Disclaimer
I still don't own One Piece, I know, I know, a Greek tragedy. If I did, this chapter would be sponsored by Den Den Mushi Snail Drinks! And I'd probably have Zoro as my bodyguard, even if he'd get lost on the way to my office. But no, I still rely on Observation Haki to avoid online spoilers. And I'm still dreaming of a Devil Fruit that pays my bills. Maybe the Tori Tori no Mi, Model: Golden Egg-Laying Chicken! Alas, I'll keep writing fanfiction and sighing for Raftel from my keyboard.
Chapter 2: Strategies in the Arena
The palace gardens became Sung Lee's chessboard. Every walk, every casual conversation, every observation of the court's movements, were pieces in a complex game he was just beginning to visualize.
The previous night, Vivi's question about whether he had ever thought of being a pirate had resonated in his mind. Still, the truth was that, although the freedom of the sea appealed to him, his initial ambition was more concrete, more immediate: Arabasta.If he wanted to change the world, he needed a power base, a foothold from which to start his revolution. And Arabasta, despite the dangers he foresaw in the future, was his logical starting point.
He knew the kingdom's destiny, the impending shadow of Crocodile, and the injustice the World Government planned for King Cobra. Using that knowledge, shaping the future in his favor, was the first move in his grand game.
As he watched the guards training in the courtyard, their clumsy and uncoordinated movements, Sung Lee understood a fundamental truth: Arabasta, despite the kindness of its king, was vulnerable. Its military strength was limited, its economy dependent on sand and trade, and its political stability fragile, hanging by a thread in the face of the intrigues and corruption he knew were lurking.
To take control, he didn't need overwhelming military force, but intelligence, cunning, and the ability to manipulate the pieces already in play.
Understanding the chains that bound each individual in Arabasta, their ambitions and their fears, would be key to freeing them... or to using them for his own benefit, at least for now.
His relationship with Vivi became his first asset.
The princess, with her insatiable curiosity and her access to the palace's hidden corners, was an invaluable source of information. In the following days, Sung Lee spent more time with her, not only in the gardens, but also exploring the royal libraries and the less frequented halls of the palace.
"What are you looking for in those old books?"
Vivi asked one afternoon, flipping through a dusty volume about the history of Arabasta.
Sung Lee pointed to a passage about the kingdom's ancient trade routes.
"I'm trying to understand how Arabasta works. Its economy, its alliances, its weaknesses..."
Vivi frowned. "That sounds really boring! Why are you so interested in it?"
Sung Lee looked at her seriously. "Because if I want to help Arabasta, I need to understand it first. And I think Arabasta needs help."
Vivi became pensive, her gaze fixed on the book. Although rebellious and energetic, she was also deeply aware of the responsibility that weighed on her family and her kingdom.
"Sometimes... I feel like my father is alone. There are many people around him, advisors, nobles... but I feel like he doesn't really trust anyone."
That confession, subtle but revealing, was another piece of the puzzle. King Cobra, a benevolent but perhaps isolated leader, surrounded by flatterers and potential traitors. A divided court, a vulnerable kingdom.
The perfect opportunity for someone with his vision and his ambition.
Sung Lee began to act with more determination. Using the information Vivi provided, he began to observe the king's advisors more closely, to study their reports and analyze the political decisions made in the palace. In conversations with Vivi, he subtly guided her questions, encouraging her to obtain specific information about certain individuals or problematic areas of the kingdom.
One day, while strolling through the gardens, Vivi told him a rumor she had overheard among the servants.
"They say that the Royal Treasurer, Count Bosco, is secretly accumulating wealth. That his warehouses are full, even when the kingdom is going through hard times."
Sung Lee stopped walking, thoughtful. Count Bosco. A name he had heard mentioned on several occasions in conversations with the advisors. An influential man in court, seemingly loyal to the king, but... to what extent? Greed, corruption, were universal human weaknesses, and in a system as oppressive as the World Government's, it was naive to think Arabasta would be free of them.
"Vivi", Sung Lee said calmly, "could you find out more about Count Bosco? His businesses, his... habits. Anything you can discover could be useful."
Vivi, intrigued by Sung Lee's seriousness, nodded enthusiastically. "It'll be like a spy game! I love it."
In the following days, Vivi became his eyes and ears within the palace. With her childish charm and privileged access, she subtly gathered information, without raising suspicion. Little by little, a pattern began to emerge.
Count Bosco, indeed, seemed to be enriching himself at the kingdom's expense, diverting funds and manipulating contracts for his own benefit. Not only that, but he also seemed to be in contact with shadowy figures outside the palace, merchants and smugglers of dubious reputation.
With that information in hand, Sung Lee decided to take his first step. He knew he couldn't approach King Cobra directly with vague accusations and rumors. He needed proof, something concrete that would demonstrate Count Bosco's treachery and, at the same time, highlight his own intelligence and loyalty.
During one of the king's public audiences, where economic matters of the kingdom were discussed, Sung Lee, discreetly accompanied by Vivi, observed from an upper gallery. Count Bosco was presenting a report on the last quarter's revenues and expenses, using complex figures and economic jargon to confuse those present.
Sung Lee, however, with his analytical mind and his knowledge of the future, detected the inconsistencies in the report, the small deviations that, added together, revealed the fraud.
When the audience was about to conclude, Sung Lee stepped forward, interrupting with a clear and firm voice that echoed in the hall.
"Your Majesty, with your permission, I would like to ask a question about Count Bosco's report."
Silence fell over the hall. King Cobra, surprised by the young civilian's interruption, looked at him with curiosity. Count Bosco, for his part, paled visibly, his hand clenched on the report.
"Go ahead, Sung Lee", the king said courteously. "What troubles you?"Sung Lee advanced a few steps, maintaining calm and composure.
"Your Majesty, I have been carefully studying the kingdom's economic reports, and I have noticed some... discrepancies in the figures presented by Count Bosco regarding spice imports from the last quarter. If I may point out..."
And so, before the astonished gaze of the court, Sung Lee began to break down Count Bosco's report, precisely pointing out the inconsistencies, errors, and possible manipulations. Using seemingly insignificant data, but connected with relentless logic, he demonstrated how the Royal Treasurer had been defrauding the kingdom, diverting funds to his own coffers.
As he spoke, the tension in the hall was palpable. King Cobra listened with growing attention, his initially surprised face transforming into an expression of deep disappointment and, perhaps, a hint of hope. Count Bosco, on the other hand, sweated profusely, trying to refute Sung Lee's accusations with stammering excuses and empty arguments
Sung Lee's final point, was that silence was absolute. All eyes turned to King Cobra, awaiting his reaction. The king, after a few seconds of deliberation, addressed Count Bosco in a grave voice full of disappointment.
"Count Bosco... do you have any explanation for these... irregularities?"
Count Bosco, cornered, tried to deny the accusations, but the evidence presented by Sung Lee was irrefutable. Finally, he broke down, confessing his treachery and begging for mercy.
King Cobra, although visibly pained by the betrayal of someone he had trusted, acted with the firmness and justice that characterized him. He ordered Count Bosco's arrest and the seizure of his assets, committing to thoroughly investigate the extent of his corruption and recover the funds defrauded from the kingdom.
At that moment, in the palace hall, King Cobra's gaze settled on Sung Lee. It was not the distant and polite look he had given him until now. It was a different look, a look of recognition, of curiosity, and perhaps, of an incipient respect.
Sung Lee, the young civilian rescued by chance, had taken his first step in the arena of power in Arabasta. And the game had only just begun.