Hearing that, Carina burst into hearty laughter.
"Before I left, that lord told me something… commanding your own people isn't real skill. Only when you can command your enemies do you truly become undefeated."
"I'm guessing some rats can't sit still anymore."
Once everything clicked into place, Bege let out a helpless sigh.
"I'm starting to feel a bit sorry for anyone who tries to make you their enemy."
Late into the night, several figures slipped furtively into a church.
After opening a hidden door inside the kitchen, they entered a secret chamber.
Someone was already waiting inside.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
One man removed the cloak concealing his identity and offered an apology.
If Carina had been there, she would have recognized him instantly.
The man apologizing was none other than the current Minister of Justice, Monkas.
A core minister of the kingdom… yet at this moment, he was being extremely humble, even faintly ingratiating.
Behind him were three others, all heavyweight ministers with immense influence within the kingdom.
Despite Monkas's deferential attitude, the man seated there showed no reaction at all.
He merely pointed calmly to the chairs in front of him.
"Sit. We'll talk."
The man looked young, with short brown hair and a slender build. His face was utterly ordinary… the kind you'd never pick out if he were tossed into a crowd.
Yet in front of him, Monkas and the other ministers, men who wielded real power, sat down trembling, barely daring to occupy half their seats.
Once they were seated, the man slowly spoke.
"I know your king has changed again. But I only have one stance here… our business cannot stop."
At those words, bitterness immediately surfaced on Monkas's face.
"Lord Luno, you know those businesses are explicitly forbidden by the Itel royal family. Continuing now is far too risky. Why not wait a little longer…"
"Are you teaching me how to do my job?"
Luno's gaze shifted and locked onto Monkas's face.
In that instant, Monkas felt as if he were being stared down by a venomous snake.
With a thud, Monkas slid straight off his chair and knelt on the ground.
"I wouldn't dare! I wouldn't dare! How could I possibly instruct Lord Luno? I only mean that Queen Carina is currently watching people like us… those promoted by Red."
"If we make a move now, it'll be very easy to expose ourselves. If that ends up affecting Lord Luno's business, we'd deserve ten thousand deaths!"
After hearing this impassioned and seemingly loyal speech, Luno finally withdrew his gaze.
Only then did Monkas feel like he had taken a walk past the gates of hell.
His clothes were soaked through with cold sweat before he even realized it.
Luno snorted coldly.
"It's just a woman, and you're already scared senseless."
"Back then, when we wiped out the Itel royal family, one fish slipped through the net. Now it's time to correct that mistake."
So it turned out that Luno was the true mastermind behind the murder of Carina's family.
Monkas hesitated when he heard this.
"Lord Luno, according to the intelligence I've received, Carina didn't return alone. She brought Capone Bege with her."
"Oh?" Luno finally showed a trace of seriousness when he heard Bege's name.
"That brat from the Capone family? Didn't he look down on the West Blue and run off to the Grand Line? Why is he back?"
Monkas shook his head helplessly.
"That… I don't know."
Luno let out a cold snort.
"The Capone family… the biggest underworld force below the Five Great Families in the West Blue. So they want a slice of the pie too?"
"Looks like I'll need to find a chance to have a proper talk with the Capone family."
But before his words even finished, the door to the secret chamber was blasted open.
Bege's voice rang out almost at the same time.
"Oh my, oh my… the Capone family is only ranked sixth. We really don't deserve to trouble such an important figure from the second-ranked Ginovese family to come visit us personally."
In the West Blue, there were five great underworld families… the strongest forces in the entire sea.
Even kingdoms couldn't compare to them.
And Luno was from the Ginovese family, ranked second among those five.
Hearing that voice, Luno's expression instantly darkened.
He roared at Monkas and the others.
"You idiots! You were being followed and didn't even notice?"
Monkas and the other three turned deathly pale. The moment they saw Bege, they stumbled backward in terror until their backs hit the wall.
Bege casually grabbed a chair that had been knocked over, sat down calmly across from Luno, and smiled.
"Don't blame them. A bunch of pampered nobles… you can't really expect them to notice a tail."
Luno stared fixedly at Bege, then suddenly laughed.
"Bege. Looks like a trip to the Grand Line gave you quite a bit of confidence. You even dare to reach for business that belongs to the Ginovese family."
"You don't seriously think you're the only one in the West Blue with Devil Fruit powers, do you?"
Although the Capone family was known as the sixth-largest underworld power, just below the Five Great Families…
Everyone knew there was an unfathomable chasm between sixth and fifth.
Not to mention that the Ginovese family ranked second among the Five Great Families.
Bege raised his hand exaggeratedly.
"Don't misunderstand. I'm only here on someone else's behalf. This has nothing to do with my family."
"Oh?" Luno showed a bit of interest.
"Then just how high a price did that person offer you, for you to be this reckless?"
In Luno's eyes, no matter how high the price was, the moment Bege saw him, he should have known better than to leave on his own.
Not sit here so brazenly, acting as if they were equals.
Did the Capone family really think they were worthy?
Bege rolled his eyes helplessly.
That's the problem with these big fish trapped in the tiny pond of the West Blue… they have no idea what a real dragon looks like.
They always think the world is only as big as what's in front of them.
Bege took a relaxed puff of his cigar and said calmly,
"Luno, for the sake of our past acquaintance, I'll give you a piece of advice."
"Abandon this business and leave as soon as possible. Otherwise… no one will be able to save you."
"Heh." Luno sneered with disdain.
"Bege, Bege… I really didn't expect you to be this arrogant."
"Do you think I'm the only one involved in this business? Let me tell you… destroying the Itel Kingdom was a decision made jointly by all Five Great Families. Every one of us has a share in this operation."
"I'd like to see what you can actually do to our business."
Bege merely shrugged lightly.
Kind words can't save someone who's determined to die.
"Then all I can do is wish you good luck."
Luno turned and walked away.
Monkas and the other three hurried to follow, only to be seized by Bege's men.
"Lord Luno! Take us with you!" Monkas screamed in sheer terror.
***
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