The ascent of the bubble pod takes quite a while, but this is just the beginning. After that, you still have to cross thousands of steps to reach Mary Geoise.
"Huff, huff... I can't go on. You two carry me up here."
Oran and his entourage moved with ease, and these few steps were nothing to him, but the other kings were not so comfortable.
It's not easy for someone who doesn't exercise much to climb so many steps in one go, especially since some kings carried their own weights.
Those luxurious clothes were of no practical use except for their appearance; they were cumbersome and difficult to move in, making them feel like weighted exercises. They were already panting heavily after only a few steps.
"Your Majesty, please hang in there a little longer, we'll be there soon."
"Yes, this concerns the nation's reputation. Please hold on a little longer."
It's certainly troublesome for ordinary people to discriminate against royalty in this world, but it's a different story when royalty discriminate against each other. Even if they don't say it, they will look down on people who can't even walk properly, and it can even escalate to the national level.
Including the guards, there are only a few hundred people, but these people together are the political leaders of most of the world's powerful countries. If a terrorist attack were to be carried out here and succeed, most countries would fall into chaos.
"I said, Kate, what are you doing?"
Oran was physically superior to the royal family and was the first to arrive, even leaving the guards behind.
Those heavily armored guards couldn't catch up with them.
Looking back, you can see a long line of royalty, their physical differences on full display, while Kate is writing and drawing on paper and pen, writing strings of numbers on it.
"Mark the artillery positions; they might come in handy later."
"Indeed, wearing this will make things more convenient."
Oran took off his non-prescription glasses, tapped the frame twice, and handed them to Kate.
"You look quite like a secretary wearing this. I'll lend it to you for now. Here are the function keys."
From Kate's perspective, the surrounding buildings and people all have outlines, and even the distances are clearly marked. The artillery positions are also marked on another notebook.
After traversing a path that resembled a mountain climb, the kings successfully entered Mary Geoise and proceeded to the social square.
The World Conference will last for seven days, with the formal meetings starting tomorrow. Today is reserved for socializing.
The gathering of royalty and guards made the place look lively and safer.
During the World Conference, even the most powerful pirates in the New World became more active, knowing full well that the Marines capable of dealing with them were now acting as their protectors.
The navy was unable to spare any troops to stop them before the World Conference ended.
At this time, royal families from various regions would also begin to exchange ideas, discussing politics, economics, marriage alliances, and even engaging in impromptu dances.
For example, the Samba King from the Kingdom of Samba, who was particularly fond of samba, wore feathers in his hair and danced with interested members of the royal family. At the same time, old acquaintances from Oran also joined in.
Some people met them down below, while others had already boarded the previous pod to come up.
"King Oran, it's been a long time. I never expected to see you here."
Green Pepper arrived in Oran with his signature cone-shaped head. Oran wasn't very familiar with the King of the Flower Kingdom, but he was very familiar with Green Pepper, because Oran had treated his cone-shaped head more than once.
After his head was cured, Green Pepper was very dissatisfied and went to challenge Garp again, only to be beaten up again. Finally, he came to Oran for treatment again, and it's almost become an industry chain.
Anyone who didn't know better would think Oran gave Garp a share of the profits.
Finally, Oran reminded him that if this continued, his cone might break, which made Green Pepper stop temporarily.
Relying on his status as a member of the Flower Kingdom, even a wanted individual like Green Pepper can freely enter and exit Mary Geoise, demonstrating the convenience afforded by member states.
The guards' duties are basically finished once they arrive at the social hall. Their remaining role is mainly to show off, and no one will interfere with their free movement.
Royals interact with each other, and guards interact with each other; the relationship is very equal. Qingjiao's situation can only be described as an exception.
Brand is still standing in the back, competing with others in a stance test. Among the guards, he stands out in his silver-white Imperial Guard armor. Even though he tries his best to control his expression, the upward curve of his lips is undeniable.
[Hmph, envious, aren't you? Do you guys even have one?]
While mechs still serve a show-off purpose in Piltover, their effectiveness is gradually diminishing. As a result, Brand no longer flaunts his mech in public; he only goes out for a stroll when the security force is recruiting.
But it's different here. These people, who haven't seen much advanced equipment, look at Brand differently.
As for the aloof act, Project Shiki can easily stand still for hours on end by simply activating his protective goggles and switching to energy-saving mode.
Do something! Give me a chance!
To show off, you need a foil. Oran had Project Shiki to make his move, and Judge was there as a stepping stone. Brand couldn't just cause trouble out of thin air.
Before Brand could even find his opportunity, a more serious problem arose.
"Did you see that guy? I heard he cleaved through the rain clouds with a single sword strike."
"I was in the same gondola as His Majesty the King at that time, and we both saw the sword energy flying out. It must have been a great swordsman. I wonder if I could ask him for some pointers?"
Great swordsmen are few in number; many countries can't even find a single swordsman capable of cutting through iron, let alone a great swordsman capable of splitting the heavens.
Asking others might not get you an answer, but asking won't hurt you. And if they're in a good mood and offer some advice, you'll definitely benefit.
So, under Brand's gaze, the group moved closer to Project Shiki.
Fortunately, Project: Shiki doesn't speak unless ordered, maintaining a cool and aloof demeanor throughout. After those people ran into a wall, they turned their attention back to Brand, asking him about the Jaeger and slightly satisfying his vanity.
Meanwhile, Frankenstein also encountered his own situation.
"Princess, are you single? I am a prince of the Kingdom of Bestland. Would you be willing to have a deeper conversation with me?"
Arranged marriages are also a topic of discussion in this social forum. As members of the royal family, very few can pursue marriages based on true love. In most cases, they seek a complementary partner.
Personal emotional issues take a backseat; what benefits they can bring to the country are their primary considerations.
The World Conference is one of the few opportunities for them to pursue "free love." Those who can come here generally have some capital and strength, and are usually good marriage partners.
Frankenstein's crown-like headdress is undoubtedly a symbol of royalty here, and although the hammer in his hand is a bit strange, it can be seen as a local custom.
The quality of royalty varies greatly around the world, and it's quite difficult to find a good-looking one.
For these members of the royal family, feelings can be cultivated later. As long as the backgrounds of the other person are not too different, choosing someone who catches their eye is the most important thing.
"I'm sorry, I don't have any feelings for you."
Without any tact, Frankenstein chose to refuse outright.
"Ahem, Your Highness, His Majesty the King has already made arrangements for the Princess's marriage. I apologize."
At this point, Brand came over and offered a more tactful explanation: in this situation, excessively offending someone could even lead to international disputes, so being polite wouldn't hurt.
But if the other party continues to pester him, Brand will have to consider taking action.
Frankenstein is a better fighter than him, but it would be a huge loss of face to have his own royal family do it in a situation like this.
Fortunately, they were all royalty, and they all had some sense of propriety. The one who was trying to woo Frankenstein was not the kind of person who would act arrogantly.
Faced with Brand's reasonable explanation, the prince didn't dwell on it, but instead took a liking to Brand's mech.
"Oh, is that so? Are you selling your armor? It looks pretty good."
"I'm sorry, this is a secret of the kingdom. I only have the right to use it; the decision rests with His Majesty the King."
This also drew more attention to Oran. These kings had little impression of Oran; the distance was too great, and neither his doctor title nor any other title was enough to keep them paying attention to him.
Despite having the title of one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, Oran has committed too few evil deeds to be a deterrent to these kings.
They didn't know Oran, but they knew the people Oran was talking to: the King of Alabasta and the King of Drum Kingdom—both countries with significant status in the Grand Line.
Alabasta has a rich history and profound cultural heritage.
The Drum Kingdom's foundation hasn't been completely squandered, and its status is still quite high. The fact that someone can have such a pleasant conversation with a king suggests they're not an ordinary person.
"Speaking of which, where is Prince Yu Mi Bing? I haven't seen him."
"He's probably preparing. He's hosting this year's World Conference, so he might be memorizing his lines?"
"Is that person from the World Government in charge of the conference? They've come to see the king of that non-member state?"
Several kings who were familiar with King Yumibing discovered that someone was missing. At the same time, they also found a man dressed in red with a long beard who had found Oran. After exchanging a few words, he took Oran to another place.
They probably all know what Oran went to do; it was a swearing-in ceremony during the World Conference, which usually happens when a new country joins the alliance or when there is a change in the right to participate in the conference.
The vanished King Byeong-seo also met the Five Elders at almost the same time.
"Five Elders, what brings you here?"
"You are the host of this year's conference, so there is something we need to inform you of in advance."
"Sidil Oran, King of Piltover."
"His country will become a member state at this conference, a fact that has been recognized by us."
"We will also send someone to inform the other kings, but this matter needs to be raised by you at the meeting."
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