But he did not say it in front of everyone. After all, those matters were Shanks's own secrets.
Doflamingo grinned. "Fuffuffuffuffu! Ben Beckman is a sly old fox!"
"Even if we invited him aboard, I doubt he'd accept so easily."
"The moment he stepped onto this ship, he'd be confirming some of the rumors going around."
"If that triggered a major shift in the world situation, it would put them in a difficult position."
Doflamingo did have a point.
As long as Ben Beckman did not set foot on the Chris, the outside world would have no hard evidence.
But no one could be sure that nothing had happened between the Red Hair Pirates and the Chris Pirates, either.
That uncertainty was precisely what kept everyone who did not know the truth from acting freely.
Once the matter was settled beyond doubt, all of that would lose its meaning.
Ben Beckman's little calculations would come to nothing, too.
Still, hearing it from Doflamingo made it sound unpleasant.
Dracule Mihawk shot Doflamingo a cold glance and ignored him.
He turned to Chris. "The situation here is rather complicated."
"Ben Beckman alone can't speak for the entire Red Hair Pirates."
"I think... I'd rather not put my old friend in a difficult position."
Mihawk's falcon-sharp eyes watched Ben Beckman's ship draw ever closer.
The Pudora Kingdom Waters had become the focus of the world's attention.
This was no private gathering. Everything that happened here, every move they made, would be magnified a hundredfold, a thousandfold.
An invitation to come aboard would do neither of these two powers any good when they had yet to define their relationship.
Beckman would be in trouble whether he accepted a drink or declined.
That would truly leave him caught between two choices.
Chris nodded slightly