"One Piece:The True Codex"The Minister of Finance's Residence.
Under the guidance of a servant, William arrived at the door of the meeting room.
After knocking lightly twice, the servant bowed to William, preparing to leave. However, William, in return, politely bowed and thanked him. This gesture surprised the servant, who had guided countless dignitaries in the past but had his service taken for granted just as many times. For the first time, he felt a faint sense of goodwill toward one of his charges.
When a voice from inside the room responded with "Come in," William pushed open the door. Inside, he saw the elderly Count Arcadio, his hair streaked with white, seated on a soft sofa alongside the short and shrewd Marine Colonel Roy. The butler, Eaton, was in the process of pouring tea for the two men.
After William entered and took a seat, Eaton poured him a cup of tea as well. Count Arcadio then waved the butler away, leaving only the three of them in the room: a kingdom's minister, a high-ranking Marine officer, and a rising pirate leader. Together, they held sway over both the legitimate and underground powers of the Navia Kingdom, their combined influence envied and coveted by many in the shadows.
However, Count Arcadio looked far from pleased despite his position as a key figure in the kingdom's dual governance. His brows were furrowed tightly as he addressed Roy and William. "Have you read the recent newspapers in the East Blue?"
William merely nodded, while Colonel Roy flicked the ash from his cigar and replied, "You mean the matter with Germa 66?"
Count Arcadio gave a slight nod. The moment King Norton I issued his orders, Arcadio had thought of his two allies and immediately extended an invitation for this meeting.
At its core, Norton I's concerns boiled down to issues of military strength. The Germa Kingdom posed a threat to the nations of the East Blue with its overwhelming might. To fulfill the king's directive and maintain Norton I's perception of him as a loyal minister, Arcadio needed military support.
Arcadio's authority in their alliance stemmed from the World Government and his noble status, but Roy and William relied on their tangible martial prowess. He needed their help.
However, after hearing Arcadio's request, Roy shook his head and bluntly stated, "Others may not know, but I do. Even if we combine our forces—Marines and pirates alike—we wouldn't stand a chance against an army like Germa 66. That's Grand Line-level military power."
"Besides," Roy continued, puffing on his cigar, "how could the Marines collaborate with pirates to fight a common enemy? Justice and evil are fundamentally irreconcilable."
Before William could respond, Arcadio's expression darkened, and he retorted, "Irreconcilable with evil? Are you suggesting that Germa 66's reputation as the 'Army of Evil' is a baseless slander? Germa 66 is wreaking havoc in the East Blue, and the Marines are just going to ignore it?"
"The Marines' mission is to combat pirates and any threats to the World Government's authority. The Germa Kingdom is also a member nation of the World Government. Internal disputes between member nations are not something the Marines can intervene in," Roy replied calmly.
"Can't intervene? Or won't intervene?" Arcadio's tone grew sharp, his face clouding over.
Seeing Roy remain unperturbed, Arcadio turned to William. He had assumed that Roy's attitude would discourage William, but to his surprise, William lowered his head in thought for a moment before suddenly looking up and saying, "Since it's a request from you, Count Arcadio, of course, I'll do my best. After all, we're allies. However..."
"However what?" Arcadio's expression softened significantly as he asked.
"While I'm personally willing to help our ally, you must understand that my crew consists of uneducated brutes who risk their lives for wealth. They don't share our relationship or loyalty to the kingdom," William said, rubbing his lips and offering a deliberately bitter smile. "If I ask them to fight a formidable enemy for a country they feel no connection to, especially at the risk of their lives, they're unlikely to agree."
Arcadio gave William a long, searching look before asking, "Then what do you think they want? Money?"
"No, no, no," William quickly waved his hands. "I think they'd prefer recognition—a status that would allow them to walk openly on land without having to skulk about in the shadows."
"You're suggesting integrating them into the kingdom's military system?" Arcadio asked, his tone skeptical.
"Have you heard of the Seven Warlords of the Sea?" William nodded slightly.
Arcadio frowned. "Privateering licenses? We don't have the authority of the World Government to issue those."
"I wouldn't dream of asking for a privateering license," William replied with a smile. "But we can take inspiration from that system. By granting an established armed group official recognition, you could gain a fully combat-ready force without spending a single Berry. It would also give you an easy way to report back to His Majesty. Besides, while the Navia Kingdom may lack the authority to issue privateering licenses, neither I nor my crew are currently on the World Government's radar."
Roy furrowed his brow, scrutinizing William from head to toe, while Arcadio rose from his seat and began pacing the room, deep in thought.
William's proposal seemed highly advantageous. As he had pointed out, the kingdom could acquire a battle-ready force without spending a single Berry, simply by granting his crew official recognition.
If Arcadio were to reject the proposal and instead build a new army from scratch, the financial cost would be one thing, but the time required would be incalculable. By then, Germa 66 might have already stormed the Navia Kingdom's capital or withdrawn from the East Blue entirely. In either case, Arcadio's efforts would be rendered meaningless.
It would be far better to act swiftly while Norton I's attention was still on the issue. Not only would this demonstrate his diligence, but it would also highlight his capability.
However, two key considerations remained: control over this newly recognized force and King Norton I's attitude toward such a solution.
Having reached this point in his thoughts, Arcadio stopped pacing and narrowed his eyes at William, asking tentatively, "I could grant them this recognition, but you've done us such a great favor. How should I repay you...?"
William's eyes lit up, and he instinctively straightened his posture. It was as if Arcadio's words were exactly what he had been waiting to hear. Licking his lips, he spoke with a mix of excitement and deference, not even bothering with pleasantries: "I... I hope to become a noble of the Navia Kingdom and live in the noble district."
After saying this, William quickly added, as if to obscure his true intentions, "With noble status and residence in the noble district, I believe my crew would trust you and His Majesty. Seeing this example of goodwill, they would surely fight bravely for the Navia Kingdom."
Arcadio raised an eyebrow, giving William a knowing, amused look. He believed he had seen through the young man before him. This nervous and expectant youth, struggling to conceal his excitement, was clearly desperate for the title of nobility.
(Author's Note: For readers unfamiliar with the original story's later developments, the Germa Kingdom is ruled by Sanji's family. For details on Sanji's timeline, refer to the related "Zeff Timeline" section. In the original work, the Germa Kingdom uses massive snails to cross the Red Line into the East Blue, and Kokia is indeed one of their targets. They even spared an innocent passenger ship passing through.)
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