Chapter 86: Garp makes his Arrival
***
She was angered by what she learned but eased up when Dalyon actually cooked for the kids, feeding them generously, giving her plenty of time to talk around with the kids, and later on bringing them to various workshops around the city.
Her first day was a miserable failure because not a single shop owner wanted to take in the kids as apprentices, stating various ignorant and foolish reasons such as the possibility those kids might steal from their goods or whatnot, something that upset her a lot consulting with Vlad when he returned from the Castle.
"Everyone, and I mean everyone rejected me! What do I do, Vlad? I don't know, if this plan doesn't work, I really don't know how to help them."
"Calm, little one. This isn't the end of the day."
"But they were so headstrong in not listening to my pleas as if the thought of receiving them would cast out all of their clients."
"Sigh, status sometimes is a great advantage for those who want to do honest work. If you aren't lucky to be born into the upper echelon, you are directly thrown aside as dejected goods. Yeah, don't look at me like that, little one, because it's the truth we are living in right now."
"You can be a genius deep down, but if you don't receive the chance to learn and grow your talent, it is all for nothing. A primitive thought process, that I can say I am also guilty of, but at that time I had too much on my head to even consider building schools for the peasants."
Bonney remained in her seat while listening to Vlad going down memory lane, gaining information she didn't understand at all but nodded as if to confirm to him, she listened.
*Sigh*
"Tomorrow I will join you, and see if they react the same with me."
"But … what about your classes?"
"I'll go in the morning using my own speed to travel at the Castle and notify those guys I am taking a break, and in minutes return back so we can take the kids around town. I am really curious, about what their responses will be this time."
"... I hope they agree." commented Bonney with some hint of hope and encouragement, relieved that Vlad was once again there to watch her back and help her out
As she watched Vlad's face, she saw him smile evilly, making her worry a bit, only to be brought back to normal when hearing his remark. "Of course, they will agree. If you bring an irresistible offer."
The following day he goes early in the morning by 5:35 AM at the Castle, notifying the Captain of the Royal Guards on the patrol to notify Viril when he wakes up, to announce to the rest of the doctors they have individual studying, before returning back in 5 minutes at the Caravel, continuing with his activities until the kids woke up at 7:00 AM to have their breakfast.
"Good morning, mister doctor." greeted the leader of the kids, Claums, who mellowed down to Vlad especially after hearing that he healed so many people in the city with his magical hands.
"Eat something, and later on follow Eleine to a changing room to receive your new clothes." greeted Vlad the kids in a direct way while he was passing by from the bathroom only wearing his trousers.
The kids had no way out from escaping Vlad's grasp now that they were inside his Caravel, and after having their breakfast, each of them followed Eleine to the girls cabin where she had bought all sorts of clothes fitting their small body.
Once each of the kids were fitted in nice clothes, were all cleaned up from the image they were slum kids, he accompanied Bonney who took on the same route, stopping first at a blacksmith where 3 of her little friends wanted to become sword makers.
"It's you again, young miss. Haven't I told you I take no apprentices?"
The blacksmith was a middle-aged man aging closer to his late 50s with gray and black hair trying him, and a clear appearance of a rough man who never shied away from hard work appeared from the forge section of the Blacksmithing Workshop.
He noticed that something changed with the kids, who looked to be clean and had normal children's appearances, but this didn't change his mind and remained firm in position until he noticed the elephant in the room who was looking at some swords and spears.
"M-M-Master Dracul! How can I serve you? Please, make yourself comfortable in my humble shop. Are you looking to buy something or to order maybe special tools for doctors?"
"The word went around in town that you've become the Chief Doctor of Sorbet Kingdom, and even teaches that old fox Viril how to treat people."
"Mhm, that is correct, but I didn't come for this reason."
"No?"
"Not at all. I am here for those little ones." said Vlad while pointing at the kids who looked to be shy when being spotlighted like this by a person like the black-haired doctor.
"Sigh, so the pink-haired lady is with you, my apologies to you, young miss. But I truly can't take them since it would require me extra funds, funds that I lack to train them into fine blacksmiths."
Vlad didn't say anything to the blacksmith, as he walked forward holding in his hand a black briefcase that he opened after placing it on the counter.
"Each of the youngsters that will be under your instructions will receive an scholarship of 500.000 đť”…, enough to cover any materials or tools they might break in the process of learning the craft of blacksmithing. This sum of money will also cover their food, or any requirements they might need from you."
"However, what's the most important aspect, it's that you'll receive 3 great workers that will help you expand your Blacksmith, which on the long run, would yield you far greater sums of money."
"..."
The blacksmith looked at the three boys who Bonney presented to him yesterday, who looked at him with determined eyes, which was a great sign of someone who wanted to achieve something in life. Also, faced with Vlad's irresistible proposal and future planning that were like the whispers of a Devil, he couldn't help but agree.
"In 8 years you'll hear of those boys as one of the greatest Blacksmiths of Sorbet Kingdom. Come here, you brats and let me give you a tour of the workshop.
I heard you were orphans without a place to sleep properly, no worries, I have a sleeping room in the building that I use when I want to take a nap from all the work I do. As for your little friends, don't worry, I will allow you to meet them when you are on break."
The blacksmith was a straight person, and with enough enticement he opened up to the idea of taking the three kids as his apprentices, leaving out Vlad to handle 7 more kids out of 10.
Sometimes an honest appearance and the extra enticement of the green who worked on most people struggling from the day to day operations. With his strategy working even better than he expected, thanks to him vouching for the kids indirectly with his presence and negotiation, he was only left with 2 kids.
A kid called Claums who was like the new leader of the kids, and a little girl called Amina, who wanted to become doctors.
It was far easier settling those 2 down, especially when he took them the following day at the Castle, presenting them to the doctors as their new colleagues, later on after the classes having Viril to watch over them.
"Old man, I know that you deep down hate me for humiliating you. But also understand that you are someone who isn't foolish enough not to see the big picture once you open your eyes. Those kids, while I don't know yet what their minds can handle, they actually dream of becoming doctors and even having a noble cause like many of us did, to heal the innocent. "
"So, you want me to look after those kids after you leave the Kingdom?"
"Yeah. If you actually wish to make a difference in this kingdom, before you hit the bucket, do teach them what you learned, because what I teach to you guys is something someone with at least a certain amount of medical knowledge should be aware of, simply refreshing and improving your set of knowledge."
"... You talked with Conney about this?"
"She is aware of my moves, yeah. Also approved warmly on the idea of 2 additional doctors."
"Fine, if she gave her blessing, I will not complain about this. This is something I can easily do, just have them come to my mansion on Mondays and Fridays."
"They are orphans, this is why I was specific in the "looking after them". Take them under your wing and teach them properly."
"Okay, okay. As long as you stay one more month to share extra information on medicine, I will not mind it."
"... Deal."
Slowly as time passed, exactly two months since Vlad returned from his excursion in Yehimal Mountain, and all the pieces fit together in their natural places, the big day arrived, casting a large shadow over the Sorbet Kingdom and Everfall City.
Inside the Rock King's Castle, all the key figures that were placed into a tacit conflict were gathered inside the Throne Room, while surrounding the Castle and even the interior were the Royal Guards summoned by the King and Queen to protect this special day for the future of the Kingdom.
Eleine, Titania, Vlad and Bonney were positioned in a corner of the room while the Cormac Family was on one side.
"This fateful day finally arrived for each of us. Since, Mister Vlad Dracul has completed and even graced us with an extra month extension of his estimated teaching services, we are bound to say farewell to such a bright young mind of his generation."
Conney began her speech in a ceremonious fashion, with everyone in the room listening quietly, before she shifted to the next phase.
"We also have gathered around this sacred room representing the Law of the Sorbet Crown and Throne, the Law of a Kingdom, to take part in the decision which will settle the future of the woman, Anne Jewel Cormac, Heiress of the Sorbet Kingdom Throne."
"As the Queen of this Kingdom, I ask the aforementioned to stand forward, face her choice with a simple question."
The atmosphere inside the room was solent, with the Queen conducting this decision that Bonney should take like a ceremony of great proportions, and with the pink-haired girl stepping forward in the middle of the Throne Room, revealing her beautiful brown coat in the style of the medieval noblewomen that Vlad brought to life thanks to some masterful tailor in Everfall,
She was stunning, overshadowing even a precious jewel stone, something that Queen Conney could see on the girl's face that was brimming with newfound confidence and resolution for her future.
Her face wasn't tainted by any make-up, unlike Eleine who had crimson lipstick and had her eyes arranged by make-up, similarly wearing a stunning noblewomen coat that she had it opened in the middle to reveal a white silk shirt said to come from Valent, fitting her blessed bosom inside.
*Ahem*
"Before, we asked little Anne the important question. I would like to add something, if I may." added Kylian, who was wearing the noble clothes of the Sorbet Kingdom, watching with mesmerized eyes at the beautiful pink-haired woman.
"You are allowed." called out Taelar wearing the Regalia, just like Conney.
"Thank you, Your Majesty. First of all, I would want to say a simple apology to Anne for hurting her in that small scuffle, something I didn't intend to happen, but based on my hot-headedness, I still committed the unforgivable mistake. I am sorry, my Niece."
"I know that you'll be faced with a harsh decision, a moment of crossroads for you only because of a specific person, who had everything going his ways because of our inability to stop his malefic scheme. Please, don't rush to close your ears, my precious Niece and listen to the words of your Uncle and Grandfather.
We share the same view on this matter, and have decided to fully support you, and no longer restrict you if you choose to remain in Everfall. Until you come of age, you are allowed to move around freely in the entire Sorbet Kingdom, any activity you might wish to do, will be free.
This is something that even your dear mother might have wished, that we aren't too harsh on you, and is something we agreed on. The responsibilities of a Queen are harsh, and maybe we might have fooled ourselves into believing you are still that same weak girl, but you are already a mature young lady capable of deciding for herself what she chooses to do."
Hearing that, Bonney's expression shifted a bit, entering into contemplation as she watched Kylian and Taelar's calm, warm smiles as if to assure the young girl that everything will be as she wished, or at least what they believed she wished.
However, this was something that didn't sit too well with Vlad who looked at Queen Conney removing his nerdish glasses from his eyes, revealing his abyssal eyes.
'Bitch. Who do you think you are messing with, breaching the agreement we made, by now swaying little Bonney into choosing your side? You are taking me for a fool? Me?'
Sensing the aura around Vlad started getting heavier with sparks of dark-red haki flying around his body, while his eyes grew colder, becoming murderous, it was something that Conney had no idea, shifting her attention on Taelar and Kylian who smirked a bit when noticing Bonney wasn't looking at them.
"Hah, they think that I am some peasant that can be fooled around. Working me for two months, with no substantial gains on my end apart from some interesting stories." commented Vlad coldly to himself, while the sparks around him become more visible to everyone in this room.
"PARDON MY LATE ARRIVAL! QUEEN CONNEY, KING TAELAR, I'VE COME AT YOUR INVITATION!"
The voice of the newcomer, the loud, boisterous voice of an elder man who experienced the passage of time travelled in the entire Throne Room, attracting everyone's attention, including Vlad's into seeing a tall, muscular old man wearing the suit and the coat of a Vice-Admiral with three stripes golden shoulder-pads.
"Bwahaha, what's with this tense atmosphere as if you are going to a funeral? Where's the Devil, Sengoku asked me to take care for you?" asked the old man while walking toward the center of the room, noticing the pink-haired girl, and the rest of the people watching him, but freezing his gaze at the large black-haired man.
"Ohh, so it's you. the one who wants to mess around with a Kingdom affiliated with the World Government."
Vlad, who noticed the small details immediately based on the clothing of this man, calmed down withdrawing his released haki, and with his hands behind his back as a sign he wasn't here to fight anybody, he kept quiet only looking at Conney with a cold look.
"Vice-Admiral Garp, what an unexpected arrival. With what troubles to my kingdom?" asked Conney, noticing that Vlad calmed his haki.
"Bwahaha, received a task to keep the peace in your kingdom. Isn't that kid giving you troubles?"
"... Not at all, Vice Admiral. That individual is a guest doctor at my Court."
Garp looked at Conney, then at Taelar who stepped forward to greet him, before shifting his attention to Bonney.
"Now, my granddaughter. Tell me, you'll choose to stay home, and allow this old man to recover all of the lost time he suffered without watching you grow."
Garp wasn't a fool and quickly understood what the situation was about, and it was something annoyed that he didn't like to entangle himself with … Royal Drama, a Foreigner Prince asking the hand of the Princess, while the King didn't want to hear about anything in such regard, and it reached into the situation where the one with the greater influence over the other, was winning the clash.
Noticing that Vlad looked at Taelar coldly, yet remaining in his withdrawn state to show he wasn't here to cause trouble, Bonney, who many believed was at a crossroads, just watched her grandmother who gave her a kind smile, and Vlad who mellowed down a bit.
"My answer is to go to the sea, and see the world with my own eyes."
Taelar's and Kylian's expressions crumbled when Bonney rejected them outright, and Queen Conney was there to give them another slap over their faces when sealing the deal she had with Vlad.
"Young girl, as your Guardian and grandmother, I allow you this, however starting from today you will take on a new name, that will not entangle the Sorbet Kingdom with any of your misdemeanors or crimes if you are to ever be found in such a situation."
"Mhm, I understand grandmother. Starting today, my new name will be Jewelry Bonney."
Conney only nodded at the young girl, and saw as she walked back to Vlad who placed his hand on her head, caressing it gently while saying. "Little girl, don't play with me, by giving the impression you've been fooled by those old foxes."
"Hehe, I just wanted to see how you would react by showing a conflicted expression. Only by doing that, you would tell me if you cared about me."
Ruffling her hair, with a slightly warm smile, his expression returned to a frigid one when hearing Taelar outburst.
"NEVER! What is with this nonsense, even abandoning your own name, to take on some rubbish, peasant name. I will not allow it."
"As King of Sorbet Kingdom, I condemn you Devil, Vlad Dracul, and Eleine Brinstill as enemies of the Kingdom, for corrupting a Royal Member of Cormac House."
"..."
"Ohh my, ohh my. Did I just become a wanted criminal right now, master? Doesn't that mean, we'll be hunted down by that old man in marine clothes?"
"Yeah, prepare yourself to escape with Titania and Bonney while I try to fight against that old man. Until then, make sure you have Dalyon take off, ignoring the fact you might leave me out. I can use my Rise of Phantasma and travel on air until I drain my entire energy capacity."
"Bonney-chan, as you can see, your grandfather had his brains turned into mush by that abomination inside Yehimal Mountain, and can't do anything about this situation."
"Wait, I can still talk some sense into him without any conflict."
"I doubt it will work since its a known notion that old people are hard to change in their thinking process. Anyway, Vlad … Should I go right now?"
"Go now while that old man isn't warmed up."
Eleine took a deep breath of air, and after wrapping her hand around Bonney she exploded in strength and in seconds arrived at the Throne Room's Exit with Vlad noticing how the old man also exploded in strength following after his woman, and requiring his assistance into blocking the Vice-Admiral.
"Wait, wait, young miss. I am not allowing anyone to leave until I understand what's going on. I've spent 2 months on the sea for this much? And to think I was all hyped up to crush some pesky pirates or criminals making it hard for the people."
Garp gave Eleine a great shock when noticing that she was caught, even if she had a greater advantage in distance, and with a punch, the old man was resolute that it would be enough to stop the black-haired woman who showed quite the mastery of her agility.
Yet, his fist was stopped by a black sword held strongly by the large black-haired man whose hand was covered in Armament Haki to block his blow.
"Do as I tell you, Eleine. Try not to kill those ignorant fools stopping you, it isn't our desire."
Garp had an available chance at stopping Eleine and Bonney, but now that his interest was picked by Vlad who had some sort of mastery over Haki, he received some shouts from Taelar.
"GARP!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! MY DAUGHTER IS ESCAPING WITH THAT WITCH!"
"You are in no position to order me. The last time I remember the only acknowledged ruler of Sorbet Kingdom was Conney Cormac, your name has vanished for 20 years, and even makes me believe you are an imposter, but I will not drop so low."
Placing some more power into his hands an invisible aura wrapped around his hand, which was noticed by Vlad's keen Observation Haki, but he couldn't do anything about it as he was pushed toward the interior of the Throne Room, crushing in the Throne Chairs.
"Now that is interesting. A kid who knows Armament and Observation Haki and is living in South Blue, unprecedented since that guy Sengoku or Kuzan. However, in the end, you are just a large fish in a small pond, moving your weight around causing trouble for the weaker people."
"Sir, I don't know who you are, but you might have the wrong information about me. I am a doctor, alchemist, and Bounty Hunter. You can confirm this with the Marine Base of this Kingdom since I claimed a recent bounty from a pirate I slayed with 10.000.000 đť”…."
"Doesn't matter, I feel like fighting a bit. So don't mind me brat."
'This old man … What was his name again? Garp? Why does it sound so familiar?'
Garp didn't give Vlad any moment to recover and plan his escape as he advanced with incredible speed that matched with his own, delivering once again a mountain-shattering strike with again his fist being covered in that invisible barrier he could feel.
{Reinforce my blade because this individual is strong and it might damage my internal structure.}
Hearing the dark voice whispering into his ears, he channelled his Armament Haki into Anathema and also reinforced his hand, while receiving the large old man's fist strike, later on clashing with a strong shockwave of Haki flying around the Throne Room.
'I remember him, he is Garp the Fist. Someone who was a monster even in that past era as those guys told me.'
Vlad was losing ground while the gray-haired man started smiling widely at him, making the black-haired man believe he was getting mocked for losing out in this clash.
"Not bad, truly. For a Bounty Hunter, as you claim yourself to be, your Haki is decent for this level of challenges you can face in the South Blue."
"... Why are you willing to fight me, knowing I am innocent?"
"Innocent? You? Don't kid yourself, lad. You can't mask your killer's instinct from someone like me, regardless of how much you try to force that desire down on your throat."
Garp who crushed Vlad's defenses opened his body up and landed a thunderous liver blow that had Vlad flying crushing with the ceiling of the Throne Room, showing a great disparity in power, and the cruel reality of this world that Vlad still couldn't grasp fully.
Dropping down along with the rubbles from the ceiling, Vlad's expression initially confused and even questioning the situation, morphed into a ferocious one with dark-red haki sparks intensifying around him.
"Ohoo, he even has a King's disposition, this is one in tens of millions regardless of how you look at things. This next clash will require me to get a bit serious." commented Garp, while removing his Marine coat and looking at the descending youngster whose sword started releasing a lot of malicious energy.
"WAITT! VICE-ADMIRAL GARP! YOU CAN'T KILL THAT BOY! HE IS A PRINCE OF KAYSANG KINGDOM!"
Garp heard that but didn't slow in matching his blow with Vlad's sword strike where he placed all of his strength and haki into it.
Another blow now with his fist being covered in Armament Haki, and the colliding powers shook the entire Rock King's Castle, scaring senseless the Royal Guards who never experienced such a scene in their lives.
"Old man, you are truly a monster even after 36 years. Now, I understand why those fools were so traumatized by your power, and even avoided clashing with you."
"Hah? Do I know you brat?"
"No, but you will for sure learn my name in the future. Thanks for opening my eyes and humbling me down, old sir."
That brief clash of powers was so intense that Vlad used all of his strength and haki, only to be overpowered by the old man who showed a new world in front of the infamous Impaler, who used the velocity of the force to push him into escaping from the Castle, cleaving an opening using his sword.
Later on, he started kicking in the air and used all of his remaining power into getting to Everfall Harbor and catching the Ship who was by now already exiting the Harbor thanks to Dalyon's sudden preparations when he saw Garp's Marine Flagship.
"... That's cheap. I thought you would be going even harder the next clash making me sweat. Well, I am too lazy to chase after you brat, since I only returned from Baterilla."
Garp who watched Vlad make his escape using something similar to the Rokushiki techniques to fly in the air, turned around at the people remaining in the large room that was messed up by the short clash between himself and the fleeing youngster.
"Queen Conney, what you just said, is it the truth, or just something you spoke at the moment to distract me?"
"Both." responded Conney looking with calm eyes at this larger-than-life character.
"He didn't show any moment of stopping when you mentioned that, so I take it, he isn't aware of his identity? Maybe he is one of their bastards. Hah, dealing with Royal Drama is so troublesome."
"Now, I have to report this back to HQ. Why do I get so much work the moment I return from my vacation with Luffy and Ace? This is for sure Sengoku taking revenge on me for not accepting extra responsibilities of the Admirals."
.
.
A/N: Now with this encounter with Garp, Vlad would lower his arrogance ... at least not show it that often.