A Few Days Later…
Although the people in the palace remained skeptical, they eventually grew accustomed to the situation.
On the morning of the fifth day, the king convened his ministers—those who, like him, cared little for the lives of the common people—and proposed an even heavier tax burden on the citizens.
"Your Majesty is truly wise!"
At the king's words, the ministers, without a second thought, nodded in agreement, their voices filled with flattery.
The entire royal family, along with the nobles and high-ranking officials, were utterly devoid of virtue—like a nest of parasites feasting on the people's suffering.
"Yes, those lowly commoners should pay more taxes. They owe everything to us!"
Beside the king, the smirking ministers rubbed their hands together, their eyes gleaming with greed.
It was said that the king himself did not speak at first, his expression unreadable. But deep within his eyes, anger and sorrow flickered—though no one noticed. Suppressing the rage in his heart, he silently prayed that Caesar could truly change the fate of Gilmanda and bring salvation to the people. Then, as if resigning himself to the inevitable, he continued speaking.
"Not only that, but we must also issue a warning to those idle commoners who do nothing but burden this kingdom!"
"If they cannot fulfill their tax obligations, then they shall be expelled from the country!"
At those words, thunderous applause erupted in the grand palace.
The ministers' faces lit up with delight as they applauded the king's decree. To them, this was yet another opportunity to exploit the suffering of the weak.
"Your Majesty, what a brilliant decision! Those filthy commoners should be exiled at once!"
"Indeed! They are nothing but parasites, wasting our nation's resources just to survive."
"Yes, Your Majesty, these worthless people only hinder the kingdom's prosperity. It is best to dispose of them immediately!"
The ministers nodded and exchanged satisfied smiles, all in agreement. Their views on the "untouchables" were disturbingly aligned—eliminating them would only benefit the kingdom's elite.
Yet, amidst their vile enthusiasm, none of them noticed the king's clenched fists. His nails dug so deep into his palms that blood began to seep from his hands.
Still, on the surface, his expression remained unchanged.
The art of deception is the essence of ruling.
As the ministers finished their declarations, the king spoke once more:
"The presence of those people makes this kingdom resemble a nation of beggars! If they wish to avoid exile, they must offer their daughters as tribute instead of taxes. I shall have them sold at the auction house!"
With that, the king leaned back into his throne, as though drained of all energy.
It was as if merely uttering those words had sapped his strength.
Upon hearing this decree, the ministers abandoned any pretense of restraint. Their true, monstrous nature revealed itself in full.
"Your Majesty, that is an excellent idea! I have wanted to do this for a long time!"
"Hahaha, those useless peasants only drain our resources. It is better to eliminate them!"
A bloated minister with a greasy face and beady eyes spoke eagerly, his excitement causing saliva to spray as he talked.
"Hehehe, that's right! But… the daughters and wives of these lowborn filth are rather pleasing to the eye, aren't they?"
Another minister, whose massive gut and dark eye bags betrayed a life of indulgence, rubbed his chin thoughtfully. His expression twisted with perverse delight.
"They should contribute to the kingdom in a more… meaningful way!"
"His Majesty is wise!"
The ministers spoke in unison.
Regardless of the method—be it raising taxes, selling women, or confiscating land—there was only profit to be made. The land vacated by the expelled commoners would become their own estates.
Thus, they fully supported the king's proposal.
---
The People's Breaking Point
Before the day had even ended, the king's decree spread throughout Gilmanda like wildfire.
And just as Caesar had predicted, the absurd policy was implemented without the slightest resistance.
This decree was the final spark that ignited the rage of the people.
Despair turned to fury.
Faced with annihilation, the commoners had no choice but to rise up.
They had no escape.
If they remained in the kingdom, they would be worked and taxed to death. If they fled, they would be outcasts, wandering without shelter or food. No nation would accept a flood of starving refugees.
Stay and die? Or leave and die?
Either way, death was certain.
And so, they cast aside their fear.
The only path left was to overthrow the royal family, to slay the corrupt ministers, and to reclaim their land.
Within mere days of the decree's announcement, Gilmanda descended into chaos. Armed uprisings erupted across the kingdom.
But they were doomed to fail.
The rebellion posed no real threat to the royal family and ministers, who controlled vast resources.
The kingdom's army was well-equipped and well-fed, while the rebels were frail, starving, and many were sick.
When the Kingdom Army was dispatched, the uprising was crushed mercilessly.
Step by step, the rebellion was forced into a corner.
The civilians were no match for trained soldiers.
But even knowing this, they fought on—because they had nothing left to lose.
Within a single day, the rebels were pushed to the brink of annihilation.
Despair deeper than before settled over the people.
They had no hope left.
As darkness fell, a single, unified thought arose among them:
"If we are to die, then we shall drag the nobles down with us!"
"If they wish to kill us all, then we shall make them pay the price!"
---
Caesar's Arrival
From a distant island, Caesar, watching through his Kenbunshoku Haki, knew the moment had come.
The people's rage and desperation had reached their peak.
It was time for him to descend as a savior.
In a ruined town on Gilmanda Island, the remnants of the failed uprising had gathered.
Meanwhile, out at sea, the Rex, the flagship of the Caesar Pirates, approached the island.
Yet, no one noticed.
Not until the Rex docked at the port.
And when the people realized that the newcomers were pirates, their despair only deepened.
"Heh… is this truly the end? Why was I born in such a cursed kingdom?"
"The king, the pirates, even the heavens—there is no mercy for us!"
"Damn pirates… coming here to loot what little we have left!"
The citizens wept, shouted, and cursed.
They had lost everything. Now, even pirates had come to exploit their suffering.
"This kingdom is doomed… everything is over…"
Oblivious to the turmoil, Caesar and his crew disembarked, walking through the ruined streets.
The people glared at them with hatred, grief, and hopelessness.
Ignoring their glares, Caesar spoke, his voice calm.
"…What happened here?"
"This country feels like it's on the verge of collapse."
An old man, dressed in rags, muttered despairingly:
"It is over… this kingdom is finished."
His lifeless eyes reflected pure hopelessness.
A younger man, though equally emaciated, clenched his fists and screamed:
"The king! That bastard squeezed us dry and left us to rot!"
His voice trembled with rage.
The floodgates broke.
The people poured out their grief and fury to the pirates.
Their misery was absolute.
And for Caesar, standing amidst the wretched souls…
It was exactly what he had been waiting for.
He smiled.
"This world truly is wretched…"
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