Holy Land Mary Geoise.
After passing through the long moving walkway, dreamlike and beautiful as paradise, Pangaea Castle appeared before everyone. It was the venue for this Reverie, the very center of power in the world, and the most magnificent and solemn building of all, enormous as a mountain.
"Please follow me. Open the gates!"
At the shout of the Holy Land Mary Geoise guards, the main gates of Pangaea Castle opened. The royals of the various kingdoms, each excited and awestruck, were led by the guards to the open-air Social Plaza on the highest level of Pangaea Castle.
At this moment, nobles from all over the world had already gathered there, along with their relatives and guards. Everyone was chatting with one another. The Reverie would begin tomorrow, so there was not much time left for them to relax and socialize.
Of course, the liveliness belonged to others. In the entire Social Plaza, two groups stood alone.
One was naturally the delegation from the Kingdom of Flevance, whom everyone else avoided like the plague.
The other was the delegation from the Ryugu Kingdom of Fish-Man Island.
Clearly, Queen Otohime's beauty could not compare with that of the Mermaid Princess. On top of that, this was their first time attending the Reverie and coming into contact with so many humans. Their unease made them seem less approachable, to the point that almost no one was willing to speak with them.
The proud nobles around them naturally noticed this scene as well, and mocking smiles appeared on their faces as they sneered.
"Fish and sickly wretches. They really do make a perfect pair..."
"I really don't know why the World Government agreed to let them attend this Reverie..."
"I heard fish-men carry contagious diseases too. Is that true...?"
"No, thank you. I don't want to go home covered in some strange illness..."
"Hey, King of Drum, did you bring a doctor? Your country is famous for medicine, isn't it? Come take a look at me..."
But the King of the Drum Kingdom, now a stooped, haggard old man after being struck by the deaths of his two sons, clearly had no mind to pay attention to these kings. There was only one thought in his mind now, and that was revenge.
If he could not avenge them through his own power, then by using this Reverie and joining hands with the World Government, he would surely be able to kill Fire Dragon Yemu and avenge his sons.
Seeing that his king had fallen into such obsession, the guard captain Dalton, standing beside him, was filled with worry.
Just like that, after roughly half an hour, a squad of armored guards stepped forward and addressed everyone.
"Royal families of the World Government Member Nations, your residences have been arranged. Please follow our guards to your assigned quarters."
Only then did everyone quiet down. One by one, led by the guards, they headed toward the rooms prepared inside the castle.
The Kingdom of Flevance and the Ryugu Kingdom, ostracized by everyone else, naturally walked at the very back.
When everyone ahead had been settled and it was finally these two nations' turn, the guard in charge spoke apologetically.
"Um... Kings of the Kingdom of Flevance and the Ryugu Kingdom, you and your relatives will be assigned to separate rooms, while your guards will be housed together. Do you have any objections...?"
Before the people from the Kingdom of Flevance and the Ryugu Kingdom could react, King Outlook II of the Goa Kingdom and Princess Consort Carly Strand, who were walking ahead of them, burst out laughing.
"Hehehehe... Monsters paired with monsters. What a perfect match... Hehehe..."
At those words, it was not only King Neptune who grew furious. Philock VII's face also filled with anger.
They actually dared to compare him with fish-men.
But just then, the guard behind Philock VII spoke.
"I have no objection, Your Majesty."
Philock VII instantly snapped back to his senses, and his expression changed from anger to the look of someone waiting to enjoy a show.
"Then let's do that..."
On the other side, King Neptune and Queen Otohime of the Ryugu Kingdom were both startled by that familiar voice.
...
Pangaea Castle.
As the door opened, an incomparably luxurious room, elegant in every detail, appeared before the two guards from the Kingdom of Flevance and the two guards from the Ryugu Kingdom.
"This will be your residence for the seven days of the Reverie. Your kings will be staying on the floor above you. If anything is needed, someone will inform you, so there is no need to worry. In the Holy Land Mary Geoise, no one will harm them, so please rest here at ease. This is the room key. At eight o'clock tomorrow morning, someone will bring you to the area outside the Reverie meeting hall, where your monarchs will be. Also, during the Reverie, you may not move around freely. In particular, you must not approach the Celestial Dragon Gate behind the main entrance. That is the residence of the Celestial Dragons, descendants of the gods, and it is absolutely forbidden to go near it. Now then, please rest well here..."
"Thank you."
Dressed as a guard, Yemu took the key and entered with the two guards from Fish-Man Island.
As the door closed, Jinbe, dressed in the uniform of the Neptune Kingdom's army, looked visibly excited. As for the other one, General Shark Fish-Man, whom Yemu had met in the Ryugu Kingdom, he looked extremely nervous.
Both of them seemed to want to speak, but they were too tense to say anything first. After all, this was the Holy Land Mary Geoise.
Just then, the other guard who had followed them in without saying a single word suddenly spoke in a mechanical voice.
"Room scan complete. No listening devices detected. Eavesdropping shield activated..."
The voice really did startle them when it first rang out, but once they understood what it meant, they relaxed.
At that moment, Yemu removed his helmet, sat down on the sofa by the window, pointed to the sofa opposite him, and said to Jinbe and General Shark Fish-Man, "It's been a long time, Jinbe, General Shark Fish-Man."
"B-Big Brother!"
Jinbe was beyond excited, because he understood why Yemu was here.
Only General Shark Fish-Man knew nothing. Confused and nervous, he asked, "Captain Yemu... why are you here? This is the Holy Land Mary Geoise."
"Don't be nervous, General Shark Fish-Man... Nothing is impossible. Sit down, and we'll talk slowly..."
Only then did the two sit down, one looking at Yemu with anticipation, the other with tension.
But Yemu did not answer General Shark Fish-Man directly. Instead, he looked out the window at the beautiful Holy Land Mary Geoise and asked softly, "Can you hear it?"
"Huh?"
General Shark Fish-Man looked completely baffled. Jinbe, on the other hand, said with an unpleasant expression, "From the moment we arrived in the Holy Land Mary Geoise, I felt it. A sickening sensation. Beneath this beautiful world, there is a stench. It's the sound of slaves crying under inhuman treatment..."
This time, General Shark Fish-Man finally understood. He stared at Yemu and Jinbe in disbelief.
"Captain Yemu... Jinbe, are you two... going to..."