Dressrosa Royal Palace.
Sephiroth, led by Scarlett, arrived at a simple dining room. Its furnishings were incredibly modest: a round table, a few wooden chairs, and a wine cabinet housing the royal collection of drinks. On the round table, six dishes were already laid out, emitting tempting aromas: braised sea cucumber, grilled fish, stir-fried broccoli with carrots, steamed shrimp, roasted beef, and steamed crab.
Sitting at the round table were three members of the royal family: Violet, King Riku, and Queen Iris. The Queen had long, waist-length wine-red hair, which, though showing the wrinkles of time, still exuded beauty, elegance, dignity, and enduring charm.
Scarlett held Sephiroth's hand and led him before the Queen. The Queen introduced him with a warm smile, "Mother, this is Sephiroth, whom I told you about."
"Oh my! What a fine young man!" Queen Iris greeted with utmost warmth. "I've heard everything from my daughter and husband. Thank you so much for your help." She pulled Sephiroth to a chair beside her and bade him sit. Iris smiled, placing food onto his plate as she asked, "I'm curious... when do you plan to marry my daughter?"
Hearing this, Sephiroth awkwardly scratched his head, his cheeks flushing slightly, and replied evasively, "Ahem!... Well... I don't think there's a need to rush. I want to focus on developing my career first!"
"Good! Good! Young men should prioritize their careers..." Hearing this, Queen Iris wasn't angry at all; she still smiled very happily. Since Sephiroth had saved her husband, her daughter, and the Dressrosa Kingdom, the Queen, filled with gratitude, felt extremely satisfied with what he had done in every respect.
King Riku used his chopsticks to pick up sea cucumber for his dish. Only then did something cross his mind, and he unconsciously asked, "Sephiroth, judging by the time, shouldn't you be at the Marine Academy right now?"
"Uh! Yes, but after completing the last mission, Instructor Zephyr gave us leave. So, I used my Devil Fruit ability to rush here, to Dressrosa..." Sephiroth explained, his gaze occasionally glancing at Scarlett.
"Is that so!" King Riku looked at the silver-haired youth, then his daughter, and he harbored no doubts.
As if recalling something, Violet tilted her head, asking with a curious expression, "Brother Sephiroth, by the way... When you saved us in front of the Royal Palace plaza, why did I suddenly faint...?"
"Eh! Well? ...That's a secret!" Sephiroth smiled and casually brushed it off without giving a specific explanation.
"Oh~!" The black-haired girl pouted. Though a little dissatisfied, she didn't press further, choosing to accept the mysterious answer.
King Riku watched his eldest daughter continuously putting food onto the silver-haired youth's plate. He couldn't help but say with a mix of emotion and a sigh, "From now on, my daughter is entrusted to you. Never disappoint her!"
Before Sephiroth could reply, Scarlett spoke first, her voice cheerful, "Father, don't worry! Sephiroth is very good to me, and he just gave me a Devil Fruit to eat, which gave me the ability to control stones..."
"I only said it casually, huh! Indeed, a daughter grows up and leaves home... Hahaha!" King Riku laughed heartily and shook his head, giving Sephiroth no further instructions. In his opinion, if the silver-haired youth was willing to give something as valuable as a Devil Fruit to his eldest daughter, it proved that his intentions were certainly not wrong...
The dinner proceeded very harmoniously, and no one deliberately made things difficult for the youth.
Sephiroth saw that King Riku had put down his chopsticks and wiped his mouth with a napkin, clearly full. So, he asked tentatively, "Can I speak with you two alone about something?"
Hearing this, King Riku looked at Sephiroth with a slight surprise, "Does it have to be discussed alone?"
"Somewhat."
"Alright, then follow me to the grand hall!" King Riku nodded and stood from his seat decisively, leading Sephiroth out of the dining room.
Dressrosa Royal Palace, inside the spacious Council Hall.
After King Riku dismissed the guards stationed in the hall, he did not sit on the throne that symbolized power. Instead, he casually found a step below the throne and sat down, demonstrating a more relaxed demeanor. King Riku looked at Sephiroth, who stood before him, and asked with a slight doubt, "What exactly do you want to talk to me about?"
"It's like this, I've established the Umbrella Corporation." Sephiroth began, his tone serious. "I want to build factories in Dressrosa and expand other businesses..."
"Oh!? What field is your company in...?" King Riku asked with interest, raising an eyebrow slightly.
"The Umbrella Corporation I founded currently operates in the weapons business, also in the entertainment sector, and plans to open a medical business in the future..."
"Umbrella Corporation's weapons!?" Hearing those two words, King Riku's brows furrowed slightly, and an automatic sense of rejection rose in his heart. He had recently heard a little about the name Umbrella Corporation; it was a famous arms dealer in the underground world... He hadn't expected that Corporation to be founded by the youth before him. King Riku couldn't help but feel surprised. It was difficult for him to reconcile the other party's identity as a Marine Academy Student with that of an underground arms dealer...
Considering the kindness Sephiroth had shown him, King Riku couldn't simply be hostile. So, he could only say cautiously, "Other industries can be negotiated, but... I don't want you to expand the weapons business in the Dressrosa Kingdom!"
"Why?" Sephiroth asked, his gaze sharp.
"King Riku, opposing war and engaging in the weapons business are not contradictory."
"..." Hearing that, King Riku immediately put on a "Are you kidding me?" expression as he stared sharply at him, disbelieving the argument.
"Maintaining peace also requires the support of armed forces, just like the last pirate invasion incident. If the Marines hadn't arrived in time to help the Dressrosa Kingdom fight the pirates, relying solely on the Royal Army, King Riku, what do you think would have been the fate of this country?" Sephiroth asked rhetorically, his voice calm yet piercing.
"..." King Riku fell silent, bitter memories of the incident flooding his mind again.
"Now is the Great Pirate Era, the situation will only become more chaotic, and pirate invasions will gradually become the norm. The Marines can save the Dressrosa Kingdom once, twice... but they can't always arrive in time! Will you wait until your country is shattered and your family is ruined before you finally wake up?" The silver-haired youth's words were like sharp arrows, piercing directly into King Riku's heart, vividly reminding him of the scene where he was threatened by pirates that night... The same pain and powerlessness surged anew.
"But... weapons will ultimately only bring war..." King Riku tried to argue, his voice trembling slightly.
"Then why is your Royal Army still equipped with swords and firearms?" Sephiroth retorted, hitting hard.
Hearing this, King Riku unconsciously said, "Of course, to protect citizens, to protect this country..." But... his voice became softer and softer as he spoke, and he seemed to realize something, a contradiction in his own principles.
"Weapons themselves have no right or wrong, nor do they cause war... The only ones who are wrong are those who use them to start wars!" Sephiroth continued, "In this turbulent era, weapons can be used to wage war, or they can be used to protect one's own life and the lives of others; it merely depends on how the user utilizes them."
"Furthermore, I can assure you that once my Umbrella Corporation establishes itself in the Dressrosa Kingdom, the entire country's economy will be boosted along with it, allowing your citizens to slowly escape poverty and achieve a better standard of living, without having to struggle desperately just to make ends meet... At that time, the Dressrosa Kingdom will possess powerful military strength and a prosperous standard of living... Isn't that good?"
At this moment, facing the silver-haired youth's sophistication, King Riku's heart was already wavering... Sephiroth's rhetorical questions reminded him of the last time he was held hostage by pirates, when his daughter and his country were placed on the scales of choice, and the pirates made him choose between the two. At that time, his heart was tormented and aching! Therefore, he regretted it too. If his country's military strength had been stronger, perhaps the situation wouldn't have been like this... Sephiroth's words were like a devil's whispers, tempting him to enter the abyss of darkness. He knew this was wrong, but there was still a surging emotion in his heart—an indescribable desire to protect.
However... A belief that one had held for a long time would not be easily shattered. King Riku, now standing on the edge of a cliff, still felt a wave of resistance in his heart, subconsciously wanting to retreat... After a long silence, unsure how to make a decision, he could only say in an evasive tone, "But the weapons business involves many things and easily attracts the attention of other powers! One small mistake and the Dressrosa Kingdom could be ruined..."
"If King Riku is willing to agree to my Umbrella Corporation's establishment and development in the Dressrosa Kingdom, then I have a way to resolve this issue..." Sephiroth said with full confidence.
"..." Silence, profound silence. King Riku looked up and stared deeply at Sephiroth, his heart filled with burgeoning doubt.
Suddenly! Scarlett's body slowly floated up from the stone ground, as if the very stones were supporting her, a new demonstration of her Ishi Ishi no Mi power. Seeing her father's hesitant expression, the pink-haired girl said with a determined face, "Father! Just agree to Sephiroth! I believe in his judgment!" Driven by curiosity, and also wanting to try out her Ishi Ishi no Mi ability, the girl had long since secretly hidden beneath the stone ground in the grand Council Hall, eavesdropping on their conversation.
"But... this...?" King Riku stammered, surprised by his daughter's presence and assertion.
"Father, do you want your daughter to experience something like that again?" Scarlett asked, her voice soft yet weighty, touching an old wound in her father's heart.
Hearing his daughter's question, a wave of guilt instantly enveloped King Riku's heart, shattering his doubts and leading him to step into the dark abyss of choice. "Huh!... Alright! I agree." King Riku said with a sigh, his surrender tinged with resignation and hope.
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