Early the next morning, the palace was bustling. Old ministers and young talents alike were gathered, all waiting for one person.
Anos finally appeared, dressed in a king's attire entirely different from what he had worn in the past, a golden crown resting on his head.
At just fourteen or fifteen, he still looked a little immature, but there was no denying his imposing presence.
As he entered the main hall, everyone bowed respectfully, offering their congratulations on his ascension to the throne.
Anos stood at the foot of the throne, gazing silently at the chair above him. He had been in this room many times before.
When he had acted as regent, he had almost casually sat in that chair without much thought. But this time, it was different.
The room remained silent. No one spoke. Everyone waited patiently for what would happen next.
---
Anos exhaled sharply, then began walking forward with long strides.
The moment he sat down, everyone below bowed and shouted in unison, "Your Majesty..."
Anos still felt slightly uncomfortable with the formality, but at that moment, the long-silent system finally spoke.
[ Ding, congratulations to the host on ascending the throne. To express our congratulations, the system has sent a special gift... ]
Anos, who had been confused moments earlier, was now shocked. He hadn't expected to become king, and even more surprising was that the system could give him items. It was truly astonishing.
Regaining his composure, he looked at the ministers below and, with a smile, said, "There's no need for formalities. This kingdom doesn't belong to me alone it's the result of everyone's joint effort. I may be the leader, but you are the one who will ensure that the kingdom runs smoothly. In the future, we'll need your continuous support to thrive."
After speaking respectfully, Anos stood and saluted the gathered ministers.
The ministers were a bit taken aback, but when Anos saluted, they bowed deeply once again.
This time was different from before—he was now their king, the leader of the nation. When such a person offers recognition, it elevates those who receive it.
"Everyone, the road ahead will be difficult, and it might not be as smooth as we'd hope. I hope we can all work together, hand in hand so that the Kingdom of Tru can become what we've envisioned." Anos stood and spoke again.
"Your Majesty, the Kingdom of Tru will certainly become what we've dreamed of, or else I, for one, will not stand for it!" Daiki declared boldly.
"You've got some nerve saying that," Anos replied with a chuckle. "From now on, you'll be responsible for Protecting the entire Kingdom of Tru. The weight on your shoulders will be great, but I trust you'll live up to the responsibility and the trust placed in you."
"Rest assured, Your Majesty. As long as I'm here, I'll never allow any pirates to set foot on the land that belongs to the Kingdom of Tru," Daiki responded, his earlier playfulness replaced by a serious expression.
Anos smiled, acknowledging Daiki's commitment.
There were many challenges ahead, and Anos planned to address them all today.
"Everyone, as you might remember, we've discussed a plan before. Starting now, all the coastal areas of the Kingdom of Tru will be cultivated with flowers and plants. Our goal is to create a national brand and ensure that more than half of our citizens can secure stable jobs and incomes."
"The plan has already begun. The construction of the perfume factory, ten kilometres from the palace, started half a month ago. This is just the first step. There's much more to do; textiles and other industries are in the plans."
"Therefore, the burden on all of you will not be light. For the sake of the kingdom and the people, I urge you to take your work even more seriously in the coming days."
Anos spoke with conviction. The construction of the perfume factories was no secret most people were already aware and eager to work in them.
However, Anos's true intentions went beyond this. With wealth, he could purchase goods from other worlds, ensuring the Kingdoms prosperity.
Right now, his focus is on developing the kingdom for the better. His matters would have to wait.
"Your Majesty, if your plan goes ahead, we might face a food shortage. The surrounding countries already struggle with food supplies. How do you plan to address this issue?" an elderly minister named Akio asked.
Anos smiled and answered directly, "Don't worry, Minister Akio. I've considered this. Once people switch to growing flowers and plants, food will indeed be their main concern. But I've already taken measures to address this."
"And where will the people's food come from?" Akio pressed.
"Minister Akio, Your Majesty, I've already begun purchasing large quantities of food from other Kingdoms. You have nothing to worry about," Daiki stepped forward and said.
"I believe it would be in our best interest to join the World Government. This would protect us from pirate attacks in the future," a middle-aged man, who appeared to be in his forties, suggested.
He had a moustache and an intelligent look about him.
Anos smiled. "You raise a valid point. Joining the World Government could indeed offer protection from pirates. But have you considered what the World Government will demand in return?"
The man looked stunned. He hadn't thought that far. He had only considered the deterrent effect of the World Government.
The others were also deep in thought, and Akio spoke again, this time with a serious tone. "The World Government does not engage in charity. And let's not forget that South Blue isn't exactly their priority. Additionally, their annual tribute of 'Heavenly Offerings' would cripple our economy."
"Minister Akio is right. Our kingdom is already strained. If we have to offer up Heavenly Offerings, it will further impoverish our people. At that point, why would we even need pirates to plunder us?" Anos added.
The middle-aged man who spoke earlier fell silent. He hadn't considered the impact of paying the tribute. He'd simply thought the World Government's protection would help.
"Alright, for now, let's continue with the plan. We've gathered the population data, and our goal is to meet at least 20% of the kingdom's employment needs in the first phase. We'll figure out the rest as we move forward and improve the kingdom's economy," Anos concluded.
"Yes, Your Majesty..." the ministers responded in unison.
Soon after, word of the king's decisions spread throughout the Kingdom of Tru.
Surprisingly, there were few objections. Most people welcomed the news and looked forward to working.
Growing flowers and plants provided many with a stable livelihood one person could tend several acres, and the returns from these lands could sustain entire families.
The climate was ideal for cultivation, and there were no restrictions on which varieties to plant. The entire Kingdom of Tru was swept up in this new wave of agriculture.
Visitors from other kingdoms were intrigued by the developments in the Kingdom of Tru.
For Anos, the greatest advantage was that, with sufficient wealth, he could ensure a continuous supply of food and other resources. The system allowed him to obtain whatever he needed.
In the palace hall, after explaining his vision and plans to the ministers, Anos quickly left. His curiosity about the gift from the system was growing.
Back in his room, he closed the door and sat on the edge of his bed, focusing inward.
Opening the system's interface, he was surprised.
[ System, where's the gift you promised? ]
[ Congratulations, host. The system is offering a lottery draw as a gift. The items in the lottery come from the Universal Mall. What you receive depends on your luck. ]
Anos was speechless. A lottery draw? Still, it was better than nothing.
"Start the lottery!" Anos commanded.
The system space shifted from its usual blue to pink, with a button in front of him.
Without hesitation, Anos pressed the button. The screen spun, and when it stopped, Anos gasped in amazement.
In front of him is a long sword a tachi, to be precise. Its name was displayed: the Demon Sword Muramasa. Any anime fan would know this legendary blade.
Anos knew of its formidable reputation. He hadn't expected the system to deliver such a powerful item from another world.
Beside his bed, the Demon Sword Muramasa stood upright.
Its faintly glowing red scabbard and the hilt made of an unknown material exuded an eerie aura, making it clear that this was no ordinary sword.
The sword's malevolent energy was palpable, enough to make anyone shudder when near.
Anos grasped the hilt, and a strange power surged through him, establishing a connection between them.
"I'll make sure your reputation is upheld in this world," Anos murmured, gazing at the demonic sword.
However, a thought crossed his mind he didn't know any swordsmanship. Owning such a legendary blade wouldn't help him much without the skill to wield it.
With that in mind, Anos recalled that his system space contained over 300 million in resources. Now was the time to use it.
Placing the Demon Sword Muramasa by his bedside, Anos entered the system space once more. "System, is there a way to acquire advanced swordsmanship techniques?"
Instantly, the words "Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu" appeared on the screen.
But the price tag below made Anos gulp. The entire technique cost 500 million a sum far beyond what he had available.
His 300 million, which he thought was substantial, now seemed like nothing compared to the cost of the swordsmanship manual. He couldn't afford it.
With a sigh, Anos exited the system space and looked at Muramasa, now dormant beside the bed.
"Don't worry, I'll master you soon," he promised with a smile.
The sword's faint red light gradually dimmed until it looked like an ordinary blade.
The Demon Sword Muramasa was about one meter in length, with a blade around 70 centimetres long. If Anos could master Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu, his combat abilities would improve dramatically.
But for now, he remained a pauper with no way to afford the technique. At that moment, he recalled something his father had left him before he died a treasure hidden somewhere in the kingdom.
Though Anos didn't know what the treasure contained, he trusted that his father wouldn't have left something so valuable without a reason.
After thinking for a while, Anos decided it would be better to take practical action. He lifted his pillow and retrieved a roll of parchment.
The location was recorded on it, with even the specific mountain peaks meticulously marked.
This time, the treasure wasn't hidden at sea but rather on a high mountain located within his kingdom.
After reading it, Anos felt curious. Why had his father been unwilling to open it until the very end? What was hidden inside remained a mystery.
However, based on his knowledge of the One Piece world, there were many places where one could gather great wealth.
But one needed to reach a certain level of strength before venturing on such a journey.
For now, almost everything in the kingdom had been arranged smoothly, and there was little to worry about.
The only remaining task was to sell the first batch of goods once they were ready. However, this process was expected to take at least a year.
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Thank you for reading!