Rougishuwas momentarily stunned, looking at the superfan version of Cobra before him, unable to react immediately.
“Is this guy really the future king of Alabasta?” While Rougishuharboured doubts, smiled gently and said, “Prince Cobra, I…”
“No, please don’t call me Prince Cobra!” Cobra exclaimed excitedly. “You can call me Cobra or even Little Cobra, but please don’t use honorifics!”
Longinus’ body trembled slightly, almost suspecting this guy might be gay, but his strong composure allowed him to reply calmly, “Alright, let’s compromise. I’ll call you Cobra, and you can just call me Longinus, without any formalities.”
“Can we really do that?” Cobra trembled with excitement, his face showing such intensity that Rougishuworried he might faint any moment.
Seeing Rougishunod subtly, Cobra took a deep breath and said, “Major Longinus, I admire you immensely. Two years ago, when I read what you said in the newspaper after defeating the Blood Blade Pirates, that famous line, ‘Power should be the servant of justice.'”
“Since then, I finally found my purpose amidst the chaos, to use the power granted by the people to seek greater happiness for them!”
Rougishuswitched to his benevolent persona, speaking earnestly, “You’re doing the right thing. Power and strength are monsters that shouldn’t be unleashed; only by restraining them with justice and truth can their misuse be prevented.”
Encouraged by Longinus’ affirmation, Cobra became even more animated, though a hint of sadness crept in. “Unfortunately, my father refuses to heed my advice. Despite our expanded status and influence, the continuous wars have plunged our economy into a dire state, and the public’s war-weariness has peaked. Alabasta is like a powder keg on the verge of explosion.”
“So, you mean…”
“I hope Major Longinus, you can help save this country that’s on the brink of destruction!” Cobra pleaded urgently.
“You want to seize power from your father?”
“What? No, you’ve misunderstood, Major Longinus!” Cobra waved his hands frantically. “I hope you can use your sense of justice to enlighten my father, who’s blinded by war and destruction!”
“Enlighten…” Rougishucouldn’t help but twitch his mouth. According to Vice Admiral Adekin, the current king of Alabasta was a cunning old fox, someone unlikely to be ‘enlightened’ by concepts of justice unless it was a dream.
However, Rougishudidn’t dismiss the idea outright. Instead, he asked thoughtfully, “Do you have any specific information that could give me an advantage in the upcoming negotiations, something that might make your father feel ‘guilty’ and reconsider his stance on continuing the war?”
“Make my father feel guilty? Does colluding with pirates count?” Cobra innocently suggested.
Rougishucouldn’t help but take a sharp breath at this explosive revelation. This guy was indeed skilled at setting traps for his father!
Though merely hiring pirates wouldn’t be enough to topple a king, it could be a valuable bargaining chip if managed well.
Rougishucalmly replied, “Yes, tell me all the details.”
“Alright. As I mentioned earlier, the overwhelming war-weariness at home has severely weakened our army’s fighting spirit. At the beginning of the war, we were actually at a disadvantage, so my father secretly allied with the Frenzy Pirates, Heart Pirates, and Flag Pirates, disguising them as our troops to turn the tide.”
“Collaborating with pirates is like making a deal with the devil,” Rougishuremarked succinctly.
“Exactly! I believe those insatiable pirates will eventually set their sights on Alabasta, preying on a nation that appears strong but is internally fragile.”
…
Due to the ongoing conflicts among the women at the banquet, it ended in a rather chaotic manner.
Originally scheduled for the next day, the four-nation talks were moved to that very night at the strong insistence of the Alabasta king.
In the spacious hall, officials and nobles from the four countries stood behind their respective royals. At the same time, the Navy, represented by Vice Admiral Adekin, sat at the forefront, facing the four royal families.
“Alright, everyone, let’s speak freely. Although the Navy remains neutral, our commitment to peace compels me to hope that all of you can reach a reconciliation,” Vice Admiral Adekin began.
The king of Alabasta, sitting close to the left, scanned the room before raising his head and saying, “Since everyone is so silent, let me break the ice. To wage this war, our kingdom invested significant manpower and resources. To end it, we need compensation to cover our losses!”
“So, our demand is simple: you three nations must compensate us with 10 billion Beli. How you split this amount is your concern.”
“Absurd! Asking for 10 billion Beli shows you have no intention of negotiating!” The king of Krita slammed the table in anger.
“Don’t be so hasty; I haven’t finished yet. Given our current dominant position in the war, stopping now would mean losing substantial future gains. So, I demand that in addition to retaining the territories we’ve occupied, we also annex one province from each of your kingdoms as spoils of war.”
“After all, halting the war under such favorable conditions puts immense pressure on me as a king!”
“But to show my generosity, I won’t specify which provinces. You can choose freely. Now, feel free to praise my magnanimity!”
“Honorable King of Alabasta, I see no sincerity in your words regarding peace,” the king of St. Kitka said, frowning. “If you’ve come with the intent to provoke another round of war, the brave people of St. Kitka will take up arms to drive out the wolves!”
“Hmph! In choosing between survival and dignity, I trust you will make the right decision.”
Seeing the talks deteriorate into heated arguments, on the brink of sparking a new war, Vice Admiral Adekin quickly sought help, “Longinus, step in! I’ve lost control of the situation!”
Rougishutook a deep breath. When did you ever have control? Why am I only finding out now?
“Kings, please hear me out. The key to negotiations is finding common ground while setting aside differences. Since we’ve all gathered here for peace, let’s have some patience and allow me to analyze the current situation.” Longinus’ calm and authoritative presence exuded an aura that compelled others to listen, gradually restoring order in the room.
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