Sights Along the Way

Looking at the country before him, which seemed completely untouched by the Age of Rampage, Dawn inexplicably felt that it was all too unreal.

After all, he had been a kid stranded on a Desolate Island who had luckily been rescued by the Marines. In the blink of an eye, he had become the heir to a kingdom.

And this kingdom was quite impressive. If being stranded on the Boin Archipelago, with its favorable climate, abundant food, and relatively safe environment, had counted as a silver-tier start—

Then after eating a Devil Fruit, joining the Marines, and showing his potential, Dawn could proudly say that he had reached a gold-tier start.

But now, with a powerful kingdom backing him, along with its relationship with the Marines and the status it displayed, this was undeniably a diamond-tier start.

After learning about this kingdom, Dawn could not help wondering whether this background was his real cheat or transmigration benefit.

Other protagonists who transmigrated into the world of pirates usually had ridiculously amazing backgrounds, and even came with systems and the like.

The more plausible ones were one of Big Mom's sons, a Celestial Dragon, or someone who clung tightly to Luffy and his brothers.

Others joined the Marines through Garp, entered the Revolutionary Army, or simply sailed with a crew.

So why had his own experience become so full of twists and turns?

Sure enough, behind every transmigrator stood some kind of unknown typing spirit?

Or was reality always stranger than fantasy?

Though he complained like that, Dawn did not reject this background. On the contrary, this identity brought him far more benefits than drawbacks.

So, he accepted it.

Besides, he had inherited the dead Dawn's body. Naturally, he had to treat the original Dawn's parents well. That could also be considered an explanation for the former owner of this body.

"Dawn, Dawn, what are you spacing out for? Hurry over, we're leaving!" Sola called out when she saw Dawn staring blankly into space.

"Oh, coming." Snapping back to his senses, Dawn smiled and led the group after Adolf toward the city.

With Adolf's status, it was easy to find a carriage heading into the city that could give them a ride. Judging by the driver's attitude, Adolf was indeed well known and highly respected by the people here.

Along the way, Dawn, Sola, and the others took in the sights of the Ishtar Kingdom.

The endless green stretched across countless fields. Looking farther into the distance, they could even see a pasture, where herds of cattle and sheep grazed in small groups.

There was also a small forest nearby, with herds of elk running through it. A brook seemed to flow through the woods, and quite a few children were catching fish and clams in its waters to improve their meals.

The tranquil surroundings made it impossible to feel that the enormous waves stirred up by the Age of Rampage had brought any changes to this kingdom. Everything remained just as it had been before.

Yet amid this pastoral natural scenery stood towering buildings one after another.

The contrast between the city and countryside was like apartment buildings from a city planted in the middle of the rural outskirts. It felt somewhat strange to Dawn, yet inexplicably harmonious.

"Mr. Butler, what are those tall buildings beside the fields and pastures? Hina is curious." Hina pointed toward the distance curiously.

"The buildings by the pastures are homes for the ranch hands. The ones near the fields were built collectively by farmers who own land nearby. They come back to stay there during the harvest season," Adolf explained to Dawn and the others.

"Then why build such tall buildings?" Sola asked in confusion. "Shouldn't every family build a small house beside its own fields?"

"Because that saves a great deal of land. Every plot of land here can produce a great deal of food, so this custom developed to avoid wasting it."

Adolf smiled proudly. "The people with fields nearby can build one high-rise together, and it is enough to house many people in the area. When no one is staying there, it can also serve as lodging for passersby or tourists, and the cost is very low."

"I see." Dawn nodded in understanding.

He had been somewhat puzzled himself, but the two girls had happened to ask the question before he could.

Still, this was perhaps one of the customs and traditions of the Ishtar Kingdom, a distinctive part of its culture.

"It feels completely different from outside. It's so peaceful here," Hina remarked as she sensed the serenity around her.

"Will we be stationed here from now on? This is really nice." Looking at the endless fields before her and the herds of cattle and sheep in the distance, Sola felt that they had come to a wonderful place.

As for Aokiji, after borrowing the carriage, he lazily put on his eye mask and lay down in a pile of straw.

However, Dawn's identity was still the most important matter, and it was what everyone was most interested in. The kids resisted the urge to run around and watched as the carriage slowly entered the city.

Once the carriage entered the city, an entirely different scene unfolded. It felt like a major city from Dawn's previous life. The contrast between the fields on the outskirts and the forest of high-rises in the city became even sharper after they entered.

Everything here seemed so advanced.

The fragrance of delicious food drifted over from vendors calling out along both sides of the street. Tourists were scattered about casually, sampling all sorts of novel dishes. Yet one thing was consistent: the people here all seemed to be living quite well.

"Isn't this contrast a little too extreme? Don't the people farming outside have any complaints?"

"Your Highness, most of the people outside the city are responsible for agriculture and livestock farming. That is how they make their living. This city, meanwhile, is a city of fine food. Using the ingredients supplied by those outside the city, it creates distinctive delicacies and brings commercial prosperity."

"Besides, most people outside the city live very leisurely lives and are quite wealthy. With machines to help them, they spend their free time sampling delicious food in the city or the towns." Adolf spoke up to explain.

After hearing Adolf's explanation, Dawn understood. He had originally thought the wealth gap was huge, but that was not the case at all. Those farmers were the real winners in life.

Before they knew it, the group had arrived at the royal palace. Seeing a couple who bore some resemblance to Dawn waiting at the entrance, Adolf hurried forward.

"His Majesty the King, Queen Rovena, this old servant has returned!"

"It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back! When I received news that you had been attacked by pirates, I thought I would never see you again! But I never expected that you would find Dawn on this journey!" Gaius was also emotional as he looked at Adolf, who had narrowly escaped death and returned to his homeland.

For people in this world, setting out to sea sometimes meant an unknown voyage and unknown dangers. A single journey might leave them forever separated from their homeland.

It was no wonder Gaius was so excited, especially since Adolf had brought back such earth-shattering news.

"Your Majesty, allow me to introduce him. This is Prince Dawn." Adolf quickly composed himself, walked over to Dawn's side, and introduced him.

For a moment, the air seemed to freeze.