"Leader... what is happening?"
Karasu and Swore stood frozen near the palace entrance, utterly at a loss.
According to their expectations—and the standard playbook of revolution—things shouldn't have unfolded this way.
Theoretically, after a successful uprising, the rebel leaders should stand at the pinnacle of the palace as victors, announcing the King's dethronement and the establishment of a new order.
More radical revolutionaries might even have executed the King and the nobles on the spot to seal the victory in blood.
But Dragon... didn't seem to oppose any of this farce.
He stood silently, arms crossed, watching the King abdicate to a complete stranger.
He did not intervene in the sudden, theatrical change of kingship within this kingdom.
Swore approached Dragon and cautiously asked, his voice trembling.
"Leader, what should we do? Should we... stop them?"
Dragon showed a helpless, knowing expression.
He replied softly, "No. Order the rebel army: those willing to follow us to the sea should pack their belongings immediately. For those unwilling to leave their homes, we will do our best to assist them in settling down under the new regime."
At the same time, Dragon pulled Karasu closer and whispered into his ear, his tone sharp.
"Karasu. In this kingdom's treasury lies all the nation's wealth. Take a team and load it onto our ships. Now."
"But remember one thing," Dragon emphasized, locking eyes with his subordinate. "Only take forty percent. Leave the remaining sixty percent untouched."
"Forty percent?" Karasu blinked. "But we conquered the city! Why leave the majority?"
"Just do it," Dragon ordered.
Although Karasu didn't understand the purpose behind Dragon's instructions, he chose to trust him.
Slipping away quietly from the crowd, he led a team straight to the kingdom's treasury.
Dragon and Swore remained, watching the scene unfolding.
"Leader," Swore whispered, "can you explain what's going on now? Who is that girl?"
Dragon sighed, a puff of white breath in the cold hall.
"Before we launched the uprising, I met someone. At first, I thought we were like-minded revolutionaries. But later I realized... we only shared a common path for a stretch. So, we collaborated temporarily."
"That's why I suddenly had a revolutionary theory notebook in my hands. That's why we had chests of gold to buy guns. And that's why we were able to connect with the North Blue underground arms dealer, the Donquixote Family."
Swore's eyes widened. "Could all of this have been arranged by him? Then... what exactly does he want!"
Dragon's gaze swept toward the young woman mounting the platform—Belo Betty—and the defeated King offering her the crown.
"Don't you understand yet?" Dragon said, a hint of admiration in his voice. "What he wanted... he has already obtained."
Swore stared blankly at the girl walking step by step toward the throne.
He watched King Edward III holding the golden Crown in his trembling hands, preparing to place it on her head.
A chill shot up from the soles of Swore's feet to the top of his head.
Cold sweat broke out on his back.
"He... he..." Swore was speechless.
They were merely a peasant rebellion.
But what that person—Raleigh—wanted to do was actually replace the King of the Eryoku Kingdom with his own puppet, right under the World Government's nose.
"How could that be possible?" Swore hissed. "The World Government aren't fools! And the CP organization members aren't fools either! They'll report this!"
Dragon sighed deeply. "The CP organization members aren't fools, Swore. They're dead."
Dragon gestured vaguely to the side, where he knew Raleigh's team had operated.
"I had vaguely guessed his intentions before. To succeed in a coup like this, the eyes of the World Government must be blinded. The CP agents in this country absolutely cannot be allowed to remain."
"As for the World Government," Dragon continued, "they are far away in the Holy Land of Mary Geoise. They have no idea about the specific situation here. Besides... as long as they can collect the 'Heavenly Tribute' and the mineral resources, they don't care who sits on the throne. King Edward or Queen Betty... it makes no difference to the Celestial Dragons, as long as the gold flows."
Dragon felt a faint sense of frustration in his heart.
This was the first time he had successfully launched a worker uprising.
Even though he and the Freedom Fighter Army barely intervened in the final battle, the workers themselves had overthrown the royal rule.
It was a victory for the people.
But Dragon realized he had been played.
He now had many rebel forces behind him—they were his foundation, but also a heavy logistical burden.
He only controlled 40% of the treasury. Feeding tens of thousands of refugees would burn through that quickly.
Overall, although Dragon had realized his ideals, his benefits were far inferior to Raleigh's gains.
Raleigh had used the Revolutionary Program and some seed money to make Dragon act as his blade.
Dragon had done the dirty work of eliminating the stubborn nobles and the King's Guard.
Now, Raleigh controlled a resource-rich nation without the old nobles to interfere, without CP supervision to spy on him, and he kept 60% of the treasury.
"This guy's heart is too black," Dragon muttered, shaking his head. "He's taking way too many benefits."
If there was a next time, Dragon vowed, he would bargain much harder.
"Dragon-senpai. I think it's time for you all to leave."
From a deserted corner behind the crowd, mist churned and coalesced.
Momonga, wearing his Marine captain's coat, rested his right hand on the hilt of his sword, Dojigiri Yasutsuna.
He watched Dragon and his companions calmly.
"So it's you Momonga," Dragon said, showing a flicker of surprise. "How have you been lately? I thought you were supposed to be in the East Blue."
Dragon recognized the man.
Momonga and Raleigh's was his junior from the academy.
Though they weren't close, Dragon remembered the serious, diligent swordsman.
"I've been busy chasing a criminal recently," Momonga replied with a relaxed expression, though his thumb clicked the guard of his sword loose.
"She crossed the Red Line and made her way all the way here. I'm currently... 'tracking her down'."
Dragon noticed the movement of the sword hand.
He raised an eyebrow slightly but didn't take the bait.
"That's good then. I hope you achieve success soon. I still have matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave first."
Dragon signaled Swore.
He led the rebel army and the volunteer force members out of the palace.
He knew when he was being ushered out.
Momonga's action was clearly meant to drive him away, not wanting him to witness the "cleanup" that was about to happen.
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