"Dragon-san appearance—I might be the first outside the Revolutionary Army to see it. I never expected Dragon-san to look so dignified. One would hardly guess you are the leader of the Revolutionary Army, intent on overthrowing the World Government. Perhaps you resemble a Navy commander more than a revolutionary leader."
Belo Betty spoke bluntly, but her words did not provoke any change in Dragon's expression. Instead, the caution in his eyes grew more pronounced.
"Greetings, Queen Belo Betty. As requested, I have brought my cadre to your palace and removed the hood concealing my face. I hope this demonstrates my sincerity." Dragon spoke without arrogance or subservience.
Upon hearing this, Belo Betty descended from her high throne.
Dragon glanced at her but said nothing, merely feeling genuine admiration.
Before Belo Betty stood up, he had merely regarded her as a queen.
It was only after she rose that he realized she was not very old—practically still a young girl.
For a young girl to govern the Kingdom of Eruyorobu so effectively, Dragon was deeply impressed.
It was precisely because of this that Dragon understood why the kingdom had not reverted to its old ways.
When he and Raleigh had joined forces in the great miners' uprising, they had killed nearly all the nobles and the king, leaving vast wealth to the Kingdom of Eryoku.
The newly appointed Belo Betty was like a blank sheet of paper, untainted by the world.
She was unaware that other kings and nobles survived by exploiting the people.
In her view, everyone was equal, with no distinctions of high or low, noble or common.
Moreover, when she took over, the state's coffers were filled with the wealth left behind after the nobles were purged.
This wealth meant Belo Betty did not need to exploit the people to pay the Celestial Tribute.
Dragon felt fortunate to have encountered such a ruler.
Had it been any other king, he would have had no choice but to resort to physical means to overthrow them.
As for Raleigh, Dragon had always harbored a deep-seated wariness toward his junior.
This wariness had only intensified after Raleigh's recent promotion to Admiral.
Naturally, he also feared any connection between Belo Betty and Raleigh, so he had investigated extensively. Records showed that Raleigh had met Belo Betty twice during his time in the Kingdom of Eryoku.
However, Raleigh soon departed for the Grand Line, and from then on, Belo Betty and Raleigh had never been seen together in public again.
Dragon had wondered whether Belo Betty was a hidden piece planted by Raleigh, but he dismissed the thought.
No one could predict that they would inevitably rise to a high position. After all, the Grand Line was never short of geniuses.
Dragon himself was a genius and had undertaken many dangerous missions.
Even as the son of Garp, with access to abundant resources to grow stronger, he had nearly died at the hands of pirates on several occasions.
If someone knew they would inevitably become an Admiral and had begun planting seeds long ago, that person would possess the power to change the world.
Dragon did not believe Raleigh was that person. He was more inclined to think that the one to change the world was either himself or the Child of Destiny.
Regardless of Dragon's thoughts, Belo Betty approached him and spoke frankly.
"Dragon-san, I did not become queen due to my lineage or efforts. It was simply because the World Government believed a young girl would be easier to control. No one does not yearn for freedom, and I am no exception. In this palace, I am like a caged bird, unable to see the world beyond. The Navy forces near the kingdom are more like guard dogs. They can resist foreign invasions and also prevent the sheep from leaving the pen."
"If there is any force in this world that can free me from this predicament, I believe it must be your Revolutionary Army."
Belo Betty spoke plainly, and Dragon understood clearly. It aligned almost entirely with the analysis he had made the previous night.
When a puppet is unwilling to have its fate controlled by others, it naturally thinks of using the power of others to break free.
In this world, only three forces can achieve this: the World Government, the Navy, and the Revolutionary Army.
Since the World Government and the Navy are the forces restraining Belo Betty, only the Revolutionary Army can help her escape this situation.
"I understand your thoughts, but I need more time to consider. What do you think?" Although Dragon already believed Belo Betty's claims, he left himself some room for caution.
"That's fine, Dragon-san. After all, this isn't just a matter between the two of us. It concerns both the Kingdom of Eryoku and the Revolutionary Army. No amount of caution is excessive." Belo Betty showed no anger at Dragon's refusal. Instead, she wore an expression that suggested this was exactly as it should be.
"If you don't mind, may I invite you to lunch?"
Belo Betty did not take Dragon's refusal as absolute, nor did she show any intention of asking him to leave.
"Thank you for your hospitality. We won't be polite then."
Dragon did not refuse.
He wanted an opportunity to learn more about Belo Betty, and sharing a meal was an excellent chance. Thus, in the following time, Dragon tried every means to extract information from Belo Betty.
However, apart from revealing some of her inner thoughts on necessary questions, Belo Betty skillfully evaded most of the others.
Dragon did not suspect anything amiss.
In his eyes, such behavior made Belo Betty even more fitting for the image he had of the new queen.
If Dragon had ever worked with Raleigh or been in the same generation, he would have known that such preconceptions could be exploited, leading to severe deception.
After lunch, Dragon left the palace and wandered the capital with his people.
Belo Betty paid little attention to the reports from her guards. Instead, she instructed them to provide as much convenience as possible for Dragon and his group.
Three days later, when Dragon stepped into the palace again, he had fully solidified his decision: to accept Belo Betty's proposal.
"Has Dragon-san agreed to my conditions?" Belo Betty descended from her throne, speaking as she walked.
"Yes, Queen Belo Betty. Welcome to the Revolutionary Army family, Kingdom of Eryoku." Dragon's face showed no expression, but the occasional flicker of delight deep in his eyes betrayed his true feelings.
"What should we do next? I think we should start by driving away the stationed Navy."
After a moment of silence, Dragon replied, "As for that group of Navy, I need to use other means to make them voluntarily abandon this place as a base. For now, forcibly expelling them would be highly inappropriate."
Dragon was not afraid of those Navy soldiers but felt powerless against the colossal entity that was the Navy.
Although his Revolutionary Army had grown rapidly and seemed to have vast influence and territory, Dragon knew deep down that in the eyes of the Navy, they were merely a slightly larger Pirate Crew.
If their headquarters were discovered, they could be easily wiped out.