Meanwhile, after resolving Law's issue, Stephie took her spoils of war—Reiju of Germa, Bax the user of the Dissolve-Dissolve Fruit, and several members of the Heart Pirates—and returned to the Holy Land in about a week.
Aside from filing the paperwork to grant attendant status to Reiju, the six clone soldiers she brought, and Law, all other spoils of war were branded with the Hoof of the Soaring Dragon and sent to the Slave House.
In truth, there was a misunderstanding here. Many people failed to understand why the Celestial Dragons specially maintained a place like the Slave House, much like the Toy House Doflamingo would later replicate. Eleco only learned the inner workings of this after transmigrating and becoming a Celestial Dragon.
How could Celestial Dragons, who fancied themselves noble, possibly live alongside lowly slaves?
Usually, slaves branded with the Hoof of the Soaring Dragon were housed in the Slave House, though distinctions certainly existed. Those high-status, powerful, and wealthy Celestial Dragons would configure exclusive rooms for their favorite slaves, stamp them with their own insignia, and notify other Celestial Dragons that these were their private property.
Meanwhile, low-status Celestial Dragons who lacked the wealth to set aside private rooms would send their captured slaves into the communal living areas. Other Celestial Dragons could also apply to use slaves of this type. Yet, to save face, these low-status Celestial Dragons would typically claim: "I brought these slaves back out of the goodness of my heart, so everyone can share them and have some fun."
Then there were the public slaves supplied by the World Government, though these were generally sent to the Holy Land auction house first before the remainder were passed along. Naturally, so they could amuse themselves with the slaves at night, the Celestial Dragons would slap the label of "toys" onto the corresponding slaves, informing their peers that they were merely playing with toys. This served as a convenient mask.
As for those who actually served the Celestial Dragons, they were mostly descendants who had served the Celestial Dragons for generations and were fully trusted; they were generally registered as attendants of a specific household. Out of mutual courtesy, Celestial Dragons would rarely take the initiative to demand these household attendants from one another. Even if one were given as a gift, they would only be assigned to light duties unrelated to the household's core operations. Naturally, if two parties took a liking to each other and valued the other's attendant or slave, exchanges could still be made.
The whole system was built on harmony—unless a particular family held a deliberate grudge against another, resulting in mutually tormenting spectacles. Therefore, in the original story, Donquixote Rosinante's father, or rather the entire Donquixote Family, was the truly unhinged and abnormal clan in the eyes of the other families. Everyone else got along fine and bullied commoners to their hearts' content—why on earth insist on making a scene and being special?
Naturally, as for the people Stephie brought back this time, per Eleco's instructions, Reiju was registered directly as the head maid—specifically, Eleco's personal head maid. Law, on the other hand, was first branded with the Hoof of the Soaring Dragon and then registered as an attendant. This sent a clear message to outsiders that Law was the lowest kind of servant in this household, but anyone thinking of touching him would still have to answer to the Fieldro Family.
By this time, Law had long since regained consciousness. During these past days, there hadn't been a moment when he didn't think about how to escape, how to rescue his crewmates, or even how to leap into the sea.
Unfortunately, the ones guarding them turned out to be Germa's clone soldiers.
How was he supposed to deal with that? A bunch of emotionless freaks who only knew how to obey orders—not only were they completely impervious to reason, but they damn well didn't even know how to slack off.
And you know what? It was as humiliating as it could possibly get. Law had even considered trying to orchestrate an escape by requesting permission to relieve himself. As a result, the clone soldiers simply scooped them up to handle their bodily excretions like infants, providing hands-on service while letting out a damn whistling sound: "Shh, shh."
Damn it all to hell!
Especially when he heard the screams of his crewmates being branded with the Hoof of the Soaring Dragon, Law's resolve solidified even further.
Just wait, all of you. Law knew his only current chance lay in that Celestial Dragon needing him to perform surgery. After all, bringing in an Ope Ope no Mi user meant they were either after medical treatment or the Immortality Operation. Whichever it was, they would eventually have to take off his Seastone cuffs, wouldn't they?
Unfortunately, he had no idea that Eleco had no intention of granting his wish. Setting aside the Green Blood technology for a moment, Eleco was actually very keen to test whether Bax's Dissolve-Dissolve Fruit ability could dissolve Law's consciousness and directly reprogram Law into an obedient dog.
After completing all the paperwork and tossing the irrelevant slaves into the rooms specially designated in the Slave House, Stephie had the servants direct the clone soldiers to take Law to a designated interrogation room.
"Reiju, since you still have to obey your father's orders for now, I can't completely trust you. Of course, I doubt you have the guts to pull anything. Still, for some reason, His Imperial Highness has always worried you might try to pull a mutual destruction stunt. So for these next few days, you'll first study the rules and precautions with the head maid. Only when you're ready will you be allowed to serve His Imperial Highness. Understand?"
That's right. Because Reiju had long since grown disillusioned with Germa and even wanted to destroy it, what could be more direct than bullying Eleco, a sickly invalid? One misstep and it would wipe out her entire bloodline. Eleco had no desire to court that kind of trouble.
"Understood."
Having arranged matters for Reiju, Stephie finally made her way to Eleco's room. To spend more time with Eleco while he was fully conscious, Stephie had timed her arrival precisely.
"Your Imperial Highness..."
"Stephie, you're back? Though I'm afraid I have to trouble you once again—we've received concrete news regarding Pluton."
"Pluton?"
Seeing Eleco dressed in pajamas, casually tossing a piece of intelligence onto the floor as he walked over and pulled her into a hug, Stephie was momentarily stunned.
"The Ancient Weapon—the battleship Pluton!"
"Really? Where is it?"
Stephie was an elite aristocrat who had received the highest-level elite education. She fully understood the gravity of the situation when it came to the destructive power of Ancient Weapons and the deterrence they provided.
"It's just the original construction blueprints, not the physical ship. I originally intended to report this to Father and Mother."
"Blueprints are even more important. Having the blueprints means we can continuously manufacture Pluton, which would be a monumental leap forward for us. So? Where are they?"
"Uh, there's no rush..."
"Your Imperial Highness, do you realize how massive the stakes are here? If those fall into someone else's hands, we'll be on the defensive."
Watching Stephie lecture him with a stern expression, Eleco realized he had gone a bit too far. His original intent was merely to tell Stephie the whereabouts of Pluton and make her take it seriously; he hadn't expected her to attach such immense importance to it. As expected of a Celestial Dragon raised with an elite education—she was simply nothing like those good-for-nothing slacking Celestial Dragons.
"Ah, don't worry. Aside from me, the others who knew have already been dealt with..."
"Your Imperial Highness, although we've verified the authenticity of the information revealed in that prophetic dream of yours, you still can't afford to be this arrogant! The future has already changed—what will we do if the intelligence turns out to be wrong?"
"That's why we should pick up the pace, isn't it?"
"Then what is our next step?"
"Water 7—the Ancient Weapon, battleship Pluton!"
Putting aside his playful teasing, Eleco slowly stated their next objective.
After handing over the compiled intelligence regarding Water 7 to Stephie, she immediately set off for Water 7, stating that she didn't want to live with regrets later. Meanwhile, led by a servant, Eleco hurried toward the interrogation rooms.
Just moments earlier, a servant had reported that Bax had been beaten within an inch of his life by the other members of the Heart Pirates locked in the cells. Fortunately, the guards had intervened in time to prevent him from dying.
It was entirely Bax's own fault. He had never gotten along with the Heart Pirates in the first place, and even after being locked in Seastone handcuffs, stripped of his powers, and left completely drained of strength, he had still managed to run his mouth and provoke the Heart Pirates. If he hadn't died, it was a testament to the guards' quick reflexes.
Stephie also had herself to blame for forgetting the bad blood between them and locking them all in the same area.
"How long until he recovers?"
At that moment, an icy aura radiated from Eleco as he questioned the reporting servant. One had to understand that Bax's ability was tied to many of his upcoming plans. Thus far, he simply didn't trust Germa's cybernetic modification technology.
"Reporting to Eleco-saint, the doctor says it will take at least a month."
"Use the best medicine. I want him able to use his ability in half a month at most. Understand?"
"Yes!"
Having finished giving instructions to the servant, Eleco arrived at the room where Law was being interrogated.
At this point, Law was bound to a chair by Seastone chains, looking thoroughly disheveled and miserable.
"Trafalgar Law, now that you've fallen into my hands, you can abandon any hope. Let me introduce myself: I am Philro Eleco, a descendant of the great Celestial Dragons. Of course, as far as you're concerned, I am your future master. Let's take a look at this first."
Clap, clap, clap!
Eleco gave a simple clap of his hands, and pre-arranged servants brought in a projecting Den Den Mushi, casting an image onto the interrogation room wall.
The projected feed linked directly inside a prison cell where a member of the Heart Pirates was currently being tortured.
Hearing those echoing screams, Law's eyes burned with fury. "Stop, stop, stop it right now—!"
Sure enough, Law was still unable to adapt quickly to the debilitating effects of Seastone, even after being cuffed for days—though Stephie intentionally starving him these past few days probably played a part in leaving him exceptionally weak.
"Hmph, they interfered with my plans, so a few of them are definitely going to die today. As for who dies, and whether they suffer before they go, that depends entirely on how cooperative you are."
"You—"
Watching Law's helpless, furious roar, Eleco decided to teach him a thorough lesson first.
"Finish him."
The cold command fell from Eleco's lips. Upon receiving the order, the guard inside the cell cleanly and decisively executed the tortured member of the Heart Pirates.
"Ahhhhh—I'll kill you!—"
"Rest assured, based on the number of your crewmates, I will kill them one by one right in front of you until you cooperate. Oh, and you're well aware of Bax's abilities, aren't you? Come to think of it, your crewmates probably realized the danger Bax's power posed, which is why they tried to get rid of him beforehand. What a pity, a real pity. Once he recovers, I'll have him dissolve your consciousness, alter your thoughts, and train you into an obedient dog—the result is the same either way. But before that, you get to watch your comrades suffer agonizing torture and ultimately die right in front of you. This is all because of your refusal to cooperate. After all, I simply don't want to waste any extra time. Oh, and Germa also has cybernetic technology that makes people obedient, so believe me, I have plenty of methods up my sleeve~"
Listening to Eleco's demonic declarations, Law was on the verge of a breakdown. He still couldn't fathom why things had turned out this way. All he knew was that if he didn't cooperate, he would truly lose his crewmates.
"What... do you want me to do?"
"Slap him!"
Smack!
The maid accompanying Eleco stepped up obediently and delivered a sharp blow across Law's face.
"From now on, you must address him as Lord Eleco-saint. Understand?"
The maid stated explicitly on Eleco's behalf.
"First, use your ability to hand over the hearts of Bax and your crewmates to me."
Eleco was thoroughly familiar with the specifics of Law's ability, which gave him absolute leverage over Law right now.
"You... you know my ability better than I do..."
Smack!
"I told you to call him Lord Eleco-saint!"
Seeing that Law still hadn't changed how he addressed him, the maid standing beside Eleco delivered yet another slap to Law's face.
"It seems you still haven't accepted reality. Kill another one!"
Seeing Law's defiant and rebellious expression, Eleco spoke coldly.
As his words fell, the projected image switched in time to another cell, inside of which was imprisoned none other than—Penguin!
"Lord Eleco-saint, according to the collected intelligence, this fellow named Penguin is one of the earliest people to follow Trafalgar Law. I'm sure their bond is deep enough to teach him a proper lesson."
The maid by Eleco's side dutifully reported to him using the dossier in her hands. Of course, Eleco already knew all of this, but when putting on a performance, one had to be thorough!
"Let's go with him."
Along with the icy decree came the executioner's blade falling inside the cell.
"No, no, no, stop it right now!—"
Thud!
Though Law roared with every ounce of his remaining strength and even fell to his knees to kowtow toward Eleco, he still couldn't prevent Penguin's head from rolling to the floor.
"Ahhhhh—"
Watching a friend of five years die right before his eyes, Law broke down in bitter tears.
"It seems you still haven't realized your mistake, daring to use that improper form of address again, Trafalgar Law. Since that's the case, let's finish off another one."
When it came to crushing a person's psychological defenses, Eleco had a few tricks up his sleeve; he knew that someone like Law, who cared deeply for his friends, was the easiest type to break in.
"No, no, no, I was wrong! I was wrong, Lord Eleco-saint!"
Bang, bang, bang!
Another series of heavy kowtows.
"If that's the case, then come with me!"
Guided by the servants, Eleco and his entourage arrived at a special room. Inside, Bax, now wrapped up like a mummy, lay flat on a medical bed.
"Set up the projecting Den Den Mushi. Law, don't you dare disappoint me. Heal Bax first, and then hand over Bax's heart to me. Understand? These doctors will assist you."
After giving instructions to the servants to remove Law's Seastone handcuffs, Eleco was led outside the room by his attendants.
Meanwhile, the feed on the projecting Den Den Mushi had already shifted to display the cell where the Heart Pirates were being held. Outside the room, Eleco lounged comfortably on a sofa-bed, watching the projection. Naturally, this particular feed originated from the room where Law was.
From there, Eleco settled back to enjoy a massage and being fed grapes by his maid.
"Begin!"
Through the communication mic, Eleco issued his order into the room.
Following the command, the servants unlocked Law's Seastone cuffs.
"By the way, don't even think about escaping. This room is built from specially reinforced Seastone; you aren't getting out."
That's right, Eleco had spent a fortune and leveraged his cheap father's privileges to secure this room. (Well, if they could modify the bottom of Marine warships with Seastone, rigging up a small room shouldn't be a big deal, right? Besides, Devil Fruit users only lost their strength when in close proximity to Seastone.)
"I know. There's no hope left anyway, is there?"
"You shouldn't give up on life just yet~ Even if you don't care about your crewmates, I happen to possess a very interesting piece of intelligence. I once had two imperial brothers named Doflamingo and Rosinante, and when I was investigating your background, well, well—I made quite a discovery..."
"What did you say?! They used to be Celestial Dragons?"
"Look at you, getting all worked up again and using the wrong title. Guess we'll have to kill another one."
Hearing Eleco's demonic tone, Law was pushed to the brink of absolute terror.
Bang, bang, bang!
"I know, Lord Eleco-saint. I'll obey you."
Heh. As expected, you still had to dangle a bit of hope in front of them.
"Then let's begin!"
"Yes..."
Half an hour later, assisted by the medical team Eleco had arranged, Law successfully healed Bax—at least restoring Bax's mobility (though he would now have to be called New Bax).
Midway through Law's treatment, Eleco had suddenly recalled how Law used his power to switch bodies among Nami and the others in the original story. Therefore, once Bax was healed, he not only had Law extract Bax's heart using his ability, but he also had one of the guards who had previously removed Law's cuffs swap bodies with him.
And so, Eleco now had a New Bax who was utterly loyal to him.
"Next, you'll thoroughly familiarize yourself with this body's abilities. We have plenty of raw materials to spare. Once you finish my task, I'll have you transferred to my side as my personal bodyguard."
Following another round of inspirational incentives about promotions and pay raises, Eleco dispatched New Bax to go get accustomed to his powers.
Chiefly, Bax's ability was far too important, yet Eleco didn't quite trust whether Vegapunk or Judge might tamper with it. So, troublesome as it was to rely on Law repeatedly using his ability to switch bodies into New Bax, Eleco decided to proceed this way for the time being.
You had to eat your meals one bite at a time, after all.