"No, you didn't misunderstand."
Bellamy glanced at Mansherry, shaking his head inwardly. The term "good person" had absolutely nothing to do with him. If it weren't for his goal of obtaining her, he wouldn't have cared in the slightest about the life or death of the Tontatta Tribe.
Drake stood to the side, watching the cheering little people with a strange expression on his face. He had a pretty good idea of what his captain was thinking. These poor little creatures were celebrating far too early.
"Quiet."
Bellamy swept his gaze over the crowd. His murderous eyes instantly silenced the Tontatta.
"You signed a contract with the Donquixote Family to work for them and pay off a debt."
"I have paid that debt for you."
Before the little people could cheer, Bellamy's next words sobered them up completely.
"The price is Mansherry. I'm taking her with me."
"What?!"
The entire reason these little people had worked themselves to the bone in the factory was to save their princess. How could they possibly agree to Bellamy taking her away?
"Impossible!"
"We refuse!"
"You villain, how dare you have designs on our princess!"
The Tontatta on the scene immediately erupted into an uproar, looking as if they were about to attack. Drake, standing nearby, instantly transformed into his Allosaurus-hybrid form and let out a deafening roar at them.
"ROAR!"
"Quiet."
The sight of the Allosaurus with its mouth full of sharp teeth quickly quieted the scene.
"Mansherry, where do you think you're going?"
Bellamy grabbed the scruff of Mansherry's collar and lifted her up.
"You big meanie! I'll never believe you again!"
Mansherry struggled in mid-air, but it was useless.
"Your people have worked in a sweatshop for nearly ten years to save you."
"Think carefully. If you dare to run, the rest of their lives are over."
It was a blunt threat, but a very effective one. After he finished speaking, Bellamy let go of her. As expected, this time Mansherry didn't dare to run.
"You work for me, and I will clear the Tontatta Tribe's debt."
"If you agree, from this moment on, the Tontatta will no longer be slaves of the Donquixote Family."
Although the Donquixote Family was now a shell of its former self, the family that would take over the country after their fall was none other than the Riku Family. With his support, the Riku royal family's eldest princess, Viola, would soon take control of the nation. What happened to the Tontatta from now on was entirely up to Bellamy's whim.
So, he wasn't lying to her. The debt was just a convenient excuse. He had plenty of similar excuses and couldn't be bothered to argue the details with her. The Tontatta were so naive and simple-minded that he didn't even feel the need to weave a more complete lie.
"Princess, don't listen to him! We can work for another ten years!"
"That's right! We can pay off this debt ourselves!"
The Tontatta's naivety, while making them easy to deceive, also meant they would not yield easily. After all, the other side of naivety is recklessness.
Bellamy knew exactly how to control the situation. Dealing with people like this was all too easy.
"Have you made up your mind, Mansherry?"
"Look closely at your people. Look at their weakened bodies, their filthy clothes."
After years of laboring in a sweatshop, the Tontatta were not only dressed in rags, but most of them were pale and physically weak. As the user of the Heal-Heal Fruit, Mansherry could easily sense the physical suffering of her people. In her emotional state earlier, she hadn't noticed. Now, upon closer inspection, tears began to stream down her face uncontrollably.
"Waaah, it's all my fault! If only I hadn't been captured!"
Her people had suffered for so many years because of her. At this thought, Mansherry plopped down on the ground and began to wail.
"Waaaaaah!"
As her tears hit the ground, they transformed into dandelions, which floated up and danced around them. As the dandelion fluff touched the injured, their pain and wounds began to visibly heal.
Drake held out his hand and caught a tiny piece of fluff. The crystal-clear tuft melted in his palm. Immediately, he felt a warm current surge through his body.
What a strange feeling.
In the blink of an eye, he felt his body return to its peak condition. His previous injuries vanished as if by magic.
So this is the Heal-Heal Fruit.
This was the first time Drake had witnessed its miraculous power firsthand. He was beginning to understand why his captain placed so much importance on the Tontatta Tribe.
"What a crybaby."
After patiently waiting for Mansherry to finish crying, Bellamy lifted her up in front of him.
"Have you decided, Mansherry?"
"Will you let your people continue to suffer in the factory, or will you sacrifice yourself to save them and grant them their freedom?"
Bellamy deliberately mentioned "sacrifice," subtly hinting that if she agreed, her fate might be a tragic one. But he knew very well that Mansherry would absolutely not refuse. As long as she wanted to save her people, she could not reject his terms.
"Think about your people. Think about your father. Think about Leo."
When Bellamy said Leo's name, Mansherry finally surrendered completely.
"I agree. I'll go with you."
"Very good."
Although he knew she couldn't refuse his demand, Bellamy couldn't help but feel overjoyed when Mansherry agreed. The most crucial piece of his plan had finally fallen into place. If the rest of his journey went smoothly, his ambitions would soon be realized.
"All of you, shut up."
Although Mansherry had agreed, the other Tontatta were not willing. But Bellamy gave them no chance to speak. The moment Mansherry consented, he immediately unleashed his killing intent, forcibly suppressing everyone.
"Go get Viola. I want to release these little people from their slave status right now."
It was best to strike while the iron was hot. The sooner, the better. If they waited for the Tontatta chief to arrive, things might get complicated.
Drake understood what Bellamy was doing and quickly brought Viola over. Then, under the witness of the Riku royal family's eldest princess, the 500 Tontatta slaves present were officially freed. The price was that the Tontatta princess, Mansherry, would join the Bellamy Pirates and work for Bellamy.
To ensure the validity of the oath, Bellamy had Mansherry sign a contract on the spot. Whether the Tontatta liked it or not, once this contract was signed, their fate was bound to that of their princess. If Mansherry dared to betray him, Bellamy would re-enslave the entire Tontatta Tribe.
With this contract in hand, Mansherry could never escape his grasp.