"What are you two planning?" Rosen looked down at the heavily injured Raymond and Colson. "It's a shame to kill talents like you—but if you go underground and start stirring up trouble, that would be a real nuisance. Give me a reason not to kill you, and I'll consider it."
Colson was in particularly bad shape, covered in deep cuts—clearly Hathaway had enjoyed herself.
"Winners rule, losers fall. Nothing more to say." Raymond spoke calmly. He hadn't expected such a swift, one-sided defeat, without even putting up a proper resistance.
"Is that so?" Rosen didn't waste words. He raised his sword, ready to strike—but Colson suddenly spoke.
"Keep the Duke alive. With our help, you can consolidate control over the Kingdom of Andia much faster. We can also reduce—or even eliminate—the World Government's investigations."
Rosen paused, glancing at Colson. He hadn't fought him directly, but being someone Hathaway had taken an interest in meant he wasn't an ordinary fighter.
And judging by his words, his loyalty to Duke Raymond seemed genuine.
"Good point. What do you think?" Rosen asked Raymond. "The dead have no future—only the living have chances. You ambitious nobles, don't you know the value of survival?"
If these two lent their strength, their former prestige and authority could help stabilize Andia quickly. The situation was already decided; with their cooperation, no one else could stir up further unrest.
"Colson." Raymond looked at him, then sighed and nodded helplessly. Living in humiliation was still better than dying in vain. He was surprised Crocodile hadn't killed them outright.
This man was brutal and cunning—but also capable of tolerance. And Raymond still cared for his kingdom.
If the king was gone and Xia lacked noble support, the nobility would splinter into rival alliances, fighting for power and profit.
That wasn't the future Raymond wanted. He had dreamed of leading the kingdom into glory—but perhaps Xia was better suited to that role after all.
Rosen, for his part, wanted Andia stabilized quickly. A chaotic nation required too much time, manpower, and money to restore.
Sparing two nobles to ensure peace was a small price to pay.
…
The next day, amid the ruins of the royal capital, Xia arrived. Allied forces from all fortresses gathered, as did countless civilians and refugees.
Duke Raymond and Duke Blois made joint declarations, publicly confirming Xia as the rightful ruler of Andia.
Other nobles who had been hesitating soon followed suit, echoing the two dukes and aligning themselves with Xia's ascension.
Reforms were immediately announced—changes to the fortress systems, noble privileges, and administrative hierarchy. These matters were complex, touching every corner of governance.
As the saying goes, ruling is harder than conquering. During this time, Xia promoted many capable people of humble birth, along with buried talents from among the nobility.
With the military already in control of the fortresses, her reforms met little resistance. By the time the nobles realized what was happening, it was too late.
The new capital was established at the Blois Fortress. The next day, Xia's coronation was held—she officially became the first queen in the history of the Andia Kingdom.
Everyone was busy. The new order was taking root; pockets of rebellion, spies from foreign nations, agents from the Marines and the World Government—even pirates drawn by the scent of chaos—all tested the young queen's rule. Andia entered a turbulent yet controlled period of transition.
In the newly built but modest palace at Blois—
"So this is the annual tribute we owe the Celestial Dragons, along with the alliance treaty conditions? The Heavenly Tribute is outrageous." Xia frowned, reviewing the documents with Raymond and others who knew the true state of the kingdom.
This was an even more pressing matter than domestic unrest. The change of rulers in Andia was a major global event.
Though it appeared to be an internal royal conflict, the World Government would not ignore it. Would the new monarch honor the previous agreements?
If yes, Andia would remain a member nation. If not, it would become a non-affiliated state—vulnerable to pirate attacks and potential World Government suppression.
Compared to allied nations protected by the Government, unaffiliated ones were easy prey.
"Andia must pay seven billion Berries in Heavenly Tribute each year," Rosen said in disbelief. "Even for a wealthy trading nation like Andia, that's enormous. The king probably skimmed off some of it himself."
Such an astronomical amount drained nearly the entire royal treasury every year. Yet continuing the payment was essential to maintain the treaty and Andia's status within the alliance.
"The current treasury, plus the late king's assets, can cover this year's tribute," said Duke Brolwa. "But with postwar reconstruction, expenses are massive. Next year might be difficult."
"How about the World Government inspectors?"
"They've been settled in."
"At this stage, we can't afford to sever ties with the World Government," Rosen said. "If we do, they'll just label Andia as rebellious and replace us entirely. So the tribute must be paid—for now. With Paradise and some of my other financial plans, money won't be a long-term issue. Stability comes first."
"Understood."
Rosen then delegated most affairs to Alice, Xia, and the others. He could only set the direction—execution would depend on them. He'd already written detailed notes for guidance.
Implementation would, of course, adjust to reality.
As long as the core order held, the technical and bureaucratic matters were best left to professionals. With Hathaway managing the broader situation, Rosen felt confident.
Vick, Dingle, Blois, and Sparks were promoted and given responsibilities. Raymond and Colson were kept under partial supervision but still utilized.
Afterward, Rosen returned to Paradise with Enel, Hathaway, and the others to oversee its handover.
He transferred skilled managers from the AKS and Yodel Chambers of Commerce to replace key staff, ensuring the transition didn't disrupt operations.
Tesoro had kept his word, paying dearly to consolidate control before handing Paradise over.
But as Rosen set foot on the road leading into Paradise, a group blocked his path—specifically, the Kuja Pirates led by the Pirate Empress herself.
"So, you're the brightest star of the Dawn Pirates—the Crimson Queen, right? I've been waiting for you," one of them said with a grin. "Join us. Staying with these filthy men won't get you anywhere."
(End of Chapter)