudius would apany him, going out together as they had when they were younger.
It was early in 1491 of the Sea Circle dar, and Mariejois still enjoyed a mild climate. The weather that day articurly pleasant ideal for travel.
At the port of Mariejois, several Celestial Dragons had gathered, Cudius among them. This wasn't some grand ceremony; the Donquixote family's Homing and his kin were preparing to leave Mariejois, renoung their Celestial Dragon status to live as ordinary mortals in North Blue.
Homing was smiling, standing amidst an assortment of luggage that suggested he was more than ready for this transition. His two sons, Dofmingo and Rosiood at either side of him, while his wife a quiet woman with a gentle smile stood behind, silently supp her husband.
"Homing, are you absolutely sure about this?" an elderly Celestial Dragon, whose family Cudius couldn't quite pce, asked Homing with visible irritation.
"I've thought long and hard about it, and yes, I'm sure," Homing replied with a calm smile.
"I have no idea what's going through your head! You're disgrag the Celestial Dragons! Why abandon odly status to live like those lowly oners?" the elder fumed, clearly upset.
But Homing remained posed. "What are you talking about? We're humans too, aren't we?"
The surroundiial Dragons looked unfortable at this statement, their expressions twisting in displeasure.
"Homing, how dare you insult our bloodline? We're the desdants of the Creatods! We are not the same as those pitiful, filthy mortals!" the elder retorted furiously.
"I see no differeween us and them. Being a Celestial Dragon is just a title; at the core, we're all the same," Homing responded calmly, still smiling.
The elder's face turned an angry shade of red. "Fihen! If you're so determio go, so be it. But remember, once you leave Mariejois, you'll be stripped of your Celestial Dragon status. Don't e crawling back ter!"
"I won't regret it," Homing said firmly.
Watg the exge, Cudius couldn't help but shake his head. Homing really wasn't pulling any punches. If it had been Cudius in his pce, he would have left quietly, without stirring up so much attention.
There was a better way to do it perhaps by framing it as a temporary experience of the mortal world, something that could be easily reversed if things didn't go as phat way, Homing could have kept a lower profile, and while there might still have been some gossip, no one would have beled him a traitor.
But Cudius didn't feel ined to intervene. He had enough on his pte without w about Homing's idealistic choices. Watg Homing argue with the enraged Celestial Dragons around him, Cudius almost found it amusing.
Beside him, Dofmingo appeared indifferent, blinking slowly as if none of this ed him. Cudius's gaze shifted to Rosianding quietly by Homing's other side.
Rosinante was Cudius's younger cousin, but unlike Dofmingo, he was a "good boy" who had ied his father's innod kindness. Because of this, Cudius wasn't very close to him Rosinante's geure simply didn't mesh with Cudius's previous self, who had been a selfish and reckless brat.
Looking at Rosinante now, Cudius couldn't help but feel a bit seal. If anyone in this world had what could be described as a "teammate curse," it was Rosihis kid had a knack fing disaster to anyone around him.
Just look at what happeo their family after they desded to the mortal world Rosinante's mother died of illness, his father was shot by her than his brother, Dofmingo, and then the family was scattered to the winds. Later, Rosinante somehow ended up as an adopted son of Marine Admiral Sengoku, only to go undercover and nearly ruin Dofmingo's operations in North Blue. He also almost lost the Ope-Ope Fruit, which was a crucial asset.
And if that weren't enough, after betraying Dofmingo and helping Trafalgar Law escape, he iently sabotaged Sengoku's mission, leading to the plete failure of the Marine's operation on the Isnd. Dofmingo escaped capture, and the valuable Ope-Ope Fruit was ed by Law instead of being recovered by the Marines.
From the outside, Rosinante seemed to be ag on entions, but from the perspective of those involved, he was an absolute disaster mag.
Cudius had no doubt that if Rosinante hadn't died on the Isnd, Trafalgar Law's fate would have been simirly cursed by prolonged association with him.
And the root of it all, Cudius thought, was that Rosinante was too idealistiuch of a "saint." He meant well, but cked the skill to back it up, stantly meddling in things beyond his trol and dragging those around him into messes they didn't ask for.
With a sigh, Cudius averted his gaze from Rosinante. He had no iion of getting involved with him, not with the curse of misfortuhat seemed to follow him everywhere. If Cudius wao avoid being dragged down, it was best to stay clear of Rosiroubles.
Feeling a pang of sympathy for Dofmingo, who would have to endure life in the mortal world alongside this "unlucky star," Cudius stepped forward and pced a hand on Dofmingo's shoulder.
"Doffy, take care of yourself out there," Cudius said, his tone genuine. "If I ever get the ce, I'll e visit you."
Dofmingo, still oblivious to the hardships that awaited him, smiled and nodded eagerly. "Cousin, when you e, make sure y something fun!"
"I will," Cudius replied with a smile. After a brief pause, he added softly, "And if you run into any trouble, find a way to reach out to me. I'll do whatever I to help."
Dofmingo grinned, clearly appreciative of the gesture, and the two of them tinued chatting for a while about trivial matters like the sves Dofmingo had given Cudius the previous day.
Cudius had kept the two mermaids for himself, but the other sves, which he found pletely useless, had been sold off.
After some time, Homing exged a few words with the current Donquixote family head, La, and it was clear that the final farewells were being made.
Despite Homing's decision to renounce his Celestial Dragon status, La treated him with respect during this st moment, waving his hand generously to and the guards to ready a rge ship to transport Huo Minggu and his family from Mariejois.
Watg them depart, Cudius couldn't help but wonder if La's as were motivated by genuine goodwill or something more calcuted. After all, the reason Dofmingo's family would face such misery iure was rgely due to their exposure as former Celestial Dragons, which had ihe anger of the on folk.
Was La being kind, or was this part of a subtle pn to betray them? It was hard to say.
In any case, it didn't really matter. Cudius had no iion of being enemies with La. If this was a scheme, he would simply be wary in future dealings with him.
As the ship sailed off into the distahe other Celestial Dragons gradually dispersed. Some of them g Cudius with odd expressions.
After all, Cudius had barely been seen in public over the past few months. While they had heard rumors about him ag strangely, their st impression of him had been that of an ht, zy fool.
Now, they were surprised to see how much he had ged. He looked taller, more refined, and his once soft, childish features had sharpened into something more mature. He no longer resembled the waste they remembered.
"Not bad. Maybe there's potential there. A future marriage prospect, perhaps?" some of the Celestial Dragons mused.
Though the Donquixote family had produced a few oddballs over the years, Cudius still bore the pure Celestial Dragon bloodline. Moreover, with his family's standing and the potential he now seemed to show, marriage might not be a bad idea.
But Cudius couldn't care less about their thoughts. Oningo had sailed away, he waved his hand aurned home. Now that Dofmingo's "distras" were gone, Cudius could finally focus on his pns without interruption. Starting today, he could get back to fully trating on his own groreparations for the future.
