When Abel regained consciousness, it was already the afternoon of the following day.
Since arriving in this world, he had lost count of how many times he had been injured and knocked unconscious.
But thankfully, he had stubbornly pulled through each time.
And with every brush with death, his ambition to grow stronger and possess everything he desired burned even more fiercely within him!
Abel struggled to sit up, his head wrapped in bandages.
His arms, broken by Diamante's kick, were now tightly splinted, indicating they had been set.
He wasn't worried about any lasting effects. After all, the legendary Great God Usopp had his skull shattered countless times, yet he always bounced back as the Sniper King!
Of course, that was just a joke.
"Ah, the guy who angered Lord Diamante is awake! Quick, inform the Young Master!"
Seeing Abel awake, a cute, excitable little girl in the room scurried out without giving him a chance to speak.
This left Abel somewhat frustrated, as he still didn't know the situation.
But it seemed he had successfully stayed.
Moments later, footsteps echoed through the room. This time, Doflamingo strode in, still wearing his signature pink feathered coat and moving with the flamboyant swagger of a flamingo. His mere presence exuded an overwhelming arrogance.
"Fufufufufu~ You're finally awake."
Abel remained silent, unsure of what to say or how to address Doflamingo. He decided to play the part of a man of few words.
Truth be told, without "Reckless Law" to shield him, facing Doflamingo alone felt immensely daunting. After all, Abel had joined this organization from the start with the intention of usurping Doflamingo's position.
Unfazed by Abel's silence, Doflamingo perched on the windowsill and declared, "Abel, Gustavus Abel... I've heard your story from Law."
"Though Amber Lead Syndrome has left you both with only a few years to live, I, the great Donquixote Doflamingo, am still willing to give you a chance."
"For this world is never short on miracles, and no disease is truly incurable."
"Have you heard of Devil Fruits? They're the embodiment of miracles, capable of turning the weak into the strong and granting overnight riches. Of course, there are also Devil Fruits that can heal the sick and save lives."
"Our Donquixote Family primarily operates in the underground black market, and we handle a great many Devil Fruits. Who knows? One of them might just cure your illness."
Even though Abel knew Doflamingo was just dangling a carrot, he couldn't deny the allure of his words.
He figured this was likely how Law had initially been lured into joining the family in the original story.
And it wasn't even a lie, because everything Doflamingo said was true—such Devil Fruits genuinely existed.
The only question was whether this guy had already set his sights on the Ope Ope Fruit's Ability.
Unfortunately for Doflamingo, Abel couldn't care less about any of this. What he wanted had always been fundamentally different from what Law sought!
"So, what do I have to give up?"
Abel, inwardly calm, deliberately feigned a look of longing and suspicion.
Doflamingo burst into laughter. "Fufufufufufu~ You don't need to give us anything! From now on, you're family. Family members naturally help each other and never betray one another! Wouldn't you agree?"
The two stared intently at each other for a moment before Abel nodded solemnly.
The greatest asset Abel had gained from his thirty years in his previous life was his masterful ability to speak to people in their own language and to demons in theirs—a skill honed through years of practice.
Doflamingo finally seemed satisfied. He hadn't detected Abel's true intentions and couldn't possibly imagine that this young boy was already coveting everything he possessed.
Even if he had known, his arrogant nature would likely have convinced him that he could control Abel, preventing any chance of betrayal.
"Excellent. Once you've recovered, you'll need to learn a great deal. Prepare yourself mentally."
"Baby-5, stay here and explain the rules to him."
"You're the first apprentice family member to anger an Executive. So be careful not to give anyone a reason to betray you, or you'll really die, you know? Fufufufufufu~"
Doflamingo left with a hearty laugh, leaving Baby-5 and Abel staring at each other in awkward silence.
"My name is Baby-5, and I'm Young Master's maid. Since he's taken you in, we're family now. Feel free to tell me if you need anything."
"Gustavus Abel. You can call me Abel. Don't worry, I won't hold back. I'll be troubling you with many things in the future."
This was actually a test. Abel wasn't sure if Baby-5 had already developed the character trait from the original story—a desperate need to be needed, making her unable to refuse anyone who asked for her help.
"Oh, how wonderful! Someone needs me again~ Abel, you're such a good person!"
The little girl suddenly became shy, her gaze toward Abel softening and sparkling.
Seeing this, Abel immediately understood.
'So she's already showing signs of that personality trait at this stage.'
Though he'd been inexplicably given a "good person" card, at least she hadn't learned to smoke or call herself "old lady" yet...
The thought of such an adorable little girl suddenly puffing on a cigarette and shouting, "This old lady will show you!" sent a chill down his spine.
"So, what rules did Doflamingo tell you to tell me?" Abel hadn't forgotten the main reason he was here.
"Abel, apprentice members of the family aren't allowed to address the Young Master by his full name. You can call him Young Master or Young Master Doflamingo, just like me. Otherwise, you can refer to him as Captain Doflamingo, like the other crew members do."
The little girl's face suddenly pressed close, earnestly correcting Abel's address.
Baby-5's breath tickled his cheek...
Abel leaned back, avoiding the somewhat intimate gesture. After all, considering his combined age from two lifetimes, he was already an old man. He dared not entertain any improper thoughts.
Still, calling Doflamingo "Young Master" felt impossible.
So "Young Master" was out. Calling him "Captain" wouldn't hurt.
Compared to Blackbeard, he certainly wasn't as cunning. Blackbeard had willingly served as Whitebeard's adopted son for years, all for a Devil Fruit.
"Alright, I understand. Can you tell me the rule now?"
"Mm-hmm. Actually, the family has only one rule—the Blood Family Rule. It means that no matter how you're treated or what situation you face, you must never defy the authority of the Executives. If anyone disobeys, the family would fall apart."