After Sabo devoured the food like a whirlwind, he slowly responded to Koala's words.
"So, what exactly is the situation now?"
Koala tilted her head slightly, her gaze lingering on the beauty magazine in her hand for a moment before she softly said, "You'll have to pay for the meal yourself."
Sabo was stuffing lobster into his mouth when he heard this, so shocked that he nearly dropped it on the floor. =͟͟͞͞(꒪⌓꒪*)
What about the promised expense account? This sudden backstab! He's so poor; he needs to save his money to support his younger brother.
Koala flipped through the magazine in her hand and continued to report.
"You should know about the incident ten years ago, when King Riku of Dressrosa was replaced by Doflamingo, right?"
Sabo swallowed the food in his mouth, his face still covered in food residue.
"On the surface, it seemed Doflamingo defeated King Riku, who suddenly became tyrannical one day, and thus saved this country.
However, during King Riku's reign, there were never any rumors of weapon trafficking.
Therefore, it's highly probable that Doflamingo used a trick behind the scenes."
As Sabo was deep in thought, a toy chef unexpectedly appeared and placed a plate on Sabo's table.
"Here is your Rose Squid Ink Pasta. Please enjoy."
No sooner had he spoken than the toy chef's nose 'whooshed' out, startling Sabo into a panic, flailing his arms and legs.
Orochimaru, with quick eyes and hands, snapped a picture of this rare moment with a 'click'.
The toy chef smugly pressed his popped-out nose back into place, his tone of voice filled with unconcealed amusement.
Sabo looked at the mischievous toy with a helpless expression, certain that it was doing it on purpose.
Koala completely ignored Sabo's reaction and continued to relay information: "Three high-ranking Executives/Cadres in the Doflamingo family are all Devil Fruit Users, and the other members are not to be underestimated. The most troublesome among them is a young girl named Sugar. Although her appearance has never been precisely known, she possesses the terrifying Devil Fruit ability to turn humans into toys."
Sabo slurped the noodles into his mouth, his eyes fixed on the bustling toys on the street.
"Then... does that mean... these toys were all once...?"
No sooner had Sabo spoken than a toy on the street instantly reverted to human form, continuously muttering that it was human. All of them..."
As Sabo's words fell, a toy on the street suddenly regained its self and began to say that it was human, and was forcibly taken away by soldiers.
Orochimaru frowned at this scene. Sugar was indeed useless. She really needed more training. If it weren't for him, those scrapped toys would still be piled up in the warehouse. How long had it been, and they were already broken again?
"It seems that those who are turned into toys are forgotten by those around them. Beneath this seemingly peaceful facade, hidden currents surge."
Koala maintained her original posture, as if she had no connection to Sabo.
Sabo's expression grew serious, and he asked in a grave tone, "So, is this also Doflamingo's trick?"
Just then, the mischievous toy chef reappeared to serve another dish. This time, however, Sabo showed no reaction, merely watching it with a cold gaze. The toy chef could only walk away, bored.
Koala continued, "Furthermore, in recent late-night hours, there have always been trading ships frequently entering and exiting, yet they disappear without a trace by morning. It's likely that a hidden port exists within this island."
"An underground port?" Sabo murmured.
"Perhaps. Due to the strict security, the only areas that haven't been thoroughly investigated yet are the palace and the Colosseum. However, Hack has successfully infiltrated the contestants, so he should be warming up by now."
Koala slowly put down her magazine and took a sip of the red tea beside her.
"Finally, there's a crucial piece of news.
I heard that two years ago, King Doflamingo suddenly gained a lover.
This lover is deeply cherished and favored by Doflamingo, and even the citizens hold him in great respect and admiration."
A flicker of surprise crossed Sabo's usually calm face, his brows furrowed slightly, and his eyes revealed a hint of doubt and curiosity.
He put down his cutlery, leaned forward slightly, seemingly trying to ponder the possible meaning behind this news, various thoughts rapidly flashing through his mind.
Attempting to connect this seemingly sudden information with what he knew about Doflamingo, after a moment, he slowly opened his mouth and asked,
"Is there anything special about this lover? Is he some important figure, or... does he have any potential connection to our objective?"
Koala's expression was a little subtle, thinking of the information she had investigated. Oh... poor Sabo, he'd probably explode when he heard this news.
Sabo keenly noticed Koala's hesitation and pause, a look of confusion on his face.
He casually shoved a piece of octopus into his mouth and chewed, his cheeks puffed out, mumbling indistinctly, "Koala? What's wrong? Why did you suddenly stop talking?"
Koala said in a meaningful tone:
"Sabo, are you finished eating? I think we need to find a quiet place to discuss this problem... Oh well, it probably doesn't matter where.
That lover is a famous Pirate."
"Mm-hmm," Sabo replied, chewing something.
"He's one of the Supernovas of the new era."
"Mm-hmm."
"His bounty poster is as high as 650 million Berries."
"Mm-hmm?" Sabo's voice held a hint of doubt.
"He's extremely handsome."
"????" Sabo stopped chewing.
"He's the first mate of a certain Straw Hat Pirate Crew."
"!!!!" Sabo's eyes widened.
"His name is... 'Orochimaru...'"
Sabo looked as if he had been struck by lightning, his eyes widening instantly. He hastily swallowed the food in his mouth, his expression of disbelief so intense it seemed to solidify on his face.
His body seemed to be held in place by an invisible force, only his lips trembling slightly as they opened and closed.
"What did you say? This... how is this possible? Koala, are you mistaken?"
The words were squeezed out of his throat with difficulty, his voice involuntarily rising sharply, carrying a hint of tremor and urgency.
His hands instinctively clenched into tight fists, knuckles white, and veins faintly visible on his forehead.
Koala had anticipated Sabo's reaction. She sighed helplessly, pulled a photo from her pocket, and extended her arm behind her shoulder to hand it to Sabo.
"This is yesterday's photo."
This photo was fresh and hot; almost everyone in Dressrosa who admired Orochimaru had a copy, after all, Doflamingo's display yesterday was quite grand, and Koala was also there.
Koala couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
ヽ(•ω•.)ノ Wow... poor Sabo-kun, he's been cuckolded.
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