"These two stone statues are a falcon and a jackal, both guardian deities of Alabasta, having protected Alabasta since the first Queen Lily of the Nefertari Family."
Pell has gone out to investigate a flying man. Chaka is at the palace. I'll introduce you all when Pell returns!
Cobra pointed to the stone statues on either side of the palace entrance and introduced them, saying that Pell and Chaka, both Devil Fruit User, were his most capable Admiral.
Although Igaram holds a higher position, his military prowess is not outstanding. In this chaotic sea, one really can't survive without military strength.
Although they paid protection money to the World Government, the Navy's rescues weren't always timely. Fortunately, Alabasta was a desert country with a harsh environment and little wealth, so there weren't many pirates who came to rob it. Moreover, the country was mostly desert, making it difficult to rob inland cities; it was considered lucky if they didn't die on the way.
Vic gazed thoughtfully at the two stone statues. These statues had existed since the time of the first queen of the Nefertari Family. Did that mean that the two Zoan Devil Fruit users, the falcon and the jackal, were also serving the royal family back then?
Vic had a question in his mind: Did those two Devil Fruit only return to Alabasta in this generation, or had they been Alabasta on this land all along?
And the users who ate these two Devil Fruit have been working for the Nefertari royal family all along? If it's the former, then it's a coincidence; if it's the latter, then it's worth pondering.
" King Cobra, are you saying that these two stone statues were carved based on the transformed forms of the two ability users?"
"Yes, both of these ability users are now vice-captains of the Royal Guard. Pell went out, but he's very fast, so I believe he'll be back soon. As for Chaka, he's also on a mission to protect the royal palace."
"Does every king in your Alabasta Kingdom have two such powerful protectors? Is that why they can be called the kingdom's guardian deities?"
"Huh! How did you know? It's true, after each generation of guardian deities dies, their Devil Fruit are reborn somewhere in this country."
We don't know the reason either, so the king would send people to search for it, and once found, they would give it to the chosen new guardian spirit to eat.
If the person is found already eaten, they will be taken back to the palace and trained until they are qualified to serve as the captain of the Royal Guard!
Cobra did not hide these things from Vic. What he said earlier was not a secret in this country; anyone could find out by asking around. The country's history had not been interrupted, and these things were all recorded.
There was no point in hiding the search for the Devil Fruit. Cobra was very open about it. Although the people knew about it, they wouldn't tell outsiders, fearing that the two Devil Fruit would be taken away by outsiders.
Those are the guardians of this country. Every time these two Devil Fruit are reborn, the citizens will usually hand them over voluntarily if they find them, and the king will reward them. However, there are also cases of accidental consumption, which is what happens next.
Having obtained the answer, Vic thought of the theory that Zoan Devil Fruit possess their own will. By using the Gum-Gum Fruit to evade the rebirth of the World Government and Alabasta, the two guardian deities, it could indeed prove that Zoan Devil Fruit have their own will.
Do Logia and Paramecia Devil Fruit have this characteristic? Vic can't be sure for now; perhaps only the world's most intelligent Vegapunk, knows.
"Perhaps these two Devil Fruit have been the guardians of this land since ancient times, maybe even longer than your family has existed!"
Vic sighed and continued following Igaram into the main hall.
"Dad! Igaram!... Are these older brothers and sisters guests?"
Inside the palace Chaka led little Princess Vivi towards Cobra, and she smiled happily upon seeing her father.
But she restrained herself upon seeing Vic and the others. Princess Vivi is only three or four years old, an age when she can barely control her bladder, yet she managed to control her expression and maintain royal decorum in front of outsiders. This shows that she will definitely be an excellent queen in the future.
Afterwards Cobra introduced Vivi and Chaka to Vic and his group. Although Vivi didn't quite understand what the Navy did, she still had a good impression of Vic, who was a very handsome older brother.
Moreover, Vic was accompanied by a girl who was a little older than her. In this palace where there were few people her age, Vivi really wanted to make friends with Ain.
At this time Koza and his father had not yet arrived at the palace, so Vivi had no friends since birth and spent her days with several old men. Now that a peer had arrived, her eyes naturally lit up.
Vic noticed the longing in Vivi's eyes, smiled, knelt down, and whispered something in Ain's ear. Then Ain went over, took Vivi's hand, and left.
Cobra didn't stop them, only Igaram was very nervous, but seeing that the king had no objections, he didn't say much, but just walked to Chaka's side and told Chaka to protect the two little girls.
" Vice Admiral Dark Dragon! Did you come to Alabasta this time to collect next year's Heavenly Tribute?"
After inviting the group to sit down, Cobra couldn't help but ask, though he dared not openly ask if Dark Dragon was there to freeload, for fear of offending Dark Dragon.
The question was already quite subtle. If Dark Dragon answered yes, it would mean that Dark Dragon was indeed there to take advantage of the situation, and he wouldn't directly expose Dark Dragon's purpose.
He would take advantage of the situation and, after reserving enough Heavenly Tribute for next year, give Dark Dragon some money within his means, as a way to ward off disaster. He only hoped that Dark Dragon wouldn't be too greedy and ask for an exorbitant amount.
The Navy wouldn't dare offend someone of Dark Dragon's strength so easily, and it would be even better if Dark Dragon had other business besides seeking to take advantage of them.
" Heavenly Tribute? No, we've come for a certain pirate. A vicious pirate is hiding in Alabasta, and I've already sent people to find him. Until we find that pirate, we might need to stay at the royal palace, King Cobra! I wonder if that's convenient?"
Vic, of course, had no idea that Cobra had imagined so much. His purpose in wanting to live in the palace was naturally for the Poneglyph, and of course, for Igaram's wife's delicious food. Seeing how much the Straw Hat Boy were enjoying their meals, he wanted to try some too.
Another advantage is that the palace is spacious and can provide Barnett and his companions with a good place for training.
Money! Vic has mountains of gold in his Dimensional Space, plus his Vice Admiral's allowance and merit awards, which is a considerable income. So Vic never worries about money now and has completely lost the concept of making money.