"Perhaps I should thank that greedy old pirate. Without him, these devices might not have remained in such good condition."
In the underground levels of the royal city, Oran inspected the spoils from the earlier battle: equipment that Firefly Island's former King had purchased at great expense, only for Deli to later use it in his research on the so-called immortality drug.
Though they had inevitably grown somewhat outdated with time, they were undamaged and still functional. Naturally, Oran accepted them without hesitation. They happened to be useful for his own research as well.
"Still, these things completely destroyed this country."
"No, Brand, you have it wrong. What destroyed this place wasn't the equipment, but the greed in people's hearts. I recall you saying that you used to be a member of the Kingdom Army?"
As a former Kingdom Army member with a certain rank, Brand was very familiar with the castle's layout. He was currently leading Oran through an inspection of the changes the royal palace had undergone over the years.
"That's right. Back then... sigh, never mind. There's no point bringing it up. I just hope this country can have a better future."
"It will. But Brand, I have a suggestion. Are you interested in returning to your old profession? Most of the pirates and gangs on the island have already been dealt with, but quite a few still remain.
After all these years, order on the island has nearly collapsed completely. The rules need to be established again."
Compared to pirates who stripped the land bare, Deli was only marginally better, but the island's order had still been ruined. To make management easier, a security force was necessary.
Having a local familiar face manage it would produce better results.
"I think I could be your laboratory assistant."