By the time Yasopp arrived at the noble district, it was clear that William had already been there for a while. The slaughter had ceased, and some people were busy extinguishing fires. William had refrained from reprimanding Dampier, Harden, and Aramis in front of the subordinates, instead choosing to speak with them privately in a separate room, ensuring they wouldn't lose face in front of the others.
Guided by those putting out the fires, Yasopp made his way to the entrance of the mansion. Just as he arrived, the door opened, and Aramis and Harden stepped out. Their expressions were grim, suggesting they had already received a scolding from William. Upon seeing Yasopp, they both shot him fierce glares.
Yasopp felt a twinge of discomfort. Back in the days of the Morgan Pirates, he had actually gotten along quite well with Harden.
Harden was the quintessential pirate—ruthless and ferocious, yet also bold, generous, and easygoing. Before his more brutal tendencies became apparent, his personality had resonated with Yasopp. However, it now seemed unlikely that their relationship could ever return to what it once was.
After entering the mansion, Yasopp saw William. He glanced back at the departing figures of Harden and Aramis, hesitating to speak.
"You're not wrong. We shouldn't stoop to the level of those marauding pirates on the sea," William said, as if reading Yasopp's mind. He patted Yasopp on the shoulder and reassured him, "Harden and the others just made a mistake while trying to do the right thing. You'll understand each other better in time."
Yasopp nodded heavily, his expression somber. "I understand."
After a moment of deliberation, he added, "I think it's not the right time to punish them, especially Dampier. He's been working tirelessly to get you out of prison."
Yasopp was concerned that William might be upset with Dampier and the others for taking matters into their own hands and leading the slaughter. With Garp, Strawberry, Doberman, and other Marine Vice Admirals, along with a squad of elite Marines from headquarters, still posing a threat, now was not the time to deal with internal disputes.
Although Yasopp detested the actions of Dampier, Harden, and the others, he wasn't foolish or malicious. He had no intention of seeking revenge against them in a way that would jeopardize the Morgan Group's chances of success in their upcoming battle against the Marines. He was merely stating his position and expressing his views.
William smiled approvingly and nodded. Yasopp, seeing his reaction, felt a sense of relief. After exchanging a few more words, Yasopp left the mansion to assist with putting out the fires.
Once Yasopp was gone, William entered a study within the mansion. Dampier was reclining in a chair, casually swirling a glass of whiskey in his hand. His relaxed demeanor showed no sign of having been reprimanded.
In truth, William hadn't scolded Dampier, nor Aramis or Harden. After all, the order had come from him. Dampier and the others were merely bearing the burden of the infamy on his behalf.
"So, he's only fit to be a henchman," Dampier remarked, taking a sip of whiskey. His tone was indifferent as he evaluated Yasopp. "He'll never be able to lead an organization, let alone rally a group to contend with the true titans of the Grand Line in this turbulent era. He's too rigid and not clever enough. His best choice is to serve under someone else, contributing his strength."
William sighed. "Don't be so harsh. Yasopp is our comrade, and he didn't do anything wrong."
William genuinely believed this. As the saying goes, "Within a party, there are always factions, and diversity is inevitable." Even modern political parties, which are highly organized, often experience internal disputes over direction and policy. Given the number of officers under William's command, he was willing to tolerate differing opinions, as long as they didn't hinder the group's overall progress.
Yasopp couldn't accept acts of retaliatory slaughter, believing such actions would tarnish the reputation of the Morgan Pirates. So, William chose to keep him out of it. Even when Yasopp inadvertently discovered what was happening, he maintained his sense of the bigger picture. Instead of escalating the conflict, he immediately sought out William to let him make the decision. In William's eyes, this was an acceptable approach.
Similarly, when assigning personnel, William was careful to make thoughtful decisions. For instance, he had sent members of the Morgan Pirates and the militia to carry out the slaughter but had deliberately excluded the royal guards, who represented a more formal military force. William always considered such nuances when making decisions, avoiding crude or reckless actions.
In fact, if all of William's officers thought and acted in exactly the same way, with no differences or conflicts, he might have been the one to grow suspicious.
"So, what's the plan now?" Dampier asked. "The nobles in the district haven't been completely wiped out. Those who remain hate us to the core. When Garp and the Marines return, they'll surely retaliate."
William replied nonchalantly, "There aren't many of them left. Leave a few agents from the Fifth Intelligence Division behind. After we leave, the city will descend into chaos. Have them eliminate the remaining nobles under the guise of opportunistic criminals during the disorder."
William had considered holding a public trial to execute the nobles, which would have been a powerful way to win over public sentiment. However, the political implications of such an act would have been too significant, likely provoking hostility and vigilance from the nobility, especially the Celestial Dragons.
Despite his actions and policies being far superior to those of most kings and nobles, William's outward image hadn't strayed too far from that of a traditional feudal ruler. His talent recruitment systems and political structures hadn't reached a point of being radically different from those of other kingdoms. Most importantly, even after seizing power, William hadn't carried out large-scale purges of the nobility or confiscated their wealth. The defeated nobles were merely sent away from the centers of power, resembling a common outcome of political struggles.
Dampier's actions this time were clearly a form of retaliation and venting against the nobles for what they had done while William was imprisoned. It was unrelated to broader class issues. However, if William were to openly hold a public trial targeting the entire noble class, even if the concept of "class conflict" wasn't yet fully understood in this world, the nobility would instinctively feel threatened and turn against him.
William wasn't a revolutionary leader. Everything he did—every policy he adopted—was aimed at consolidating his power and strengthening his position. He was well aware of the history of the Russian October Revolution and the subsequent military interventions by numerous nations. The ruling class, with its resources and influence, wouldn't simply hand over power and wealth to the lower classes without a fight.
William's next goal wasn't to wage an all-out war against the World Government.
After hearing William's explanation, Dampier nodded. "I'll inform Aramis."
William didn't respond. He took the glass from Dampier's hand and, without hesitation, downed the remaining whiskey. Exhaling deeply, he remarked, "Do you know what tortured me the most in prison? It wasn't the Sea-Prism Stone, but the fact that I couldn't drink or smoke. I almost forgot what whiskey tastes like."
(End of Chapter)
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