"In that case, it has been confirmed that Ron and Monkey D. Garp are two different people, correct?" Imu slowly approached the cloaked woman.
"Yes, Imu-sama." The cloaked woman lowered her head, her tone steady and respectful. "Although Ron's information has not yet been fully organized and submitted, according to what the Marines learned on Hachinosu, their next destination is the land of giants, Elbaf."
"Elbaf?" Imu's steps paused slightly. He repeated the name in a low voice. A moment later, a sinister smile slowly appeared at the corner of his mouth.
"Heh." Imu let out a cold laugh, but said nothing more. He reached out, took Garp's file from the cloaked woman, and slowly opened it. His gaze moved down line by line.
In year XXX, Garp joined the Marines alongside XXX and XXX.
In year XXX, Garp performed bravely and displayed great potential, earning promotion to XXX.
...
In year XXX, Garp swept through pirates, made outstanding contributions to the World Government, and was promoted to Marine vice admiral.
Further down, the style began to change. The merit records turned into conduct issues.
In year XXX, according to a certain Marine soldier, Garp insulted the Celestial Dragons as "trash."
In year XXX, Garp used the opportunity of escorting supplies to steal fine wine from the Celestial Dragons.
And so on.
Imu only skimmed a few pages. His gaze lingered briefly over the densely written lines of "misdeeds," but the curve of his mouth neither deepened nor faded.
Then he casually threw the file in his hand onto the ground. Pages scattered with a soft slap that sounded especially clear in the quiet Flower Room.
The cloaked woman's gaze moved slightly, but she did not raise her head.
"Imu-sama," she asked softly, "do we still need deeper information on Monkey D. Garp? Or should he be monitored?"
Imu slowly turned around, his back to the garden of flowers and the morning light slanting in. His voice was calm. "Ignore that idiot... he is only a reckless man whose brain is somewhat abnormal. Inform the Five Elders. I have matters to instruct them on."
The cloaked woman nodded slightly. "Yes, Imu-sama."
A long time later, in the land of giants, Elbaf, deep within the castle, Harald sat on the throne, expressionless as he stared at the Den Den Mushi before him.
This tiny creature carried the deepest obsession of his reign.
"Harald."
A voice slowly came from the Den Den Mushi. "After the World Government's final assessment, Elbaf's civilization index, maritime jurisdiction capability, and public order stability have preliminarily reached the minimum standard for a member nation."
Harald's fingers tightened slightly on the throne. He said humbly, "Thank you for the World Government's fair consideration. All subjects of Elbaf will remember this kindness."
"However..."
The words from the other end were like a blade slowly and precisely sliding into fat. "The World Government still has great concerns regarding your nation's reputational risk. You know very well that rumors of 'barbaric giants' are deeply rooted among the member nations. Once the World Government agrees to Elbaf's membership, all kingdoms will jointly protest and may even threaten to withdraw from the Reverie."
"Those are slanders." Harald lowered his gaze, his tone sincere. "Our civilization is more ancient than most member nations. If you permit it, I can send a delegation of scholars to Mary Geoise..."
"Harald." The Den Den Mushi interrupted him, the tone carrying a faint chill. "Of course we know those are rumors. Otherwise, the inspection group would not have passed the preliminary assessment. But the issue has never been 'truth.' It is 'perception.' Do you understand?"
Silence.
A very long silence.
Harald slowly rose. His tall figure cast a heavy shadow over the wall, like a sleeping giant beast finally raising its head.
"Then what 'action' does the World Government want Elbaf to take in exchange for this entry ticket?"
On the other side of the Den Den Mushi came the rustle of pages turning.
After a long while, the voice said, "The Rocks Pirates. You should be familiar with them."
Harald did not answer immediately. He only narrowed his eyes slightly.
"I have indeed met them a few times. But that was long ago."
"Yet intelligence shows that Rocks often travels to Elbaf and stays for three to five days. The World Government will not pursue this, since your nation has not yet joined and has no obligation to enforce maritime blockades. But... the member nations do not see it that way. In their eyes, Rocks's anchor is iron proof that Elbaf is bound to 'sin.'"
Harald closed his eyes.
He could hear the string deep inside him being slowly pulled taut by a hand.
That hand came from the Holy Land, from those Celestial Dragons who stood above all and had never set foot on Elbaf's frozen soil.
They would never understand how, over the past decades, he had dragged the giant race step by step out of the stigma of raiders.
"Then," Harald opened his eyes and asked calmly, "if I can make Rocks 'disappear' from Elbaf?"
The Den Den Mushi was silent for five seconds.
Then came a very light laugh.
"Harald, the World Government is merciful. We would not ask a sincere monarch seeking membership to bear the infamy of murdering a friend. Moreover, Rocks may be evil, but in the end, he is only a flag."
"Your meaning is..."
"Among the Rocks Pirates, there is a man called the 'Cold-Blooded Butcher.' His name is Ron."
"If this man 'accidentally' dies on Elbaf's territory, and your royal guards personally deliver his head to Mary Geoise, then the World Government will have sufficient 'case evidence' to prove to all member nations that Elbaf is a civilized nation that shares no sky with evil."
Harald's gaze tightened for an instant.
He understood the full weight of those words.
Killing one pirate in exchange for an entry ticket seemed a simple price. But tied to the other end of that rope was the future of the entire giant race.
Once he nodded, Elbaf would no longer be an isolated fortress in neutral waters. It would become a giant piece on the World Government's board.
"Of course," the Den Den Mushi added, "even if you fail to kill him, as long as this 'butcher' can be separated from the Rocks Pirates, we will still clear Elbaf's name."
Harald lowered his eyes, the corner of his mouth slowly lifting in a faint arc.
"I understand."
"Very good. When the time comes, we will use a certain method to draw the Rocks Pirates to Elbaf."
"No need."
Harald interrupted. "I will personally invite Rocks. This matter between us will not trouble the World Government."
The Den Den Mushi fell silent for a breath.
Then came a satisfied response that could almost be called gentle.
"King Harald, you are more suited to that crown than we imagined."
In the New World, on a certain island, at the temporary resting place of Ron and the others, Ron walked through a pitch-black space in a dream.
Suddenly, within that darkness, two pairs of enormous eyes opened and looked down at him.
"Hey, are you mute? Why have we called you so many times, yet you never responded?"