Roy smiled.
He turned to the frozen soldiers and snapped his fingers.
The mental field dissipated, and the soldiers collapsed to the ground, staring at Roy in horror.
"Go back and tell your king."
Roy's voice was like the icy wind of winter.
"From today onwards, the rules of the Sorbet Kingdom have changed."
The Heavenly Tribute" tax will no longer be paid, and all taxes targeting the poor will be abolished.
If he doesn't agree...
Roy's eyes turned dangerous.
"I wouldn't mind having a different king."
The officer scrambled to his feet and led his soldiers away, not daring to look back.
The poor people watched this scene in silence for a moment, then erupted in cheers.
Although they didn't know who Roy was, they could see the soldiers who had oppressed them fleeing in disarray.
That was enough to vent my anger.
Looking at the cheering crowd, Xiong felt a mix of emotions.
"Are we just going to let them go like that?"
Of course not!
"You've lived here for a long time and have a better understanding of the situation inside the kingdom."
Tell me, are there any relatively enlightened individuals among the royal family and nobility who are worthy of support?
The bear pondered for a moment:
There was a prince Carl von Solber.
He was the king's third son, and in his youth he traveled to various countries and saw the outside world.
He privately funded schools in slums and proposed tax reforms, but these were rejected by the king and nobles.
"Prince Carl..."
Roy remembered the name.
Where is he now?
"He should be in the royal library, where he spends most of his time reading and rarely participates in politics."
"Very good."
Roy had a plan.
" Bullet, Hawk Eyes, you two come with me to the palace."
Tesoro, Vera, Pea, you guys stay here and help Bear and Ginny tidy up.
"Yes!"
The group split up and took action separately.
Roy, with Bullet and Hawk Eyes in tow, headed towards the high wall.
Sometimes, changing a country doesn't require a massive army.
All you need to do is find the right person and give them a chance.
And, clear away those obstacles in the way.
The royal palace of the Sorbet Kingdom is situated within high walls, a stark contrast to the dilapidated state of the area outside.
The palace building is decorated with white marble and gold.
A fountain murmurs in the courtyard, and exotic flowers and plants bloom in the garden, showcasing luxury and power everywhere.
Instead of going through the main gate, Roy and his two companions climbed over the palace wall and landed silently in the courtyard.
Their actions went unnoticed by any of the guards—under the perception of Observation Haki, all patrol routes and guard positions were clearly visible, making it easy to avoid them.
"First, find the library."
Roy whispered, his Observation Haki spreading out like mercury, covering the entire palace area.
Soon, he "saw" his target.
In a tower on the west side of the palace, a young man is sitting by the window reading.
He was in his early twenties, dressed in a simple scholar's robe, standing out from the other richly dressed nobles in the palace.
This must be the Prince Carl that Xiong mentioned.
"This way."
Roy led the two through the courtyard to the foot of the tower.
There were two guards at the tower entrance, dozing off.
Clearly, this neglected prince was so indifferent that even his guards were too lazy to perform their duties properly.
Bullet casually knocked out the guard, and the three of them pushed open the door and entered.
The tower was quiet inside, filled with the smell of old books and dust.
They went up the spiral staircase and met Prince Carl in the study on the third floor.
Carl looked up when he heard footsteps and paused for a moment when he saw three strangers, but he didn't panic.
He put down the book in his hand and calmly asked:
"What brings you three here uninvited?"
Roy was somewhat surprised by this composure.
It seems this prince is indeed no ordinary person.
"Prince Carl, we're here to help you."
Roy got straight to the point.
"To help you become the new king of the Sorbet Kingdom, to help you change this country."
Carl's eyes widened slightly, but quickly regained their composure.
"Help me? Why?"
"Because we need a reliable ally, and you need the strength to realize your ideals."
Roy walked to the bookshelf, randomly picked out a book,
"Comparison of Tax Systems in Various Countries," "Case Studies of People's Livelihood Reforms," "The Importance of Education for the Masses," etc.
It seems you are indeed thinking about how to change this country.
Carl's expression turned serious:
Who are you? How do you know all this?
"We are pirates."
Roy readily admitted,
" Roy Pirates, this is Captain Roy."
Carl's pupils constricted sharply—he had certainly heard of the notorious pirate with a billion-dollar bounty.
"What do you want? To kidnap me and demand a ransom?"
"No, we're here to give you a chance."
Roy sat down opposite Carl.
"We know that you have always wanted to reform the tax system and improve the lives of ordinary people, but your father and the nobles have thwarted your efforts."
Now, we can help you clear these obstacles.
Carl looked at Roy warily:
"What are the conditions? To make me your puppet?"
"No, we are equal allies."
Roy said seriously,
"We will purge those corrupt nobles and support you to take the throne."
In return, a fair tax system will be established to improve the lives of the poor.
We will not interfere in the Kingdom's internal affairs, we only ask for two things—"
He held up two fingers:
"First, the Sorbet Kingdom will become an ally of the Roy Pirates, providing them with supplies and intelligence support when needed."
Second, ensure that Xiong and Ginny's hometown—the slums outside the wall—receives priority for development.
Carl fell silent.
He was weighing the pros and cons.
Cooperating with pirates is extremely risky, but if what they say is true...
How can I trust you?
Carl asked,
"Even if you help me ascend to the throne, the World Government will not recognize a king who collaborates with pirates."
" World Government?"
Roy laughed.
They don't have time for you right now.
Roger became the Pirate King, and we conquered Enies Lobby.
The global order has already begun to shift, and the world will become increasingly chaotic in the future.
and--"
Roy looked directly into Carl's eyes, and his mental energy quietly surged forth.
Do you really think that paying Heavenly Tribute to the Celestial Dragons in exchange for so-called 'protection' is the right choice?
Look at your country! Inside the walls, extravagance reigns supreme, while outside, the people suffer.
Is this the 'order' brought about by World Government?
Carl clenched his fist.
He had pondered these questions countless times.
Every time I see the plight of the slums, the extravagant lifestyles of the nobility, and my father's insistence on imposing exorbitant taxes to pay for the Heavenly Tribute "...
He felt a profound sense of powerlessness.
"If I agree, what are your plans?"
Carl finally asked.
"It's very simple."
Roy flipped through the books on the bookshelf, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
"We will 'persuade' your father to abdicate and purge those nobles who oppose the reforms."
Then, as a prince, you naturally ascend to the throne and implement new policies.
To the outside world, you can claim it's "following public opinion" or "correcting past mistakes."