Flevance Royal Palace.
To avoid Amber Lead poisoning while still maintaining control over the country, the royal family had deliberately relocated to the borders a century ago.
King Flevance V, clad in a hazmat suit and a bubble-shaped gas mask, listened as the head of the guards, Verdan, reported to him.
"Your Majesty, all but one of the traitors have been eliminated. The nation remains stable, just as before."
"One escaped?" Flevance V frowned.
Seeing this, Verdan quickly amended his words.
"We have confirmed the identities of the rebels. Most were doctors spreading misinformation about Amber Lead disease. The one who escaped was shot in the leg. He was likely a doctor as well. We are tracking him down, but..."
"But what?" Flevance V grew impatient. He had no desire to linger in this poisoned land any longer than necessary.
"Your friend, Sir Rosinante, intervened to protect two doctors. We were unable to verify them."
"That bastard! If he dares defy me, then he is no friend of mine!" Flevance V exploded in rage.
A minister who knew a thing or two about the Donquixote family stepped forward to advise him.
"Your Majesty, the Donquixote family is the uncrowned ruler of the North Blue. They control—"
"Silence! The Flevance royal family is an ally of the World Government! What is the Donquixote family compared to us? Nothing!"
Having lost all patience, Flevance V turned to Verdan and barked,
"Find the traitor and capture him immediately! I want to see how bold they really are! That fool Rosinante? Hah!"
"Understood, Your Majesty!"
Just as Verdan exited the hall, a messenger rushed in.
"Your Majesty! Sir Rosinante requests an audience."
The royal officials exchanged glances.
Flevance V waved his hand dismissively. "Let him in."
...
Outside the palace, Verdan sneered at Rosinante as he passed him by.
Rosinante arched an eyebrow. A bad feeling crept over him.
As he stepped into the hall, the king—who had just been cursing his name moments earlier—suddenly became all smiles. He embraced Rosinante warmly, paying no attention to the white splotches on his skin.
"My dear friend! What have you brought me from Skypiea this time? You wouldn't disappoint me, would you?"
Suppressing his disgust, Rosinante forced a perfect smile. He took a gift box from one of his caravan members and snapped it open with a click.
"Of course not. This time, it's an undamaged Dial. It can preserve any beautiful sound forever, as long as the Dial remains intact. Your Majesty, you could even record your own greatness and pass it down to your descendants."
"Hahaha!"
Flevance V laughed heartily, clapping Rosinante on the shoulder before snatching the gift from his hands.
"Tell me, my friend, how can I assist you?"
"Amber Lead disease... Your Majesty, you must be aware of it."
Flevance V flinched as if he had been burned.
"Nonsense! There is no such thing!"
Despite his bluster, he hesitated before reaching toward Rosinante's forehead—only to quickly retract his hand.
"Rosinante, my friend, that mark on your skin? That's just a common trait of long-term Flevance residents. It's nothing serious. Nothing at all!"
Rosinante sighed internally. How was it that politicians could say such shameless things with a straight face? But he didn't have time to argue with him.
"Fine. Of course, it doesn't exist. Your Majesty, I hope to take—"
Before he could finish, his expression changed. He turned sharply toward the entrance.
"Aaaaaah! Father! Mother!"
"Your Majesty, we have captured all the rebels."
Verdan and his men dragged in the unconscious, bloodied bodies of Bone and Lina, leaving a trail of crimson across the floor.
Law and Lami were clutched like helpless chicks in the soldiers' hands.
Rosinante took a deep breath, suppressing his rage. His veins throbbed beneath his skin as he forced another smile.
"Your Majesty, thank you for bringing them here. These are the people I want to take with me."
"Oh, that won't do."
Flevance V casually stepped back, hiding behind his guards.
"Rosinante, you're trespassing, aren't you? If word of this gets out, the World Government will be very displeased. I'm afraid you'll have to die here as well."
"Verdan! Take him down!"
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
"Silent Wall!"
The bullets halted midair, suspended before Rosinante.
"A Devil Fruit user!"
"Switch to Seastone bullets—"
Rosinante's heart sank.
The situation had escalated faster than expected. The World Government was even more ruthless than he and Bone had anticipated.
At my speed, I can't save all of them at once.
His gaze locked onto Flevance V, who was trying to slip away.
The moment their eyes met, the king shuddered.
"P-Protect me—!"
Before he could finish, something cold pressed against the back of his head.
Rosinante had appeared silently behind him.
"My friend, let's not make this any messier. You let them go, and—"
Thud!
A fist smashed through the king's protective suit, causing him to freeze.
"Let go of the king, or he dies now!"
Verdan grabbed the barely conscious Bone and shoved his gun down his throat.
Flevance V's dreams of wealth and power crumbled before his eyes.
"If any harm comes to them, he's dead."
For once, Rosinante dropped his usual kindness, tightening his grip around the king's throat and lifting him off the ground.
"And all of you die with him."
"D-Don't do anything reckless!" Flevance V wheezed. "What do you want? Just tell me! I can grant it! Exchange hostages, take them, just go! Attacking royalty is an act against the World Government! Think carefully, my friend!"
Rosinante didn't respond. "Tell your men to leave."
...
As silence returned to the palace, Rosinante stared down at the Den Den Mushi in his hands, his expression complicated.
Father was wrong. Most people aren't worth trusting. Foolish and short-sighted—whether to themselves or others.
In the end, only my brother can solve this.
...
"I'm sorry. I couldn't save Flevance. And... I attacked the royal family."
"Hah? Attacked royalty? We are the only ones truly noble, Rosinante."
Doflamingo, newly returned to Skypiea, smirked in amusement.
"My foolish little brother, let me teach you the proper way to 'save' a country. Sit tight and wait for my next orders."
Click.
As he hung up, Doflamingo burst into laughter.
"Fufufufu, Rosinante, you did an excellent job."
Save Flevance? Of course, he would save it.
Even trash had its uses.
And this town of tens of thousands...
Would serve a greater purpose.
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