The Kingdom of Sorbet had originally been a poor kingdom with a severe aging population. Most of its annual national income had to be paid as Celestial Gold.
The cost was high, but there was no choice. On these seas, member nations were far safer than non-member nations.
Unless they wanted to become a lawless land, gathering enough Celestial Gold was the best option for ordinary people.
The Kingdom of Sorbet underwent its first transformation eight years ago. The agreement between Oran and the King at the time opened up new production channels for the kingdom, but it did not bring any fundamental changes.
The greatest changes had begun over two years ago.
With Oran's backing, the kingdom received its first arms sales order. Reinforced Prosthetic Body parts needed by the Navy began to be produced in the Kingdom of Sorbet, setting off a chain reaction.
In essence, Oran had helped the kingdom build a metal-processing plant. Aside from specially made items, it could also process ordinary armor.
Once word spread that the Navy was commissioning certain items here, nearby nations began to trust the place more and started trying to order additional goods.
To ensure the factory could operate normally, the Navy also had nearby naval branches strengthen patrols in the surrounding waters. For a time, the Kingdom of Sorbet's economy began to rise, and the safety of the surrounding area greatly improved.
Residents of nearby islands were also drawn here and began immigrating to the Kingdom of Sorbet, easing its aging-population problem to some extent.
This state of affairs lasted for two years, until Bulldog announced his abdication not long ago.
"Why did King Bulldog suddenly abdicate? I remember he was still in pretty good health."
Bear had seen Bulldog some time ago. Though old, he was still