One Piece: Tainted Throne

"Baruch, how much longer until we reach the Heim Kingdom?"

After Nico Robin had left, Romantis turned to the man behind him and asked.

"Lord Romantis, we will arrive at the Heim Kingdom in three days," Baruch replied respectfully.

Behind Romantis stood a towering man, nearly four meters tall, with a physique like an iron fortress. As Romantis' shield, Baruch was a unique existence.

Each lineage of the Celestial Dragons cultivated their own personal warrior as their shield, and Baruch was Romantis' chosen protector.

From the moment of Romantis' birth, Baruch had taken up the role of guardian and was the person Romantis trusted the most.

Before becoming Romantis' shield, Baruch had trained within CP0, possessing strength surpassing that of an ordinary Marine vice admiral. He was the strongest among Romantis' subordinates.

"Has CP gathered all the information? Are there any surviving royal members of the four kingdoms?"

"Lord Romantis, only Princess Audrey of the Heim Kingdom survived, as she was not in the kingdom at the time. All other royal members have been confirmed dead. Shall I arrange for her to be dealt with?"

As Romantis' shield, Baruch was not only trustworthy but also privy to certain aspects of Romantis' plans. Many of the darker deeds had been executed by Baruch himself.

In Romantis' plans, the existence of the four kingdoms' royalty was unnecessary.

"Princess Audrey… The Rose Princess?"

"Yes, that's her. She was fortunate. She happened to leave the Heim Kingdom the day before the war began."

"No need. A mere Rose Princess is not enough to disrupt my plans. If she is smart enough, I may even give her a chance."

"As expected of Lord Romantis, your mercy remains unwavering."

"Inform the nobles of the Heim Kingdom to prepare for the arrival of a Celestial Dragon."

"Understood, my lord."

Three Days Later~

At the largest port of the Heim Kingdom, nobles and commoners alike gathered.

Despite having just endured a devastating war, with ruins and destruction behind them, everyone dressed in their finest attire and arrived early at the port, waiting to welcome the Celestial Dragon.

A red carpet had already been laid along the path leading from the port to the palace, and the kingdom's guards lined up on either side.

It was not until noon that a massive ship bearing the insignia of the World Government finally appeared before the expectant crowd.

"Your Highness, the Celestial Dragon has arrived."

At the center of the gathering stood Princess Audrey, who had hurried back to the kingdom.

Behind her stood the kingdom's surviving ministers— the Treasurer, the Minister of the Army, the Minister of Commerce, and several other nobles.

Seeing the ship, adorned with the banners of the World Government and the Celestial Dragons, the people of the Heim Kingdom were overjoyed.

The Celestial Dragon had come. The Heim Kingdom would not be lost.

That damned Germa Kingdom had nearly conquered them.

Well, to be precise, they had already conquered the kingdom. Even the king had been captured. But now, with the arrival of a Celestial Dragon, Germa's tyranny would end.

Even the armies of evil would have to retreat in the face of the Celestial Dragons' authority.

To the nobles of Heim Kingdom, Romantis was the savior sent by the World Government.

"St. Romantis, we have arrived at the Heim Kingdom. Would you like the maids to prepare your attire?"

"Let them prepare."

"Understood."

Soon, a group of maids entered, carrying the elaborate robes of the Celestial Dragons and quickly dressed Romantis.

To be honest, Romantis did not like the attire of the Celestial Dragons. It felt restrictive— not physically, but mentally.

The outfit was designed by the World Government's top scientists, ensuring absolute comfort. In fact, it was far more comfortable than ordinary clothing.

Perhaps it was just psychological.

After all, the highest-ranking Celestial Dragons never wore these robes.

As someone who aspired to replace them, wearing the traditional attire made Romantis feel as if he were no different from the rest of the incompetent Celestial Dragons.

But the people of the world, both nobles and commoners alike, recognized and revered this attire.

For the sake of his grand ambitions, Romantis could tolerate the inconvenience. As the ship slowly docked, the people of Heim Kingdom watched with anticipation.

The Celestial Dragon's guard was the first to disembark, positioning themselves on either side of the path.

Once everything was in place, Romantis finally stepped out, with Barrow following closely behind.

Though the people of Heim Kingdom had never seen Romantis before, the moment they saw the attire of the Celestial Dragon, they immediately bowed.

"The nobles and citizens of Heim Kingdom humbly welcome your arrival, great World Noble, St. Romantis."

Romantis surveyed the gathered crowd. The nobles performed their courtly bows, the soldiers knelt on one knee, but the commoners were already prostrated, not daring to lift their heads.

The hierarchy was clear.

The nobles, having inherited wealth and power through generations, could still stand and speak before a Celestial Dragon.

The soldiers, armed with weapons and strength, were allowed to kneel on one knee rather than fully bow.

But the commoners— they had nothing.

Standing before the nobles of the Heim Kingdom, Romantis spoke.

"I am already aware of Germa's atrocities. I have come to resolve the conflict between the Four Northern Kingdoms and Germa. Rest assured, with me here, Germa will not dare act recklessly."

"We are eternally grateful to you, St. Romantis! The Heim Kingdom shall never forget your benevolence!"

Romantis nodded in satisfaction. Whether their words were sincere or not did not matter. What did matter was that none of these survivors were fools— those who lived through Germa's slaughter knew how to adapt.

"Before negotiations with Germa begin, you must first select a new king. Only a king has the authority to negotiate with another king."

"St. Romantis, how should we go about selecting the new ruler? Please, guide us."

"This is Heim Kingdom's matter. Decide among yourselves."

The nobles were momentarily stunned.

According to the laws of succession, with the royal family all but wiped out, Princess Audrey was the rightful heir.

But Romantis' words made it clear— he had no intention of letting Audrey ascend the throne directly.

Rules?

What did rules matter?

A Celestial Dragon's word was law.

The nobles' minds immediately started working. The Minister of the Army and the Minister of Commerce— powerful figures in their own right— began calculating their chances of claiming the throne.

Even the lesser nobles saw an opportunity. If their superiors took a step forward, they could follow closely behind.

"St. Romantis, according to—"

The Treasurer spoke up, his heart sinking.

As the kingdom's Treasurer(Finance Minister), he had been a close confidant of the previous king. No wise ruler would entrust the kingdom's finances to an outsider.

His position had been deeply tied to the royal family, and if the monarchy was abolished, his fate would be grim.

Not only would other nobles covet the vast wealth he had amassed over the years, but he had also been at odds with the two leading contenders— the Minister of the Army, Azor, and the Minister of Commerce, Fort.

It was a rivalry carefully orchestrated by the previous king to keep his ministers divided.