"Hey, Zephyr-san."
Zephyr, who had been staying in the ruins of the Arderay Kingdom for several days, suddenly heard someone call his name.
For the past few days, the people around him had been extremely wary, making a simple greeting impossible.
Zephyr turned his head and saw that it was Stragus.
"Is it time?" Zephyr immediately connected this to the words Alucard had spoken to him when he first arrived.
"That's right. Please come to the castle. Alucard-sama is looking for you." Stragus raised one hand toward the castle and made a "please" gesture to Zephyr.
"Annoying."
Zephyr was highly displeased, feeling as if he had become Alucard's subordinate. However, he was very curious to hear what insightful words Alucard might actually offer.
The reason Zephyr had stayed this long on the territory of the pirate he detested most wasn't due to the cleverness of Alucard's methods. More importantly, the government had treated Zephyr so cruelly that the old man, who had upheld the heart of justice for half a century, was gradually reaching his breaking point.
Pere pere pere... pere pere pere...
When Zephyr stepped into the inner hall of the castle, before he even saw anyone, he heard the familiar sound of a Den Den Mushi calling.
He walked closer and saw a small Den Den Mushi placed on a wine table to Alucard's left. With its curved, pointed horns, red-lensed spectacles, and pink feather coat, it instantly reminded Zephyr of Doflamingo, who had acted with Alucard earlier to seize the Heavenly Tribute and was now one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
Seeing Zephyr arrive, Alucard did not greet him but instead picked up the receiver of the Den Den Mushi, which had been continuously ringing.
The sleeping Den Den Mushi instantly woke up, and Doflamingo's laughter came through. "It's me. I've taken care of everything and am ready to seize Dressrosa."
Zephyr's expression changed upon hearing the voice from the Den Den Mushi. Dressrosa wasn't a famous country, but due to its vast territory, it was conspicuous in the first half of the New World.
Doflamingo, unaware that the former Marine Admiral Zephyr was present, continued to
elaborate on his scheme of usurpation. "The time is set for two weeks from now. Before then, I hope you can shift the ships of your subordinates currently patrolling the nearby waters to avoid any unnecessary conflict."
"What's the benefit?" Alucard asked, simple and direct.
"At the end of the iron bridge located northwest of Dressrosa, there's an island called Green Bit. A very interesting race lives there. Utilizing them can create immense wealth."
The Den Den Mushi continued to mimic Doflamingo's tone and expression. "This will also be highly beneficial to your position, won't it?"
Click!
Alucard hung up the call, his eyes narrowed as he fixed his gaze on Zephyr.
For some reason, Zephyr, who had battled pirates for half a century, felt his gaze falter slightly under Alucard's look this time. He clenched his fists, lifted his head, and said firmly, "A Warlord attacking and stealing a nation is against the regulations. I must immediately notify the Marines
to apprehend him and strip him of his title!"
Though the Seven Warlords were pirates sanctioned by the government, their authority was limited. Doflamingo's act of "usurping a nation" was, without a doubt, a violation of the regulations, and Zephyr was determined to revoke his privileges as a Warlord.
"Do you really think it will be that smooth?"
Alucard scoffed. "What action do you think the government will take if Doflamingo successfully usurps the nation?"
Zephyr raised an eyebrow, failing to grasp Alucard's underlying meaning, and thought normally. "They would naturally intervene immediately to investigate and expel Doflamingo."
"Then let's play a game, shall we? I bet that after Doflamingo successfully takes the country, the government will not only refrain from investigating but will instead tacitly approve or even support him taking the king's throne..."
"That's impossible!" Zephyr roared harshly.
"Then go and see for yourself. Doflamingo said he'd move in two weeks, didn't he? You still have time to get there now."
Zephyr's tightly clenched fists began to tremble. After angrily swinging one hand, he stormed out.
He would not believe it, and he refused to believe it. If the numerous unfortunate events that happened to him could be attributed to his own bad luck, but if they were to turn a blind eye to
an entire nation facing a pirate's wicked plot, what had he been loyal to for the past half-century?
Zephyr... was scared. He was genuinely terrified. "The last fortress is about to collapse."
After Zephyr left, Alucard spoke candidly to himself.
A moment later, Alucard commanded his subordinate, "Recall all ships navigating in the New World."
"Yes, Captain! Right away!"
Using a small motorized boat, Zephyr spent nearly ten days traveling from Arderay to Dressrosa, a country with a vast land area but extremely high poverty.
"'Two weeks from now, I will seize Dressrosa.'"
"'Is that so? I think the government will not only refrain from investigating but will instead tacitly approve or even support Doflamingo taking the king's throne.'"
Zephyr recalled Doflamingo's words on the Den Den Mushi and Alucard's "bet." He gritted his teeth, moored his small boat by the shore, and climbed the stone steps leading onto the island.
"Seizing a country? What kind of joke is that?"
Zephyr was still wearing his civilian clothes, looking like a robust old man.
Given that he had been retired from the front lines for many years, no one in the entire country recognized his true identity, and since there was no Marine base here, being recognized was even more unlikely.
"It is indeed a very poor country."
Zephyr had just entered the city gates and took in the general environment, thinking to himself as he gradually ventured deeper into the town.