King’s Plateau, the highest area in Dressrosa, is where the Royal Palace is located.
This is a custom on the seas. In most countries, the Royal Palace is built at the highest point of the nation.
Drum Kingdom, Dressrosa, and even Fishman Island are all like this.
As for Dressrosa’s situation… overall, it’s quite a bit better than Fishman Island’s.
There are no major external enemies, no additional discrimination, and it’s one of the fifty nations that can participate in the Levely. Its biggest problem is simply that it’s poor.
The country has no local specialties, no particular strengths, and no unique characteristics to speak of; it is a “three-noes” nation. [TN: This mirrors common usages like fake products with no production date, manufacturer, or address, but here it’s adapted derogatorily for a country.]
As for why Doflamingo was able to make this place prosperous…
Arms smuggling, the sale of artificial Devil Fruits, the slave trade, plus the toys who never tire and require no investment; after such a series of operations, the economy naturally rose.
At this time, Riku Doldo III was still very young, having just taken the throne not long ago. He had not yet gone bald due to aging and various troubles, and still sported a thick, spiky black hairstyle.
“What a headache…”
“What’s so troublesome, Your Majesty Riku?”
“Hm? Didn’t I tell you to leave? Why are you back again?”
Doldo remembered clearly that he had told the other party to leave before returning to the palace hall.
“Well, it’s like this, someone said he’s an old friend you met at the Colosseum. He said it’s been a long time, so…”
“Nereus, you bastard… are you impersonating someone again just to mess with me?”
“Oh? You figured it out that fast this time?”
“How many times has it been already? There’s no way I wouldn’t catch on by now.”
The two had met at Dressrosa’s Colosseum. Back then, Nereus had just left Fishman Island and was honing his strength through combat.
The young Doldo had been doing the same, but he was no match for the other man. Even now, there is still a legend circulating in Dressrosa’s Colosseum about an undefeated mysterious fighter.
“Fishman Island has captured some pirates with bounties on their heads. Same as usual, help me cash them in.”
“Thank you…”
“What’s there to thank me for? We’re friends. The people in the Underworld deduct an even higher cut. Handing it to you benefits both of us.”
Doldo’s thanks weren’t without reason. After all, from those bounties, Nereus would leave him a portion as commission. For Dressrosa, which was under severe economic strain, that was a godsend.
Nereus often ran into situations like this on the seas, and if the distance wasn’t too far, he would usually let Dressrosa handle it.
For Dressrosa, this was also a considerable source of income.
“Even if you don’t have any local specialties, your geographic position can still be put to use. Interested in letting my people open a coating company here, to coat ships?”
There was no Sabaody Archipelago on the New World side, and Dressrosa’s location really could take on that kind of work.
“Forget it. I don’t have your kind of nerve. The ships that need coating to pass through Fishman Island are mostly pirates and Underworld merchants, right?”
“Security would naturally be our responsibility… but forget it. I know what you’re thinking.”
“Sorry. I don’t deny our friendship, but you are a pirate, after all. Letting all of Dressrosa become associated with pirates wouldn’t be a good thing.
By the way, I saw in the newspaper that you’re now the king of the Ryugu Kingdom?”
“That’s right. It’s true. When the World Government acknowledges it, you wouldn’t mind establishing diplomatic relations with Fishman Island, would you?”
“Of course. But how do you plan to make them acknowledge a country ruled by pirates as a member of the World Government? The Ryugu Kingdom’s original situation was already very special, and now…”
“That’s the problem I need to think about.”
One of Harald’s viewpoints was something Nereus agreed with as well: if you wanted to change the reputation of an entire race, the World Government’s stance in public opinion was still necessary.
Although dealing with the Celestial Dragons was the ultimate goal, Nereus didn’t want to turn Fishman Island into an enemy of the entire world. If that happened, the situation wouldn’t really improve.
He himself wasn’t afraid, but ordinary Fish-Men and Merfolk would face great danger when moving about in the outside world. Temporary integration wasn’t unacceptable; after all, Fishman Island’s development also required interaction with the wider world.
As for how to do it…
When the cost of appeasement and recruitment is lower than that of annihilation, many things naturally fall into place.
“Let’s put that aside for now. I also need to make a trip to Green Bit Island.”
“What are you going there for? Aren’t the Fighting Fish enough?”
“Of course not. I’m going to look for the little ones of the Tontatta Tribe. I have something I need their help with.”
“I won’t be going. Nanamo should be with you, right? Have her come straight to the Royal Palace. I’ll prepare a banquet for you.”
Dressrosa’s lack of wealth was only relative when compared to other nations. King Riku actually enjoyed very high prestige here—high enough that he could get the citizens to voluntarily pool together a hundred billion Berries overnight.
A banquet was still well within their means.
After contacting Nanamo via Den Den Mushi, Nereus headed for Green Bit Island.
About 170 years ago, an iron bridge connected Green Bit Island and Dressrosa. The appearance of the Fighting Fish had made that bridge dangerous, but after Nereus took those Fighting Fish away, the area regained its peace.
Even so, very few people still traveled across that bridge.
“Is Chief Gancho here? I’m Nereus. I’ve come to ask for your help.”
In the jungle of Green Bit Island, Nereus knocked on the ground, seemingly speaking to empty air.
Before long, several tiny figures appeared on the ground. They were not even as big as one of Nereus’s fingers, yet they were extremely agile.
They were the Tontatta Tribe, commonly known as Dwarves.
“Do you really know Chief Gancho?”
“Of course. I came here a few years ago, your companion was even brought back by me.”
Among the slaves Nereus had once rescued were members of the Tontatta Tribe. It was when he escorted them home that he became acquainted with these little ones.
“I see! Then I’ll go look for Chief Gancho right away!”
The Tontatta Tribe was extremely simple and kind, with no scheming at all. They believed whatever others told them.
So even though this Dwarf didn’t actually know Nereus, he still trusted his words.
“Um… Big Big Human, what brings you to us?” [TN: He says unusually large Big Human.]
The remaining Tontattas also dropped their guard, climbing up onto the tops of leaves and asking him directly.
“I have a few very special seeds here. I want your help to see whether they can sprout and grow.”
These seeds were the results of Wobbegong’s work, and also experimental products. Wobbegong believed there were no issues with the data, but cultivating them was extremely difficult.
That was why Nereus had come here to seek out the Tontatta Tribe.
This race was also known as fairies. On these seas, they were the race most skilled at cultivating plants.
Even when Doflamingo was producing artificial Devil Fruits, he had to rely on the power of this tribe.
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