Zephyr watched all this unfold, then walked away in silence, thinking: This is nothing like the other nations I've seen.
To build such a simple, honest way of life must have taken a great deal of effort indeed.
For a moment, he felt the urge to meet the king himself. The kingdom was not poor for lack of potential — it was rich in land and resources — but because of the chaos plaguing the world.
Yet the thought of his own uncertain status now held him back.
---
Over the next two days, Zephyr wandered through every part of Sius.
It was clear that while the country was poor, its people were hardworking and honest — proof that King Riku II truly ruled with wisdom and care.
But one fact struck him as strange: a nation so vast and resource‑rich had never been invaded by its neighbors, and claimed to have known five hundred years of peace.
After asking around, Zephyr soon learned the truth behind this unusual stability.
Put kindly, King Riku was a ruler who preferred diplomacy and friendship with all nations. Put more plainly, he was weak‑willed and quick to yield whenever pressure came.
To avoid conflict, he would offer concessions, pay compensation, and even give away gunpowder and iron ore for free — one of the very reasons his people remained impoverished.
On top of that, Sius was a member nation of the World Government, so other powers hesitated to push too hard. That was how such long‑lasting "peace" had been maintained.
But now, that fragile peace was about to be shattered. A storm of destruction was fast approaching.
---
Whoosh… whoosh… whoosh…
The sound of wind and waves woke King Riku from his sleep. Sitting up, he saw a man with an arrogant smirk and striking appearance sitting casually on the large windowsill opposite his bed.
Curling his ring, middle, and pinky fingers, the man smiled coldly. "My name is Donquixote Doflamingo. Do you understand what that means?"
Riku's face paled, yet he remained strangely calm — as if he had long feared this moment. He did not cry out for guards, but he knew in his heart: the worst had finally come.
---
Clatter! Clatter! Clatter!
The thunder of galloping horses roused Zephyr from his bed at the inn. He looked out to see dozens of royal soldiers riding into the main streets of the city.
Woken by the commotion, the people stepped outside, curious and confused.
"That's Commander Tond and Deputy Commander Taden!"
"What's going on?"
The crowd murmured anxiously.
Tond, Taden, and several other officers stepped forward, unrolling a large canvas sheet before the people. A closer look revealed beads of cold sweat running down every soldier's face.
Commander Tond bit his lip until it nearly bled, then spoke with great difficulty: "Everyone, listen to me — from this moment onward, bring all your cash and valuables to the town square."
"What?!"
"Wait, what do you mean?"
"King Riku will never allow this!"
The crowd erupted in protest. The soldiers' expressions grew even more strained, and Tond turned his head away, thinking: This was never going to work…
---
Just as the tension threatened to boil over, the Den Den Mushi projectors set up across the city suddenly lit up. On every screen appeared the white‑haired, weathered face of King Riku II.
"His Majesty!"
Hope flickered across the people's faces — until they heard his next words.
"I know this request comes as a great shock, and I wish I had time to explain… but there is none."
At that, the king suddenly dropped to his knees and bowed his head low before the lens. "Please — lend me every coin you have, all the money you possess!"
Zephyr froze in place. The people stood speechless, many stammering in disbelief.
"The King… he is bowing to us!"
"Your Majesty — how can you do such a thing?"
"Rise, please! This dishonors the royal family!"
"What would your ancestors say?"
Behind him, the king's ministers tried to pull him back to his feet, but Riku pushed them aside. Lifting his head, tears streamed down his face.
"I beg you — I will give you anything in return. Cut off my hands, my feet, whatever you wish — just lend me your money! Please!"
He bowed his head again.
Some among the crowd could bear it no longer and called out: "Everyone, do as the King asks — bring everything you have!"
"His Majesty loves us as his own children. He would never ask this without good reason!"
"He must be in terrible trouble!"
"Hurry, hurry!"
Seeing this, Commander Tond slid his half‑drawn sword back into its sheath, tears welling in his own eyes.
For only the third time in recent days, Zephyr felt a faint, almost unnoticeable smile touch his lips — the first two times had been in Artemis, and both had vanished in an instant.
Without drawing attention, he turned and walked quickly toward the royal palace.
---
Half a kilometer from the palace gates, he saw King Riku II himself galloping into the streets — still in his nightclothes, a cloak draped over his shoulders, his head bowed low so no one could see his face.
"That's him…"
Zephyr recognized the king at once. But unlike the ordinary people, he sensed something else: countless invisible threads wrapped tightly around Riku's body, detectable only with Observation Haki.
The String‑String Fruit…
The thought brought back all the intelligence reports on the Seven Warlords he had read while still in active service — information he had full authority to access.
"King Riku!"
"Your Majesty!"
The people, having brought out their savings, cheered as he rode past. But when he reached the front of the crowd, Riku suddenly drew his sword and swung it down.
Slash!
Blood sprayed through the air as the blade struck a man. The crowd stood frozen in shock. Commander Tond stepped forward, eyes wide with horror.
"Your Majesty — what are you doing?!"
Before he could finish, Tond's own body stiffened. He drew his weapon and began hacking wildly at the people around him.
Taden and the other soldiers did the same, slashing at the terrified townsfolk.
"AAAAHHH!"
"What is happening?!"
"Why… why are you doing this?!"
"We gave you all our money!"
Within half a minute, dozens lay dead. The rest of the people scattered in panic, staring in disbelief at the king and his men, who now seemed to have turned into monsters.
Commander Tond… Commander Taden… everyone… what has become of you?
__________________
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