The Duke of Valos had said he would come, but what Rosen saw instead was the castle's defenses being reinforced with soldiers and weapons. Clearly, the Duke had guessed their intentions were not friendly—or perhaps he was simply cautious.
After about fifteen minutes, the Duke appeared on the wall with a retinue of attendants. Looking down at Xia and the others, he spoke coolly.
"I don't know what purpose Miss Xia has, bringing a few pirates to visit me?"
It was obvious that Valos had been secretly observing for a while and had already recognized Rosen and Robin, which was why he addressed them this way.
"I only wish to discuss a business matter with Your Grace. I've heard the Princess resides at your estate, so we came seeking allegiance," Xia replied, with Rosen's approval, speaking across the distance though not making it too obvious.
But since Valos had already begun by questioning their identities, it was clear he had formed some suspicions.
After a brief silence, Valos said, "Let us put aside whether such a person exists in my estate. Even if she did, why would she cooperate with pirates? Miss Xia, you are the new president of the AKS Merchant Guild. Associating with pirates will tarnish your reputation."
Xia's face darkened slightly, and she was about to speak, but Rosen stopped her. Smiling up at the Duke, Rosen said, "I've heard the King is gravely ill and has no heir. I also wish to earn merit in this matter of succession. I wonder, could Your Grace make an introduction?"
Hearing this, Valos's eyes flickered with gravity and shock. To most, the words would sound harmless, but given his suspicion that these very people had spread the rumors, the meaning was plain.
Rosen's unspoken message was clear—he wanted cooperation to pull the King from his throne.
Madness. Absolute madness.
Though Valos disliked the King, he was still a noble subject of the realm, and to conspire with pirates was nearly unthinkable.
Still, he did not reject them outright. He wished to hear more details. For if, by some chance, such an opportunity truly existed…
Those with ambition are always greedy.
Valos was no exception. He had been expanding his army for years—first, to defend himself in this age of pirates, and second, perhaps to one day expand his own territory.
But these were only pirates—fugitives hounded by the Marines. Hardly the kind of partners worthy of his regard. It was laughable.
Yet contempt aside, he kept a smile on his face. It would not do to break openly with them so soon.
"If the kingdom were left without a ruler, naturally it would fall to someone worthy to inherit. And what plans do you have in such a case?" Valos asked, feigning interest to test them further.
"This isn't much of a welcome. Why not sit down and discuss properly?" Rosen suggested.
"That won't be necessary. After all, we are not yet familiar. And you are pirates. Still, if your talk of allegiance is sincere, then my estate would certainly welcome you."
The Duke's words lacked any real sincerity, and Rosen quickly understood—Valos had no intention of cooperating. Still, Rosen did not mind revealing his plan.
After all, greed was human nature, and there was nothing to lose by trying.
"Of course, our intentions are genuine. As of now, no new heir has been named in the Andia Kingdom. Should the King pass, chaos will surely erupt among the nobles. That is why we wish to stand with Your Grace, who commands such a mighty army."
His meaning was clear: if Valos agreed to support the so-called "Princess" with his troops at the crucial moment, then their partnership would be sealed.
Rosen's side would handle the King's assassination. Valos's side would raise rebellion and enthrone the "Princess."
The Duke pondered. There was a certain feasibility to it. But did these pirates truly have the power to kill the King? He doubted it. The King was protected by the hardest royal crown and countless masters. To assassinate him was nothing more than a pipe dream.
With that thought, Valos decided it was pointless to continue. A mere pirate daring to claim equal footing with him, and even plotting regicide? Utterly delusional.
His ingrained noble pride closed the door to cooperation. He no longer wished to waste time hearing them out.
"Apologies, but the matter remains unconfirmed. For now, our duty is to seek ways to heal the King. My time is precious, and I will not keep you longer. See them out," Valos ordered.
At once, the castle's cannons and rifles aimed at Rosen and his companions.
Though cautious enough not to give the kill order, wary of their unknown strength, the Duke intended to drive them away.
But Rosen knew that once exposed, they had only two choices: reach an agreement or eliminate everyone who knew their plan.
"As expected, it won't be easy. Duke Valos, let me ask again—wouldn't being the King's father-in-law grant you greater power than remaining a Duke? Far more freedom. I never expected you to agree at once, but to deny us even the chance of deeper discussion?" Rosen pressed directly.
The Duke's expression darkened. This pirate—what was he scheming? "Silence! You are but pirates. The affairs of Andia are not yours to meddle in. Leave at once, or do not blame us for being ruthless. The matter of a 'Princess' is pure fabrication. Today, I will personally expose this rumor before the whole city!"
The royal envoy was in the high city. Who knew what ears might be listening? To speak so boldly risked bringing the King's wrath down upon him. He had to make his position clear.
"Suit yourself… Xia, do you want to be King of Andia?" Rosen asked casually, turning to her.
Xia froze, then quickly understood. Her heart wavered—she had never expected Rosen to ask such a thing so offhandedly. Was he serious?
She had no preparation for this.
"What are they saying?" Valos snapped, irritated that the pirates whispered among themselves instead of leaving. If not for Rosen's bounty of nine hundred million berries, he would already have ordered them blasted to pieces.
"M-me? Can I?" Xia asked, uncertain. She was confident in her ability as guild president, but to be queen of a kingdom? Could she really take such a throne?
"You can. Your father had ties with the former King, and you often visited the palace in the past. That's an advantage. With the right spin, even if it doesn't fully convince people, a sliver of plausibility is enough. I'll be honest—you may only be a puppet monarch. But even so, the power and privileges you'd wield would be immense. If you're willing, from this moment on, you are the Princess of Andia. And right now, I see no one better suited than you." Rosen spoke plainly, laying bare both the risks and the benefits.
Xia realized this was an opportunity.
To Rosen, it likely didn't matter who sat on the throne—he only needed a figurehead. It just happened to fall on her because of their connection.
Her heart pounded wildly. This was perhaps the greatest decision she would ever face. If she staked everything on Rosen and failed, death was certain. But if she let it slip away, such a chance would never come again.
And she did want to change the misery of the Andia Kingdom.
After a brief inner struggle, Xia made her choice.
"I'm willing. But I have one condition."
(End of Chapter)