"Lord Rhett, look!" She suddenly pointed at a dessert shop. "That cotton candy's bigger than my ghosts!"
Rhett's lips quirked. "Want some?"
Perona nodded vigorously, her pink twin-tails bouncing. Rhett casually pulled out a stack of Beli and bought the entire cotton candy puff.
"Lord Rhett is the best!" Perona hugged the treat taller than herself, spinning in bliss.
Passing citizens gaped at the duo—a long-haired man carrying the Kuroshio greatsword, and a ghost girl floating midair while gnawing on cotton candy.
A mask shop caught Perona's attention as they strolled. She drifted inside, gasping at rows of exquisite masks.
"This suits Lord Rhett!" She held up a silver wolf mask.
The shopkeeper, a wrinkled old woman, squinted at Rhett. "Young man, your daughter has good taste."
Rhett nearly choked. He was a pure virgin! Roger's crew was all brawny men! He'd never even dated!
"Granny~" Perona had already floated to the counter. "Do you have anything for me?"
Ten minutes later, they walked the streets—Perona in a skull mask, Rhett in the wolf one. Her eccentric aesthetic drew countless stares.
The sunset dyed Water 7's canals gold as they walked the waterfront. Perona, arms full of plushies, suddenly froze.
"Lord Rhett, that person..." She pointed toward a shadowed bridge.
A towering man in a deep brown cloak stood there, youthful face bearing uncharacteristic gravity.
Rhett narrowed his eyes—Monkey D. Dragon, Garp's son, future Revolutionary Army leader, the legendary King of Sandals in the pirate world.
"Talk?" Dragon's voice was low.
At an outdoor café, Dragon cut to the chase: "Don't you think this world is sick, Mr. Rhett? Celestial Dragons are born 'noble'—they can trample any life just by existing. I want to build an organization to overthrow the World Government and cure this rot."
Rhett sipped tea leisurely. "Oh? How?"
Honestly, the Sandal King was one step away from shouting "Are kings and nobles born superior?"
"Rally the oppressed masses to revolt."
"And then?" Rhett interrupted. "After toppling the Celestial Dragons, who becomes the new 'gods'? You, Mr. Dragon?"
Rhett thought Dragon had integrity and led from the front, but he didn't grasp One Piece's societal framework. In the original story, the kingdoms he liberated just swapped monarchs—the system remained.
Kings might rule benevolently for a generation or two... then they'd become the next Celestial Dragons. The rot wasn't the people—it was the class structure itself. Dragon clearly hadn't seen that.
Dragon frowned. "We'll build beautiful democracies where people coexist peacefully—"
"Democracy?" Rhett scoffed. "Impressive you even conceived that here. Know why Goa Kingdom's called 'East Blue's most beautiful'?"
Dragon stiffened.
"Because they burned all their slums and slaughtered the poor." Rhett locked eyes with him. "Harsh truth—you've been defending that very 'justice.'"
Dragon's fingers tapped the table. "Then what's your solution?"
Rhett set down his cup. "First: Revolution isn't a dinner party. How many deaths are you prepared for?"
"Necessary sacrifices. I'll lead the charge, whatever the cost."
"Second," Rhett continued, "Do you understand global economics? Who controls grain trade?"
Beads of sweat formed on Dragon's brow.
"Third—and most crucial—" Rhett leaned in. "You're arrogant, Dragon. Born to the Navy Hero, raised as elite. Your former rank alone decided lives. To commoners, you're no different from nobles."
"Do you know what people truly need? Not democracy or ideals—just survival. Full stomachs. They don't care for pretty words."
Dragon had just left the Navy. He'd figure this out eventually during his travels—Rhett was just speeding up the process.
Honestly, lecturing Dragon filled Rhett with smug satisfaction. Raised under the red flag, he might lack Dragon's grand vision... but copying homework? Easy.
Perona dropped her plushie, having overheard something earth-shattering. The canal's murmur grew deafening.
After a long silence, Dragon finally spoke. "You're right... I've been naive."
Rhett reclined. "Listen, kid. To change the world, first understand it." He pointed toward the docks. "Do you know Water 7's shipwrights' daily hours? Their greatest grievances?"
Dragon shook his head.
"Go see the world first." Rhett stood. "Return when you can answer those."
As Dragon turned to leave, he paused. "How do you know all this?"
Rhett watched petals drift on the canal. "Because... I've seen a better world."
Perona blinked in confusion. "Lord Rhett..."
"Let's go." He scooped her up. "Time to check how Tom's butchering our ship. Seriously—it's his masterpiece, yet he dismantles it without hesitation."
Rhett tossed Beli on the table. "Homework for you."
He counted on his fingers:
"One: Live incognito in any slum for a month."
"Two: Learn how the World Government controls trade."
"Three—" He tapped Dragon's chest. "Figure out who you're really fighting for."
Perona hugged her plushie, adding shyly, "Um... remember to eat meals..."
Behind them, Dragon stood on the bridge, notebook crammed with dense writing. Tonight, the seeds of revolution were quietly sown.
Rhett swelled with pride. My boy's growing up—I just assigned homework to Dragon.