Uncle and Nephew

Garling brought only Gigue into his Royal Chamber. After the two left, the Golden Armor Guards who had been lying prone on the ground for so long finally dared to catch their breath and rise, watching Garling and Gigue's backs with awe.

People really were different. Some were born kings.

Once inside the Royal Chamber, Gigue looked around. Aside from a few decorations, everything from the furniture to the walls was spotless white, far less lavish than he had imagined.

As the residence of the Figarland Family Head, it seemed a little too austere.

Garling led the way in silence. His Royal Chamber was enormous, with even a staircase leading underground.

Down below, a black door appeared before Gigue. For some reason, he suddenly felt weak.

The closer he got to the door, the stronger that weakness became. Gigue had to force himself just to make it to the door.

Garling showed no reaction. He turned to glance at Gigue and said,

"Do you feel like your whole body has gone limp?"

Gigue pressed a hand against the wall to barely hold himself up. He nodded slightly and asked,

"This door is made of Seastone, isn't it?"

"That's right. Its purity is extremely high, and it suppresses Ability Users very effectively. It can strip an Ability User of their powers without even making contact. At the same time, it is one of the hardest materials in the world."

Gigue tried to activate his ability and found that Garling was right. Not even a wisp of black smoke emerged from his body; he simply could not use the power of the Dark-Dark Fruit.

Not only could he not use his ability, but his body grew even weaker. He staggered and nearly fell to the ground.

Garling had expected this. He stepped forward to support Gigue, whose breathing had become hurried.

"Sorry, Uncle Garling. I really can't muster any strength."

Garling chuckled and shook his head.

"No need to apologize. You've already done very well. Gurando was in an even worse state than you are now."

"He was an Ability User?"

"He wasn't before he came here. He took that Devil Fruit from behind this door—the Paramecia Blood-Blood Fruit."

Gigue narrowed his eyes. This was an unfamiliar fruit to him.

But one thing was clear to him: since this fruit had been taken from a secret chamber of the Figarland Family, its power could not possibly be inferior to those fruits from God Valley back then.

Garling's next words confirmed it.

"The previous Family Head—your grandfather—was the Blood-Blood Fruit's Ability User. After he died, the family went to great lengths to recover the fruit. Gurando had his eye on it, so I gave it to him."

Gigue had no memory of his grandfather at all. Ever since he could remember, no one in the family had ever mentioned him. He could not help asking,

"That fruit's power must be formidable. Why didn't you want to eat it yourself, Uncle Garling?"

Garling shook his head.

"I've never had much interest in Devil Fruits. Besides, that fruit's power is too evil. It erodes its user's mind. Within only a few years of becoming an Ability User, my father went completely mad. If he hadn't regained a little awareness at the very end, I would never have had the chance..."

Garling stopped there, pain appearing on his face.

Though he did not continue, Gigue could roughly guess what had happened. Garling had most likely killed his own father with his own hands.

At that thought, Gigue's expression turned strange, because in the future, he too would have to kill his father.

The difference was that Garling had been forced to commit patricide, while Gigue would do so of his own accord.

At that moment, uncle and nephew fell silent. After a while, Gigue took the initiative to ask,

"Since that fruit is so dangerous, why did you give it to him?"

Garling sighed.

"Gurando had always held a grudge over my appointment as Commander of the Divine Knights. After I became Family Head and gained control over this secret chamber, he asked for that fruit. At first, I refused."

Gigue pursed his lips. So you still gave him the fruit?

Thinking that Gurando's strength would increase again, Gigue felt rather displeased and casually asked,

"What? Don't tell me he got down on his knees and begged you?"

Garling choked on those words. He shot Gigue an annoyed glare and said,

"With his personality, how could he possibly kneel before me? He promised that as long as I gave him the fruit, he would no longer interfere with you. And I also wanted to ease my relationship with him, so in the end, I agreed."

Garling's tone was calm and casual, yet Gigue's body trembled almost imperceptibly.

He finally understood why Gurando had never shown any intention of making a move against him during all those years outside.

Garling's words struck Gigue deeply. Having lived two lives, this was the first time he had truly felt the existence of familial affection.

Remembering Garling's quiet concern and help over the years, Gigue looked at him and softly said,

"Uncle Garling, thank you."

Garling froze. Though this was not the first time Gigue had called him uncle, he could clearly feel that the emotion behind those words was completely different.

Because of what he had experienced as a child, Gigue not only hated Gurando but had also developed hostility toward the entire Figarland Family. So even though Garling had always helped him, a barrier had remained in his heart.

But now, after learning what Garling had done for him, that barrier in Gigue's heart completely disappeared.

Garling was happy as well, but he had always been rather rigid and rarely showed his true feelings.

Simply put, he was not good at expressing himself.

He awkwardly turned his face aside, and in the end, only managed to say three words.

"Don't mention it."

Without waiting for Gigue's response, he supported him to the door, took a golden key from his robe, and inserted it into a hidden slot in the door.

Garling turned the key, and a dull boom came from the door. Then he pressed a hand against it and pushed lightly. The two heavy doors slowly opened.

Just from the sound alone, Gigue could tell how heavy the doors were. He could not help thinking that even with the key, he probably would not have had the strength to push them open himself.

What would he do after becoming Family Head? Would he have to bring Lucia along every time he came here?

A conflicted expression appeared on Gigue's face. Bringing Lucia along was not a problem; Lucia was one of his own.

What troubled him was the thought of himself weakly leaning against Lucia's chest like some little girl while she opened the door for him. That was just too embarrassing...