On the King's Plateau, inside one of the royal houses, Scarlett was playing with Rebecca.
Clatter, clatter, clatter.
A set of hurried footsteps approached. Scarlett looked up and saw who it was, putting down the toy in her hand. Beside her, Rebecca clutched her mother's pant leg and peered at the newcomer.
"Viola, what is it? Why are you in such a rush?" Scarlett asked.
"Sister, I..."
Seeing a familiar face, Viola let out a sigh of relief. She had run so quickly that she was out of breath, and the words seemed to be caught in her throat. In her panic, she couldn't speak.
"You're a big girl now, what's got you so flustered?" Scarlett could see that something was weighing on her sister's mind. She didn't press, instead pouring her a glass of water. "Here, have a drink."
Viola took a few sips, calming her racing heart. At Scarlett's feet, Rebecca stared up at her aunt with wide, curious eyes.
"What happened?" Scarlett asked, waiting until Viola had caught her breath.
Viola gave her sister a complicated look. She wasn't sure if Scarlett would support her decision, but things had already come to this. She had to tell her.
And so, in the quiet room, the two sisters began to talk.
"So, Father rejected your proposal," Scarlett said, holding Rebecca in her arms.
"Yes," Viola nodded, dejected.
"Sister, do you also think Father and the others are right?" Viola stared into Scarlett's eyes, hoping to find something useful there.
Scarlett was silent for a moment. In her arms, Rebecca was quiet, not fidgeting as she usually did.
"Father has his considerations. He's not wrong. It's truly difficult for us to trust pirates," Scarlett said calmly.
"But he was invited by the Tontatta, and they vouched for him!" Viola said urgently.
"Calm down, Viola. The Tontatta are the Tontatta. That man owes them a debt of gratitude, but that has nothing to do with us," Scarlett pointed out, ruthlessly cutting to the heart of the matter.
"You're right... In the end, he's a friend to the Tontatta, not to us," Viola said, her voice filled with disappointment.
As Viola lowered her head in sorrow, a warm, large hand rested on her head, comforting her like a mother's touch.
"Sister," Viola whispered.
"You've already done a wonderful job, Viola," Scarlett said with a gentle, encouraging smile.
"But... it's still not enough to save our country," Viola said, tears welling in her eyes.
"Aunty, don't cry! You're the best!" Influenced by the mood, Rebecca went to Viola's side to encourage her.
"Rebecca, thank you." Seeing the small, adorable girl, Viola's tears turned into a smile. She knelt and pulled Rebecca into a hug.
Scarlett watched them, her thoughts drifting far away. If only this moment could last forever. But the flames of war were consuming Dressrosa. What would become of them?
In truth, she had been very tempted by Viola's proposal, but her own misgivings about pirates made it difficult to decide.
From a distance, Kyros watched the interaction between Rebecca, Scarlett, and Viola, and a feeling of happiness washed over him. What could be more precious than having your family by your side? At least, for Kyros, this moment was pure bliss.
Scarlett noticed him, and seeing the happy expression on his face, she couldn't bring herself to disturb him.
"Brother-in-law, when did you get here?"
It was Viola who finally broke the silence.
"Ah! His Majesty told me to get some rest," Kyros said, pulled from his reverie, a little embarrassed.
"Father!" Rebecca called out happily, running toward him.
"Rebecca!" Kyros's face lit up as he opened his arms and embraced his running daughter.
"Slow down, Rebecca," Scarlett admonished gently, walking over to them. The family of three was a picture of perfect happiness.
Seeing this, Viola was happy for her sister. But with Dressrosa in its current state, how long could such happiness last?
Kyros held Rebecca, listening to his wife's gentle chiding, completely filled with joy.
There is no such thing as a life of peace and quiet, only someone carrying the weight for you. Enjoying this rare moment of bliss, Kyros made a silent vow. Even if he had to die, he would ensure the safety of Rebecca and Scarlett.
Viola quietly slipped away, not wanting to disturb the family's warmth any longer.
Back in the main hall of the palace, Walker and Simmons had returned from their task of gathering funds.
"Is this all there is?" King Riku asked, his brow furrowed.
"Yes, Your Majesty. As you know, Dressrosa is not what it used to be. To be able to gather these six hundred million Berries, Simmons and I had to ask for contributions from everyone in the palace," Walker said, ashamed.
"You've done very well. Thank you," the king said gratefully.
"But, Your Majesty, we're still short four hundred million Berries," Walker said with a worried expression.
Hearing this, King Riku's head throbbed. He thought to himself, What should I do? Am I really going to do what those pirates suggested?
Just as he was struggling to make a decision, Walker's proposal saved him from his difficult position.
"Your Majesty, at this point, we have no choice but to tell your subjects the truth. Dressrosa is everyone's home. No one should stand by and do nothing!" Walker suggested.
"Yes, Your Majesty! This burden should not be ours alone to bear!" Simmons added.
King Riku's eyes lit up. Of course! Dressrosa doesn't belong to me alone. It's the homeland of every citizen. They should rightfully contribute. Besides, I am the king of this country. What's wrong with asking my subjects for a little money?
Having rationalized it, the king suddenly felt that the situation was not so dire after all.
"Walker, go and do it," he commanded.
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
In Dressrosa, every citizen was living in fear. They had held out hope that King Riku could defeat the pirates and restore peace, but the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment. The king had been utterly defeated, no match for the pirates at all.
Bang, bang, bang!
A fierce knocking rattled a door. The owner peered out cautiously. Seeing that it was someone from the palace, he relaxed slightly. At least the guards were better than the pirates; they wouldn't take his life.
The man opened the door to find Simmons standing before him with a group of armored soldiers.
"Dressrosa is in a moment of extreme crisis! As a citizen of Dressrosa, it is your duty to contribute..." Simmons launched into a long-winded speech that left the homeowner completely bewildered.
In short, the palace was out of money, and they were here to collect.
The owner looked miserable, but he was helpless. He was just an ordinary person. How could he fight against armored soldiers? In the end, he obediently handed over his money to avoid trouble. But the resentment in his heart could not be quelled. He was just waiting for an opportunity. He'd be ready to tear King Riku apart.
This scene was repeated not just here, but all across the vast kingdom of Dressrosa. Simmons paid no mind to the citizens' resentment. For the sake of Dressrosa, it was all worth it. He had given them an opportunity to contribute; they should be grateful.
However, contrary to what Simmons believed, the citizens of Dressrosa now hated him, perhaps even more than they hated the king.
People are selfish. This was their private property. Why should they have to pay for King Riku's mistakes? In their eyes, the king had conspired with the pirates to attack the Marines. When the deal fell through, the pirates came knocking, and now King Riku was forced to appease them.
And who was suffering the consequences? They were!
The once-proud Dressrosa was now filled with groans of discontent. The actions of King Riku and his men had been instrumental in this. Now, all it needed was a fuse to be lit, to set off the most beautiful fireworks. But King Riku didn't know this. He still believed he was doing what was best for Dressrosa.